Read-Only files in WordPerfect

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Symptoms:

When you open a file, you see a warning that the file is read-only and/or a notice appears in the WordPerfect title bar showing that the file is read-only.

Causes:

  1. The file is in use elsewhere or the logged-in user doesn't have permission to write to this file.
  2. In WordPerfect X7 (Service Pack 1) and earlier, if a real time backup solution is running, you may see this message when the real time backup software locks the file during WordPerfect's access to the file. 

Resolution:

For cause 1:

Normally, This happens when the file is already open in WordPerfect.  

In WordPerfect X6 and later, WordPerfect can have multiple windows open. By default, double-clicking on a file in Windows causes a new WordPerfect window to open rather than opening the file in an existing WordPerfect window.  This can cause confusion as one does not see all open files along the bottom of the current WordPerfect window.

If you see a Read-Only error message, we recommend answering "No" to the prompt.  If a blank WordPerfect window opens, make sure no documents are open in it and then close it. 

Next, hover your mouse over the WordPerfect icon on the task bar and clicking on each WordPerfect preview to open any other WordPerfect windows. 

Check the bottom bar (Application Bar) in WordPerfect for the file you wished to open, or check the Window Menu to see if it's already open in that window. If it's not there, check the next WordPerfect Window. If it is there, check the title bar to be sure it's not also read-only. Assuming it's not, proceed to edit the file.

To reduce the likelihood of this confusion, some users prefer to revert to the pre-WordPerfect X6 behavior and have new files open in the same window. Here's how:

  1. Open WordPerfect
  2. Click Tools, Settings, Files icon
  3. On the Document tab, uncheck the bottom item which is labeled "Outside WordPerfect, open documents in new application window"
  4. Click OK
  5. Click Close

For Cause 2:

Upgrade to WordPerfect Office X7 SP2 or later, or exclude the folders where WordPerfect opens and saves files from real-time backup.

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