Other Users Cannot Access Offline Files

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

I don't think two users can concurrently make the same file(s)
offline... Someone had this issue around a year and a half ago with
no resolution found.

Jeffrey Randow (Windows Net. & Smart Display MVP)
jeffreyr-support@remotenetworktechnology.com

Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
be answered depending on time availability....

Remote Networking Technology Support Site -
http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
Windows XP Expert Zone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

On Tue, 11 May 2004 06:26:05 -0700, StudioTwo
<anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Hello,
>We have SBS 2000 and XP professional clients. I just bought a xp pro laptop and enabled offline files on the company data (server) share and configured "make available offline" on the laptop.
>I restart the laptop and login with my cached credentials. OK for me.
>My boss then logs in and although he can see the files in explorer (we are using UNC path), he gets "file cannot be found" for a MSWord file (and similar messages with other file types).
>Our permissions are similar on the network (and both now set as administrator on the laptop).
>I can do the reverse of this and get him to set up the "offline files", but then I can't open them.
>Note: this is the first time we have used offline files.
>
>If anyone can anyone provide me with a little guidance, that would be great.
>TIA
>Stephen
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

Hello Jeffrey.
Thanks for you quick response. Could I describe what it is a want to do?
We have a laptop purchased for the sales department.
On the server, there is a shared "sales department" folder. I wish to make
this sales folder available "offline", so that when _any_ of the sales staff
take the laptop out to a customer, they can still access their spreadsheets
etc. They will not be connected to our network in any way during these
times.

I am I correct in understanding there are issues with achieving this?

Thanks once again
Stephen

"Jeffrey Randow (MVP)" <jeffreyr-support@remotenetworktechnology.com> wrote
in message news:kbu2a0pjaummgd384cltnfe4ibus295l54@4ax.com...
> I don't think two users can concurrently make the same file(s)
> offline... Someone had this issue around a year and a half ago with
> no resolution found.
>
> Jeffrey Randow (Windows Net. & Smart Display MVP)
> jeffreyr-support@remotenetworktechnology.com
>
> Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
> of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
> be answered depending on time availability....
>
> Remote Networking Technology Support Site -
> http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
> Windows XP Expert Zone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>
> On Tue, 11 May 2004 06:26:05 -0700, StudioTwo
> <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >Hello,
> >We have SBS 2000 and XP professional clients. I just bought a xp pro
laptop and enabled offline files on the company data (server) share and
configured "make available offline" on the laptop.
> >I restart the laptop and login with my cached credentials. OK for me.
> >My boss then logs in and although he can see the files in explorer (we
are using UNC path), he gets "file cannot be found" for a MSWord file (and
similar messages with other file types).
> >Our permissions are similar on the network (and both now set as
administrator on the laptop).
> >I can do the reverse of this and get him to set up the "offline files",
but then I can't open them.
> >Note: this is the first time we have used offline files.
> >
> >If anyone can anyone provide me with a little guidance, that would be
great.
> >TIA
> >Stephen
> >
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

You could set up a "laptop" account and have them all log in using the same
account....one option.
Also check out www.centered.com for something I myself find a lot nicer than
offline files....

Stephen (StudioTwo) wrote:
> Hello Jeffrey.
> Thanks for you quick response. Could I describe what it is a want to
> do? We have a laptop purchased for the sales department.
> On the server, there is a shared "sales department" folder. I wish to
> make this sales folder available "offline", so that when _any_ of the
> sales staff take the laptop out to a customer, they can still access
> their spreadsheets etc. They will not be connected to our network in
> any way during these times.
>
> I am I correct in understanding there are issues with achieving this?
>
> Thanks once again
> Stephen
>
> "Jeffrey Randow (MVP)" <jeffreyr-support@remotenetworktechnology.com>
> wrote in message news:kbu2a0pjaummgd384cltnfe4ibus295l54@4ax.com...
>> I don't think two users can concurrently make the same file(s)
>> offline... Someone had this issue around a year and a half ago with
>> no resolution found.
>>
>> Jeffrey Randow (Windows Net. & Smart Display MVP)
>> jeffreyr-support@remotenetworktechnology.com
>>
>> Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
>> of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
>> be answered depending on time availability....
>>
>> Remote Networking Technology Support Site -
>> http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
>> Windows XP Expert Zone -
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>>
>> On Tue, 11 May 2004 06:26:05 -0700, StudioTwo
>> <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello,
>>> We have SBS 2000 and XP professional clients. I just bought a xp pro
> laptop and enabled offline files on the company data (server) share
> and configured "make available offline" on the laptop.
>>> I restart the laptop and login with my cached credentials. OK for
>>> me. My boss then logs in and although he can see the files in
>>> explorer (we
> are using UNC path), he gets "file cannot be found" for a MSWord file
> (and similar messages with other file types).
>>> Our permissions are similar on the network (and both now set as
>>> administrator on the laptop). I can do the reverse of this and get
>>> him to set up the "offline files", but then I can't open them.
>>> Note: this is the first time we have used offline files.
>>>
>>> If anyone can anyone provide me with a little guidance, that would
>>> be great. TIA
>>> Stephen

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

I believe so... I don't know the resolution to this problem, but I'll
pass it along to MS...

Jeffrey Randow (Windows Net. & Smart Display MVP)
jeffreyr-support@remotenetworktechnology.com

Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
be answered depending on time availability....

Remote Networking Technology Support Site -
http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
Windows XP Expert Zone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

On Wed, 12 May 2004 09:41:50 +0100, "Stephen \(StudioTwo\)"
<studio_two@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Hello Jeffrey.
>Thanks for you quick response. Could I describe what it is a want to do?
>We have a laptop purchased for the sales department.
>On the server, there is a shared "sales department" folder. I wish to make
>this sales folder available "offline", so that when _any_ of the sales staff
>take the laptop out to a customer, they can still access their spreadsheets
>etc. They will not be connected to our network in any way during these
>times.
>
>I am I correct in understanding there are issues with achieving this?
>
>Thanks once again
>Stephen
>
>"Jeffrey Randow (MVP)" <jeffreyr-support@remotenetworktechnology.com> wrote
>in message news:kbu2a0pjaummgd384cltnfe4ibus295l54@4ax.com...
>> I don't think two users can concurrently make the same file(s)
>> offline... Someone had this issue around a year and a half ago with
>> no resolution found.
>>
>> Jeffrey Randow (Windows Net. & Smart Display MVP)
>> jeffreyr-support@remotenetworktechnology.com
>>
>> Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
>> of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
>> be answered depending on time availability....
>>
>> Remote Networking Technology Support Site -
>> http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
>> Windows XP Expert Zone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>>
>> On Tue, 11 May 2004 06:26:05 -0700, StudioTwo
>> <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>> >Hello,
>> >We have SBS 2000 and XP professional clients. I just bought a xp pro
>laptop and enabled offline files on the company data (server) share and
>configured "make available offline" on the laptop.
>> >I restart the laptop and login with my cached credentials. OK for me.
>> >My boss then logs in and although he can see the files in explorer (we
>are using UNC path), he gets "file cannot be found" for a MSWord file (and
>similar messages with other file types).
>> >Our permissions are similar on the network (and both now set as
>administrator on the laptop).
>> >I can do the reverse of this and get him to set up the "offline files",
>but then I can't open them.
>> >Note: this is the first time we have used offline files.
>> >
>> >If anyone can anyone provide me with a little guidance, that would be
>great.
>> >TIA
>> >Stephen
>> >
>>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.work_remotely (More info?)

"StudioTwo" wrote:

> Hello,
> We have SBS 2000 and XP professional clients. I just bought a xp pro laptop and enabled offline files on the company data (server) share and configured "make available offline" on the laptop.
> I restart the laptop and login with my cached credentials. OK for me.
> My boss then logs in and although he can see the files in explorer (we are using UNC path), he gets "file cannot be found" for a MSWord file (and similar messages with other file types).
> Our permissions are similar on the network (and both now set as administrator on the laptop).
> I can do the reverse of this and get him to set up the "offline files", but then I can't open them.
> Note: this is the first time we have used offline files.
>
> If anyone can anyone provide me with a little guidance, that would be great.
> TIA
> Stephen
>
> Let me know if I got this right. After you make the files available offline you then attempt to loggin while disconnected from the network.

If this is the case here is why you are getting these errors.

If you have multiple users with the same Network access to directories that are made available offline they can all see that the same files exist while logged in. The problem you're experience is that the second user never synchronized the files. If they were to plug into the network and synchronize you would find that they will be able to use the files offline.

I'm not sure exactly why it is setup like this but it has been my experience that 2 users with the same LAN access will be able to see each other's cached offline files but will not be able to open them. It seems that it is necessary for each individual user to seperately synchronize the files to be able to access them. My only guess is that the files are stored in seperate cache files that are user specific therefore the other parties do not have read/execute access to open them, but have some sort of view access to see that they're pressent. I believe you would experience the same errors if one of you had created new files while offline and had the other loggin and try to use them. Until they are synchronized online they are unavailable to anyone except the creater.