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Topic Title: Deleting locks during archiving
Topic Summary: Unlocking users logged into DOORS in read-only mode
Created On: 18-Feb-2008 12:35
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 18-Feb-2008 12:35
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Gautham Chundi

Posts: 3
Joined: 28-Jan-2008

Hi,

I want to archive a project where there're multiple users logged in with only read privileges. I'm using DOORS v 8.2

To simulate this, I created a user with read-privileges only and logged as that user. The DOORS Database Server tool shows a lock on the module opened by this user. Why is this locked if the user has only read permissions ?

Also, can I delete locks on modules opened by users in read mode ?

Thanks,

Gautham
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 18-Feb-2008 19:57
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Louie Landale

Posts: 2070
Joined: 12-Sep-2002

Have a script that archives all projects, and it first removes all locks. It runs 1am Sunday morning. Here's some stuff from that script:

The attached prints all the locks in the database. I've added some code you can use to delete these locks, but commented them out.

Notice that when a user opens a Module for Read, then its the FOLDER or PROJECT that has a shared lock opened, not the module.

I'm pretty sure everything will be OK if you remove Shared locks before archiving.

Back in v5.2 days, deleting a write-lock (user edits module and goes home) didn't cause DB corruption, but the user's changes if any were lost.

- Louie
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 19-Feb-2008 13:38
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Irfaan Jamal

Posts: 30
Joined: 13-Feb-2008

Hello.

First, you cannot archive a project if any user has a lock on any item within that project, even if anyone has opened a module in Read only mode. When you try to archive, DOORS will give you a mssage saying that there is a lock on a folder/project and hence that cannot be included in the archive.

Second, DOORS will not show that there is a lock on a module if it is opened in a Read Only Mode. Instead, it will show that there is a Shareable lock on the module's parent project or a folder.

Third, since the manage locks will not show that there is a lock on a module and as it makes no difference for DOORS since it is opened in Read Only mode, the lock on the module cannot be deleted. But, the lock on the folder can be deleted. But it is not recommended to forcefully unlock the user.

To archive a project, you need to be sure that no user has a exclusive/shareable lock on any item within that project. DOORS 8.2 has a good feature of sending a Broadcast message to the logged in users. I think you can use that to send information to the logged in users if the archive is urgent.

Regards
Irfan
Daimler AG
irfan.jamal@daimler.com
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 20-Feb-2008 04:47
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Gautham Chundi

Posts: 3
Joined: 28-Jan-2008

Louie/Irfan,

Thanks for the inputs !

We're trying to deploy DOORS to a large engineering team here, and were figuring out a means to automate this. The deal with read-only users is that they're very likely to stay logged in (for whatever reason), and short of deleting locks during archive, there seems to be little else we can do.

What's the mechanism you're using to ensure that ppl are not logged in during archive ? You had mentioned a broadcast message, but then again, this places the onus of logging off on the user. How would you suggest we go about this ? Does the answer lie in better user education ?

Also, whats the purpose of the Manage Locks feature in the DOORS client ? If DOORS is sensitive to manipulating locks, I'm not sure when this particular feature may be used.

Any insights into this would be greatly appreciated !

Regards,

Gautham
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 20-Feb-2008 08:12
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Irfaan Jamal

Posts: 30
Joined: 13-Feb-2008

Hello Again!

Well, since Archive is project specific, the Project Manager or a DBA will well be aware of when the archive is going to take place and would intimate the users and then start the archive. And very rarely accross organizations, the archive process are automated. Usually, only the database backup process is automated as a night job.

Even in a file backup, there can be 2 ways

1. If there is just one DOORS database, shut it down, take a backup and then start the server
2. Introduce a mirror server which contains just the data but no user locks, which gets automatically updated with the changes in the live database. Taking a backup from this server will ensure that there is 99.99% uptime of DOORS server for the users and the backup operation to take place without any interruption.

Before your users start using DOORS, they need to be educated with efficient usage of tool. Hence, I agree with you when you say that there needs to be a better user education.

Manage users is used to check who has lock on which item. You as a DBA, have rights to unlock the items. U can do it. DOORS gives a message that data might be corrupted due to this. This might happen or this might not happen. Current versions of DOORS are good. No such corruptions take place. But no DBA would like to take risk on the live database.

Regards
Irfan
Daimler AG
irfan.jamal@daimler.com
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 20-Feb-2008 14:26
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Louie Landale

Posts: 2070
Joined: 12-Sep-2002

I've scheduled archiving for 1am Sunday Morning. The script deletes all locks at that time; too bad for someone who left a module open Edit.

The main purpose of the Lock Manager GUI is to allow a DB admin to remove a lock that was left when a DOORS client crashed while a module was open Edit. IIRC, even standard users can remove their own residual locks.

- Louie
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