Why does Word let me edit read-only files?

[CedricCicada]

Greetings!

I often open a file in MS Word, edit it, and then save it and find that
my only option is to give it a new name, since the file was read-only.
I would be much happier if Word didn't let me edit the file in the
first place. As soon as I type a character or insert text or delete
text or whatever, MS Word should warn me that the file is read-only.
Then I can close it, check it out of SourceSafe, and edit it, knowing
that I'll be able to save it and check it back in instead of renaming
the file, checking the original out of SourceSafe, deleting the file,
renaming the renamed file back to the original name, and finally
checking it in. Isn't there some option I can set so that I can avoid
this ridiculous rigamarole?

Thanks very much!

Rob Richardson

 

[anon k]

Greetings!

I often open a file in MS Word, edit it, and then save it and find that
my only option is to give it a new name, since the file was read-only.
I would be much happier if Word didn't let me edit the file in the
first place. As soon as I type a character or insert text or delete
text or whatever, MS Word should warn me that the file is read-only.
Then I can close it, check it out of SourceSafe, and edit it, knowing
that I'll be able to save it and check it back in instead of renaming
the file, checking the original out of SourceSafe, deleting the file,
renaming the renamed file back to the original name, and finally
checking it in. Isn't there some option I can set so that I can avoid
this ridiculous rigamarole?

Thanks very much!

Rob Richardson

The read-only attribute belongs to the file on the disk, not to what you
have in memory.

To deal with your problem: you could write a little macro in normal.dot
to check for read-only files and flash up a warning in a msgbox.

 

[Rob graham]

Greetings!

I often open a file in MS Word, edit it, and then save it and find that
my only option is to give it a new name, since the file was read-only.
I would be much happier if Word didn't let me edit the file in the
first place. As soon as I type a character or insert text or delete
text or whatever, MS Word should warn me that the file is read-only.
Then I can close it, check it out of SourceSafe, and edit it, knowing
that I'll be able to save it and check it back in instead of renaming
the file, checking the original out of SourceSafe, deleting the file,
renaming the renamed file back to the original name, and finally
checking it in. Isn't there some option I can set so that I can avoid
this ridiculous rigamarole?

It's the usual story of what is a problem to one person is a blessing to
another. I have a read-only document which acts as a template for letters. I
just type into it but don't want the basic template to be altered for future
use, so always save it with an appropriate filename. Then when I reopen the
template it's ready for use for another letter.

Rob Graham

 

[Zilbandy]

I often open a file in MS Word, edit it, and then save it and find that

My version of Word, Word97, tells when when I open it that it is read
only. Just because you can add/delete text from the copy on your
screen doesn't mean that you can 'edit' the file. You are working with
a copy of the file as word will not let you save your changes to the
original file. The original file remains 'unedited' and unchanged.