That makes sense...if a file is not available for exclusive use, big deal, it is only to pack the files...nothing too critical...can be done tomorrow...or the next day...

Take care,

Joe

>We do this in our applications, and handle it in basically that exact way. We prompt to see if a user wants to pack the data files on exiting the software.
>If they say yes, then we initiate the pack routine, opening each table exclusively. If we get to a table we can't open exclusively, then we just finish exiting without packing it. This has worked fine for us in hundreds of networked installations over the past seven or eight years.
>
>Good luck,
>Paul
>
>
>>Well, in my environment, I would yell down the hall "Everybody please stay out of the system for a few minutes"...
>>
>>But I realize that might not apply in your situation...
>>
>>I think the program could try to USE a file exclusively and, upon failure, alert the user that the operation was unable to complete...you could do this in a timed-loop or whatever...
>>If a file is USEd exclusively and another user tries to use it: That situation should be handled in your error handler...
>>
>>Joe
>>
>>>What is the best way to handle packing tables in an application? How do I handle the issues of required exclusive use to PACK on a multiuser system? If someone has exclusive use of the application, how do I lock others out while the packing is in progress?
>>>
>>>I'm open to any and all suggestions.