Setting to disallow editing invariant properties from non-default languages not working

[sschurig]

Which Umbraco version are you using?

15.4.0

Bug summary

It seems that AllowEditInvariantFromNonDefault: false in appsettings.json has no effect on editing properties that do not vary by culture. In fact I can change their values from all languages.

https://forum.umbraco.com/t/disallow-editing-invariant-properties-seems-not-to-work-with-v15/3262

Specifics

I can reproduce the error with Firefox and Edge latest version.

Steps to reproduce

Set up a multi language site with shared properties.

Expected result / actual result

Editing the prop value should only be possible from within the default language.

[github-actions]

Hi there @sschurig!

Firstly, a big thank you for raising this issue. Every piece of feedback we receive helps us to make Umbraco better.

We really appreciate your patience while we wait for our team to have a look at this but we wanted to let you know that we see this and share with you the plan for what comes next.

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[umbracocommunity]

This issue has been mentioned on Umbraco community forum. There might be relevant details there:

https://forum.umbraco.com/t/disallow-editing-invariant-properties-seems-not-to-work-with-v15/3262/4

[AndyButland]

If I've understood correctly, the intention of this setting when set to false is to prevent editing of these properties if you don't have access to the default language - in terms of permissions - rather that whether the default language is currently being edited.

From the docs:

When the setting is set to false the invariant properties that are shared between all languages can only be edited from the default language. This means you need access to the default language, in order to edit the property.

So I think this is a bug only if you can confirm you can edit the invariant properties with an editor that doesn't have permission to the default language. If you do have this permission, and can edit the property when working with any language, I believe that's correct and by design.

[sschurig]

The behaviour described in the documentation does not apply, at least not as I understand it.

Regardless whether AllowEditInvariantFromNonDefault is set to false or true, regardless whether the group of the user allows access to the language set as default, the property is not greyed out/disabled for non-default-language.

But there is indeed a different outcome when saving: When setting AllowEditInvariantFromNonDefault to false, then as user belonging to a group that is not allowed to access the default language, I can change the value for a shared property, but after saving it turns back to the value of the default language.

Also there is no no such feature that you have to unlock the property first as described in the doc a.s.o.

All in all I find this not very intuitive and clear. I'd simply expected the behaviour that I know of Umbraco version 13, by default shared properties are greyed out and not editable at all in any other language but default in certain circumstances like setting AllowEditInvariantFromNonDefault to false or I do not have access to the default language.

[nielslyngsoe]

Hi @sschurig, thanks for reporting this issue and describing your view on the case.

The main issue, when having AllowEditInvariantFromNonDefault set to false is now fixed in 16-rc2, via this PR: #19265

When AllowEditInvariantFromNonDefault is set to true, we have a new experience(for v.14+) that provides an even experience for everyone. — It can seem odd coming from v.13, but we believe this is the right approach — and you are right the Docs needs an update to accomndate this.

The experience is if a user has the access to edit invariant fields on all variants(AllowEditInvariantFromNonDefault is set to true), then the experience is the same for all variants.
The perspective is that a user who has access to the default language must be just as capable of understanding shared properties as a user who has access to a nondefault language.

In time the intention is to get a 'shared properties'-user access toggle, making it possible to lock down invariant fields from all variants. Making it possible to have Content Editor on the Default Language that does not have access to edit shared fields.

(I may add this is already possible via UI customizations aka. JS, with the new Property Level Permissions system)

I hope you like those visions; otherwise, let me know how you like that resolved. :-)

Thanks again