Why is my file locking?

[RhinoCan]

I am having an intermittent problem with a couple of my VBScripts. Sometimes, when I execute them, a dialog window pops up that tells me the following:
==========
File In Use
foo.doc is locked for editing by [me].
Do you want to:
- Open a Read Only copy
- Create a local copy and merge your changes later
- Receive notification when the original copy is available
[Ok] [Cancel]
===========

I don't understand why I am getting this though. I don't consciously access that file except when I run the VBScripts.
I am not very fluent with VBScript so I may be doing something foolish with it; perhaps I need to specify an option to release the file as I finish with it or something like that? Then again, this problem IS intermittent so that's probably not it, otherwise I'd get it all the time.

I'd like to know what I need to do to avoid this issue in the future. For what it's worth, I have resolved the problem by rebooting the computer but I certainly don't want to do that routinely; I'd rather prevent the problem in the first place.

Here are the VBScripts in question:
===========
[CreateWordMacros.vbs]
' Get arguments into variables
If WScript.Arguments.Count > 0 Then
MsgBox "Too many arguments; expecting none."
WScript.Quit
End If

' Find path for MyDocuments folder
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(&H5&)
strMyDocPath = objFolder.Self.Path

' Start Word Application, open resume.doc in MyDocuments
Set oWd = CreateObject("Word.Application")
oWd.Visible = False
Set oDoc = oWd.Documents.Open(strMyDocPath & "\foo.doc")

' Temporary - Determine value of document path. (c:\Documents and Settings\Sparky\My Documents)
' MsgBox "The document originates at this directory: " & strMyDocPath & "."

'Run macro named createResumeFromFile, which has no arguments, and catch its return code
retcde=oWd.Run("createResumeFromFile")

'Save changes to doc on closing and quit Word
oDoc.Save
oDoc.Close
oWd.Quit
Set oWd = Nothing

Set objShell = Nothing

'Exit the script with the value of the return code from the macro/function. That will be zero from a successful execution or 1 otherwise.
wscript.quit(retcde)

===========
===========
[ExportWordMacros.vbs]

' Get arguments into variables
If WScript.Arguments.Count < 1 Then
MsgBox "Too few arguments; expecting one."
WScript.Quit
Elseif WScript.Arguments.Count > 1 then
MsgBox "Too many arguments; expecting one."
WScript.Quit
Else
strArg1 = WScript.Arguments.Item(0)
End If

' Find path for MyDocuments folder
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(&H5&)
strMyDocPath = objFolder.Self.Path

' Start Word Application, open resume.doc in MyDocuments
Set oWd = CreateObject("Word.Application")
oWd.Visible = False
Set oDoc = oWd.Documents.Open(strMyDocPath & "\foo.doc")

'Run macro named exportMacros, which has one argument
retcde = oWd.Run("exportMacros",strArg1)

'Save changes to doc on closing and quit Word
oDoc.Save
oDoc.Close
oWd.Quit
Set oWd = Nothing

Set objShell = Nothing

WScript.quit(retcde)
===========

 

[Geates]

In what order to your run these files? Chances are the 2nd .vbs is trying to open foo.doc before the Word in the first script has a chance to close it. Set the oDoc to nothing and put a delay after your close the file in word - give the computer time to release the file hold.

'Save changes to doc on closing and quit Word
oDoc.Save
oDoc.Close
[red]wscript.sleep 500 'millisecs[/red]
oWd.Quit
[red]set oDoc = Nothing[/red]
set oWd = Nothing

-Geates

"I hope I can chill and see the change - stop the bleed inside and feel again. Cut the chain of lies you've been feeding my veins; I've got nothing to say to you!"
-Infected Mushroom

"I do not offer answers, only considerations."
- Geates's Disclaimer

 

[RhinoCan]

I do run the two scripts back to back in the order shown so I can see the benefit of having a brief pause between the two, as you suggest. However, I don't think that is the real problem.

You see, BOTH scripts encounter that error (sometimes). Something is locking the file and it isn't just a matter of waiting a few seconds. It is sometimes hours since I last ran either script yet I can still get the locking message on BOTH scripts.

Any ideas on what might be going on and why it is intermittent?

 

[Geates]

can you copy the file and name it something else, then set the script to read the copy. It's a work-around to original problem, but a solution while you investigate the hold.

-Geates

"I hope I can chill and see the change - stop the bleed inside and feel again. Cut the chain of lies you've been feeding my veins; I've got nothing to say to you!"
-Infected Mushroom

"I do not offer answers, only considerations."
- Geates's Disclaimer

 

[RhinoCan]

Sure, I could do that. But I don't know how to investigate the hold. I don't know where to look. I don't know anything about the file locking that VBScript and/or Windows are doing.

Can you tell me how to investigate the hold?

What locks a Windows file? When a file is locked, how can I determine what process is locking it? If the lock is being held excessively long, as I suspect, How can I release that lock?

I used to work with row and page locking in the DB2 relational database and understand how that works but DB2 has ways to terminate locks. I have no idea what, if any, comparable facilities are held by Windows/VBScript.

 

[PHV]

You have to understand that your issue is a Word lock.

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886

 

[RhinoCan]

Okay, it's a Word lock. But why does Word seem to be holding it? What ends a lock in Word? What can I do to force a lock to be released? Are there any utilities that can help me determine why the lock is there and to release it?

 

[HughLerwill]

Does the 'lock' persist after a computer reboot?

 

[Geates]

If the hold is coming from Word (as this discussion would suggest) then you'll need to find the process that is running Word and foo.doc. Maybe it's a scheduled task or maybe someone is accessing it. If you are unable to find it, a drastic measure would be to kill all Word processes at the beginning of your script and see what breaks or who complains.

-Geates

"I hope I can chill and see the change - stop the bleed inside and feel again. Cut the chain of lies you've been feeding my veins; I've got nothing to say to you!"
-Infected Mushroom

"I do not offer answers, only considerations."
- Geates's Disclaimer