Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!ccavax!glassmann
From: glassmann@ccavax.camb.com
Newsgroups: news.software.anu-news
Subject: Re: ** Convert/reclaim in Newspack.com failing **
Message-ID: <18477.25ea4d0e@ccavax.camb.com>
Date: 27 Feb 90 14:49:02 GMT
References: <1872@clyde.concordia.ca>
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.
Lines: 25

In article <1872@clyde.concordia.ca>, timl@maxwell.Concordia.CA ( TIM LAPIN ) writes:
> 
> I found that after convert news_root:news.items news_root:items command,
> the command convert/recliam news_root:news.items **failed** due to:
> "File currently locked by another user".

According to various RMS experts I've spoken to, CONVERT/RECLAIM is a waste of
time, especially right after doing a CONVERT.  CONVERT/RECLAIM makes sections
of the file (buckets) available if all of the records in the buckets have been
deleted.  This is a pretty rare situation in general, and is impossible right
after doing a CONVERT, which does not copy deleted records.

> 
> Note: NO other news related job was being run at the time (with the 
> possible exception of someone using the package).  Is there an inherent
> time delay in the first command that causes the second to get mixed up
> or will another user calling news  cause the file to be locked?

CONVERT needs exclusive access to the file.  That means that any user running
NEWS will cause it to fail.  It would be nice if there was a way to kick users
out of NEWS when you're ready to run CONVERT, and keep them out until you're
done.
-- 
Lenny Glassmann                lenny@ccavax.camb.com
                               ...uunet!ccavax!lenny