The tutor continues his discussion of read-only files.

In yesterday’s post I opened the discussion about read-only files – specifically, why one might want to use them.

Suppose one did want to use them. How would they go about doing so, on Windows?

Let’s imagine you’ve just finished a computer program whose file name is prototype.txt. You’ve tested it and you’re satisfied it finally does exactly what you want. You don’t want it changed.

To set the file read-only, there is more than one way. Today I’ll describe the method most people will likely prefer; i.e., using the desktop:

1. In Windows Explorer, find the file.
2. Select the file and right-click it.
3. Click Properties (it’s at the bottom).
4. At the bottom of the Properties dialogue, notice Attributes.
5. Click the Read-only box.
6. Click Apply, then OK.

I find I can only do this successfully when the file is closed.

My experience is that, once I’ve done this to a Word document, then I open the document, it says Read-Only at the top. By contrast, when I open a read-only file in Notepad, there seems no indication that the file is read-only. However, when I make a change to the file, then try to save it, I’m finally told that the file is read-only. The dialogue box explains that, to save the changes, I need to call the file a different name.

Tomorrow, perhaps a method for Linux.

HTH:)

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.