Subject: [netatalk-admins] filelock prolbems with filemaker pro

From: Masahiro Otsuka <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 05 Feb 1999 11:16:36 +0900

Hello.

I have a problem filemaker pro files on netatlk server. If more than one
person tries to open a filemaker file on netatalk server, the server
locks the file and filemaker says something like "The file can't be
opened because this file can't be opened for wiriting".  So second
person can't open the file until another person closes it. I am using
multuser mode in filemaker. So I shouldn't have problem like this. This
file locking works perfectly well on any other files, but I understand
that filemaker does differenet locking mechanism. If someone knows how
to solve this problem please help me!

I have been useing 1.4b2+asun2.1.2 version of netatalk on RedHat Linux
version 5.2(kernel 2.0.36).

Thanks.

Masahiro Otsuka

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From: a sun <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 18:17:37 -0800 (PST)

this is because filemaker is probably using byte locks to do its
deeds. netatalk still does not support full byte locking although it
is on my todo list. the only thing preventing what is currently in my
patchset from working is the need to honor byte locks within the same
process. i probably should add that in soon, but i keep forgetting as
no one really complains about it. 

so, if you aren't going to open the same document multiple times on
the same computer, add -DUSE_FCNTL_LOCKS. let me know if it works for
you.

-a

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From: Jonathan Benson <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 1999 11:03:04 +1100

> to solve this problem please help me!

I'm not sure your using FileMaker Pro correctly.  The 2nd person should NOT
try to open the database from the same location as the first, they should
select "Hosts" from the File Open Dialog and open the file from the other
host.

As I've said before (but probably not back to the mailing list) you REALLY
shouldn't run the databases off a netatalk server with FileMaker Pro.  The
files should be located on a machine that will have them ALL open (or
perhaps spread different sections across multiple machines, but...) and then
everyone accesses them via the Hosts button.

If someone opens the files from the server they will then become the Host
and everyone else will have to connect to them.  The problem with this is
when the Host gets a request from another user it will have to read the file
over the network and then send that information back out over the network.
That might work if you have a fast network, but in most cases it makes more
sense to store the files locally on the Host.

Jonathan

--
Jonathan Benson B.Eng. (Soft Sys Hon) <[email-masked]>
Systems Administrator, Phoenix Magazines, Phone: +61 3 9696 7200
http://www.phoenixmags.com.au