"Write-protected content cannot be changed" - but I'd like to

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#1

Using a pro-forma legal document with a number of areas that look like fields (but don’t seem to be) where you are supposed to fill out to complete the doc. Some of the sections are not relevant to my scenario so try to delete them and get popup message:

“Write-protected content cannot be changed.”

These are not cells that can be unprotected, and not fields as such (no “Fields” option if you right-click, and nothing happens to them if you set View → Field Names.

The original document was a Word .doc, possibly 2003 format. It has been saved as an odt. If you cut and paste a bit of the doc with one of these entry fields into a new doc it exhibits the same behaviour. Is there

(a) anyway to turn this off?

(b) anyway to reproduce similar behaviour without using a table cell?

NB Version: 5.3.1.2 on openSUSE

Feld mit "!Unerwartetes Ende des Ausdrucks"
#10

I solved my problem with protected forms by unsetting an option in the Options dialog:

Tools > Options … > LibreOffice Writer > Compatibility > Remove the tick mark from the " Protect form " line.

#11

This is the only answer that worked for me.

#12

Didn’t work in my case. However: In LibreOffice 6.1.5.2, if you right-click on the immutable field or whatever it is, then select “Edit Section” in the popup menu, then unmark “Write Protection” [Protected], you will be able to edit/delete the nastiness.

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#13

Worked for me in LibreOffice 6.0.7.3 while the options in the manual didn’t help me.

#14

Didn’t work for me, but found a workaround here: Read only content cannot be changed, no modifications will be accepted

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#15

Thanks!! It works here:
Docx document.
LibreOffice Version: 6.0.3.2. ubuntu (1:6.0.3-0); OS: Linux 4.15; en-US (en_US.UTF-8);

#7

https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=105625

#8

That sounds very similar, although AFAICT these words aren’t fields in LO’s understanding, or - if I use the equivalent function in LO, Insert → Field → More Fields → Input Field the result looks very similar but (a) if you right click “Fields” is an item on the context menu and (b) they are not write protected.
Hopefully your patch will fix the issue - in the meantime I had discovered the workaround of selecting the object plus a few chars either side and deleting or overwriting from there.

#9

The discussed patch doesn’t deal with LibreOffice fields; it deals with legacy MS Word fields that LO supports for compatibility. There’s no UI to insert these in LO. That’s what both me and you are talking about.

#3

Do these areas have a light grey outline? If so they are Sections and you can confirm this by using the Navigator (F5) where there will be Sections listed with names. Sections can be protected and if you attempt to modify a protected section you will get “Write-protected content cannot be changed.” “No modifications will be accepted.” Provided a password has not been used to protect these sections you can un-protect them so they can be deleted. Use Format > Sections and uncheck the write protection box.

#4

No, they’re not sections (but the words are on a light grey background, and look similar to Fields)

#5

This worked for me. Thanks!

#6

This also worked for me! @PeterWT Thank you!

LibreOffice Version: 6.2.5.2 (x64)

#16

I was able to delete the field by un-setting the following option:

Tools > Options > LibreOffice Writer > Formatting Aids > Remove tick from Protecting Areas / Enable cursor.

LibreOffice Writer 5.2.7

Found this solution here.

1 Like
Feld mit "!Unerwartetes Ende des Ausdrucks"
#17

This worked for me. THANK YOU!!

#18

This worked for me too! Thank you so much!!!

#19

Thanks, it worked for me too.

#20

Being read-only is a feature of a Section.

If you click on the content you cannot delete, the Status Bar will show something like this: “read-only: Section 4” (at least, in LO 7.4.0.3).

Left click on it and untick the “[x] Protect” checkbox under the Write Protection label. After this, you can delete that content. You can do the same via the Format → Sections menu.

#21

Excellent. Your solution was what worked for me, having copied/pasted into a odt some vehicle product items from a web page for others, and could not delete some despite proffered remedies above.

Here is a composite image of the section I was trying to delete, and the solution to the error, as well as an attempted solution. Hope to help.

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