Modifying preferences is extremely annoying in ST3. All the files are locked and I cannot edit them. To save a file elsewhere then open that, modify, then save back to the correct location is just mind numbing

Are you modifying the default preferences? You should only be changing the user prefs.

now i feel like an idiot…
Isn’t my first time and it definitely wont be my last.

Thanks, you are right, i was trying to mod the default prefs.