Article URL: http://www.bc.edu/helpdocs/MYF-lockunlock.shtml

Summary:  Locking files and folders in MyFiles@bc prevents other people from editing or saving changes to a file or folder for a period of time. This is useful when you are making updates to a file and want to post the new updated file before anyone else makes changes to it. Until you unlock a file, it cannot be edited or saved by someone else. On this page, learn how to lock and unlock files and folders.

The following table shows the three possible lock icons and what they mean:

This lock icon...	Means that the file or folder is...
	Unlocked. You can lock the file or folder by clicking the lock icon.
	Locked. But, you can unlock it by clicking the lock icon.
	Locked. You do not have permission to unlock it.

Note: If no lock icon appears, you do not have the correct permissions to know if the file or folder is locked and you only have permission to read or view this file or folder.

Learn how to:

• Lock files
• Lock folders
• Unlock files and folders

Locking files

To lock a file:

1. Locate the file that you want to lock. Learn about navigating folders.
2. Next to the file that you want to lock, click the Lock icon:

Locking folders

There are two ways to lock folders.

To lock a folder when all the contents are currently unlocked:

1. Locate the folder that you want to lock. Learn about navigating folders.
2. Next to the folder that you want to lock, click the Lock icon:
   Note: You can only lock a folder this way when all the contents of this folder are unlocked.

To lock a folder:

1. Locate the folder that you want to lock. Learn about navigating folders.
   
   
2. Next to the folder that you want to lock, click the Info icon:
   The folder's Information page appears.
   
   
3. Click the Locks link (see Figure 1).
   
   Figure 1: Click the Locks link.
   
   
4. To lock the folder and everything within it, click the Lock this directory and everything it contains link (see Figure 2).
   Note: You can only use this type of lock on a folder when all the contents are unlocked.
   
   Figure 2: To lock the folder and everything within it, click the Lock this directory and everything it contains link.
   
   
5. To lock the folder so that no one else can upload files to it, but people can still edit current files within the folder, click the Lock this resource link (see Figure 3).
   
   Figure 3: To lock the folder so that no one else can upload files to it, but people can still edit current files within the folder, click the Lock this resource link.
   
6. To return to the folder listing, click the Back link .

Unlocking files or folders

To unlock files or folders:

1. Locate the file or folder that you want to unlock. Learn about navigating folders.
2. Next to the file or folder that you want to unlock, click the green Lock icon:
   Note: You can only unlock files or folders if a green lock appears next to it. Otherwise, you do not have the correct permissions to unlock the file or folder.