I came across an interesting question on the MSDN forums and there seems to be a lot of confusion. On the differences between the Read and View permissions
The issue is you need the Open List Permission to Open List Items including Documents in order to Read them. The View permission does not have the Open List Permission
View - Allows the viewing of Webpage, and of Lists. It does NOT Allow the opening of List Items including Documents.
Read - Has the Open List permission and Allows the Opening (Reading) of List Items and Documents but disallows any changes.
Note: The Contributor Role with Version, Workflow, Checkin /Checkout and the Approval WF on a DocLib. - Allow anyone with knowledge on a subject to submit changes if they are a member of the Contributor Role and not have those changes available to anyone not an Approver or the user submitting the change.
This requires the following:
-
Versions Settings >
- Require content approval for submitted items? Yes (This is required to light up the Who should see draft items in this document library? Only users who can approve items (and the author of the item)
- Create a version each time you edit a file in this document library? Create major and minor (draft) versions Example: 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 2.0
- Who should see draft items in this document library? Only users who can approve items (and the author of the item)
- Require documents to be checked out before they can be edited? Yes
-
Workflow Settings >
- Use Approval
- Allow this workflow to be manually started by an authenticated user with Edit Items Permissions? NO
- Start this workflow to approve publishing a major version of an item. YES
- Assign tasks to: All participants simultaneously (parallel) YES
- Allow workflow participants to: Reassign the task to another person & Request a change before completing the task
- Choose Approvers
- Allow changes to the participant list when this workflow is started? YES
- Due Date: Choose Something reasonable to the Business; If a due date is specified and e-mail is enabled on the server, participants will receive a reminder on that date if their task is not finished
- CC: Choose the help Desk and have a Folder to move email when it arrives, to track changes
- After the workflow is completed: Update the approval status (use this workflow to control content approval)
It's pretty powerful my best advice is that until you know the individual List and Site Permissions I would be careful in their use.
A Summary of Differences between the View and Read Permissions
View Permission - Allows users to open a Web site, list, or folder in order to access items inside that container. View items in lists, documents in document libraries, and view Web discussion comments.
Read Permission - Allows Users to View items in lists, documents in document libraries, and view Web discussion comments. Open Items and View the source of documents with server-side file handlers.
-Ivan