Managing Editability

You can control object modifications in a session.

You can also:

  • Organize the session according to the action you want to perform. For example, you might need to modify an object (which also includes the ability to save modifications), or load an object in read-only mode.

  • Apply security rules defined in the database.

  • Control object modifications in the session by restricting the number of authorized commands and visualization modes.

Required access roles: Reader, Contributor, Author, Leader, Owner. For more information, see Collaborative Lifecycle Access to Content.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: For an exhaustive list of commands and visualization modes authorized in a specific app, see the corresponding user's guide.

Activate Editability

You can activate editability modes to control object modifications in a session.

  1. Select Me > Preferences > Content Access.
  2. In the Editability section, select the Control content privileges option.

    Important: Restart the session to take the change into account.

    After restarting the session, the editability mode is activated.
    • The opened objects are either in edit mode or in read-only mode based on editability rules.
    • You can select Switch to Edition or Switch to Read-Only from the Collaboration section of the action bar to change the mode.
    • Editability rules are checked when objects are switched from read-only mode to edit mode. You can select Display Editability Errors in the Collaboration section of the action bar to view detailed error messages.
  3. Select one of these editability mode options:
    OptionDescription
    Forbid the editing of read-only content and temporarily lock the read-write content The objects are opened in read-only mode if they are not already locked by the current user.

    The opened object is temporarily locked when it is locked by the current user or when the object is switched to edit mode. The object is unlocked when it is closed or switched to read-only mode.

    If the editability rules are not satisfied, switching to edit mode is impossible, and an error message is displayed.
    Authorize the editing of read-only content with a warning and temporarily lock the read-write content The objects are opened in read-only mode if they are not locked by the current user.

    The opened object is temporarily locked when it is locked by the current user or when the object is switched to edit mode. The object is unlocked when it is closed or switched to read-only mode.

    Switching to edit mode is possible even if the editability rules are not satisfied. A warning message is displayed to the user to inform that saving the object can fail.
    Authorize the editing of read-only content with a warning All objects are opened in read-only mode.

    Switching to edit mode is possible even if the editability rules are not satisfied. A warning message is displayed to the user to inform that saving the object can fail.

    With this option, users can modify the same data concurrently. Only the changes made by the user who saves the data first is saved.

    Warning: In this mode, when two users switch the same object to edit mode and the object is not modified between the loading in session and the switch, none of these users are warned that another user has switched the object to edit mode. Thus, if one of the users modifies the object and saves it, and the other user tries to save the object, an error message is displayed and saving the object fails for the second user.

    Important: The Unlock command removes the temporary lock that is applied on objects when they are switched to edit mode. For more information, see Locking and Unlocking Objects.

  4. Click OK.

    The following table summarizes the editability mode options:

    Editability Option Open Switch Close
    R/O Objects R/W objects with no lock R/W objects already locked by the current user To read-only mode To edit mode
    Forbid + Lock R/O Editable, temporarily locked Editable Removes temporary lock Refuses to switch if not R/W Removes temporary lock
    Warning + Lock R/O Editable, temporarily locked Editable Removes temporary lock Displays a warning if not R/W Removes temporary lock
    Warning R/O R/O R/O - Displays a warning if not R/W -

    The following editability rules are checked when you switch objects from read-only mode to edit mode:

    • You are the owner of the lock.
    • The object was not modified concurrently after it was loaded in session.
    • The object is in a modifiable maturity state (you have sufficient rights to modify the object.)
    • You have the repository privilege and the object belongs to the local site (for data exchange between multiple sites).

    Important:
    • The editability rules apply to object modification or removal only, and not to the creation of new objects.
    • You can create an instance under a noneditable reference.
    • You can create an instance of a noneditable reference. Creating an instance does not impact the reference.
    • You cannot create a port under a noneditable reference. A warning is displayed to indicate that the object is not editable.

      However, read-only data is not checked and the warning is displayed when a distant reference issued from a 3D XML import. In such cases, you can create a port.

    • Regarding connections, a warning message informs you that the update has failed because the modifications are not allowed. During the update, you can switch to edit mode.
    • Representation instances and their representation references are always switched together.

Open Objects Through Open in Editability Mode Without Control Content Privileges

The following procedure uses this product (Product 1) as an example:



  1. Select Me > Preferences > Content Access.
  2. In the Editability section, clear the Control content privileges option.
  3. Restart the session.
  4. Search for Product 1.
  5. From the Search Results page, right-click the object and select Open . You can also open the object in the Navigation section of the action bar.
    The product opens in edit mode, as displayed in the tree:

    • All objects open in session are editable, but saving them can fail if the objects are modified by other users concurrently.
    • Multiple users can work concurrently on the same data.
    • In this mode, switch and display editability commands are not available.

Open Behavior with Forbid the Editing of Read-Only Content and Temporarily Lock the Read-Write Content

  1. Select Me > Preferences > Content Access.
  2. In the Editability section, select the Control content privileges option.
  3. Select the Forbid the editing of read-only content and temporarily lock the read-write content option.
  4. Restart the session.
  5. Search for Product 1.
  6. From the Search Results page, right-click the object and select Open . You can also open the object in the Navigation section of the action bar.
    The product opens in read-only mode, as indicated by the forbidden signs displayed in the tree:

  7. To modify an object, click the required object in the tree or in the 3D area, and from the Collaboration section of the action bar, click Switch to Edition.
    • If editability rules are not satisfied, you cannot edit the data and an error message is displayed.
    • If editability rules are satisfied, the object is switched to edit mode, and an automatic lock is applied. The lock remains as long as the object is open in the session.


    When you select a node representing the instance of a reference, the Switch to Edition dialog box is displayed to let you specify which elements should be switched to edit mode.

    For example, if you select Instance, the instance of the selected object becomes editable and the mask displayed in the tree is updated. The following table shows the different masks that are displayed according to the editability status:

    Mask Editability Status


    		No element is editable.


    		Reference is editable.


    		Instance is editable.
    No mask Reference and instance are editable.

    Important:
    • The switch command applies to connections and publications, if they are selected.
    • The switch command also applies to connections and publications in the following cases:
      • A connection is automatically switched to edit mode if at least one of its outputs includes an edited object.
      • A publication is automatically switched to edit mode if its aggregating parent is edited.

    When you select a node representing the instance of a representation, the Switch to Edition dialog box is not displayed. The command directly applies to the selected instance and the corresponding representation reference.

  8. To switch to read-only mode, from the Collaboration section of the action bar, click Switch to Read Only.

    This command switches the object to read-only mode and removes the automatic lock from the object.

    Warning: You cannot switch to read-only mode an object modified in edit mode.

  9. Optional: From the Collaboration section of the action bar, click Display Editability Errors .
    A detailed view of errors that occurred in the last editability check is displayed.
    • Name: Displays the name of the noneditable object. For features, the name of the component including the feature is displayed.
    • Type: Displays the object type. For example, part instance or representation instance.
    • Reason: Explains why the error occurred when trying to edit the object.
    • Advice: Explains how the problem can be solved.
  10. Optional: Select a row in the report.
    The referenced object is highlighted in the 3D area (if found), and a more detailed analysis is displayed in the field at the bottom of the dialog box.
  11. Click Close.

Open Behavior with Authorize the Editing of Read-Only Content with a Warning and Temporarily Lock the Read-Write Content

  1. Select Me > Preferences > Content Access.
  2. In the Editability section, select the Control content privileges option.
  3. Select the Authorize the editing of read-only content with a warning and temporarily lock the read-write content option.
  4. Restart the session.
  5. Search for Product 1.
  6. From the Search Results page, right-click the object and select Open . You can also open the object in the Navigation section of the action bar.
    The product opens in read-only mode, as indicated by the forbidden signs displayed in the tree.

  7. To modify an object, click the required object in the tree or in the 3D area, and from the Collaboration section of the action bar, click Switch to Edition.
    • If the editability rules are not satisfied, you can switch to edit mode and a warning message appears to inform you that saving the object can fail.
    • If editability rules are satisfied, the object is switched to edit mode and an automatic lock is applied. The lock remains as long as the object is open in the session.

Open Behavior with Authorize the Editing of Read-Only Content with a Warning

  1. Select Me > Preferences > Content Access.
  2. In the Editability section, select the Control content privileges check box.
  3. Select the Authorize the editing of read-only content with a warning option.
  4. Restart the session.
  5. Search for Product 1.
  6. From the Search Results page, right-click the object and select Open . You can also open the object in the Navigation section of the action bar.
    The product opens in read-only mode, as indicated by the forbidden signs displayed in the tree.

  7. To modify an object, click the required object in the tree or in the 3D area, and from the Collaboration section of the action bar, click Switch to Edition.
    • If the editability rules are not satisfied, you can switch to edit mode and a warning message appears to inform you that saving the object can fail.
    • If the editability rules are satisfied, the object is switched to edit mode.

    • Multiple users can work on the same object concurrently. If concurrent changes are saved while modifying the same object, saving changes can fail.

Important: With this option, if an object is switched to edit mode, it is not automatically locked.

Open Objects Through Open Advanced in Editability Mode

The Open Advanced command lets you open objects in editability mode.

  1. Select Me > Preferences > Content Access.
  2. In the Editability section, select the Control content privileges check box.
  3. Select the Forbid the editing of read-only content and temporarily lock the read-write content option.
  4. Restart the session.
  5. From the Search Results page, right-click the object and select Open Advanced . You can also open the object in the Navigation section of the action bar.

    The Edit the selected elements option replaces the Lock the selected elements option. For more information about the other options in this dialog box, see Opening Content from Search Results.

  6. In the Open Advanced dialog box, perform one of these actions:
    • Select the Edit the selected elements option to open the selected objects in edit mode.
    • Clear the Edit the selected elements option to open the selected objects in read-only mode.
    Important: A selected node represents a reference and an instance. You can edit both objects.
  7. Click OK.
    The selected object opens.
    Example 1 - When the Edit the selected elements option is selected and 'Product 1' is opened in edit mode, the forbidden sign is not displayed for 'Product 1'. You can modify it.


    Note: If editability rules are not satisfied, you are not allowed to modify 'Product 1' and the forbidden sign is displayed.
    Example 2 - If the Edit the selected elements option is cleared, 'Product 1' opens in read-only mode.


    Warning: Completion rules are automatically applied when you switch ports (publications) and connections.
    • Completion rules for publications: A publication inherits the editability status of its aggregating parent.
    • Completion rules for connections (connections are used to model user objects like assembly constraints, but also internal system data dependency): A connection is automatically switched to edit mode if at least one of its outputs includes an edited object.
  8. To modify an object that is opened in read-only mode, from the Collaboration section of the action bar, click Switch to Edition.
    Note: The Switch to Edition and Switch to Read-Only commands are deactivated when you open objects with the Open in Read-Only command because all components are forced to be in read-only mode.