PDOXUSRS.NET & .LCK Files
(Last modified: 30Apr1998)
This document (1203264) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.
Issue
RDS#162 GroupWare Support
InForms 4.1 Last Revision 5/1/95
PDOXUSRS.NET & .LCK Files TechTip
Purpose of this document
This document describes how Paradox allows for the possibility of multiple users manipulating the same tables with the PDOXUSRS.NET file
and
Briefly explains the .LCK files that are created when accessing Paradox databases.
Troubleshooting Steps / Issue / Problem / etc.
PDOXUSRS.NET
Sharing tables on the network
Paradox requires any network users, using Paradox tables, to designate a location for the PDOXUSRS.NET file. Paradox for Windows uses this network control file to keep track of all the Paradox for Window users on the network. Paradox uses this control file to control table sharing on the network.
PDOXUSRS.NET also makes it possible to install and run concurrently both Paradox for Windows and DOS Paradox 4.0 on the network. This allows users of both programs to share data concurrently.
Versions of Paradox for DOS earlier than 4.0 use a control file PARADOX.NET to monitor the user count and to control table sharing on the network. Thus these earlier versions of Paradox for DOS can not share tables on the network concurrently with Paradox for Windows or Paradox DOS 4.0 and higher.
Paradox 5.0 uses the IDAPI database engine while Paradox for Windows 1.0 and 4.5 uses the ODAPI database engine. Both IDAPI and ODAPI use the PDOXUSERS.NET control file. Any information in this document pertaining to IDAPI would be the same for ODAPI configuration.
Designating the location of PDOXUSRS.NET
Designate the location of PDOXUSRS.NET with the IDAPI configuration utility program that comes with Paradox or Quattro Pro for Windows. You must specify a SINGLE location, in a shared data directory on the network to which all IDAPI applications have read/write/create rights given.
Note: Make sure that the location you specify is accessible by all users. If you do not, a user at another workstation might not be able to start Paradox or access the shared data.
To specify the location :
- Open the IDAPI configuration utility program.
- From the menu click on Pages and then select Drivers.
- In the list of driver names select Paradox. If this driver is not listed, you will need to create it.
- In the list of parameters find the parameter Net Dir and select it.
- Type in the path, including file name for PDOXUSRS.NET.
- Close the IDAPI utility configuration program.
When the first user starts an IDAPI application such as Paradox or Quattro Pro on the network, the application searches for PDOXUSRS.NET in the location specified. If it can not find the control file the application will create it in the specified location. Subsequent users will then find this file and use it. If the file is somehow deleted the applications will create a new file.
If you find several PDOXUSRS.NET files you may delete them. Deleting these files will have no effect on any Paradox databases. As mentioned previously, if Paradox can not find the PDOXUSRS.NET file it will create a new file.
Many networks systems allow more than one drive letter to map to a single shared disk drive. When designating the location of PDOXUSRS.NET, the drive letter is not important, but the path is.
If two users have different paths set for PDOXUSRS.NET, the first user will access the data but the second user will not. This is because the path for both users are not the same. It is very important that all users use the same PDOXUSRS.NET file. Users using the same PDOXUSRS.NET file can share data but anyone using different PDOXUSRS.NET file can't share data with them.
.LCK Files
.LCK files are temporary files created by Paradox when opening any Paradox table that has locked tables, records, fields in tables or columns in tables. The .LCK file contains information on what is locked. If a user is editing a record from a Paradox table the .LCK file will prevent other users from accessing the same record. If fields or columns are locked, the .LCK file will prevent users from editing those fields or columns.
When exiting Paradox the .LCK files are automatically deleted. Remember these are just temporary files. If you find an number of .LCK files on the network or local drives, you may delete these files. Paradox will create new .LCK files when opening a table and then delete the .LCK files when exiting the table.
If Paradox is exited incorrectly, .LCK files may be left on the network or local drives . A power failure or turning off the computer while using Paradox are examples of exiting Paradox incorrectly. When this does happen, any .LCK files are left on the drives, may be delete without effecting any Paradox databases. If these files are not deleted you may receive Paradox error messages referring to .LCK files. To correct these errors, find any .LCK files and delete them. This should correct any possible error messages dealing with .LCK files.
document
| Document Title: | PDOXUSRS.NET & .LCK Files |
| Document ID: | 1203264 |
| Creation Date: | 21Nov1995 |
| Modified Date: | 30Apr1998 |
| Revision: | 5 |
| Novell Product Class: | Groupware |
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