[Solved] Files from old Mac open as read-only

[FlissCarver]

I have just installed 4.1.14 on my Mac Big Sur. I have opened Office Write files from an external disc. I am able to load any of my write files, but for all of them I get the message open read only or copy only, direct opening is not available. System thinks they are open elsewhere but they are not.

Edit: Changed subject, was Open read only or a copy  Make your post understandable by others  -- MrProgrammer, forum moderator

[robleyd]

Close OpenOffice; enable viewing of hidden files and look on your external drive for small files with names like .~lock.xxxxx.odt# (where xxxx will be the actual file name). Delete these files and try again to open one of your writer files.

If this doesn't resolve the problem, check the file properties of the files on your external drive and make sure they are readable and writable by your user on the Mac.

[RoryOF]

In addition to the solution offered by robleyd, you should be aware that previous experience of users has been that it is unwise to work a file direct to a USB stick. Better to transfer the file to the local hard drive, edit it there, and if one must, transfer it back to the USB.

[MrProgrammer]

I am able to load any of my write files, but for all of them I get the message open read only or copy only, direct opening is not available.

Files written to the external device by an account on your previous Mac will be owned by that account, so you may not have permission to write to them from an account created on your new Mac. You will want your files to be owned by the account which you created on your new Mac. Use your new Mac to copy all those files from the external device to its hard drive (Macintosh HD). This will make the hard drive files' owner the account on your new Mac. Copy the files even if the account names on the old and new Macs are the same. After putting the files on the hard drive, if you want to create backups of these files which are owned by the account on the new Mac, you can copy them back to the external device. Don't replace the original files on the external device; put the new copies in a different folder. At some point, after you are confident that all is good on the new Mac, you can delete the original files from the old Mac on the external device, perhaps in a month or so, taking care not to accidentelly delete the backups you made of the files on the new hard drive.

Experience on the forum suggests that you are less likely to have trouble if you use OpenOffice to work with files on your hard drive. We suggest that you not directly edit files on external devices. While this usually works, lots of people have lost data that way.

If you continue to have trouble with your files read:
[Solved] Spreadsheet opens read-only on new iMac
Mac FAQ Q16/A16: Open document read-only or open a copy … for editing
Mac FAQ Q17/A17: Another instance of OpenOffice is accessing your personal settings …

You can also read about my experience with transitioning to a new Mac:
[Solved] User experience: OpenOffice 4.1.7 on MacOS 10.14.6

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