Preview locks files, not only when open, but also after being closed

Question

Level 1

4 points

Preview locks files, not only when open, but also after being closed

I hand-create PostScript files, which are tested by being dragged to Adobe Distiller. This application is unhappy if the same-name PDF is busy. And if not busy, the same-name PDF is happily over-written. So far, so good.

Until recently, whilst Preview had a PDF open, it could not be overwritten—somehow marked as busy, I guess. If closed, if could.

But within the last two weeks this behaviour has changed. Preview 5.5.2 (719.25), under Lion, keeps them ‘busy’ even after the file is closed or Preview is quit. It fails to un-mark as ‘busy’. So I have to drag the PDF to the trash before Adobe Distiller will ‘overwrite’.

Please, is there any once-off action I can take to fix this new bug?

iMac

Posted on May 27, 2012 2:57 PM

Reply

Answer 1

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

May 27, 2012 3:43 PM in response to jdaw1

You canturn off the autolock feature but AFAIK you cannot disable auto save.

Reply

Answer 2

jdaw1 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 27, 2012 3:50 PM in response to macjack

Perhaps I wasn’t clear. This isn’t the new OS-Lion file auto-save not-your-files iNonsense mischief.

I open a file in Preview. Then I close it. Then I quit Preview. Yet Adobe Distiller thinks it still busy, so asks for a new filename. This is Preview ‘forgetting’ to un-mark as busy. Which Preview did not do a few weeks ago, and is doing now. :-(

Reply

Answer 3

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

May 27, 2012 4:11 PM in response to jdaw1

Apps don't usually change their default behaviors in the middle of an OS cycle.

Use Activity Monitor to see if when Preview is quit, it no longer shows the process under "My Processes" tab. If that's so them it sounds like an issue with Adobe prefs. Might try trashing the DIstiller prefs?

Reply

Answer 4

jdaw1 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 29, 2012 12:46 PM in response to macjack

Thank you. Progress.

Sometimes, even after quitting Preview, it still shows in the Activity Monitor. And Adobe thinks the file busy. So within Activity Monitor, Preview is Force Quit, and then Adobe thinks it not busy.

So the problem is indeed with Preview, which is failing to quit.

Reply

Answer 5

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

May 29, 2012 6:49 PM in response to jdaw1

Hmmm... try the quick and easy first. Delete and rebuild the Preview pref. Quit or force quit Preview.

Go to your Finder "Go" menu hold the option key to choose "Library" the go to /Preferences/com.apple.Preview.plist. Delete that file. Then relaunch Preview and test.

Reply

Answer 6

jdaw1 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 30, 2012 2:13 PM in response to macjack

Quick and easy, but no joy:

Error

Can't delete existing file: /Users/JDAW/Documents/programming/PostScript/Port_PS/20120614_niepoort_1912.pdf

The file is open by another application.

I had moved all the “com.apple.Preview*” files, these being:

• com.apple.Preview.SandboxedPersistentURLs.LSSharedFileList.plist

• com.apple.Preview.SandboxedPersistentURLs.LSSharedFileList.plist.lockfile

• com.apple.Preview.LSSharedFileList.plist.lockfile

• com.apple.Preview.plist.lockfile

• com.apple.Preview.LSSharedFileList.plist

• com.apple.Preview.plist

Reply

Answer 7

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

May 30, 2012 4:15 PM in response to jdaw1

Create a new User go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > "+" (make it an admin acct) and test the apps in this new account, if they work the problem is isolated to your User and not systemwide.

If the issue is limited to your user account try starting up in Safe Mode (It will take more time to startup because it runs a directory check.)

If your apps functions correctly that way, go to System Preferences >> Accounts >> Login Items and remove them. Boot normally and test.

If the issue is systemwide, then you may be able to repair by booting cmd-r to your recovery Volume and re-installing Lion. This will be an "install in place" and shouldn't effect your data and settings.

Reply

Answer 8

jdaw1 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 14, 2012 1:01 AM in response to macjack

Real-life disruption has caused me to look away. Apologies for delay; back on the problem.

Just logged in as Admin, which had the same problem. So install-in-place it is.

Reply