It sounds like you have users who are ending sessions in Lotus 123 with
documents open, possibly by closing 123 from the task manager
(ctrl-alt-del), or by losing their entire network connection, or by losing
their mapped drive connection to the shared folder.  There could also be
other causes.  The server does not acknowledge that the session is over so
it keeps the document open by the user in an exclusive state.  If the
workstation in question reboots, the server will release the document for
write access  by another user.

Windows 2000 server has an admin tool that will show the files open and who
opened them.  I am not sitting at a server console so that I can give you
exact directions, but its right in among the other admin stuff in the start
menu.  Look for a document that someone has reported is giving the error
message, find out who used it last, and instruct them that they have to
follow one of two procedures,  either always exit out of Lotus 123 the way
the program was intended, or reboot after any crashes, lockups, freezes, or
other abnormal 123 events.  That will only stop other users from
encountering the read-only message. If I'm right, I still haven't fixed your
problem about why the users were doing this in the first place.  You will
need to find out why the users are having trouble closing documents and
ending Lotus 123 normally.
Tom Turak

-----Original Message-----
From: Terrence Nolley [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2003 10:59 AM

    Lately, staff members have stated that their only able to open
certain Lotus files (file types 123; WK*) in the Read-Only mode.  All
staff members are running either Windows 2000 Pro SP3 or Windows XP Pro
SP1 with the Lotus 1-2-3 97 client install from the Windows 2000
Server.   Staff access Lotus documents from the server.  The actual
message that appears, when accessing certain Lotus files is:  "The file
you tried to open is in use, would you like to open it in Read-Only
mode"  Each time I confirm that no one in the department is using the
file (or the Lotus Application itself) at that time.  But the staff
member is still prompted by the "Read-Only" message.  What's strange, is
the majority of the Lotus files located in the same shared network
folders on the Server as the files in question are accessible and are
able to be modified.  BTW, staff members stated that they were able to
access and modify the Lotus files in question in the previous months.
Any assistance would be gladly appreciated.

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