Unable to edit or save Windower add-on/plugin setting files

I've been off XI for a couple of years, and just came back about a month ago.  Last time I played XI I was on Windows XP (Win 8 now) and last time I used Windower it was pre-4, so things were quite different, so I apologize if this stuff is common knowledge now.  

When I go to open settings files (such as Windower4/settings/plugins/timers.xml), it displays as an xml file that I cannot edit.  I did some searching on here, and someone recommended to launch your XML editor (I'm using regular ass Notepad right now) separately and then open the .xml from inside the editor.  When I do that, it opens fine and I can edit everything, but it won't let me save the file.  I've tried with XI closed and open, although I definitely remember changing these configs with XI open and reloading plugins (for changing the x/y pos of on-screen plugins/add ons).  I've been able to edit the init, but nothing else.  Is Windower set to disallow editing by default?  Is there something I need to do in Win8?

Edit: using Notepad++ solved the issue for whatever reason.

I've been also having this same issue. I was able to edit and save my macro files just fine for a few days after the Windows 10 update, then stopped working for me yesterday evening.

I had that problem, it kept saying "Access Denied" when saving. I had to go into notepad properties and change permissions on everyone to full control fixed it  

I had that problem, it kept saying "Access Denied" when saving. I had to go into notepad properties and change permissions on everyone to full control fixed it

Since Windows 8, it seems like the built in Windows security policies have gotten even tighter, occasionally you run into issues such as this (especially anything in your Program Files folders), even if you're using an account with admin rights. An easy and quick fix for this is a very simple registry hack to add a "Take Ownership" command to your Windows Explorer contextual menu. IIRC, Windows 7 had this by default, while all versions since did not. All you have to do is copy the following code from the box into notepad, save it as takeownership.reg (make sure it doesn't append .txt to the file), double click it and add it to the registry. It works on Windows 8/8.1/10, all you have to do is right click a file or folder and click "Take Ownership" (logged into an account with admin rights, of course), and it'll open up a console and do the rest for you. Much less frustrating than manually fiddling with permissions. If you don't trust the code I've pasted here, just Google "add take ownership to context menu", you'll find the exact same thing everywhere else, it won't hurt anything and is pretty much foolproof.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Created by: Shawn Brink
; http://www.eightforums.com
; Tutorial: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2814-take-ownership-add-context-menu-windows-8-a.html


[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"HasLUAShield"=""
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""
Position="middle"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /c /l"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /c /l"


[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"HasLUAShield"=""
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""
Position="middle"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t /c /l /q"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t /c /l /q"


[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"HasLUAShield"=""
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""
Position="middle"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /c /l"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /c /l"


[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas]
@="Take Ownership"
"HasLUAShield"=""
"NoWorkingDirectory"=""
Position="middle"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\runas\command]
@="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t /c /l /q"
"IsolatedCommand"="cmd.exe /c takeown /f \"%1\" /r /d y && icacls \"%1\" /grant administrators:F /t /c /l /q"

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas]
"HasLUAShield"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"
"IsolatedCommand"="\"%1\" %*"