Folder.lock and workspace.lock files

IMPORTANT

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Within the Workspaces folder of your Data Workbench installation directory, a folder.lock file specifies whether the workspaces in that particular folder are locked, while a workspace name.lock file specifies whether a particular workspace is locked.

When locking entire folders, you can lock them at the Workspaces folder level or at the sub-folder (tab) level. You also can lock or unlock all of your folders (at the Workspaces folder level), then specify the exceptions for particular sub-folders (using folder.lock files) or particular workspaces (using workspace name.lock files).

The following example of the Profile Manager highlights three elements:

  • A folder.lock file for the main Workspaces folder

  • A Monthly Numbers.lock file for the Monthly Numbers.vw workspace file

  • A folder.lock file for the Workspaces\Custom sub-folder

In this example, the Workspaces folder.lock file is set to locked, which locks all of the workspaces in this instance of Data Workbench. The Workspaces\Custom sub-folder folder.lock file is set to unlocked, which unlocks all of the workspaces on the Custom tab. Finally, the Monthly Numbers.lock file is set to locked, which locks the Monthly Numbers workspace.

Creating .lock Files

You can create a new folder.lock file using the Create menu option in the Profile Manager or the Workspaces Manager. You also can create a folder.lock or workspace name.lock file by copying and pasting an existing .lock file to the appropriate folder, changing the name of the file (for workspace name.lock files only), and changing the setting in the file if necessary.

To create a new folder.lock file

  1. In Data Workbench, open the Workspaces Manager by right-clicking within a workspace and clicking Manage > Profile > Workspaces Manager.

  2. Click the folder for which you want to create a folder.lock file.

  3. In the User column for that folder, right-click in the cell and click Create > folder.lock. A new folder.lock file appears. New folder.lock files are set to [unlocked] by default.

  4. (Optional) If you need to change the setting in the file:

    1. Right-click the check mark for the file.

    2. Click Open > in Notepad. The folder.lock file opens.

    3. Change the setting to [locked].

    4. Save and close the file.

  5. To make this the setting for all users working with the same working profile, right-click the check mark for the file and click Save to > < working profile name>.

The workspaces in this folder are now locked or unlocked according to the setting in the new file.

To create a .lock file from an existing file

  1. In the Profile Manager or Workspaces Manager, right-click the check mark for an existing .lock file and click Copy.

  2. In the User column for the folder into which you want to paste the .lock file, right-click in the cell and click Paste.

  3. If this file is used to lock an individual workspace, right-click the check mark for the .lock file in the User column and change its name in the File field to match the name of the workspace that you want to lock.

    For example, to lock the Monthly Numbers.vw workspace, you would name the file “ Monthly Numbers.lock.”If this file is used to lock an individual workspace, right-click the check mark for the .lock file in the User column and change its name in the File field to match the name of the workspace that you want to lock. For example, to lock the Monthly Numbers.vw workspace, you would name the file “ Monthly Numbers.lock.”

  4. To change the setting in the file:

    1. Right-click the check mark for the file.

    2. Click Open > in Notepad. The .lock file opens.

    3. Change the setting to [locked] or [unlocked].

    4. Save and close the file.

  5. To make this the setting for all users working with the same working profile, right-click the check mark for the file and click Save to > < working profile name>.

The selected workspaces is now locked or unlocked according to the setting in the new file.

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