Disable editing read-only Word documents

Question

Where I work we have many Word documents stored in our Subversion repository. These files are set as read-only most of the time (using the svn:needs-lock property in Subversion), to prevent multiple people making changes at once. When I get a lock on the one of the files with Subversion, it becomes writable.

Now, when I open one of these documents, there is a nice [Read Only] marker on the title of the window. But, sometimes I'm less observant than I should be. So I'll edit away happily, and go to save half an hour later, only to find that I cannot save because I forgot to get the file lock from Subversion.

I'd really like Word to warn me the file is read-only just as I start making changes, rather than when my changes are done and I go to save. Or, Word could restrict editing entirely if the file is read-only. Is there a setting to make this possible?

Answer 1

Answered for posterity.

With the file open: File > Info > Protect Document > Mark as Final. Click OK to the prompts.

Next time you open the document, the document will be locked with a yellow bar at the top: "Marked as Final. An author has marked this document as final to discourage editing" and an "Edit Anyway" button. Until that button is clicked, modification is not allowed. It is a useful technique to prevent accidental editing.