Panther, Word, and Changed modification date

[Ellen Carvill]

Now that we've upgraded to Panther (OS 10.3), we're having some
strange problems. When we open a file from the fileserver (running
netatalk) and close it without saving, the modification date on the
file is changed. This only happens in Word. We've already tried
reinstalling the September 2003 version of Office and then applying
the latest patches. Any other suggestions? Any one else having this
problem? What is it that Word does differently that other programs
don't do?

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

Hi Ellen:

That's a file server configuration problem, unfortunately I have never
administered an Apple server so I do not know exactly how to fix it.

What Word does differently is that it opens everything in Edit Lock, whether
you are reading or editing. This gives it the ability to perform an
"exclusive read".

When the user releases the document, the file server should simply release
the temporary file it has opened (which is a copy of the original). If the
user chooses to change the document, the file server should exchange the
temporary file for the original. It is obviously releasing the temp file
correctly on a Read, but it is updating the Write date at the same time,
thinking Word was saving the file.

Sorry I can't be more specific.

Cheers

This responds to article <[email protected]>,

Now that we've upgraded to Panther (OS 10.3), we're having some
strange problems. When we open a file from the fileserver (running
netatalk) and close it without saving, the modification date on the
file is changed. This only happens in Word. We've already tried
reinstalling the September 2003 version of Office and then applying
the latest patches. Any other suggestions? Any one else having this
problem? What is it that Word does differently that other programs
don't do?

--

Please respond only to the newsgroup to preserve the thread.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. GMT + 10 Hrs
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]