We had presummed that giving a user 'node management' rights would also allow them to go to "manage custom properties" and directly edit the editable fields.
To a degree they can, in that they can access and use "edit multiple values". But, if they select an individual cell and enter details then as soon as they click to the next cell, then the content they just entered disappears. In the belief that the data was there but was not viewable we trie clicking on the 'save changes' button. However, nothign appears on teh ndoe in question.
We tried various broswers - FF, Chrome and IE and to make sure it wasn't a corporate policy looking down that users laptop we had them webex on to one that could do the above and it got the exact same result. As soon as we gave them admin rights then our problem disappeared.
So, how do we allow this without setting too wide an access?
