FREECHN.EXE script

[Mike Schwartz]

> Quoting Mike Schwartz (Wed, 27 Jun 2007 08:52:32 -0500):
> [...]
> > (If Ken or anybody says that I don't have to get all the users out of
> > the system to insure that nobody tries to update the file I'm
> rebuilding
> > the free chain on, then I've been going through a lot of extra
> trouble
> > all these years...)
> [...]
> 
> Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but...
> 
> The freechain can be rebuilt while people are in the file.  (Consider
> the fact that *clerk/*report rebuild it automatically if they detect
> a corruption.)  One of the first things that happens is the head of
> the freechain is locked.  This will prevent people from creating new
> records, or deleting existing records, while the freechain is being
> rebuilt.  However, existing records can be updated, and people who
> are already adding a record (ie: it's a new record, but it's off of
> the freechain) can continue on with their business.
> --
> KenBrody at BestWeb dot net        spamtrap:

     Thanks for the info.  I think years ago I detected that people couldn't
add or delete records while I was rebuilding the freechain, so that's why I
simply told everybody they had to be off of the system, rather than deal
with the resulting questions.

Mike Schwartz