problems creating topics: "file is write protected"

[dlazenby]

New user (currently using the trial version).
Getting stuck trying to create/add topics.
Example: after creating a new project-> in the project explorer, it creates a basic project (.hmxp) with a rudimentary Table of Contents. So far so good;
to be clear, I am working in the PROJECT menu tab.
So let's say I click on the "Chapter 2" book -> it opens (open book icon) and I right click and am given the add topic options: (add before topic, add after topic, add child topic). Alternatively, I can click on the "Add Topic" icon, and it will give me those same options. When I chose any of those 3 options (e.g. add child topic) the dialog box (Insert new Topic or Chapter) pops up. I then click on the "New Topic" option, and the dialog box changes with the option to enter/name the "Topic Heading". I do this, e.g., naming it "Test Topic A"; this also creates the Topic ID ("Test-Topic-A").
My Default Topic Options are: HTML Template- "Default"; Topic Class- "(Default)"; Create in "Topics/"; Topic Template:"(No template)"; TOC Icon "(Automatic)".
I then click on the OK button at the bottom of that dialog box, and I am immediately given a Warning pop up box that says:
"File "Topics/Test-Topic-A.xml" could not be created.
Reason: File is write protected.
I then have to click on the OK button of that popup to exit it.
Another popup box then appears stating "Cannot load topic "Topics/TestoTopic-A.xml"! The topic file exists, but it is either locked by another user or damaged. To close that popup box I again click on the OK button.
Note: I am the only person using this software.
Interestingly, in the Table of Contents (again while in the Project menu tab) the Test Topic A does appear in the Table of Contents but it is grayed out.

This also occurs if I try to create a new topic in the "Topic Files" section. Specifically, I right click on the Topic Files folder, -> "Add new file" (again the Insert new Topic or Chapter" dialog box opens and I proceed to try to add a new topic (e.g. Test Topic B), but again, it results in the warning popup box-> File: "Topics/Test-Topic-B.xml" could not be created. Reason file is write protected.

Please advise.
Thanks,
Doug Lazenby
Griffin, GA

[Tim Green]

Hi Doug,

Welcome to the forum! Is it possible that you're saving your project in a OneDrive folder? Unfortunately, that is fatal and will cause huge problems and potentially also data loss and corruption because of the way OneDrive manages and locks files on multi-file collections. The solution is to select Save As... in the File menu (DON'T try to move or copy in Windows File Explorer) and save the project in a regular folder in your own Documents directory.

CAUTION: OneDrive is extremely aggressive about trying to force you to use its own Documents directory whenever possible and it makes it look deceptively similar to the user's Documents directory.

[dlazenby]

Tim,
You are correct. Out of force of habit, I seem to save all my files in OneDrive.
When I saved it on my C: drive, the process worked just fine.
Thanks very much!
Doug Lazenby