Why does ORD randomly choose to open read/write files in Read Only mode?
I have found, as well as many of my users, that files recently worked on in ORD will later just end up read only. With no explanation.
No other users are accessing the file and no prompts are displayed indicating the file is read only. We only find out when we try and do something simple and are denied the ability, then look down and see it's in Read Only mode:
The Read Only radio button in Windows file Properties Attributes is not checked on.
If we open the file in MSCE (doesn't matter which version) it is read/write and editable. If we reopen it in ORD, file is read only.
We do not use ProjectWise.
File attached:
COMP.dgn
Just quick checked your attached file under OpenRoads 2021 R2. It seems that the DGN file is created from V8i format.
You can try to use Civil File Manager to upgrade them.
Then file will be editable.
Hope it helps.
jing jing (o'.'o)
We don't see this message when opening the file. It certainly would have given me a clue as to what was going on before posting.
I wouldn't have thought there was any civil data in it, but I've been surprised before.
Thank you both for the help, input and directions! I'll give it a try and see what that does.
I believe there is a variable that can be defined to change this behavior. Look through the help documents.
Charles (Chuck) Rheault CADD Manager
MDOT State Highway Administration
FYI: The read-only variable is: MS_READONLY. If set to 1, files will always be Read-Only.
I also believe there is a variable that when defined will affect how older versions can be opened, which is what I was referring to. It is related to the need to upgrade the file to a newer version if it was created in a older Civil Schema.
Hey, Mr. Chuck & Peter.
Unfortunately these files are 'created last week, randomly read only this week'. I never followed up with the Help to find out the config. variable that would show the warning Jing posted.
Our MS_READONLY is undefined. I don't believe that was ever the cause of this issue.
But I can say for sure that in most cases there wasn't any civil data in the file. Or at least there shouldn't have been. We're not using ORD for much, if any, design. Just an expensive seat of MicroStation to do drafting. Migration from InRoads hasn't gone well for us...
As with most things from Bentley, a workaround (which I hate) of creating a new file and merging in the 'read only' file keeps the user working.
It seems that if the file was created with Power InRoads, regardless if there is any civil data inside of it, ORD will automatically open the file in read-only mode (saying that it cannot read the data)However, if you open the same file in MSCE, then you can manipulate the file as normal, go figure.
Civil tools don't seem to do much good in upgrading, I have never managed to make it work, I might be doing things wrong though..,
I do feel your grief about the workaround, especially knowing that you can open the file in MSCE without any issues.
I feel that if Bentley gave us the option to remove all prior version civil related data from the V8i DGN and allow us to SAVE AS ORD format, most of our problems would be solved. Heck, if you can merge the "read-only" file into a new file, I tend to think it could be implemented...
P.
I believe there is a variable that allows you to migrate a file from an earlier version of Power InRoads. To initially migrate our Power InRoads settings to ORD, you start with an Ss4 or Ss10 file with some civil feature definitions in it. So I know there is a way.