Checking Out and Checking In Documents

Checking out a document downloads a copy of the document to your working directory, and also locks the document so that no other user can check out or export the document until you check it in or free it.

When you finish editing a checked out document, you can check it in from the editing application as you are closing the document, or you can check it in later from ProjectWise Explorer. If your editing application is integrated with ProjectWise Explorer, you can update your changes to the server from the editing application without closing or checking in the document. This lets other users who have the same document copied out as a reference periodically refresh their copy of the document and see your updates.

To check out a document, the document must have a Checked In status, and you must have Read, File Read, and File Write privileges for that document. When you check out a document, the document's icon changes to a check mark for you, and other users will see a lock icon.

Tip: When using Document > Open, the program that launches depends on the ProjectWise application associated to the document, and the program defined to open documents associated to that application.

Note: You cannot check in a document from ProjectWise Explorer that is checked out and open. If you try, you will receive a warning message prompting you to close the open document before continuing.

Note: Only the active version of a document can be checked out. If you attempt to open a version that is not the active version, you are informed that the document can only be opened as read-only.

Note: For security reasons, you cannot use Document > Open to launch an executable file (*.EXE). However, if necessary you can check out or export the file and then manually launch the executable.

Note: You cannot check out a file from one client, such as ProjectWise Web Parts, and then check it in from another, such as ProjectWise Explorer, even if you are doing so from the same computer and using the same log in credentials.

To Check Out One or More Documents Without Opening Them

To Check Out and Open a Document in Its Default Application

To Check Out and Open a Document in an Application Other Than the Default Application

To Check Out and Open a MicroStation Document in a New Session of MicroStation

To Update the Server Copy of Checked Out Documents from ProjectWise Explorer

To Check In Checked Out Documents, from ProjectWise Explorer

Parent topic: Working with Documents