read only

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read only

2010-09-19 11:00 pm

How can I make a file "read only"?

Re: read only

Reply #1 – 2010-09-19 11:26 pm

Carl,

The only way you can do that is through standard Windows facilities. But that means that anyone else can make the file changeable and you have no control over what happens when you pass the file to others.

A long time ago, I was one of a group of users who requested a facility to make files read only or to lock an nwc file against further change (particularly for distribution on the www). I don't know if the idea was ever considered but if it was, nothing came of it.

I would still wish for some sort of facility like that though.

Re: read only

Reply #2 – 2010-09-20 01:56 am

I suggest just printing the file to PDF and distributing that.

PDFs can be altered, but not so easily, and I suspect it would be even less easy to alter notation in a PDF.

d

Re: read only

Reply #3 – 2010-09-20 03:17 am

What I want is not to alter files accidentally myself. The only thing I can think of is to rename a file every time `I open it.

Re: read only

Reply #4 – 2010-09-20 03:49 am

Quote from: Carl Bangs – 2010-09-20 03:17 am

What I want is not to alter files accidentally myself.

If you check 'Open as read only' when you open the file, clicking <Image Link> will prompt you before overwriting the file.

This is automatic for files opened via 'Open Sample...'
Unfortunately, there is no way to open files from 'History...' as 'Open as read only'.

Re: read only

Reply #5 – 2010-09-20 03:54 am

Carl:

Am I missing something?

Why not just change the file properties to "Read Only".
Browse to the file in Windows Explorer - right click - select Properties then Read Only.
If you change the file and attempt to save it you will get a warning.

In fact you can select a complete folder or multiple files with Shift or Ctrl and follow the same procedure to "batch" all selected files as "Read Only"

Barry Graham
Melbourne, Australia

Re: read only

Reply #6 – 2010-09-20 07:39 am

Thank you. Barry.
That is what I needed to know.

Re: read only

Reply #7 – 2010-09-20 07:47 am

Quote from: Barry Graham – 2010-09-20 03:54 am

Why not just change the file properties to "Read Only".

Which is exactly what this means

Quote from: Richard Woodroffe – 2010-09-19 11:26 pm

The only way you can do that is through standard Windows facilities.

But I didn't realise that you didn't know how to do that - so, sorry for that - I should have explained further. I assumed that you meant to completely stop other people from changing your file

Re: read only

Reply #8 – 2010-09-20 09:32 pm

Hi Carl,

Another suggestion ...

If you aren't intending to modify the file, then why not just open it in the Viewer? No danger then of getting a 'file modified' prompt.

... (In Composer, when simply viewing "File > Info" to read about the music and author, I sometimes forget and click "OK" instead of "Cancel").

... Or do you also need to see some of the Composer's notation elements that aren't shown in the Viewer?

Joe

Re: read only

Reply #9 – 2010-09-21 06:51 am

Quote

(In Composer, when simply viewing "File > Info" to read about the music and author, I sometimes forget and click "OK" instead of "Cancel").

Me too.
Long ago it took some time to grasp why NWC kept saying "the file has changed".

Re: read only

Reply #10 – 2010-09-21 07:39 am

Hi Joe,

I simply hadn't thought of using the viewer. I publish several hundred compositions by more than 40 composers, and every time I print a piece, there has been the danger of an error occurring. Now that problem is solved.