[ms office - 2010] "File Locked for Editing By..." has Wrong Name - how?!

[enjay]

You know the "This file is locked for editing by..." message in Office? Well, we've got a weird one here whereby whoever opens a specific file, it says "This file is locked for editing by Mr A" even though Mr B has the file open. If Mr B opens a different file, then it reports correctly that Mr B has it open, so it isn't anything to do with Mr B's settings.

 

Any ideas?!

 

This isn't a major problem, but is bugging me! Plus, it can be annoying if you desperately need that file, so got to Mr A and ask him to close it, then find he doesn't have it open.

[NikChillin]

I have noticed that if you have the file selected in the directory it will not permit deleting or moving, we have had this before too and it is a pain although not quite sure what the exact cause is.

[enjay]

I have noticed that if you have the file selected in the directory it will not permit deleting or moving

 

So, let me get this straight. You're suggesting that Mr A has My Computer open and has highlighted the file, Mr B opens the file quite happily, but when Mr C comes to open it, they're told Mr A has it locked because he has it highlighted. Yes?

[enjay]

Sorry, that sounded a bit critical and I didn't mean it to. I just want to clarify the scenario you're proposing so that I know what to replicate here so that I can test it.

[ZeroHour]

When Word opens a file it generally creates a hidden temp version of the file, that files owner is usually the person shown as locking the file and I think if Mr A opens the file originally, he creates the temp file which is *ownered* to him so when Mr B's word see's the file it displays the message with Mr A the current owner. I think though if Mr A closes the word document while Mr B has it open the temp file is not cleaned up and Mr A keeps ownership of the temp file which means Mr C will see Mr A as locking the file although its actually Mr B in control.

Word cant directly query the FS/Kernel to find out who is locking if its on a share so it has to use this owner based scanning of a hidden temp file.

[AngryTechnician]

I suspect that Mr A had the file open at some point in the past, then experienced a crash of Word/Windows which meant the lock file was not deleted as Word never officially closed the file. Now it is stuck there in limbo. Turn on hidden files and look for the associated lock file, and delete it. For example, for a document named Ducking Word Document.docx, the lock file will be named ~$cking Word Document.docx

[enjay]

I think it might have been that hidden file - there was a ~$filename.docx dating back to November created by Mr A, which was evidently preventing another one getting by Mr B when he opened it.

 

Thanks!

Edited February 12, 2013 by enjay