Controlling access to documents using file locks

Abstract

Examples are related to systems and methods for controlling access to document files on a document server. One example system includes document files stored on a document server, at least one of the document files referencing a file lock, and a document access processing module. The example document access processing module includes a file sharing processing module that determines a coauthoring status of a software application of a client computer requesting access to the document file, and a file lock processing module that stores one or more file locks and that controls the setting and resetting of file locks. The example document access processing module uses the coauthoring status of the software application and the file lock status of a document file to determine whether a software application is permitted to have write access to the document file.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for controlling access to document files on a document server, the system comprising:
 one or more document files stored on a document server, wherein at least one document file references a file lock of a plurality of file locks, the plurality of file locks comprising:
 a first file lock that permits write-access to the at least one document file by a plurality of software applications, and 
 a second file lock that permits write-access to the at least one document file by one software application at a time; 
   a file sharing processing module that determines whether a software application requesting access to the document supports coauthoring; and   a file lock processing module that:
 determines whether the at least one document file includes features that do not support coauthoring, and 
 resets the first file lock to the second file lock if the software application supports coauthoring and the at least one document file includes features that do not support coauthoring. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the first file lock of the plurality of file locks represents that a software application that supports coauthoring has accessed the at least one document file. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the first file lock has a timeout value. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the file lock processing module resets the first file lock when the timeout value is reached. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the second file lock represents that a software application that supports coauthoring has exclusive write-access to the at least one document file. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the plurality of file locks further comprise a third file lock that represents that a specific request has been received to lock the at least one document file for shared access, the request being made when the document file is closed, and the request being made independently of a request by a software application to access the at least one document file. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the file lock processing module permits write-access to the at least one document file if the first file lock is set and one or more software applications that support coauthoring request access to the at least one document file. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the file lock processing module denies write-access to the at least one document file if the second file lock is set and one or more software applications that support coauthoring request access to the at least one document file. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the file lock processing module permits write-access to the at least one document file if the third file lock is set and one or more software applications that support coauthoring request access to the document file. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the file lock processing module denies write-access to the at least one document file if any of the first file lock, the second file lock and the third file lock is set and the software application does not support coauthoring. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the file lock processing module resets the third file lock upon an explicit request to reset the third file lock. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the file lock processing module only permits one software application to have write-access to the at least one document file if the at least one document file does not support coauthoring. 
     
     
         33 . A method for controlling access to document files, the method comprising:
 receiving a request from a software application to access a document file on a server;   determining a coauthoring status of the software application;   determining a file lock status of the document file, wherein the file lock status is selected from a group consisting of a first file lock status and a second file lock status, wherein the first file lock status permits write-access to the document file by a plurality of software applications, and wherein the second file lock status permits exclusive write-access to the at least one document file by a single software application;   permitting write-access to the document file if the software application supports coauthoring and the file lock status permits coauthoring;   permitting read-only access to the document file if the software application supports coauthoring but the file lock status does not permit coauthoring; and   setting the second file lock status if the software application supports coauthoring and the at least one document file includes features that do not support coauthoring.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 receiving a request for exclusive access to the document file; and   denying exclusive access to the document file if the file lock status of exclusive or shared has already been granted to another user.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the file lock status is selected from a group further consisting of a third file lock status, wherein the third file lock status represents that a specific request has been received to lock the at least one document file for shared access. 
     
     
         36 . A method for controlling access to document files stored on a document server, the method comprising:
 receiving a request at a document server to set a first file lock for a document file allowing shared access by a plurality of software applications, the request being made independently of a request by a software application of the plurality of software applications to access the document file;   setting the first file lock for the document file, the first file lock preventing software applications that do not support coauthoring from writing to the document file;   receiving a request from a first software application of the plurality of software applications to access the document file;   determining whether the first software application supports coauthoring;   permitting write-access to the document file if the first software application supports coauthoring;   receiving a request from a second software application of the plurality of software applications to access the document file;   determining whether the second software application supports coauthoring; and   denying write-access to the document file if the second software application does not support coauthoring.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 receiving a request for exclusive access to the document file from the second software application, wherein the second software application supports coauthoring; and   denying the request for exclusive access while the first file lock is set.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising:
 receiving a request for exclusive access to the document file from the second software application, wherein the second software application does not support coauthoring; and   denying the request for exclusive access while the first file lock is set.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the request to set the first file lock is made when the at least one document is closed. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the first file lock has a timeout value.