“ReadMe (Networks)” contains additional and up-to-date information about sharing Fetch catalogs on a network. It is essential that anyone working with Fetch catalogs intended for multi-user access read and follow the guidelines described in this file. We also recommend that you print a copy of the file and keep it with your Aldus Fetch User Guide.
The information in this file is divided into four sections:
- Managing catalog access privileges
- Managing source file access privileges
- Using a shared catalog
- Maintaining a shared catalog
For additional information about using Fetch on a network, see also:
- the “Network Issues” card that came in your Fetch package.
- pages 50-51 of the Aldus Fetch User Guide.
We also recommend that you read (or reread):
- the chapter on networks in your Macintosh reference or owner’s guide
- the Macintosh network guide provided with your network operating software
NOTE: For items that need not be shared, you and your co-workers might want to create and use personal catalogs on your own hard drives to reduce the need to access shared catalogs. (The source files for your personal catalog can reside on your hard drive or on a network server.)
The single most important rule is that all users must have the same read/write access to a shared catalog (that is, to the folder that contains it) — even if you do not plan to allow all users to write to the catalog. Write access is required not only to actually modify the catalog, but also to perform other activities as described on page 51 of the user guide. As an additional precaution, you might want to store shared catalogs in a folder that contains no other files except catalog files.
When different users do have different levels of access to a catalog, the access privileges of the first user to open the catalog determine the access privileges for all other users who subsequently open that catalog — which can result not only in barring certain activities for all users but also in the loss of data from the catalog.
Depending on the number of users who will share any given catalog, you might want to password-protect the catalog within Fetch as described on page 49 of the user guide. For information about levels of control appropriate to different sizes of workgroups, see also the Network Issues card. Reminder: The person who sets the password must previously have set a Chooser name (if running System 6) or a Sharing Setup name (if running System 7).
To protect yourself from inadvertent deletion of the catalog, we recommend that you back it up frequently.
Although all users must have the same read/write access to a shared catalog, there is no need to observe the same restriction for the catalog’s source files. (Remember, however, to keep source files in folders other than the one that contains the catalog.) Different users may have different access privileges to the source files, although all users must have some access (for example, to preview, as described on page 51 of user guide) to perform different activities within Fetch.
It is also a good idea for multiple users of a shared catalog to be aware of conditions that exercise (and can occasionally crash) the catalog and to follow certain “rules of the road” for optimal performance and mimimal downtime.
The first rule is to be patient when more than a few people are using the same catalog. When many users try to open or close the catalog at the same time, it takes longer because Fetch needs to verify the status of each user at all times. As noted on the Network Issues card, a number of factors can affect performance once multiple users have the catalog open — including network load and capacity, the number of AppleTalk zones on the network, the size of the catalog, the number of users who have it open, and so forth.
Also, when any one user leaves Fetch unexpectedly — whether because of a crash or a force quit — Fetch works to ensure that the integrity of the catalog is maintained by stopping to check each user again. If network traffic is heavy or if one or more users are running Fetch in the background, the process may take a while, but it is worth your while to wait. Restarting your computer while checking is in progress merely prolongs the process for other users.
If you are the person whose computer has frozen or crashed, restart your computer and re-open the catalog as soon as possible. This will enable Fetch to perform the user check more quickly and allow others to continue with their work. (One situation that is known to cause a computer to freeze is when one user tries to refresh the user list in the Catalog Info window after another user has already crashed.)
When many users are simultaneously carrying out searches, the results can occasionally be inconsistent due to heavy traffic on the network. If you suspect that this has happened, simply repeat the search.
Also note that when more than 20 users have the same catalog open, the user list in the Catalog Info window may not show all users. In general, when more than 20 users share a catalog, it is imperative that there be only one catalog adminstrator (one user with password access to the Admin menu) and that general user editing of descriptions and keywords be disabled. The catalog administrator might want to work with a backup copy of the catalog while other users work with the original, and then replace the catalog periodically.
If several users sharing a catalog appear to be frozen and the cause is unknown, those who can should close and then re-open the catalog. If there are still problems, all users should close the catalog, quit Fetch, and optionally restart their computers. If anyone is unable to re-open the catalog after restarting the computer, check to see if there is still someone running Fetch in the background. Ask that person to make Fetch active, close the catalog, and then re-open it (if needed or desired).
If more than one user of a catalog is allowed to make changes to the catalog, some cautions and restrictions apply. Some of these conditions are managed well by Fetch; others as noted below can cause a crash.
All users should keep in mind that Fetch locks a catalog temporarily whenever any one user is editing keywords or descriptions, adding or updating items, or deleting or purging items. Normally, the locking time is undetectable to other users, but if a large number of changes are being made, the stop time may be more noticeable. Fetch normally displays a message if one person tries to modify the catalog while another user is in the middle of doing so.
The “Delete…” and “Purge…” commands can only be used when there is a single user with the catalog open. If you try to use either of these commands when Fetch is aware of other logged-in users, Fetch displays an alert telling you that the command is not available at the moment. If you need to make the change immediately, you must ask all other users to close the catalog first.
The “Recover…” and “Verify…” commands should not be used at the same time by two users with the same catalog open. Unfortunately, Fetch is unable to prevent this from happening and can crash if it happens.
