#133 Cannot save because "File is currently locked"

[Jeffrey Wasserman]

I am running Windows XP on my Dell PC.

I am using Password Safe 3.14

I cannot save a database after I have opened it. Both the word "Save" and the disk icon are greyed out.

I cannot save a database using "Save As". That results in the application telling me that the "File is currently locked by Jeffrey H. Wasserman". That's me.

The only way I can save is using "Save As" and giving the database file a new name.

Up until recently, I could still "Save As" and use the database file's current name. Now I'm forced to re-name the file every time I need to save it.

QUESTION: How can I unlock my database file?

Thanks.

-Jeffrey H. Wasserman

[Rony Shapiro]

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Odd,

"Save" and the associated icon should be greyed-out if no changes have been made to the database, or if the database has been opened "read-only".

I'll look into this, but as a workaround you might try deleting the "lock" file - this is the file with the same name as your database (and in the same directory), only ending with ".plk" instead of ".pasfe3".
I suggest you backup your database to another disk/directory before, just as a precaution.

Cheers,

Rony

[Jeffrey Wasserman]

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"Save" and the associated icon should be greyed-out if no changes have
been made to the database, or if the database has been opened "read-only".<

Unfortunately, "Save" and the associated icon are always greyed-out whether I make one change or no changes to my latest database. Also, the database has never been opened "read-only".

I'll look into this, but as a workaround you might try deleting the "lock"
file - this is the file with the same name as your database (and in the
same directory), only ending with ".plk" instead of ".psafe3".
I suggest you backup your database to another disk/directory before, just
as a precaution.<

I looked and there's no ".plk" version of my latest ".psafe3" file. There are plenty of ".plk" versions of earlier versions of my ".psafe3" file. Nonetheless, I renamed all of the ".plk" files as ".plk_turnedoff" files.

I opened my latest database file and created a new entry.
I still could not "Save".
Both the word "Save" and the disk icon are greyed out.
I still could not "Save As".
I still got the response that the "File is currently locked by Jeffrey H. Wasserman".
I had to save the file under a new name.

Puzzling.

-Jeffrey H. Wasserman

[Jeffrey Wasserman]

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I just created a new database file called "test.psafe3"
I gave it the password of "test".
I then entered two fictitious entries, "First" and "Second".
I still could not "Save".
Both the word "Save" and the disk icon are greyed out.
I still could not "Save As".
I still got the response that the "File is currently locked by Jeffrey H.
Wasserman".
I had to save the file under the new name "test.psafe3".
Shall I send you this file to review?

[Rony Shapiro]

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Hi Jeffrey,

Please attach the test database to this bug report (scroll to the bottom of this page and look for "Upload and Attach a File". The file will be uploaded when you hit "Submit".

Also, if you could upload the pwsafe.cfg file (in the same directory as your pwsafe.exe executable), that might also help me get to the root of the problem.

A final thought: Could this be a permission problem? I've seen something similar when someone was working on files mounted on an incorrectly configured network drive. Can you read and save non-pwsafe files in the same directory as where your .psafe3 database resides, e.g., a word document?

Rony

[DrK]

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Sorry to interrupt - but a possible reason for the 'Save' to be disabled/grey on the menu and toolbar is that the option to "Save database immediately after Edit or Add" is enabled (Manage->Options->Backup : top-most check box).

If this is set then, after any change, the database is automatically saved and so there would not be any outstanding changes that you could save via the menu or toolbar.

However, this would not produce your messages re: the database being locked.

David

[Nobody/Anonymous]

David posed the solution.

Somehow, even though I had uninstalled and then reinstalled Password Safe, the option to "Save database immediately after Edit or Add" (Manage->Options->Backup : top-most check box) was checked off. Checked-off must be the default setting.

I unchecked the "Save database immediately after Edit or Add".

Now, if I make even the slightest change to anything in the database file, I can save using either "Save" or the folder icon.

The application no longer tells me I cannot save because, "File is currently locked by Jeffrey H. Wasserman".

I'd rather know when I'm saving the database than to have the application save it for me automatically upon changing an entry. I would not want an inadvertent change saved.

Thank you, David.

-JHW

[Rony Shapiro]

Kudos to David for nailing this.

The default is indeed to save changes immediately. The rationale behind this is to save the changes users made in the event of a crash.

Cheers,

Rony