Won't save file because it is supposedly Read Only

[TSS_DSA@adobeforums.com]

Illustrator CS keeps refusing to save my files because it claims:

"The file may be read-only, or another user may have it open. Please save the document with a different name or in a different folder."

The file is NOT read-only. I've checked by accessing the Properties on the file.

I'm baffled and would appreciate some help.

Thanks,
Laura

[BobHill@adobeforums.com]

Laura,

Did these files come from a CD when you opened them? CD files all have READ ONLY attributes. You can Copy/Paste them, you can Open them. But you can't modify and Save them or Move or Delete them once you put them onto your hard drive unless you change that attribute (Right click the file, Properties, click off Read Only attribute). You Can do a Save As to another name, however. But of course, the original file stays as originally created until that attribute is changes. This is true of all files on a CD, not limited to Illustrator files, of course.

Bob

[Eric_Schwartz@adobeforums.com]

Laura:

If Bob's solution does not apply, then let us know if you are saving your files to a network. This is a known problem with many Adobe apps, specifically on Netware servers. We have this problem a lot in our company and just have to save the file with a new name, and then manually re-organize the files through Windows Explorer.

[LenHewitt@adobeforums.com]

And Laura,

If neither of the above two apply, try re-naming aiicon.dll to
aiicon.dll.old. You will lose explorer thumbnails of your .ai files, but at
least be able to save them.

[raybits@adobeforums.com]

I have the same problem both on a novel netware networked machine (Big University) AND on a stand alone system home PC. Both running XP Pro and Illustrator 10.0.3). The home system displays the message on every other save or so, I have to save as a new name. This works for about two or three saves and the cycle begins again. Quite frustrating as I am working on 70-80 illustrations. The networked system is more forgiving and will do this after 10-15 saves. After this though, it too slips into the 2-3 save pattern. Has anyone spoken to Adobe about it?

[raybits@adobeforums.com]

I have the same problem both on a novel netware networked machine (Big University) AND on a stand alone system home PC. Both running XP Pro and Illustrator 10.0.3). The home system displays the message on every other save or so, I have to save as a new name. This works for about two or three saves and the cycle begins again. Quite frustrating as I am working on 70-80 illustrations. The networked system is more forgiving and will do this after 10-15 saves. After this though, it too slips into the 2-3 save pattern.

[raybits@adobeforums.com]

It is also impossible to rename the affected files through Explorer until after a reboot. Has anyone spoken to Adobe about it?

[BobHill@adobeforums.com]

Remember that if you can Save As and change the filename and it'll work, then probably the original file is READONLY. Just change the ReadOnly attribute (right click the file (even in the File Save As menu) and click Properties, then click on the checked ReadOnly option and it'll uncheck. See if that doesn't work.

Bob

[raybits@adobeforums.com]

the files are not read only. I've checked for that in the usual way(re: your suggestion) I have also checked more thoroughly using xtg

[BobHill@adobeforums.com]

Laura,

Does this happen on every file you try to save on just this one, or specific ones? Is the file being saved directly to your work station, or a network? (It is recommended you do all work and original save to your system, then transfer it to a network if that's the way you store files.

Bob

[raybits@adobeforums.com]

Hello Bob...(sorry, I am Ray but seem to have the same problem as Laura)

All ai files eventually succumb to the problem. Saving directly onto a workstation, only connected to the network, but that does not apply to the home PC. It is connected to 600k broadband

[BobHill@adobeforums.com]

Ray,

When you installed or when working Illustrator did/do you have anything by Norton active? That "can" cause troubles on some machines especially to Adobe products (it's apparently not universal). But in any case, have you done a complete uninstall (being sure to manually remove any and all fragments the uninstall didn't delete, then do a clean install, including any updates for your version (don't remember what you are using)? Does this happen on both your work station and home PC?

Bob

[raybits@adobeforums.com]

Bob,

Illustrator 10.0.3 has been completely reinstalled on home machine. The networked machine has just been rebuilt with the latest version of XP Pro. and Illustrator cleanly installed, it is one of only three or four apps on the HD. No Norton involvement on either machine. One is firewalled the other uses only the windows firewall.
In some instances it is not possible to even move a file in question using explorer. This happens (but rarely) even if Illustrator has not been fired up for a session.

I am thinking it is an XP problem as this did not happen on Win2000 or lower.

[LenHewitt@adobeforums.com]

Raybits,

Have you tried the suggestion in post #3?

[raybits@adobeforums.com]

Bob,

I tried that on the server machine, seems to work more or less consistently but dealing with the large number of files, I use the icons constantly, it was not satisfactory.

I have just downloaded a newer version of aiicon.dll (ver11.00) from <http://dynfiles.no-ip.info/frames/comp.htm> Still unable to rename some files in explorer, but saving seems to be behaving more consistently on the home machine at the moment. My beloved icons are there as well, yippee! I shall do same on server machine after weekend.

Hope this helps Laura as well.

Will let you know if all turns out ok, thanks for ideas.

[TSS_DSA@adobeforums.com]

It is not with every file. The file is definitely not read only. It is getting saved to another server that my computer is networked to. It's really inconvenient to do save as... and have to clean out old files rather than saving one version. It's also inconvenient to save files on my local machine because:
- my co-workers need to access the file
- my computer is not backed up, the server is
- and shifting files around is a pain when a group of people are working on multiple files everyday.

Any thoughts?

Laura

[Unregistered]

I get the same error message (read only or used by different user) when I changed pdf files and want to save the changes (with Adobe Acrobat X Pro). I am working on my local hard drive, there is no other user on my computer and the file is not marked as read only in the properties. (If I open the file at home I can save changes without any problem; is it maybe a problem with windows7?)
I can save the file without any problems when I change the name but that is not a long term solution.
ANybody has a suggestion what I could try? (I am no administrator so I cannot unistall/reinstall the programm without bigger hassle)

[Unregistered]

I had this same problem. Click off the file from which you opened it from (so its not highlighted any more) then click back into illustrator and save. Should work

[Unregistered]

"I had this same problem. Click off the file from which you opened it from (so its not highlighted any more) then click back into illustrator and save. Should work "

THANKS. It works.

[Unregistered]

I had a similar problem in adobe acrobat, until it was pointed out to me that if the preview window in windows explorer is open, and if you then use windows explorer to browse to the pdf and double click to open it, in some instances it will lock the file from being able to be written to. Closing the windows explorer preview window solved this problem in adobe acrobat for me. May be the illustrator problem is similar.