opening files on server

[s.crosby]

I am using vectorworks on a pentium III with windows 2000 os.

Our server is an apple server running appleshare IP 6.3.

I am unable to open files on the server as it tells me -49 another read or write path open.

The file then become read only to all windows 98 users (who incidentally dont have this problem).

If I copy the files to my C drive I do not have this problem.

Please help !!!!!!

Simon Crosby

[Guest]

Simon, Macs have a pathing issue where it can only support so many characters. The PC's are a little more forgiving, however they too can have this problem with VectorWorks due to the origin of the program from the Mac. Move the files so they are not buried so deeply in your hard drive. As an example, do not save a file to "C:\My Documents\Work Files\Drawings\2000\Jhonson\First_American_bank_building.mcd" for they will not understand the pathing. Each remote machine will not only see the above location, but also the path to get there and Mac won't support that many characters. Save it in a format more like so: "C:\CAD\Johnson\1AmBank.mcd" which reduces the characters. Furthermore, there is a tech note on folders with spaces in the name. ( http://www.nemetschek.net/support/technotes/TN_Wind.HTML ).

The best solution to the problem is simply to copy the file to the local machine and open from there (this will allow you to use the file as well unless it is marked "read only" in the properties of the file. To find out, on the Mac "get info" on the file (command + I), for the PC right click on the file and choose the properties option. There are check boxes to lock the files so that they are read only. When you save the file, save locally, then transfer and copy over the older file or create a new name so that the server holds your back up file. If more than one user is trying to use a file then you must use Workgroup Referencing for no more than one user can access a file at a time and also you can update the file without destroying work of others.

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Brian O

Nemetschek North America

Technical Support Specialist

[chris.j]

Hi Brian,

I'm having the same problem with windows 2000 opening vectorworks files from an appleshare IP 6.3.2 server. You can save files from vectorworks, or copy files off the server and open them, but you can not open them from vectorworks. If you do you get the error message simon described. It cannot be purely an AppleShare IP issue, as other applications do not have the same problem.

The file paths involved are very simple, and mapping the shares on the appleshare IP server as drives on the pc (so that effectively the path is eg g:\test.mcd) do not help either. Have you any more suggestions?

Thanks,

Chris Johnson

[Peter]

Brian, Like chris.j. I find that this turns out not to be the case....I also have the problem and tested your proposal with a short pathname and no spaces in it.

I also observe

Within VW, attempt to open file. In file dialog box, right click and get file properties - Read only flag is set - unset it.

Right click again on properties, checking that read only flag IS unset.

Now select open file.

At this point I see the -49 message.

Now, try File menu open file again.

In the dialog box right click on the same file. The read only flag IS SET AGAIN.

How can attempting to open a file set the read only flag when the file is stored on an AppleShare server and not on any other backing storage? This is NOT a pathname lenght issue, whatever it is. Something else is going on.

Your workaround is what we have been doing here, but it is unsatisfactory in an NT based shared machine environment.

[This message has been edited by Peter (edited 03-13-2001).]

I've been watching but nothing is added to this thread. Is anyone who knows anything watching? This issue is a *big* one for us.

[This message has been edited by Peter (edited 03-21-2001).]