File checkout capability

[Scott McKay <SWM@sapsucker.scrc.symbolics.com>]

    Date: Tue, 12 Jul 88 10:53:29 pdt
    From: lbaum@BOEING.COM (Larry Baum)


    We are constantly running into the problem of two or more people editting
    the same file simultaneously.  Of course, when we save our files the machine
    does tell us that things are out of sync, but then we must reconcile our
    changes.  

    Does anyone have any code that implements some sort of "check-out" facility
    so that we can be more aware of the fact that someone is already editting
    a file (or even prevents simultaneous editting)?

In-house and for our Concordia product we have a lock server which
essentially allows a user on a machine to take a lock on a string.  To
implement file "check-out", a machine simply takes a lock on the string
which corresponds to the truename for the file.

I don't know if I am allowed to send the code out for the so-called
"Lock Simple" server, since it is now part of a real product.