Changes Lost or Cannot Save Changes (90227)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1
This article was previously published under Q90227 SUMMARY
Many MS-DOS-based and Windows-based applications handle files in a way
that allows data loss to occur in a peer-to-peer multitasking
environment. Data loss can occur if an application opens and closes a
data file that is being edited. This includes some network-aware
applications that make no provisions for a peer-to-peer environment,
and instead assume all networks follow the client/server model.
MORE INFORMATION
When you open a file, Windows for Workgroups assigns ownership of that
file to you. If your application closes the file once it has loaded it
into system memory (RAM), Windows for Workgroups no longer thinks the
file is owned by you or anyone else. This allows another user to
access and modify the file. The same can be true for files and
applications run on remote servers, again dependent on the
application.
Windows for Workgroups (as with other networking environments) allows
other users, locally and remotely, to access and modify files if they
are not locked. When you attempt to save changes to a data file, you
may be denied access if another user has opened the file, or, if
another user has modified the file, the changes made will be lost when
you save your changes. Applications written assuming they will only be
run on a single-tasking, non-networked platform encounter these
problems occasionally.
If you are not able to save changes because another user is accessing
your data file, try to save your changes under a different filename.
Depending on the application and the data file in question,
integrating the two files may be difficult.
Manually lock your data files using a file-locking utility such as the
MS-DOS command ATTRIB. You only need to lock files that other users
can access (those that are on a shared drive.)
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 9/30/1999 |
|---|
| Keywords: | KB90227 |
|---|
|