We have recently placed all of the CII files generated for a project into a common folder on our project server. The files were created on individual user's local drives and then transfered into the common drive. We continually access and modify the files on the network drive but have encountered some difficulties. We are currently using version 4.10.

This is what appears to be happening:
Example - User "A" opens "file1" and subsequently user "B" opens "file2". User "A" exits file "A" either by exiting or running an analysis and exiting the output module. If user "A" reenters the piping input spreadsheet, the input opens for "file2". This indicates that, even though each user has a local application of CII, CII is tracking the last file opened and writing this file in the same directory where the accessed files are stored.

Is this the Case? If so, is there any option in CII that will allow us to redirect the tracking feature to apply only to the CII local application and not the drive that was accessed? This should allow the local user to maintain the defaulted drive setting but also to return to his/her last accessed file even if it is located on a shared drive.

Also, it appears that if "file2" is still opened by User "B" and User "A" modifies "file2" before realizing that he/she is working with the wrong file and tries to exit, CII will inform User "A" that an illegal operation has been performed and will be shut-down.

We may be making some mistakes but if we are understanding our difficulties correctly, it appears that we do not have the functionality we require to operate from a common drive. In the past, we have had many analyst on the same project working with files on their individual hard drives and transfered the files for archiving. We would certainly like to use the practice of centrally located files as we are attempting to on this current project.

Finally, if we can get around these issues, can CII allow two local users to access the same file from a common drive and simply provide the subsequent user a message that the file is already in use and perhaps allow the file to be opened in read-only mode?

In order to have <em>multiple users</em> accessing the same <em>data directory</em>, you must configure CAESAR II accordingly. This is so that <em>common files</em> have a unique name, on a per user basis.

For example, there is a file in the data directory named "control". This file contains (among other things) the current job name. If two users access this data directory from their respective workstations, and start CAESAR II, then both will be accessing the same job, because both read the same control file. What is needed is different control files for each user. (Note, there are many <em>status files</em> like "control" in the data directory. "control" is not the only file to be addressed in this issue.

The procedure to ensure that each user acquires his/her own personal <em>status files</em> is to configure the CAESAR II registry entry on the user's workstation. This can be accomplished from within CAESAR II as follows:

• Start CAESAR II and go to "Tools\Configure - Setup".
• Select the "Miscellaneous" tab.
• At the bottom of the dialog is an entry for a <em>unique user ID string</em>, as shown in the figure below. Type in <font color="#ff0000">up to 3 characters</font> (usually the user's initials) to uniquely identify this user/workstation.
  
  
• Exit and save the new configuration.

Each user must perform the above steps. Once configured in this manner, user "abc" will be accessing "control.abc", while user "def" will be accessing "control.def". In this way, users will avoid stepping on each other.


------------------
Regards,
Richard Ay (COADE, Inc.)



[This message has been edited by rich_ay (edited April 25, 2000).]