auto populating folder corrupts filenames of most Microsoft Office files on shared network folder

[DakotaD]

I have a project with autopopulating folders in 32-bit LabView 2013 on a 64-bit Win7 machine that keeps corrupting the filenames of most Microsoft Office files in the folder.  The project folder is on a shared network drive.  If I open the Microsoft office file from another computer on the network, ie. not the one running the LabView project, after saving and closing the Office file the filename will be automatically changed to a random 8-character sequence of letters and numbers followed by ".tmp".  I can rename the file and open it again without problem, but this becomes quickly tiresome.  The problem only happens when opening the file from another computer.

The list of file types tested is:

problems with:

• word (docx)
• excel (xls, xlsx)
• powerpoint (pptx)

not affected:

• text files (txt)
• MS Project files (mpp)
• MS access files (accdb)

Any thoughts?  I realize I could just avoid opening these files on other computers when the LabView project is open, but sometime this is unavoidable.

[0utlaw]

Hello dvase,

I believe this is actually a feature of MS office that is intended to allow multiple users to access files at the same time on network shares.  Refer to this MS KnowledgeBase:

Microsoft Support: Description of how Word creates temporary files (external link)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/211632

I'm not sure what a workaround would be, although it seems likely that others have encountered this in the past- does the original file still exist after being saved from another machine?

Regards,

[DakotaD]

Tom, the original file only exists with the new "temporary" filename.  None of the data inside of the document appears to be affected.  To be clear, there is only one (1) file left remaining in the folder, the file with the temporary filename.

[billko]

Are the microsoft office files part of the LabVIEW project?  If they aren't, they shouldn't be in the folder.

[DakotaD]

The Microsoft Office files contain documentation on hardware setup that is important to the operators use of the VI.  I include them in the project so that when building an exectuable they can be automatically included with the executable.

[unclebump]

Can you make them read only? or print them to a pdf file?

[DakotaD]

unclebump, read-only is a good suggestion.  After the initial creation of the document, I infrequently change the files, so removing the read-only as needed would only be a small inconvenience.

I am still curious as to exactly what interplay of LabView and Microsoft Office is causing this problem...

[billko]

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@DakotaD wrote:

unclebump, read-only is a good suggestion.  After the initial creation of the document, I infrequently change the files, so removing the read-only as needed would only be a small inconvenience.

I am still curious as to exactly what interplay of LabView and Microsoft Office is causing this problem...

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Me, too.  Unfortunately my role here is changing from help to very interested observer.  😞