CIFS temp Office files cannot delete break workflow

[piski]

Hi All,

I'm experiencing some troubles with CIFS, Alfresco's rights and Ms Office documents :

Folder with "EVERYONE" with Collaborator rights (don't want them to modify the structure, so perfect for my use case).

a) User 1 (owner) imports the document into Alfresco (Word, Excel, Powerpoint … Ms Office 2003)
b) User 2 modify the document … a temporary file is created (with document's name with tilda and a random number such as "~MyDocument.doc~2145478c.tmp") -> Windows / MsOffice mechanism I presume …
c) User2 closes the document

=> The document isn't deleted by Alfresco and cannot be deleted by User2.
=> The document's creator has changed

NB : X tmp files are created each time User2 saves (so if User2 saves 3 times, there will be 3 temp files created)

The temp file still lives permanently until admin (or User1 I guess) deletes it.
If I give to "EVERYONE" the "Coordinator" right, the issue seems not to be reproducible, but I can't set this rights level to anyone.

My guess, about it, is :

1) File is created
2) File is modified -> a tmp is created (no problem because of the rights)
3) File is saved -> the tmp should be deleted … but not possible with "Collaborator" rights !
4) There are 2 files, one good and one tmp … and in this case, a lot of others tmp because the file is modified by many users

However, I have a document within another folder that's in a similar configuration (and works fine, none tmp files), except "EVERYONE" is replaced/restricted to 5-6 users, which have the "Collaborator" role. This file has been created (so owned) by "admin".

Environment :
- W2003 SP ?
- Ms Office 2003 SP3
- Windows XP SP3
- Alfresco 3.4.e (I'm trying to test these behaviours against my 4.0.d platform, I let you know shortly the results … RESULTS ARE THE SAME FOR 4.0.d, WIN2008 64 bits)

Someone could help plz ?

[piski]

I have "progressed" in understanding this issue.

My observations on this :
- The file is uploaded with creator=User1=> OK, modificator=User1 => OK
- The file is modified by User2 … the metadata file changed with creator=User1 => !!! modificator=User2 => OK
… so the temp file generated by CIFS/Office is creator=User1 => !!! modificator=User2 => OK
As User2 hasn't deletion rights (Collaborator role) and isn't file's owner/creator, the temp file could not be deleted !
=> Everyone's modification on file change the creator !!!

For a similar file, but uploaded via an importation tool (so tagged creator="admin"), I have'nt any problem (the file is also "Versionable"). The tmp file is generated under the user (creator=modificator), so well deleted.

(… and I "discover" temp files land on Alfresco garbage instead of being deleted permanently ?!?).

Anyone can help please ?
Is this behaviour is "normal" or I have to raise a JIRA ?

[piski]

Am I alone to have this issue … anybody else ?

[piski]

After this issue very annoying, I am experiencing bigs problems again …

I have given "Coordinator" rights because the lack of any solution on the folder.
So Office temp files (especially Excel files) still no longer live, but garbage grows with 2 tmp files each time a user modify an Excel file … not very good but it's OK.

Now, I have a big issue … A user launch a workflow (custom) that sends mails to every user, with capability to modify the file using a CIFS link directly from their mail, very appreciated by users. If the document is Versionable, versions are stored normally, if not, the document contains each commentary of each user, OK but … we have determine, at the very first CIFS modification of the document attached on the workflow, the workflow seems to vanish (on the original document so) !!!

In fact, the attached document (original) has changed, replaced by the second TMP that lives in garbage ! If I restore him, the workflow appears on the temp file … http://fileshack.in/download.php?file=640alfresco_workflow_attached_to_temp.JPG

Any help would be appreciated, thanks !

[mrogers]

With these sort of problems its important to focus on one specific issue, otherwise the investigation will go no-where.

I'd expect the next version (current head) of alfresco to handle your excel workflow better,   but if not then please raise an issue in JIRA.   And lots more details please, for example you don't even say which version of excel you are using.  And unfortunately each version of Excel is a rewrite and works differently.

[piski]

Hi,

Thanks for reply … I gave in the first post my Office (so Excel) version : 2003.
If It helps to be more precise, the version is Ms Office Excel 2003 SP3 release 11.8346.8333

I'll try with last head version (could I try with Alfresco 4.0.d instead ?) and I'll raise a JIRA to explain steps to reproduce the issue in case of not being solved.

One more thing, it's a workflow duplicated from a JBPM standard parallel review.

[piski]

Hi again,

I've not tested yet with last head version but I've tested (on 4.0.d) against Word (Ms Office Word 2003 SP3 release 11.8345.8333).
It sounds worst because I have almost the same behaviour as Excel :
- I launch workflow with the doc attached -> OK
- At very first CIFS modification of the doc file (like Excel) attached to the workflow, the workflow "disappears" on the document. If you look in "My Workflows", the workflow is still there but no longer attached document.

With Excel file, you are able to restore the tmp file from garbage (the last & second tmp) which is linked to workflow, instead of original document.
With Word file, there is no tmp within garbage, the workflow is still there but no longer attached to the document … so users that have receipt a task to review (and modify) are no longer able to end their task (the button "End task" is disabled because of "none document").

I'll push my tests further and let you know,
Pascal.