A network manages file sharing as if the SHARE utility were loaded. Each file that can be accessed on the network should use a sharing mode to ensure data integrity. Applications should also be designed to handle sharing violations.
A sharing violation occurs when one process (or machine) attempts to access a file after a different process has requested the server to block access to the file. If an application opens the file in compatibility mode, a sharing violation results in a critical error. Therefore, unless the application uses the SetErrorMode function to set the error mode so that it always fails, Windows displays the standard sharing violation message.
For more information on file sharing and record locking, see The MS-DOS Encyclopedia (Redmond, Washington: Microsoft Press, 1988).