Revit 2016 unable to write , it is read only or opened by someone else

[Anonymous]

Hi Guys, please help. i cant open or save any of my revit files. Been working on them this morning fine and then all of a sudden when i want to save i cant it tells me that its opened by another user. im the only user that uses revit.

Please help anyone.

[dbutts7]

Ok, is this file defined as a central file? How did you set it up - did you start from a template and then start working in the file?

If it was a central file, and you created a local, your file may have gotten out of sync. Let's check this first before we try anything else.

thanks - db

[dbutts7]

one other thing to check - do you have the right permissions to the folder where you created the project? You'll need full control in most cases. You can check this by selecting the folder in Windows Explorer, and then use the right mouse to click on the folder. A dialog will appear - select properties, and then click the security tab.

look under users and make sure it's at least set to Modify. If you're in an office where you have an IT group or administrator, they may have to set this for you.

Let me know if this is the issue.

thanks - db

[Anonymous]

No its not a central file. And I'm working from a template.

I have permissions on all folders as the folder i have been working on for about 3 years on my desktop. Its not a on a network.

[dbutts7]

ok, it could be one of several things - if you crashed out of the file, or the program shut down unexpectedly, check and see if you can open one of the backups. They'll be in the same folder as the project rvt file. If you can open the backup, save yourself a lot of time and work from that version.

Check the properties of the file, and make sure it's not set to ready only.

Windows Desktop is just  folder under your user profile, so if any of your profile settings got changed, it could populate back down to the file. You can try moving the file to another location and see if it will open. I rarely store project files under any of the user folders or My Documents locations. Better to create a local projects folder in this case, like c:\projects, and storing project files there. That way, if your user profile gets corrupted, you don't lose anything if it has to be rebuilt.

Try the backup file first and let me know if it opens.

thanks - db

[dbutts7 · Accepted solution]

Did a little more checking - the only way you can get those messages in a non-central file are the user rights mentioned earlier; if someone else has opened the file on another machine; the file and/or folder has been altered to a read-only state; or if the file was opened but not closed correctly due to a crash.

Revit will also create temporary files in a separate location, that may also be causing the read-only message. To check this, if you are in Windows 7 or earlier, from the start menu, locate the Run command - in the line, type in %temp% and this will open the temporary files location. (in Windows 10, go to the Start menu, All Apps, Windows System and click Run to get the tool). Once the window is open (and with Revit closed, you can clean this folder out. Get rid of any TMP files, you can, and see if you can get back into the file. This get orphaned if Revit isn't closed properly.

Try this out and let me know if it works.

thanks - db

[Anonymous]

shot for all the help sofar..

will have my IT Guy have a look at it.

Im also the only person that have access to my PC and then only person that can work on revit. The wierd thing is that i did have a crach or a restart or anything. i was working on the file and then saved it and 10 mins later it didnt want to save at all.

so lets see if he can pick up anything.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Dbutts that really helped