What is default Read Only attr. on new folders?

[Daniel Lidström]

Hello!

If I create a new (empty) folder somewhere below drive C, it becomes
"shaded" read-only. I see this if I choose the properties. What does this
mean? Even if I deselect read-only to make the box completely unchecked, it
goes back to shaded-checked the next time I see the properties. Is this the
default behavior? I thought the read-only check box would be unchecked by
default.

--
Daniel
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
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[Daniel Martín [MVP Windows]]

Hi, Daniel:

By design all folders show a shaded read-only checkbox from user interface. In order to see if RO attribute is actually applied to any folder you should use Attrib.exe command this way:

Attrib C:\Folder

Press ENTER and you'll see something like this if C:\Folder is read-only:

R C:\Folder

--
Regards,
Daniel Martín
Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User

"Daniel Lidström" <som...@microsoft.com> wrote in message news:1lzt71k14rj3w$.nahy1f420id.dlg@40tude.net...

[Wesley Vogel]

Read-only means nothing for folders. Only a file can be Read-only.

The Read-only check box for folders is there for convenience, it allows you
to change the Read-only attribute of all the files contained in that folder.

The HELP question mark (?) explains it this way.
[[Specifies whether the files in this folder are read-only, which means that
they cannot be changed or accidentally deleted.

For multiple folders, if you select this check box all of the files in the
folders will be read-only. If you clear the check box, none of the files in
the selected folders will be read-only.]]
---

[[Apply the read-only attribute to folder contents

A folder itself cannot be made read-only. Nevertheless, the properties
dialog box for a folder does include a read-only check box. You can use
this check box to set or clear the read-only attribute for all existing
files in the selected folder. This action has no bearing on files that you
create subsequently.

In most cases, when you open the properties dialog box for a folder, the
Read-Only check box will contain a green square. This indicates either a
mixed or undetermined condition. Windows displays this green square because
it would take too long to check the state of the read-only attribute for
every file in the folder. To apply the read-only attribute to the contents
of a folder, click the check box until a check mark appears. To clear the
attribute, click the check box until it is empty. When you leave the dialog
box, Windows asks whether you want to apply your action to subfolders and
files. Be sure you select this option; if you select Apply Changes To This
Folder Only, nothing at all happens.]]
From...
Microsoft Windows XP Inside Out Deluxe, Second Edition
Author Ed Bott, Carl Siechert, Craig Stinson
http://www.microsoft.com/products/info/product.aspx?view=22&pcid=216cbfc3-ff30-42db-9c32-995a75dfafbe&type=ovr

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:1lzt71k14rj3w$.nahy1f4...@40tude.net,
Daniel Lidström <som...@microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Daniel Lidström wrote:
> Hello!
>
> If I create a new (empty) folder somewhere below drive C, it becomes
> "shaded" read-only. I see this if I choose the properties. What does
> this mean? Even if I deselect read-only to make the box completely
> unchecked, it goes back to shaded-checked the next time I see the
> properties. Is this the default behavior? I thought the read-only
> check box would be unchecked by default.

If you'll look more closely at the check mark in that Read-Only box, you'll
see that it's gray, not black. You can also verify this by clicking a few
times in the box; it will cycle among *three* states: unchecked, checked in
black, and checked in gray.

A black check means the item is read-only and an unchecked box means it's
not read-only. But the gray check means that it's neither. The read-only
attribute is not pertinent to folders.

So no, your folders aren't read-only, and what you are seeing is perfectly
normal. There's nothing to worry about and nothing to fix.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

[HeyBub]

Daniel Lidström wrote:
> Hello!
>
> If I create a new (empty) folder somewhere below drive C, it becomes
> "shaded" read-only. I see this if I choose the properties. What does
> this mean? Even if I deselect read-only to make the box completely
> unchecked, it goes back to shaded-checked the next time I see the
> properties. Is this the default behavior? I thought the read-only
> check box would be unchecked by default.

Well, its got to be SOMETHING. If the default were "Read/Write," then a
whole lot of folk (possibly different from the current batch) would be
asking "Why is the default 'Read/Write' instead of 'Read Only'."

I heard that, when desiging the window for folder attributes, the designer
wanted to put "N/A" but his "N" key wouldn't work.

[Daniel Lidström]

Thanks for all the answers!