Read Only - terrible Word

[thatboyChase]

Sometimes I'll get files back, stories, edited etc but it will only be in read only format. I try to change it back, change the name, copy and paste it and it never works. If I copy and paste it it'll just strike everything out. Is there a way to re-save it without it being read only?

[Graeme]

Is this something in Word, or is it at the operating system level? Have you checked if the file is read-only? I'm sure it probably isn't, but it's better to eliminate that as a possibility up front

[thatboyChase]

I have no idea, I'm a novice when it comes to Word minus a few things. I was sent a document and it is read only and I believe it was by mistake by my editor. So if you can tell me how to un-check that, or find out where, that'd be helpful.

[YaP]

Check the file attributes in windows file explorer.. (thats what Graeme meant by "operating system level"). You can uncheck the "read only" attribute there if it is set - and if this is causing the "read only" problem you have. Otherwise you can try to do a "save as" in Word and save a copy under a different name.

[Graeme]

If you're using a Linux/Unix operating system, check the permissions on the file to make sure you have a "w" value set.

 

eg. -rw-rw-rw. If it is -rw-r--r--, check that you own the file (because those permissions indicate that only the owner can write to the file)

 

If it's Windows, right-click the file and select "Properties". Down the bottom of the dialogue box there will be a checkbox "Readonly". If that's ticked, then that's why you can't overwrite the file. If it is, uncheck it and you should be able to write to it.

 

If this is a feature within Word, I'm going to have to leave it to someone else to help you. I haven't used Word for years. However, I did find an article about removing readonly and password-protection from a word document. Hopefully that will help you.

[JamesSavik]

One trick that you might try: when you are communicating with an editor, both of you save your word file in RTF (rich text format). All versions of word can read rtf and you'll maintain your formatting (for the most part) *crosses fingers*.

[MikeL]

Here's a related question. What can an author or editor (or anyone who transfers a Word document to someone else) do to ensure that the file is not transferred as a read only file?

 

And another question: Does a file sent as an attachment via GA's PM system get converted to a read only file?

 

Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts.

[thatboyChase]

If you're using a Linux/Unix operating system, check the permissions on the file to make sure you have a "w" value set.

 

eg. -rw-rw-rw. If it is -rw-r--r--, check that you own the file (because those permissions indicate that only the owner can write to the file)

 

If it's Windows, right-click the file and select "Properties". Down the bottom of the dialogue box there will be a checkbox "Readonly". If that's ticked, then that's why you can't overwrite the file. If it is, uncheck it and you should be able to write to it.

 

If this is a feature within Word, I'm going to have to leave it to someone else to help you. I haven't used Word for years. However, I did find an article about removing readonly and password-protection from a word document. Hopefully that will help you.

 

I did all of that, I did what you said, the bolded part, and it didn't work. The box reading 'read only' was NOT checked. I played around with some options, didn't get it.

 

When I went to that website, I did the command and it pulled up a blank gray page with a coding toolbar to the right. No document. I have no idea what is wrong. If I copy ans paste the document from there to a wordpad, or something, it won't retain the editing colors used, then it strike throughs everything.

 

So any other options, or do I need to have the person sending it reformat the document completely?

 

We need to have a thread in the Editor forum about this stuff. And I have voiced this to my editors, they just don't soak up information. I've only had this problem once with MikeL, and not PlugInMatty sent an edited story to me in an RTF format, which I can usually open but not always in read only. This is frustrating.

 

Mike: That also is a great question, does the PM system automatically do that? Any mods want to weigh in on this.

 

I just went and did some troubleshooting and noticed that the file sent within the PM system is under a .doc format - when I went to change it to an RTF it said that it was read-only from another user, assuming it was the party that was sending it. So, it might be on his end/and or the PM system changes it.

[thatboyChase]

Update: Fixed it. I opened it on my laptop perfectly fine with MSW-Word Processor. I guess it bypassed the doc.

[Aeroplane]

Whats happening is that for some reason, and the reason is irrelevant, word has opened the file as a read-only copy.

 

The reason it is irrelevant is because if you want to be able to edit it.. all you have to do is go File.. Save As, and save it somewhere else. That copy you CAN edit.