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IDProjectCategoryView StatusLast Update
0007019ScribusInternalpublic2008-05-11 16:55
ReporterringercAssigned To 
PrioritynoneSeverityminorReproducibilityN/A
Status newResolutionopen 
Product Version1.3.5svn 
Summary0007019: Protect config files, scrapbook, etc to permit safe multiple instance user
DescriptionCurrently there's no consideration of multiple concurrent Scribus instances in the prefs code, scrapbook, font cache, and other parts of the app that might share resources between multiple instances.

Rather than excluding multiple instances, ideally resources could be shared safely. Maybe before trying to write anything to .scribus the app should open .scribus/lock in exclusive mode (win32) or take out a mandatory write lock on it (linux)? Such locks get released automatically if the app crashes out or is killed, and work across network volumes, so stale lock file problems are very unlikely.

It'd also be great to use file system notifications (NOT!!! polling) to discover when the scrapbook and similar has been changed by another instance and reload it. Just an idea.

An ordinary lockfile is a TERRIBLE idea because:

- If the app crashes out it might leave a stale lockfile.
- The app cannot detect whether a lockfile is stale in the presence of network home directories.
- ... therefore, it has to ask the user, or just guess.

Using OS-level mandatory or advisory file locking solves these problems by providing a network-safe facility for detecting whether a lockfile is stale or not.
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child of 0007017 acknowledged Metabug: Multiple instance safety / single-instance-per-user support 

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Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
2008-05-11 16:54 ringerc New Issue
2008-05-11 16:54 ringerc Relationship added child of 0007017
2008-05-11 16:55 ringerc Reported by => Mailing list thread Multiple instances of Scribus beginning 2008-04-28
2008-05-11 16:55 ringerc Reported where => Mailing List