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Coen Verbree's avatar
Coen Verbree
Copper Contributor
Jan 15, 2017

Onedrive readonly (green locks)

I've recently installed the latest preview build on the next-gen OneDrive client. I installed this version to test SharePoint document library syncing. I'm able to sync document libraries, but all folders and files appear to be read only on my laptop. I also see green lock icons instead of green checkmarks on all these files and folders. Is there something I'm doing wrong? I already tried to reset OneDrive and did a complete reinstall. Unfortunately I still see the green locks. I have these locks only with team sites. My personal OneDrive is working without problems.

 

  • The reason that OneDrive Client (testing with Version 2016 - Build 17.3.6917.0607) sets the files as read only and changes the icon from a green checkmark to a green padlock is that the SharePoint library has at least one of the following:

    • Check In/Out functionality feature enabled
    • A column set as Required

     See in the following sequence of images how the local OneDrive files change from writable to read only when Check In functionality in the source library is enabled.

     

    Folder with files from a library with no check in enabled

    SharePoint library with no check in enabled

    SharePoint library with no check in enabled - Library Settings

    SharePoint library with no check in enabled - Library Settings MenuSharePoint library with no check in enabled - Versioning SettingsSharePoint library with check in enabled - Versioning SettingsSharePoint library with check in enabled

    So, the solution to make the local OneDrive files writable is both:

    • To disable Check In functionality in the source SharePoint library
    • To make all columns not Required
    • Jan Janssens's avatar
      Jan Janssens
      Brass Contributor

      Thank you very much for this solution, worked perfect for me. Files were read-only, once i made all the columns in the SP-list ' not required ', one-drive even send me a push-message, notifying me that the synced map is  now editable. Tested and works fine. 

       

      Thanks!

    • Deleted's avatar
      Deleted

      Our user has the same version of sync client however the green lock is still there even though the document library required check out is set to "no".  Strange.

      • Reuben's avatar
        Reuben
        Iron Contributor

        Deleted Do you have metadata that is "Required"?

        If so, that would prevent the library from being unlocked when synced.

      • Nicolle Brice's avatar
        Nicolle Brice
        Brass Contributor

        Hi, I have tried all these suggestions and nothing works.  The site is a subsite which has been built from a site template.  Content types for the document library are from the parent site.  Includes folder content types.  Per-location views are enabled and default column values per folder.  I have stripped the library right back and the problem persists.  This is a huge problem as there are hundreds of project sites based on this template.  Mandatory metadata has been turned off, check out required off, content approval off... There is a retention hold policy on the site, yet other libraries on the same site can be sucessfully synced, so the issue is definitely with the library.

  • Did you find an answer to this.  I have one user with the greed padlock and base on the link provided this could be due to versioning or a required field.  

     

    However it is not occuring on other document libraires within the same team site that have required fields and no versioning.  The library we have issues with has no versioning but does have required fields.  Any thoughts?

    -Mel

    • Coen Verbree's avatar
      Coen Verbree
      Copper Contributor

      The green padlocks indicate that the SharePoint document library can only sync in read only mode. You cannot make changes to documents locally synced. In my case this behavior was caused by custom views in the document library. The SharePoint team site was deployed from a template that had customs view (extra columns) in the document library. After removing these custom views the green padlocks disappeared.

      • Deleted's avatar
        Deleted

        What strange is that it is occuring for one user.  And there is a second document library with the same columns that do not have the green locks

  • Hi Coen Verbree 

     

    A new version of OneDrive Sync has been released a few days ago. However, this is not yet fixed.

     

    Being in the position of influencing the business applications in a 2000 people company, I am going to push to get rid of OneDrive Sync from employees computers.

     

    It just doesn't help to have a "supported" application if Microsoft just don't care about real-life business needs in addition to recurrent performance/syncing issues.

  • Aviral Bansal's avatar
    Aviral Bansal
    Copper Contributor

    Try using One Drive for Business if you are trying to connect to company resources. 

  • I have the same issue with One user only. Everyone else can sync the library without locks. Versioning is off and Check out is off from the get go so don't know why this one user has the issue

    • Oderbang's avatar
      Oderbang
      Brass Contributor

      I have the same green lock in "One drive" aka "OneDrive.exe" However i also have "One drive for busness" aka "GROOV.EXE" syncing the same share-point sites... and this works fine.

      So if this is a limitation of the "OneDrive.exe" 

       

      • Oderbang's avatar
        Oderbang
        Brass Contributor

        Ok so spent 45 mins on the phone to Microsoft to find out that there is another setting you have to turn off if your using it. (not just the check in feature but the approvals one also!)

        "Require content approval for submitted items?" needs to be set to "NO"

        This will also automatically set " Who should see draft items in this document library?" to "Any user who can read items" 

         

        These options can be found under "Library settings" -> "version Settings

        Hope this helps someone

  • Coen Verbree 

     

    I have the same issue - What I did to fix this?

     

    In to SharePoint Library settings - versionsettings - and change the "Required content approveval " to NO 

     

    Now the icone is gone 

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