Repeatedly get Document in Use Error, must open COPY

[Gracie]

I repeatedly must open my one and only saved Impress document as a Copy in order to continue creating it, because I get a Document in Use Error. However, the document in question is not open.

So I select the option to open a Copy, Then I make my edits and Save As using a new name.

One time, after editing, I did Save As and used the original (locked out) document name, but that made me uneasy. OR is that what I should do... Save As the original name and allow it replace the "existing" document? Actually, no, that can't be the solution because the next time I opened that same document, I got the Document in Use error anyway.

Before I click Save As, I look in PROPERTIES / SECURITY to make sure that the READ-ONLY box is not checked. But that makes no difference.

(I see this subject discussed in 2015, but I don't understand it.)

I'm using 4.1.4 in Windows 10.
Thanks.

[RoryOF]

With OpenOffice closed, start Taskmanager (Ctrl Shift Esc) and kill all soffice processes shown on TM';s Details tab (Processes tab on Windows before Win10)

[Gracie]

I see nothing in TM Process tab showing "soffice". Actually I checked all tabs and all entries.

[Gracie]

And I tried to re-open my presentation to go back to work...got the Doc In Use Error again.

[Gracie]

But I just found this in TM...see attached.

I'm going to END all three tasks and try opening my project again.

[RoryOF]

OK , that's good; they used be soffice processes on any Windows I have tried (not Win 10). If you continue to get file in use errors or readonly errors you may also need to enable viewing of hidden and archive files; with OO closed, look in the directory in which your files are stored, and delete any .~lock files; these are files OO generates for internal housekeeping and can remain if OO is not closed properly, such as after a crash or an over-hasty closedown. Note that these lock files are typically only a few hundred bytes in size, whereas the files that own t hem are much larger, at least 6 KB or more.

[Gracie]

in addition to your suggestion re deleting any .-lock files....should I close the three OpenOffice entries in TM/PROCESSES/BACKGROUND PROCESSES? They are there again this a.m. without my having opened the APP yet. (And, so far, I've not had any crash or over-hasty closedowns. And certainly not every time I've used the app. But it's worth a try to look and see what I find.) I'll have to open the app to see where the file is saved...I don't know that.

And when I open the app, if it gives me the "in Use" error, I'll get you a screen grab so you can see the entire message.

Really appreciate your help. I'll be back....

[RoryOF]

Yes, I think you should delete them.

[Gracie]

There are two attachments. First one shows the -lock files -- three of them. Next screen shot shows the Error message after TM was clean and -lock files were deleted. My wild guess is that your Wizard is creating the -lock file when I try to open my working document. But I don't know anything about these kinds of things. So I need to go back to work on my project.

[RoryOF]

The lock files are there either because your file(s) are open, or because you are not shutting each file down correctly.

In OpenOffice use /File /Close, or /File /Exit to close each file; if you must open a file again, perhaps because you have forgotten something, wait a few seconds before re-opening the file. Also, when finished close OpenOffice (/File /Exit) and wait a few seconds for disk activity to cease before powering down your computer or closing the lid if it is a laptop. It is also best not to allow the computer sleep or hibernate with an OpenOffice file open.

[Bill]

Are the files open in another program? The icons that I see on .ppt files are not the same as the icons on the .ppt files in the screen shot