Windows Forum

Ask something
Discussion Locked

What do "locks refer to?

0 helpful
5 replies

by gralfus

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

In the Computer Management console, I connect to a server and view the open files. One particular user can show over 2000 "locks" on a file, but at the same time I can see other users with the file open with other numbers of "locks".

What exactly are locks in this context? Windows help only tells me "This column shows the number of locks". Duh.

5 replies

by pctech

Hi,
Applications will put a lock on an open file that is opened in edit mode, not opened read only, to prevent others from editing a file that is already open in edit mode. Once an application has locked an open file, others will only be able to open this file in read only mode only. You would not want two or three people making edits to a spreadsheet at the same time. That could really mess up someone's time sheet. .... Of course if that would get me two paychecks, I would be willing to remove that lock. *wink*

I hope this helps you.

by gralfus

Thanks for the response. I understand what you are getting at, but then how can multiple locks exist on one file? In my original question, I mentioned that one user had over 2000 locks on one file. Are these locks on temp files that are created while he is working on the original?
And the second part of my original question: How can multiple users have the same file open and have locks on the same file if the file is locked for editing by one person?

by pctech

Well, we are still talking about the same thing. What good is a financial database that only allows one user at a time to have the database open for editing when you need 20 people doing the job at the same time? I am not certain that I can word this correctly but, should you have a database manager that can handle multiple users having the same file open for editing then this number is restricted by the number of CALs or licenses bought for that application, or the limitations of the app itself. Let us say that you have purchased 5 CALS ( licenses )for a database app and there will be 7 users accessing this database during the day but, not necessarily all at the same time. As long as there are less than 5 users "in the database" then a new user is allowed to access this database in edit mode. Once the number of users has reached the number of licenses available then the next user is locked out or has read only rights to the database until the number of users drops below the number of licenses available. Some users may only need read only rights to the database for all they do is look to see what is in the database and never need to edit it.

I hope this helps you.

by gralfus

Thanks, I can see how many users can edit simultaneously, but I don't see how that figures with your first answer of locking it for editing so that there is consistent data.
I see the lock as something that keeps another user from changing the data I am working on. But I don't see why I would need more than one lock myself, or how someone else can have a lock on the same file while I am working on it. Your first response indicates it is locked so data can't change, your second indicates it is a licence issue.

Again, 1 user with 2000 locks on same file, while at the same time 3 other users with 12-40 locks on the same file. If locks are for data integrity, then only one lock should ever exist. If locks deal with licensing, then I can understand how multiple locks can exist.

This discussion is closed to new replies.