Err Msg: The Document Is in Use by Another Application

• Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you open an HTM file using WordPad and make a change, and then open Internet Explorer and type in the Web site and path to the HTM file, the following error message occurs when you attempt to save the changes in WordPad:

The Document your_page.htm is in use by another application and cannot be accessed.

CAUSE

Internet Information Server (IIS) opens HTM files to read them and deliver the content to Web clients. When WordPad opens a document, it blocks both read and write permissions on the file by setting the Deny write and Deny read flags. Because IIS has the file open for read, the WordPad request fails. If an application attempts to open the file with only the Deny write flag, the system will return the file without an error.

Reviewing network trace information reveals that the IRP making the open call uses a Deny write Deny read. IIS respects system file locking if you open a file with Deny read Deny Write attributes. IIS will gracefully respect this and return an appropriate message.

WORKAROUND

Use another editor to make the necessary changes. Notepad or Visual InterDev are two of the alternative editors that Microsoft offers.

Additional query words:

Keywords :
Version : winnt:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb