Could not Lock File error

[Joe]

Hi,

I'm trying to share an access database with an entire
workgroup. I copied the database to the file server and
assigned permissions. I set up the person responsible for
modifying this file with FULL PERMISSION on the parent
directory and it's child objects. I set the 'everyone'
with Read Only permission. A user that falls into the
READ-ONLY group can't open the file and gets the
error "Could not Lock file" and nothing opens.

What is the correct way to share this database file with
everyone, regardless of whether it's open by another user
or not AND ONLY allowing one person to modify it's
contents?

Any assistance will be GREATLY apprciated...

Sincerely,

Joe F.

 

[Guest]

-----Original Message-----
Hi,

I'm trying to share an access database with an entire
workgroup. I copied the database to the file server and
assigned permissions. I set up the person responsible for
modifying this file with FULL PERMISSION on the parent
directory and it's child objects. I set the 'everyone'
with Read Only permission. A user that falls into the
READ-ONLY group can't open the file and gets the
error "Could not Lock file" and nothing opens.

What is the correct way to share this database file with
everyone, regardless of whether it's open by another user
or not AND ONLY allowing one person to modify it's
contents?

Any assistance will be GREATLY apprciated...

Sincerely,

Joe F.
.

Hey Joe,

Before getting into a lengthy 'permission setting' dialog,
can you clarrify what you mean by :

"...allowing one person to modify its contents..."

Do you mean only one person can add/edit/delete records in
your tables, or do you mean only one person can make new
tables, queries, forms, reports, etc?

There are quite a few different ways security can be set
up. The better you can describe exactly what you want
each 'user type' to be able to do, the better the response
will be to address your situation. Go ahead... be
specific...

However.. as an immediate response to why you're getting
the "Lock" error message: It has to do with a hidden file
that needs to be generated in the same folder that holds
your database. It's called an .LDB file, and it is
automatically generated when you open your database.
Also, it is automatically disposed of when you log out (or
the last person in the database logs out). This file
holds information about each user that is logged into the
database (user name and computer name). Since you've
restricted 'EVERYONE' with read-only permissions on the
folder and the database, 'EVERYONE' is prevented from
creating the .LDB file. Without it, Access won't dance.
You can try aleviating the situation by giving 'EVERYONE'
permission to Read & Execute on the Folder. This will at
least let the .LDB file be created. However,
since 'EVERYONE' will not have the Modify permission,
the .LDB file will not be deleted later on. The one
exception to this is for that person you've set up with
full control. In the case where that person is the last
person to close the database, their permission will allow
for the .LDB file to be removed.

In my experiences, having the .LDB file linger around has
not caused problems... but try it out and decide for
yourself on that point.

Thanks
Troy

 

[TC]

You can not successfully implement user-level security in Access using
windows file permissions. if >anyone< must be able to update the database,

everyone< must have full read/write/delete permission on the folder where

the database resides. Then you control each user's level of access within
the database, using Access "user level security" (ULS).

ULS is very capable, but also quite complicated to learn initially. Download
& study the so-called "Access Security FAQ". Plan to spend at least some
weeks - perhaps months - studying that document, & experimenting on "throw
away" databases, before you get the hang of it.

HTH,
TC