Microsoft Word does not recognize document already open by another user.

(Last modified: 16Mar2004)

This document (10083816) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

fact

Microsoft Word

Novell Client 4.83 SP2 for Windows NT/2000/XP

Novell NetWare oplock level 2 (read-only oplock) support.

symptom

Microsoft Word does not recognize document already open by another user.

Message: "(document) is in use by (username).  Do you want to make a copy?"

Application behaves differently / incorrectly when level 2 oplocks are enabled.

change

Level 2 oplocks are enabled at NetWare server and client workstation.

fix

Fixed in the Novell Client 4.83 SP3 for Windows NT/2000/XP

Background:

An application such as Microsoft Word may behave differently when level 2 oplocks are enabled at the Novell NetWare server and at the client workstation.  In the case of Microsoft Word, it has been observed that the application may not correctly advise the user when another workstation already has a document open for editing.  Instead of getting the "DOCUMENT.DOC is in use by USER.  Do you want to make a copy?" prompt at the second workstation, the second workstation is allowed to open and edit the document just like the first workstation was.  Other applications besides Microsoft Word may exhibit their own specific type of behavior in this same scenario.

This issue occurs because the first workstation which had locked the file (and successfully obtained an oplock) could potentially fail to reflect all the cached locks out to the NetWare server when the oplock was downgraded to a level 2 oplock.  As such, the second workstation would be allowed to lock regions of the file that the first workstation should have had (and internally still thinks it has) locked, but the first workstation never actually requested these cached locks out on the wire.  The exact effect this has will vary by application; the second workstation now has sections of the file locked which the first workstation assumes it still has locked; the second workstation will encounter some application-specific condition upon trying to actually utilize the regions which are now locked by the second workstation.

document

Document Title:	Microsoft Word does not recognize document already open by another user.
Document ID:	10083816
Solution ID:	NOVL89826
Creation Date:	02Jun2003
Modified Date:	16Mar2004
Novell Product Class:	NetWare

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