To open a survey database for edit
- On the Survey tab in Toolspace, right-click a database
Open For Edit. This command gives exclusive write access to the database. All other users are prevented from accessing the database, either for edit or read-only mode.
Note: If a survey database is located on a shared folder on the network and is opened for editing, it is opened exclusively and all others are prevented from opening it, even in read-only mode. If the survey database is only opened as read-only, others can also open it as read-only.
To open a survey database for read-only access
- On the Survey tab in Toolspace, right-click a database Open For Read-only.
Multiple users can access the database in read-only mode and browse to and consume the data.
A database that is open for read-only mode displays a 
icon.
Tip: Double-click a closed database to open it in read-only mode. Double-click an open database to display the Survey Database Settings dialog box.
Note: If you share a survey database that references a user-defined coordinate system, you must make the user-defined coordinate system available to all users of the survey database.