When you open a document, you can select Open as Read-Only on the Open File dialog box to access the document without the intent of editing it. This makes it possible for you to open the top level of a large assembly and then navigate to your specific area of responsibility for modification.
When you open a document as read-only, the document is not checked out of the database, but only copied to the local cache and opened for viewing purposes. There are several indicators that the document is opened with read-only status:
The document title displays [Read-Only].
The Save command is disabled.
The Read-Only Status Indicator 
displays in the upper right corner of the graphics window and is enabled.
You can click the Read-Only Status Indicator to display the Read-Only Assistant.
The Read-Only Assistant is an informational and interactive menu comprised of five sections related to your open document:
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Section |
Description |
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Document Status |
Displays the current document status for unmanaged and managed documents.
Documents managed with Teamcenter display the Teamcenter status. Insight XT managed documents use the status: Working, In Review, In Approval, Released, and Obsolete. |
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Messages |
Displays messages that are not interactive, but update upon refresh. |
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Command |
Displays commands available to you. This section updates upon refresh.
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Request write access |
Changes the access to the document to writable as soon as the document is available. |
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Refresh |
Queries the document status and displays the time and date of the last refresh. The time and date format uses the Windows Regional and Language Options. |
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You can use the Read-Only Assistant to access commands that are available to you based on your current document status. Pressing Esc hides the Read-Only Assistant, or you can close the Assistant by clicking the X.
Note:
The Read Only Assistant is not available while you are within a command environment such as Edit Profile. It becomes available by clicking the Read-Only Status Indicator once you complete the command.
You can save the selection to open documents read-only by clicking Save As Default on the Open File dialog box. The selection becomes the default the next time the Open File dialog box is displayed. The next document you open has Open as Read-Only automatically set for you. Documents opened from the startup screen option Recent Documents, from the Cache Assistant, from Windows Explorer, or using the Open shortcut option, are opened using the settings you last saved as your default.
Caution:
Clicking Save As Default sets the option on the dialog box to the default for all Solid Edge document types.
In contrast, any command that creates a new document (Save As, Revise, Create Drawing, Create Assembly) automatically opens a writable document regardless of your default setting. Checking out a document in the Teamcenter Rich Client and then opening it in Solid Edge with Teamcenter enabled, also opens the file with write privileges regardless of your default setting.
Tip:
You can view the Open File dialog box to determine your active default settings.
There are some important concepts to be familiar with when you are working with documents that are opened read-only. You can only edit the most recent version of the document. This prevents you from having the document opened as read-only, and another user opening the document, editing it, and then closing it making your document not the most current version. In a managed document, the version is tracked by the document management system. However, in unmanaged documents, if the document you have open is not the latest version, you will receive a message that write-access is not available.
Another important concept relates to opening documents that contain references to other Solid Edge documents, such as when you are working with assemblies. When you request to open an indirect document, the indirect document is opened using the value of the Open As Read-Only check box of the parent, or direct document, and the selected radio button First level read-only or All levels read-only.
Example:
An assembly is opened with the Open As Read-Only check box selected. The assembly is read-only. When you in-place activate a part within the assembly, the part document is also opened as read-only.
You open an assembly with the read-only check box cleared and the assembly is not available for write-access because it is opened by another user. The assembly is opened as read-only, and you request write access. When you in-place activate a part within the assembly, the part document is opened with write permission.
