Symptom
When you try to use a file on an AppleShare IP server, an alert box appears with a message that the file is already open or in use.
Solution
Generally, when a file is opened, the application that opened it marks it as "in use." When so marked, another user may not be able to open the file until it is released.
For example: AppleWorks indicates that a file is locked or in use then asks if you would like to open a copy of the document (Figure 1).
Figure 1 AppleWorks "in use" dialog
SimpleText indicates the document may already be open and that it cannot be opened by someone else at the same time, see Figure 2.
Figure 2 SimpleText "in use" dialog
If a client computer is working on a document that resides on an AppleShare IP File Server and the client unexpectedly disconnects, the document is still marked as "in use" and will not be released initially.
AppleShare IP release such a file after two minutes of inactivity. If the files are not released, you should troubleshoot for possible drive or file damage on the AppleShare IP server.