Office 2007 and Owner Files

[Michael S]

In previous versions of Office, Excel and Word created hidden owner files
(files prefaced with "~$") in the same directory as the original file. This
file helped prevent more than one person from opening a file at the same
time.

With Word and Excel 2007, I don't see owner files? What does the newer
version use to track a file's open status?

In our problem scenario, we have one Word or Excel file saved on a network
share. While no one has the file open, a user tries to open it, he gets a
message "<File> is locked for editing by <owner name>." We've verified that
on one has the file open. He can open the file as read-only, save it with a
different name, and edit the new file. There are no owner files and,
strangely, 24-hours later, the original file can be opened. We do not have a
Sharepoint server, so I don't think it is the problem.

I don't know what else do to resolve this problem other than paying $99 to
Microsoft.

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Michael,

The owner files are still created. Do you have your Windows Explorer file display options set to show hidden & system files? If
the files aren't released and deleted when Word closes then the owner files will still look 'locked'.

With the Office apps closed, if you use Start-> search to locate and recycle files (including hidden and system files) using the
search string for filenames of
~$*.*;*.tmp
and include that network drive folder in you search does it find the files?

There are also add-ins to Word and Excel, including some antivirus and security apps that can leave things 'hanging'.

Does it show the filename that is the same as the one you're opening or is it a template file?

===========
In previous versions of Office, Excel and Word created hidden owner files
(files prefaced with "~$") in the same directory as the original file. This
file helped prevent more than one person from opening a file at the same
time.

With Word and Excel 2007, I don't see owner files? What does the newer
version use to track a file's open status?

In our problem scenario, we have one Word or Excel file saved on a network share. While no one has the file open, a user tries to
open it, he gets a
message "<File> is locked for editing by <owner name>." We've verified that on one has the file open. He can open the file as
read-only, save it with a different name, and edit the new file. There are no owner files and, strangely, 24-hours later, the
original file can be opened. We do not have a Sharepoint server, so I don't think it is the problem.

I don't know what else do to resolve this problem other than paying $99 to
Microsoft.>>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*

 

[Michael S]

Hi Bob,

Soon after my initial post, I discovered that Word 2007 does indeed create
an owner file for all formats (.docx, .doc, or .dotx) . However, I cannot
say the same for Excel 2007. I cannot locate an owner file for an Excel
workbook saved as an 'Exel 97-2003' workbook (with the .xls extension). If
the Excel workbook is saved in any other format (.xlsb, .xlsm, or xlsx),
Excel 2007 does create an owner file when it opens a workbook.

In my problem scenario, all of the Excel 2007 users are saving their Excel
files with the .xls extension. When they notify me of a "file locked for
editing" message, there is never an owner file.

With our Word 2007 users, most are saving their docs with .doc extensions.
However, when users notify me of a "file locked for editing" messages, it's
not yet clear whether or not there is always an old owner file in the same
directory.

Regarding add-ins. for Word and Excel , we have the Microsoft Office Live
Add-in beta set to active. For Word, we also have the Person Name (Outlook
e-mail recipients) active.

 

[Bob Buckland ?:-\)]

Hi Michael,

You may want to also check with the folks in the MS Excel discussion group as well using the link below. Excel 2003 doesn't create
the owner file for either .xls or .xlsx files, but Excel 2007 does, as you mentioned, create them only for Excel 2007 types, such as
..xlsx. I'm guessing it has to do with the changes in sharing 'one version of the truth' options in Excel.

=================
Hi Bob,

Soon after my initial post, I discovered that Word 2007 does indeed create
an owner file for all formats (.docx, .doc, or .dotx) . However, I cannot
say the same for Excel 2007. I cannot locate an owner file for an Excel
workbook saved as an 'Exel 97-2003' workbook (with the .xls extension). If
the Excel workbook is saved in any other format (.xlsb, .xlsm, or xlsx),
Excel 2007 does create an owner file when it opens a workbook.

In my problem scenario, all of the Excel 2007 users are saving their Excel
files with the .xls extension. When they notify me of a "file locked for
editing" message, there is never an owner file.

With our Word 2007 users, most are saving their docs with .doc extensions.
However, when users notify me of a "file locked for editing" messages, it's
not yet clear whether or not there is always an old owner file in the same
directory.

Regarding add-ins. for Word and Excel , we have the Microsoft Office Live
Add-in beta set to active. For Word, we also have the Person Name (Outlook
e-mail recipients) active. >>
--

Bob Buckland ?
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*