Mac Excel files change to read-only when accessed by a PC user

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Level 1

5 points

Mac Excel files change to read-only when accessed by a PC user

Excel files on our xServe change from read and write to read only once they have been accessed by a client using a PC... The PC users can all continue to Read and Write to the file subsequently, but the mac users are obliged to "save as". It's an irritation - but given that we are primarily a collection of 40 macusers with only a few PC users, using XSERVE and OS X server 10.6.8, why should we be compromised?!@!!

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.6.7), Macbooks, MacBook Pros, iMacs

Posted on Nov 23, 2011 2:09 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 24, 2011 5:13 AM in response to DaiVernon

I think they are connected with other privileges to the server. When you see info file It will be changed to read only. I would make a group with the same privileges and then all files are read and write for Mac and PC users.

When you use Mac server software - you can make a group - workgroup manager. Give the same rights and everyone can change files without changing the privileges.

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Answer 2

DaiVernon Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 24, 2011 8:17 AM in response to Colin @ mac.com

Hi there , when I do GET INFO on the Volume and the folder that the file lives in, permissions are set for MANAGERS-Custom

MYSELF-Custom

SERVERADMIN - Read & Write

EVERYONE - NO ACCESS

This is a private file and only Managers and myself should have access

One level down is a PERSONNELL Folder with same permissions as above...

when I do GET INFO on the file in Question permissions show

MANAGERS-Custom (2 heads icon)

MYSELF-Custom (Individual head icon)

then a long list of the 5 individual managers' names mutiple times-Custom. I believe that these appear each time they are obliged to do a save as because of the READ ONLY issue...

Is this a 'ping pong' issue, Apple blaming Microsoft and Vice-versa?

Surely I am not the only person facing this inconvenience?

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Answer 3

DaiVernon Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 25, 2011 7:51 AM in response to DaiVernon

A SOLUTION?...

spent some time on the phone with Apple support with the following outcome...

In textwrangler, on the server, OPEN file < smb.conf> at < /private/etc/smb.conf>.

At the end of the comments section after [global], I was directed to add a new comment, then the crucial 4 lines of text as follows... then closing comment

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[global]

; EDIT FOR WINDOWS SMB FIX

unix extensions = no

acl check permissions = no

vfs objects = darwinacl,notify_kqueue

nt acl support = no

; END OF WINDOWS SMB FIX EDIT

>>>>>>>>>>

A server reboot was then necessary.

New excel files being opened by Mac and PC users, which would've became read-only for the mac, now behave properly.

The files which prompted the search for a solution still posed problems. I needed to duplicate the files, delete the original files and rename the copyfiles to the original names. They now behave Ok - no read-only message for macusers, no need to resave under different name

He also pointed me to << http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2713 >>

Hope this helps somebody...

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