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always open read only

always open read only

always open read only

(OP)
Is there an option to always open SW files read only?

Our assembly guy builds from our SW assemblies (I'd have him use edrawings but not my decision) I'm tired of having to call him to tell him he has right access and needs to switch to read only. Thus I'd love to change a setting so he only opens things read only.  I didn't see one but hopefully I missed something.

I know this is not the right way to do it but I have now say how he gets his information so he can asssembly. Like I said I'd give him a edrawing or a 3d pdf.

Thanks

Grant
Certified SolidWorks Associate
SW2009 X64 SP 1.0
Dell Precision T5400
Nvidia Quadro FX 5600
Xeon 2.5GHz Quad Core, 4GB RAM
XP Pro X64 SP2.0
 

RE: always open read only

Spelling: "write" access, not "right" access.

In the SW options you can set a system option to open reference documents read only. That should be set in team environments.

Also, "do not prompt to save read only documents" should be set or you will enter SAVEAS hell when you try to save a document.

Also, you both should have the multiuser options checked.

One way to guarantee that this will be setup consistently is to set options up on one computer, save your options and then apply them to all computers used in the team environment.  

TOP
CSWP, BSSE
www.engtran.com  www.niswug.org

"Node news is good news."

RE: always open read only

Have IT change him to a Windows user group which has Read Only status.

Are you using Collaboration or PDM?
Maybe the same functionality exists in PDM?

RE: always open read only

Assuming that you are working from a common network share and not using some PDM, you could try modifying the folder or share permissions on the network so that he has only read access to all of the SW files.

Eric

RE: always open read only

(OP)
opps yes meant write access my bad.

We have multi user enviroment set and we have the same settings as I copied mine to his machine.

Basically I want to avoid this. This morning he opened a project that he will be building next. I had to change something but he opened it before me so he had write access.  I'd like to be able to have him open everything read only not just ref docs.

No PDM.  Yes collaboration is set.
Ya I think setting his permisions on the server might be the only way.  Thats what we figured but haven't done that yet as we want to be able to save from his machine occasionally. It's rare but we have done it.

Grant
Certified SolidWorks Associate
SW2009 X64 SP 1.0
Dell Precision T5400
Nvidia Quadro FX 5600
Xeon 2.5GHz Quad Core, 4GB RAM
XP Pro X64 SP2.0
 

RE: always open read only

(OP)
^Or I'll just push for him to use edrawing to build from.  He's been good about never saving anything but you never know.

Grant
Certified SolidWorks Associate
SW2009 X64 SP 1.0
Dell Precision T5400
Nvidia Quadro FX 5600
Xeon 2.5GHz Quad Core, 4GB RAM
XP Pro X64 SP2.0
 

RE: always open read only

You can change Windows permissions of files and folders so that only specific people have write access.

RE: always open read only

(OP)
I think thats what we'll have to do.  Was hoping SW had an option I missed.

thanks

Grant
Certified SolidWorks Associate
SW2009 X64 SP 1.0
Dell Precision T5400
Nvidia Quadro FX 5600
Xeon 2.5GHz Quad Core, 4GB RAM
XP Pro X64 SP2.0
 

RE: always open read only

I agree with the others; set the permissions on the saved-in folder to "read only" for that user.

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - Robert Hunter
 

RE: always open read only

I just did a little experiment.  Try setting the permissions on your SolidWorks folder(s) as follows:
  • Under "Advanced" button of "Security" tab, make sure the box to inherit permissions in unchecked
  • Add the specific user you wish to block to the permissions list, and set his write permission to "deny"

RE: always open read only

There's no SW setting that I'm aware of, PDM would sort you out though. We used to share files on a network drive and I just used to rely on setting entire folders to read only through windows

RE: always open read only

If you enable the System Options > External References
check off []Open Referenced documents with read only access option as kellnerpsuggested

You can make an upper level assembly with the main assembly as only component so when he opens it no matter if he used Open as Read Only option on the Flyout next to the open button in File open or didn't all the lower level refs would be read only automatically.

When using the Normal (Open as Read-Only) option only the top level component gets loaded read only. If the person opening the assembly knows about the open as read only button and has the External References setting enabled then this would be the way to ensure all files are read only.

You could also have him check using File > Reload to see if the referenced documents and main assembly are indeed read only.
If not he can then hit the Show References button and check the Read Only box on top row to check off all the assembly and part documents and make them read only.

Michael

RE: always open read only

I have worked in this kind of situation quite a bit. Whether you are just using SW or SW with a PDM system a "file hog" is a real pain. But I will assume that everyone involved wants to make the company money by cooperating.

Here are the settings that make things work:
Multi User Settings

Starting at the top you enable multi-user environment with the other options.

Then you check the read-only and don't prompt options. The second one is very important. If you don't believe me save a thousand part file with it off.

Finally, make sure these two icons are on your tool bars. One reloads and controls read/write status on files you have open. The other checks for updated files that others might be using.

Finally, a word of advice from a presenter at the last NISWUG meeting. You will have to agree on certain ground rules when working concurrently on assemblies so that hand offs can be painless. Things like naming planes and leaving "bread crumbs" so that others can follow. The lack of consistency in the group can be a hidden motive behind "file hogging."

This is about as good as it gets with SW own tools. The next step is PDM and even there you can have "check out hogs" unless you use work flow in which a supervisor assigns work.

 

TOP
CSWP, BSSE
www.engtran.com  www.niswug.org

"Node news is good news."

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