Advanced Server question about multiple version of the same file.

[Rodney Kimber]

I would like some help with a little problem that I am having with Advanced Server V7.3A for OpenVMS. It is related to multiple versions of the one file.

For example,
ABC.TXT;3
ABC.TXT;2
ABC.TXT;1

I am aware that Pathworks will only show me the top version of the file when I look at it from my PC. But I have a need to get to the two lower version of the file. The way I use to do this was to rename the file that I could see from my PC and then the lower version would appear. This no longer works. I have confirmed that this use to work on PATHWORKS V6.0D for OpenVMS (Advanced Server) and I can confirm that it no longer works in Advanced Server V7.3A for OpenVMS (ECO3 or ECO4).

Does anyone know why this is so?

Have I configured Advanced Server incorrectly or is this a new feature of Advanced Server?

Does anyone have any other ideas on how I could see the previous previous of the files from my PC? I know I can create unique filenames on OpenVMS and this would fix the problem but I am wondering if anyone out there has found another way around this.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Rodney

[Kris Clippeleyr]

Rodney,


The way I use to do this was to rename the file that I could see from my PC and then the lower version would appear. This no longer works.


I just tried this with our Advanced Server V7.3-140, and it still works. You only have to be patient. The update of the directory listing does not happen immediately (you see the file name change, but the next lower version of the original file does appear only after a while).
I remember vaguely that there is either a logical, or an Advanced Server parameter that influences ths behaviour, but I seem to have misplaced my notes. Maybe someone else can help out here.

Regards,
Kris (aka Qkcl)

[Rodney Kimber]

Hi Kris,

Thanks for your help.

I have waited 1 hour and still the lower version files do not appear. It does appear however after I shutdown pathworks and start it again. The other wierd thing is that if I create ABC.TXT;3 again then the file will be visible from the PC again.

I have just check the version and it is V7.3-140A and V7.3-130A that I am having this problem with. We are on OpenVMS V7.3-1.

If you can remember what the logical is that would be great because I have had no luck no matter what I do.

Thanks,
Rodney

[Michelle Popejoy]

Rodney,

Well, aint that the darndest thing... I just tried with the following results:

Created ABC.TXT;1, ABC.TXT;2, & ABC.TXT;3 (from VMS)

From PC renamed ABC.TXT to ABC_RENAMED.TXT

I waited a few minutes and tried Refreshing the Windows Explorer window, but like your experience, ABC.TXT did not show up after about 5 minutes.

Created DEF.TXT;1, DEF.TXT;2, & DEF.TXT;3 (from VMS)

And guess what, as soon as I created DEF.TXT, ABC.TXT showed up!

From PC renamed DEF.TXT to DEF_RENAMED.TXT

It's been about 30 minutes and DEF.TXT still isn't showing up.

From PC created GHI.TXT

DEF.TXT did not show up.

From VMS copied DEF.TXT;2 to DEF_SOMETHING.TXT

Refresh and I now show DEF.TXT

So, try creating a new file from VMS in the directory and see if then your previous version doesn't show up.

Cheers,
Michelle

[Rodney Kimber]

Michelle, it is a bit worrying isn't it?

To start with I thought this must have been a feature of Advanced Server that I needed to turn off.

But if the previous version doesn't show up until a new file is created in the same directory then that is a bit of a worry.

Thanks for confirming my problem. And yes, I did exactly what you did with the same result.

[Karl Rohwedder]

I've just retried what you have done and after renaming the file from the Windows side and pressing F5 to refresh the A.TXT with the lower version appears.
Note: I have to press F5 twice to see the older version !?!?
I use AdvancedServer V7.3A-Eco4 ond VMS V7.3-2.

mfg Kalle

[Rodney Kimber]

No matter how many times I press F5 the lower version never appears. What version of OpenVMS are you using? I am on V7.3-1.

I have just made sure that all of our patches are up to date. I have also checked through all of the Advanced Server logicals and nothing seems to be related to the problem that I am having.

It seems to me that it could be some sort of bug in Advanced Server but I can't be certain of it.

Michelle, there is another interesting thing that we have found. If you use NotePad on your PC you can actually open the lower version of the file that is not visible.

Regards.

[Rodney Kimber]

Sorry, I forget that you had mentioned the version of your VMS.

It is interesting that we are on different versions.

Michelle, what version of OpenVMS are you on?

Thanks.

[Karl Rohwedder]

Now it's get weird, I just retried it on a VMS V8.2 (Alpha) system and the error reoccurs. An older version only pops up in explorer after creating a new file in the directory via VMS.

mfg Kalle

[Jan Schollaert · Accepted solution]

Hi,

You can disable directory cashing:

PWRK$ROOT:[000000]PWRK.INI
[ODS2]
DIR_CACHE_ENABLE=0

Best regards,

Jan

[Rodney Kimber]

Thank you very much Jan, that has fixed the problem that I am talking about.

Cheers,
Rodney

[Michelle Popejoy]

Rodney,

Sounds like Jan had the answer!

>Michelle, what version of OpenVMS are you on?

Just for the record, I'm running OpenVMS 7.3-2. Advanced Server V7.3A.

-Michelle