Can't run reports because file locked?

[Dan Snyder]

OK, we're getting closer.  Thanks for the quick responses.


> Ken wrote 
> Rule #1:  Never remove the lockfile while the file is
> in use, unless you like getting "help, our file is
> corrupted!" calls in the middle of the night.
I only removed the lockfiles, since showlock did not show anyone updating
the files (and therefore I thought it would not risk corrupting the files).
Additionally, in section 09.04.04 on Page 148 of Stuart Werner's filePro
Plus Developers Reference says "It is perfectly safe to remove lockfiles."


> Rule #2:  Record locking and the lockfile have nothing to do with each
other.
I figured that was the case since showlock didn't tell when someone was in
the file, but removing the lockfile did allow reports to run.  My issue is
why did we just start getting this yesterday?


> If you want to allow the report to run while others are
> in *clerk, include the "-u" flag on the *report command
> line.  That's what it's there for.
I edited the dpromenu menu by adding "-u" to the menu option, I logged out,
logged back-in and tried to run the report but it still gives the same
error.  However, I now figured out that only reports with output processing
are giving the error, even if the output processing doesn't have anything in
it and therefore doesn't try to do any updates to the file.  Finding this I
checked our other files again (like inventory) and they behave the same way.
I'm happy to have the problem more clearly identified, but I'm still
concerned that this just became a problem yesterday.  I've interviewed all
the users that access the file in question and the users that have run the
reports that we are having problems with.  No one claims to be have changed
their processes or filePro usage recently in a manner that would make this
problem start happening all of the sudden yesterday.  

Anyone have any other ideas why this issue just started happening or know
anything we might try to get around it?

By the way, I agree with everyone's concerns about users having access to
dpromenu.  However, the company had it working that way without any problems
for 10+ years before I got here.  I'm planning on replacing filePro with an
off-the-shelf ERP package, so I never took the time to configure a new
menuing system.  Besides, all our filePro files would need a complete
redesign/recoding to fix their issues anyway, redoing the menus is the least
of my worries.


Thanks again!

Dan Snyder
IT Manager
Mercury Electronics
717-854-9557 ext.224