Help...'File in Use' error

[HomerR]

Hello,

I am getting error message 'File in use by another application or user'
after resubmitting a form into the same Form Library. The process to the
form is the user fills out the Infopath form thru SPS (Sharepoint Portal
Server 2003) website. A second user opens the form and adds information to
the form thru Infopath as well and submits the form back into the same
library with the same name thru a submit button. This had been working great
until this Monday.

I've looked thru the server running Sharepoint and SQL the server for any
open files or running processes. I've even rebooted the portal server
without resolution.

Thanks for your help in advance.
Homer

 

[Joan Bennett]

Homer,

We've run into this too and haven't figured out a solution. We have an
Infopath form library that a few users seem unable to edit forms from. Most
users have no problem, hoever, others get the 'file in use' error when
editing an existing form, but have no errors when submitting a new form.

Did you ever figure this out?

 

[Patrick Halstead [InfoPath MVP]]

Hi Joan,

SharePoint has an implicit locking mechanism. If a user opens a form,
SharePoint remembers that they have it open. If they go offline, then the
lock expires in 10 minutes. Otherwise, the user has to submit the form or
close it. This is a big issue with InfoPath installations on SharePoint.
HEre are some best practices for developing SharePoint forms:

1. For people who only need to read the form, use the XSL Apply tool in the
SDK to create a read-only view and a calculated column in the form library
to show the data without opening InfoPath.

2. Create a separate Form B for user comments and put that a separate form
library. Form B can then use a SharePoint list adapter or import (Merge
Forms) to show a read-only sub-view of Form A. Then, you are not creating a
lock on Form A for people who only need to add comments or ask questions.
See Issue Tracking for an example of merge. You'll have to tie the forms
together using an ID or something.

3. Use Checkout and Check-in to tell people that you are editing the form
(to prevent them from opening it). This is a human solution.

4. Close InfoPath and/or wait 10 minutes. This expires the lock on
SharePoint. This is also a human solution but is a viable workaround.

5. Create personal views so that people only view the forms that are
assigned to them decreasing the form read collisions between users.

Hope this helps!

Patrick Halstead
http://www.infopathdev.com/

 

[jgmeyer]

I'm having this issue with forms I create and save, and then when i try to
open them again i get the "File in use..." error. It appears to happen when
I use Application.Quit(false) from managed code. any idea as to the cause of
this? it shouldn't be a locking issue because i'm testing the form on a
virtual pc on my machine, so no one else could even access it. thanks!

josh
--
Josh Meyer
Senior Systems Analyst
The Trident Group, Inc.