FM9 Both the .fm and .backup files unexpectedly deleted from the network. Anyone else?

[Karmakat66]

I submitted below as a bug because it has now happened to both me and my colleague. I have copied below the same information from my bug report.

Basic info: FM 9.0p.255, OS 64 bit, Windows 7

We have just upgraded to the new version and this is a serious thing if you don't keep backups! You will never know when it is going to disappear.

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Bug report:
When working with a Framemaker document it is unexpectedly deleted with no reason from the computer/network - this includes the backup.

The user did not delete it and it was an active document. There are different instances where the document would disappear. Below is one example of the steps taken.
Steps to reproduce bug:
1. Opened FM file.
2. Saved as an MIF file.
3. Closed FM file
4. Opened MIF file.
5. Edited the color definitions.
5. Clicked save button to save the mif file back to the source fm file.

Results:
Error message says that the file with extension .fm does not exist or has an unexpected extension. The .lck file exists but the .fm and backup files are gone.
Luckily I had the mif file and could rename it to a .fm file in this instance to recover the document. My colleague lost all versions (.fm and backup).

Expected results: that you would be able to replace the old version that is still on the network or computer.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Creates a .lck version of the file when you open it; if someone else tries to open it, they get a warning message about somebody currently editing the file. Win servers sometimes leave these files around when nobody is accessing the files and they have to be manually deleted.

[CTA_VO]

Hello to everyone,

This issue has just happened to me for the first time today after using FM for several years and in various versions, I have never seen this before.

So I'm using FM 11 on Windows 7, I'm working locally, network file on network option is checked (by default, I haven't played with that). I'm not converting the files into other formats.

The files I'm working on disappear randomly, so I have to copy-paste them from the network (I always make a copy of my work directories on my archive disk) as I go during the update/book generation process. So far the .book file hasn't disappeared though.

I really don't understand. Does anyone have any idea ?

Thanks in advance

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Since this only seems to occur when updating the book - have you tried opening all the component files first before updating? Book updates do a silent open in the background and sometimes run into issues that aren't reported in the UI. I'm wondering if something like this is causing the program to fail to save the opened file.

You may also want to check the folder permissions on the network drive & your anti-virus scanner - some of them are very aggressive.

[Satira17]

I did try opening all the files in the book prior to updating, but it did not help.  If I remember correctly, it would return an error stating the file no longer exists or couldn't be found. 

[Karmakat66]

I am still having the same problem, but I have deduced a couple of things since the recent post.

1. I only lose a file from our new Windows DFS system. If I update the book on our old network system, it seems to be ok. Pain the butt, but now I just do not update on this file server, although of course it is easy to forget, and the other system is not always up-to-date (sigh).
2. Most recently I noticed that it is usually the first file in the book that is not the TOC and contains both text insets and static text.

I am going crazy with a software release so this is even extra annoying and problematic..

[CTA_VO]

Same here. Also I haven't changed folder permissions or anything.

This behavior has suddenly appeared today, without any change in how I manipulate files or anything.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

@Satira17 - that was already too late - the file was already gone; I meant opening all files before updating & verifying that they were all there first; then updating

[CTA_VO]

I am 100% positive my files were there before I started working on them.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

@Amanda & @CTA_VO - sounds like you may have found the problem - the introduction of this Windows DFS may be the root cause. @CTA_VO, check with your IT dept to see if they've just implemented it. @Amanda, if you can use a server that's not got it turned on & your files are stable, then you've deinitely found the issue. Report it to Adobe when you confirm the cause.

[Satira17]

No, I know what you meant.  I opened all the files.  Everything was there.  I tried to update, and it eventually would return an error stating the file was no longer there or could not be found.  The file did not disappear until I updated . . . even if it was open before the update was initiated.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

So if you’re getting that message & you still have the file open in FM (because you opened them all & kept them open, right?) then the issue has got to do with the server/network failing somewhere.

[Satira17]

Yes, I left them open.  As previously stated, "I can copy the files to my local drive, and update the book, but when I try to update the book files saved on the network, the files disappear.  We have been working off of the same network drive going back to FrameMaker 7.2, and this is the first time we have ever experienced this issue."

[CTA_VO]

In my case, there is no network issue involved:

- I worked locally

- I open the book locally (so I checked that all my files were there)

- then I open the files that need an update,

- then I close all my files (everything is done on my hard disk),

- then I update my book,

- and then bam ! this file and this file cannot be opened because it doesn't exist or something like that ( I have lost up to 5 files at a time with this issue).

I contacted my IT to check about this DFS , but this is not something they have implemented in our system. And again I do all my work locally. It is only at the end of my work day that I make a copy of my work on the network drive.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

@CTA_VO - so if this is happening all on your local c: drive, then there's got to be something funky going on with your machine that's causing you to lose files!  Better give us some more info on your set up - FM version, O/S, project location, admin rights, RAM, anti-virus, etc.

[CTA_VO]

So I'm working:

- on Windows 7 Enterprise SP1, 32-bit OS, 4 GB RAM

- FrameMaker 11 (for 2 or 3 months),

- Anti-virus is Avira,

- my comp has one disk partitioned into the C: drive (with all programs installed there) and the D: drive (with all projects located there),

- I'm the local admin of my comp.

Also nothing in what I have listed above has changed recently.

Thanks for the help.

Anyway now I know I need to copy-paste all my work directories on the network before updating the book.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Not familiar with Avira – can you configure it to skip your FM project file locations? Even though you’re a local admin, have you given yourself Full Control on the D: drive (it’s not automatic like it used to be)? What’s the path length of your projects on D:\ ? Are they short?

Not sure what you mean by “now I know I need to copy-paste all my work directories on the network before updating the book” ? If your workflow is:

- Copy the project from the network to your D:\ drive

- Work on the D: drive project all day

- Update the local project

- Copy the files back to the network at end of day

How is that going to help with files disappearing locally?

[CTA_VO]

The path length hasn't changed. They are not long. I am not sure what the change in control on my D drive is going to change.

What I meant is that I'll copy my entire directory every time before I do a book update, not at the end of my work day. It is the best workaround I can think of, even though it is far from satisfactory.

This has never happened to me before and I have been using FM since I started working 17 years ago...

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

@CTA_VO - since your issue is happening locally & I believe you said that you have the network file locking flag set - are you seeing .lck files created when you open a FM doc? Do you also have the auto-save turned on? Are you seeing .auto files created?

[CTA_VO]

Hi,

Yes, the .lck file appears when I open an .fm (also for the .book file). And yes the auto save is on (set at 5 minutes). And yes after 5 minutes .auto files appear.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

@Satira17 – so you only have an issue when the update takes place on the FM files on the network, right? Not if they are copied local & updated there like @CTA_VO?

[Satira17]

Correct.  I have not experienced it when working locally.  However, it seems a bit odd that you continually point to hardware when the only thing that has changed (in my case, anyway) is the FrameMaker software.  We did not have this issue with the same hardware running FM 7.2.  It only started occurring when we upgraded to FM 9.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Are you fully patched in FM9? Remember you have to do updates sequentially.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I also point to hardware/network settings because I’ve been running since TCS2 and never had this happen to me in FM9, 10 or 11.

[Satira17]

We are currently at 9.0 P255. 

I understand that you have not experienced it, but I believe everyone who has suffered through this is running 9.0 or greater.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

@Satira17 - your issue is happening on the network like Amanda's correct? Has your IT turned on MS DFS? Are you seeing .lck files created? Have you got the auto-save turned on? Do you see .auto files created?