Warning: Changing a readonly file - in spite of rwxrwxrwx

[Thomas Wiedmann]

Hello,

recently, when I intended to edit a text file with vim 6.1, I've got the
message
"W10: Warning: Changing a readonly file".

However the file had the privileges rwxrwxrwx.

1. How or why can a file be readonly - in spite of these priviledges; how
can a file be identified as readonly?
2. How can a readonly file be made writable a) in/with vim (or at least
changes in a readonly file be saved nevertheless) b) without vim, i. e.
by a system command?
3. How can such a warn message be removed again?

Thanks for all good hints.

Thomas Wiedmann

[Stan Brown]

Post by Thomas Wiedmann
Hello,
recently, when I intended to edit a text file with vim 6.1, I've got the
message
"W10: Warning: Changing a readonly file".
However the file had the privileges rwxrwxrwx.
1. How or why can a file be readonly - in spite of these priviledges; how
can a file be identified as readonly?

:set ro
would do it. Is there such a mode line in the file itself?

Post by Thomas Wiedmann
2. How can a readonly file be made writable a) in/with vim

:set noro

[notPythias]

Post by Thomas Wiedmann
1. How or why can a file be readonly - in spite of these priviledges; how
can a file be identified as readonly?

Is it possible that another program has locked the file? I don't know
much about Linux file locking, but I do believe it allows write locks.
Would vim interpret that as cause to show you a readonly warning?

-nP

[paf the dog]

Post by notPythias

Post by Thomas Wiedmann
1. How or why can a file be readonly - in spite of these priviledges; how
can a file be identified as readonly?

Is it possible that another program has locked the file? I don't know
much about Linux file locking, but I do believe it allows write locks.
Would vim interpret that as cause to show you a readonly warning?

what else is possible is a i attribute or a ro mounted partition

lsattr

in case i, su -c 'chattr -i the_file'