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Denied access to SharePoint Foundation 2010 Site Master Page

I am trying to edit the Site Master Page in SharePoint Designer, but get the following error message

I am the farm & site Administrator and SharePoint Designer has the rights to change the Site Master Page

I get the same message if I try to Edit the Master page at Top Level.

Why am I wanting to do this?

To try some customisation of the Quick Launch Bar i.e. To add flyout menus to the headings.

Thanks for viewing

Jamie McAllister

Have you checked the above settings both at the Site Collection Level and Application Level in Central Admin?

Central Administration --> General Application Settings --> Configure SharePoint Designer Settings.

Neil Randall

ASKER

Checked Jamie - see image in the question above.

Jamie McAllister

I see the image but I asked if it was checked in both places. Central Administration AND Site collection level.

One setting could override the other., and it's most logical explanation for the behavior

Neil Randall

ASKER

Thanks Jamie

In
Central Administration --> General Application Settings --> Configure SharePoint Designer Settings.
I only have these settings, one of which is to allow administrators to customise Master Pages. There is no distinction between site collection level and application level, apart from the URL (top right) which is the top level site. It doesn't give me the option of changing this to the child site I want to change the Master Page for, i.e. http://sharepoint.oursite.co.uk/test_site

Jamie McAllister

Thanks Nelmo.

Just one more thing, could you send me a screenshot of this page for completeness?

http://YourSiteCollectionAddress/_layouts/SharePointDesignerSettings.aspx

Neil Randall

ASKER

Thanks Jamie

This is looking like the cause of the problem.

http://sharepoint.oursite.co.uk/test_site/_layouts/SharePointDesignerSettings.aspx

Shows these options

Should I have enable customizing master pages and layouts ticked here for the child site I want to use and also have that option ticked in Central administration?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Jamie McAllister

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Neil Randall

ASKER

Success

Thanks Jamie

I can now open the Site Master Page in SharePoint Designer.

Just one final question, the answer to which may be obvious but just to make sure. The Site Master Page that I am customising I find in the Site Settings - Galleries - Master Pages of my test site http://sharepoint.oursite/test_site/_layouts/SharePointDesignerSettings.aspx

Is this the Master Page for the test_site only?
I just want to make sure that changes I make to this site do not affect the parent site

Thanks again

Jamie McAllister

Hi Nelmo,

Yes you're editing the local Masterpage, not the one for the whole site.