Can QB '07 data file "Read Only" attribute be turned off?

Posted by Bartt Shelton on September 2, 2007, 3:29 pm

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Is there a way to configure QB '07 to NOT set the Read Only attribute
on the data file upon exiting the application?

My mom is at best a novice PC user. Several years ago, I set my
parents' business up on QB '01. They've been running it on two, stand
alone Win 98 desktops. She alternates between two desktops (one at
their office & another at their home).

Since she alternated between two PCs that were in different geographic
locations, I set up the main data file on a 100 MB zip drive &
configured a Windows Briefcase on each PC that kept the main data file
backed up.

Before you criticize, please re-read my 2nd paragraph where I said my
mom is a novice PC user. She has no desire to learn the complexities
of Windows operating systems.

So, I had to give her something simple that would ensure backups, not
require much knowledge of PCs, & allow her to have the most recent
file in her possession so she wouldn't have to worry about which PC
she was working from. I really don't want to use QB's backup
process. It might work for you, but you've probably got better PC
skills than she does.

On her old PCs, I gave her a procedure to insert the zip drive,
synchronize the Briefcase, work in QB (off of the zip drive), shut
down QB, synchronize the Briefcase, then eject the zip drive. That
way, she always had at least one backup of current data & always had
the most recent data in her posession.

It worked beautifully. She understood the purpose of the Briefcase
sync, it was quick, & she did the exact same thing every time,
regardless of which PC she was using.

My parents recently upgraded to Vista & were forced to upgrade to QB
'07 (yes, I know, BIG changes). I also upgraded her to a 2 GB flash
drive. Then I tried to duplicate the whole Briefcase setup on the new
PCs.

Here's the catch. Intuit seems to have done a nasty little thing of
making the data file (& another file - maybe an index) "Read Only"
when it exits.

When I try to sync the Briefcase, it fails because the destination
file (i.e. the backup on the hard drive) is Read Only & Briefcase
won't copy over it.

I tried poking around in QB help and I've taken a look at Sync Center
& offline files, but they aren't really intended, yet, for flash
drives.

Is there a way to configure QB to not flag the file as Read Only?

If not, bearing in mind it has to be SIMPLE & efficient to move
between two PCs, anyone got any other ideas?

Posted by Laura on September 2, 2007, 4:05 pm

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> Is there a way to configure QB '07 to NOT set the Read Only attribute

> on the data file upon exiting the application?

> My mom is at best a novice PC user. Several years ago, I set my

> parents' business up on QB '01. They've been running it on two, stand

> alone Win 98 desktops. She alternates between two desktops (one at

> their office & another at their home).

> Since she alternated between two PCs that were in different geographic

> locations, I set up the main data file on a 100 MB zip drive &

> configured a Windows Briefcase on each PC that kept the main data file

> backed up.

> Before you criticize, please re-read my 2nd paragraph where I said my

> mom is a novice PC user. She has no desire to learn the complexities

> of Windows operating systems.

> So, I had to give her something simple that would ensure backups, not

> require much knowledge of PCs, & allow her to have the most recent

> file in her possession so she wouldn't have to worry about which PC

> she was working from. I really don't want to use QB's backup

> process. It might work for you, but you've probably got better PC

> skills than she does.

> On her old PCs, I gave her a procedure to insert the zip drive,

> synchronize the Briefcase, work in QB (off of the zip drive), shut

> down QB, synchronize the Briefcase, then eject the zip drive. That

> way, she always had at least one backup of current data & always had

> the most recent data in her posession.

> It worked beautifully. She understood the purpose of the Briefcase

> sync, it was quick, & she did the exact same thing every time,

> regardless of which PC she was using.

> My parents recently upgraded to Vista & were forced to upgrade to QB

> '07 (yes, I know, BIG changes). I also upgraded her to a 2 GB flash

> drive. Then I tried to duplicate the whole Briefcase setup on the new

> PCs.

> Here's the catch. Intuit seems to have done a nasty little thing of

> making the data file (& another file - maybe an index) "Read Only"

> when it exits.

> When I try to sync the Briefcase, it fails because the destination

> file (i.e. the backup on the hard drive) is Read Only & Briefcase

> won't copy over it.

> I tried poking around in QB help and I've taken a look at Sync Center

> & offline files, but they aren't really intended, yet, for flash

> drives.

> Is there a way to configure QB to not flag the file as Read Only?

> If not, bearing in mind it has to be SIMPLE & efficient to move

> between two PCs, anyone got any other ideas?

How much DOS do you remember? I seem to recall that there are some DOS
commands that allow you to change the attributes of a file. I wonder if
creating a little bat file for your mom to execute before copying the files
to the flash drive would work??

Just out of curiosity, what problems is she running into with the file
attributes set to read only? I can copy my company file to a flash drive and
open it on another computer without any problems. If I don't use the back up
process, I just have to remember to copy the *.qbw, *.nd and *.TLG file to
the flash drive. BTW, its the TLG file that is also set as read only.

Personally, I would think it would easier to teach your parents about the QB
backup process. Verifying your file periodically CAN be a good thing.

Posted by Bartt Shelton on September 2, 2007, 7:14 pm

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> > Is there a way to configure QB '07 to NOT set the Read Only attribute

> > on the data file upon exiting the application?

> > My mom is at best a novice PC user. Several years ago, I set my

> > parents' business up on QB '01. They've been running it on two, stand

> > alone Win 98 desktops. She alternates between two desktops (one at

> > their office & another at their home).

> > Since she alternated between two PCs that were in different geographic

> > locations, I set up the main data file on a 100 MB zip drive &

> > configured a Windows Briefcase on each PC that kept the main data file

> > backed up.

> > Before you criticize, please re-read my 2nd paragraph where I said my

> > mom is a novice PC user. She has no desire to learn the complexities

> > of Windows operating systems.

> > So, I had to give her something simple that would ensure backups, not

> > require much knowledge of PCs, & allow her to have the most recent

> > file in her possession so she wouldn't have to worry about which PC

> > she was working from. I really don't want to use QB's backup

> > process. It might work for you, but you've probably got better PC

> > skills than she does.

> > On her old PCs, I gave her a procedure to insert the zip drive,

> > synchronize the Briefcase, work in QB (off of the zip drive), shut

> > down QB, synchronize the Briefcase, then eject the zip drive. That

> > way, she always had at least one backup of current data & always had

> > the most recent data in her posession.

> > It worked beautifully. She understood the purpose of the Briefcase

> > sync, it was quick, & she did the exact same thing every time,

> > regardless of which PC she was using.

> > My parents recently upgraded to Vista & were forced to upgrade to QB

> > '07 (yes, I know, BIG changes). I also upgraded her to a 2 GB flash

> > drive. Then I tried to duplicate the whole Briefcase setup on the new

> > PCs.

> > Here's the catch. Intuit seems to have done a nasty little thing of

> > making the data file (& another file - maybe an index) "Read Only"

> > when it exits.

> > When I try to sync the Briefcase, it fails because the destination

> > file (i.e. the backup on the hard drive) is Read Only & Briefcase

> > won't copy over it.

> > I tried poking around in QB help and I've taken a look at Sync Center

> > & offline files, but they aren't really intended, yet, for flash

> > drives.

> > Is there a way to configure QB to not flag the file as Read Only?

> > If not, bearing in mind it has to be SIMPLE & efficient to move

> > between two PCs, anyone got any other ideas?

> How much DOS do you remember? I seem to recall that there are some DOS

> commands that allow you to change the attributes of a file. I wonder if

> creating a little bat file for your mom to execute before copying the files

> to the flash drive would work??

> Just out of curiosity, what problems is she running into with the file

> attributes set to read only? I can copy my company file to a flash drive and

> open it on another computer without any problems. If I don't use the back up

> process, I just have to remember to copy the *.qbw, *.nd and *.TLG file to

> the flash drive. BTW, its the TLG file that is also set as read only.

> Personally, I would think it would easier to teach your parents about the QB

> backup process. Verifying your file periodically CAN be a good thing.- Hide

quoted text -

> - Show quoted text -

This is a possibility. You're thinking of the ATTRIB -R command w/ a
bundled XCOPY.

If it's possible, though, I'd prefer to stick w/ standard Windows
functionality.

Briefcase is a little more transparent than an executable that
probably flashes some cryptic text in a window & won't give you any
indicator of what might be wrong if it fails.

Posted by Bartt Shelton on September 2, 2007, 7:23 pm

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> > Is there a way to configure QB '07 to NOT set the Read Only attribute

> > on the data file upon exiting the application?

> > My mom is at best a novice PC user. Several years ago, I set my

> > parents' business up on QB '01. They've been running it on two, stand

> > alone Win 98 desktops. She alternates between two desktops (one at

> > their office & another at their home).

> > Since she alternated between two PCs that were in different geographic

> > locations, I set up the main data file on a 100 MB zip drive &

> > configured a Windows Briefcase on each PC that kept the main data file

> > backed up.

> > Before you criticize, please re-read my 2nd paragraph where I said my

> > mom is a novice PC user. She has no desire to learn the complexities

> > of Windows operating systems.

> > So, I had to give her something simple that would ensure backups, not

> > require much knowledge of PCs, & allow her to have the most recent

> > file in her possession so she wouldn't have to worry about which PC

> > she was working from. I really don't want to use QB's backup

> > process. It might work for you, but you've probably got better PC

> > skills than she does.

> > On her old PCs, I gave her a procedure to insert the zip drive,

> > synchronize the Briefcase, work in QB (off of the zip drive), shut

> > down QB, synchronize the Briefcase, then eject the zip drive. That

> > way, she always had at least one backup of current data & always had

> > the most recent data in her posession.

> > It worked beautifully. She understood the purpose of the Briefcase

> > sync, it was quick, & she did the exact same thing every time,

> > regardless of which PC she was using.

> > My parents recently upgraded to Vista & were forced to upgrade to QB

> > '07 (yes, I know, BIG changes). I also upgraded her to a 2 GB flash

> > drive. Then I tried to duplicate the whole Briefcase setup on the new

> > PCs.

> > Here's the catch. Intuit seems to have done a nasty little thing of

> > making the data file (& another file - maybe an index) "Read Only"

> > when it exits.

> > When I try to sync the Briefcase, it fails because the destination

> > file (i.e. the backup on the hard drive) is Read Only & Briefcase

> > won't copy over it.

> > I tried poking around in QB help and I've taken a look at Sync Center

> > & offline files, but they aren't really intended, yet, for flash

> > drives.

> > Is there a way to configure QB to not flag the file as Read Only?

> > If not, bearing in mind it has to be SIMPLE & efficient to move

> > between two PCs, anyone got any other ideas?

> How much DOS do you remember? I seem to recall that there are some DOS

> commands that allow you to change the attributes of a file. I wonder if

> creating a little bat file for your mom to execute before copying the files

> to the flash drive would work??

> Just out of curiosity, what problems is she running into with the file

> attributes set to read only? I can copy my company file to a flash drive and

> open it on another computer without any problems. If I don't use the back up

> process, I just have to remember to copy the *.qbw, *.nd and *.TLG file to

> the flash drive. BTW, its the TLG file that is also set as read only.

> Personally, I would think it would easier to teach your parents about the QB

> backup process. Verifying your file periodically CAN be a good thing.- Hide

quoted text -

> - Show quoted text -

Sorry, forgot to answer your questions.

You said you copied the file to flash w/ no problem. Did you copy the
file to the flash drive using QB file management, or with Windows
Exporer? In my case, the 1st copy works great. It's subsequent
copies that fail. Briefcase sees the destination as a "Read Only"
file & won't copy over it.

I save file verification type stuff for me to do when I go back.

The further away I get from the process I defined, the more phone
calls I get when the screen doesn't look like it did the last time.

Posted by Laura on September 4, 2007, 1:41 pm

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>> > Is there a way to configure QB '07 to NOT set the Read Only attribute

>> > on the data file upon exiting the application?

>> > My mom is at best a novice PC user. Several years ago, I set my

>> > parents' business up on QB '01. They've been running it on two, stand

>> > alone Win 98 desktops. She alternates between two desktops (one at

>> > their office & another at their home).

>> > Since she alternated between two PCs that were in different geographic

>> > locations, I set up the main data file on a 100 MB zip drive &

>> > configured a Windows Briefcase on each PC that kept the main data file

>> > backed up.

>> > Before you criticize, please re-read my 2nd paragraph where I said my

>> > mom is a novice PC user. She has no desire to learn the complexities

>> > of Windows operating systems.

>> > So, I had to give her something simple that would ensure backups, not

>> > require much knowledge of PCs, & allow her to have the most recent

>> > file in her possession so she wouldn't have to worry about which PC

>> > she was working from. I really don't want to use QB's backup

>> > process. It might work for you, but you've probably got better PC

>> > skills than she does.

>> > On her old PCs, I gave her a procedure to insert the zip drive,

>> > synchronize the Briefcase, work in QB (off of the zip drive), shut

>> > down QB, synchronize the Briefcase, then eject the zip drive. That

>> > way, she always had at least one backup of current data & always had

>> > the most recent data in her posession.

>> > It worked beautifully. She understood the purpose of the Briefcase

>> > sync, it was quick, & she did the exact same thing every time,

>> > regardless of which PC she was using.

>> > My parents recently upgraded to Vista & were forced to upgrade to QB

>> > '07 (yes, I know, BIG changes). I also upgraded her to a 2 GB flash

>> > drive. Then I tried to duplicate the whole Briefcase setup on the new

>> > PCs.

>> > Here's the catch. Intuit seems to have done a nasty little thing of

>> > making the data file (& another file - maybe an index) "Read Only"

>> > when it exits.

>> > When I try to sync the Briefcase, it fails because the destination

>> > file (i.e. the backup on the hard drive) is Read Only & Briefcase

>> > won't copy over it.

>> > I tried poking around in QB help and I've taken a look at Sync Center

>> > & offline files, but they aren't really intended, yet, for flash

>> > drives.

>> > Is there a way to configure QB to not flag the file as Read Only?

>> > If not, bearing in mind it has to be SIMPLE & efficient to move

>> > between two PCs, anyone got any other ideas?

>> How much DOS do you remember? I seem to recall that there are some DOS

>> commands that allow you to change the attributes of a file. I wonder if

>> creating a little bat file for your mom to execute before copying the

>> files

>> to the flash drive would work??

>> Just out of curiosity, what problems is she running into with the file

>> attributes set to read only? I can copy my company file to a flash drive

>> and

>> open it on another computer without any problems. If I don't use the back

>> up

>> process, I just have to remember to copy the *.qbw, *.nd and *.TLG file

>> to

>> the flash drive. BTW, its the TLG file that is also set as read only.

>> Personally, I would think it would easier to teach your parents about the

>> QB

>> backup process. Verifying your file periodically CAN be a good thing.-

>> Hide quoted text -

>> - Show quoted text -

> Sorry, forgot to answer your questions.

> You said you copied the file to flash w/ no problem. Did you copy the

> file to the flash drive using QB file management, or with Windows

> Exporer? In my case, the 1st copy works great. It's subsequent

> copies that fail. Briefcase sees the destination as a "Read Only"

> file & won't copy over it.

I was using Windows explorer to do the copy function.

> I save file verification type stuff for me to do when I go back.

> The further away I get from the process I defined, the more phone

> calls I get when the screen doesn't look like it did the last time.

Where is the Briefcase function hiding in XP? I remember it from win98 but
have never located it using XP.