An InRoads user asked for Mark's thoughts with this question :

I have a rookie question for Mark- there are 2 alignment files in my project folder-one name looks normal as in "file.alg". The other is named "file.alg.LCK"   Is that a normal MicroStation extension, as in "Locked", or is that just someone's initials after the file name?  (Naturally, the person who worked on that project isn't here anymore, and those aren't their initials).

Thanks for any insight you can give, hope to see you soon!

Scott 

Here is the Zen Dude's response:

Hi Scott!

I got your question from Marianne, and it's not really a rookie question, and probably isn't understood by the majority of users.

The LCK file isn't an actual ALG file. It's a file that is used to control permissions when multiple people are using the ALG file. You'll also see LCK files for the XIN like Civil_xin.LCK.

The LCK file contains some programming code like this:

HEADER|1|0|0|855|0

ENTITY|{7530C553-983A-11D6-A13C-00065BAB09AE}|Cogo Buffer|2|1|0

USER|ZenDude|3|2002|8|3|7|14|46|38|278

ENTITY|{7530AEF1-983A-11D6-A13C-00065BAB09AE}|10162|1|1|0

USER| ZenDude|3|2002|8|3|7|14|46|38|278

ENTITY|{7530AEEE-983A-11D6-A13C-00065BAB09AE}|10235|1|1|0

USER| ZenDude|3|2002|8|3|7|14|46|38|278

What it does is define exactly what alignments can be edited by a specific user. The ALG file, along with the XIN file are "multi-user" access files. That means that unlike the DTM, ITL and IRD, multiple people can use the same file at the same time and InRoads will allow it. And not only will InRoads allow it, InRoads keeps track of who has access to each alignment within the ALG file.

If you look in InRoads, and right-click on a Geometry Project, you'll see the capability to review the permissions under Details.

 Read-Only and Read-Write options in the right-click list.

 

All of these permission settings are stored in the LCK file that is created when an ALG file is opened. The LCK file is always stored in the same folder as the ALG file and inherits its name from it.

Now this file doesn't mean anything if only one user is using the ALG file, and even if it was created in a 'sharing' work environment, once everyone has exited InRoads, that file is cleared out and can be deleted if it bothers anyone. It contains no project data, and is only used when more than one person is simultaneously using the exact same ALG file.

I hope this helps!!

Civilly yours,  

-zen