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Opening same project more than once [DONE]


Roel

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Dear all,

I did not think it was possible but it is.

Not realising the project was already open, I was able to open a second copy of the same file.

Murphy intervened and after working on the project I closed one and then saved the other one - it should have been the other way round and all work was lost even though autosave is on.

Why is it possible to have two versions of the same project running concurrently?

Can this please be removed as default or at least changed to a user setting for those who need it.

 

Thanks

 

Roel

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Roel,

That has always been possible with Windows. Most software will open multiple times - that's why you have a task bar which clearly indicates what is running (at the bottom of your screen). Look in your task manager and see how many instances of your browser are running simultaneously. With Chrome there may be five or more. Many of us use this as a feature - it's necessary to pay attention to what you are doing...

Best regards,

Lin

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JT,

What does that have to do with PTE?  Many, many, many software programs allow you to run multiple instances simultaneously. Try IrfanView, BluffTitler,  Microsoft Office, Avidemux, PhotoScape, PhotoZoom Pro, etc, etc. Most software which doesn't allow opening the same image or document a second time does not allow multiple instances of the same program. Photoshop will not let you open Photoshop if it is already open. The advantage of software which allows multiple instances is the ability to borrow portions of work and copy paste to another instance without saving, closing, opening another instance, loading a different project, copy, close the second instance, open the program again, load the project  you were originally working on and paste. Much, much easier to have the software running in two instances simultaneously then simply switch back and forth in the task bar. It's a tremendous time saving feature. Of course it assumes the user is capable of using the feature. It's not possible for a developer to foresee all possible user errors.

It rather reminds me of the warnings put on coffee cups at McDonald's to not drive your car with hot coffee in a cup between your legs. Some woman did that, burned herself when she slammed on the brakes and then brought legal action against McDonald's.  People should be assumed to use good judgment. Another person driving a large motor-home put the cruise control "on" then walked back into the motor home to use the rest room. It crashed - duhhh...

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With some applications like IrfanView and XnView you can open several instances, and they indeed allow to have the same object open in different instances. For image viewers this may not be a serious problem; at least not for me as I only use them for viewing, not for modifying images. With more sophisticated programs, like office programs, the situation is different for me. With MS Word (Office 365) and LibreOffice I can start several instances, but in both cases, when I try to open a document that has already been opened in some other instance (window) the office program does not open the document a second time but shows the window in which this particular document has been opened before.The said office applications have all the advantages that you are talking about, but they care for the consistency of documents.

I think that Roel's request really makes sense. My own workflow for PTE (storing new project versions again and again) normally prevents me to run into Roel's problem. Nevertheless, I like his suggestion.

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Hi Roel,

I understand your point and that situation with same project opened twice. 

If it really necessary and other users confirm it, we can add a warning when you open same project in another copy of PTE. So you will be informed about this situation and still can open same project if you really need it, or close second copy of PTE.

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A warning would be better than having nothing. Nevertheless the pitfall would remain closing and storing the two instances in the wrong order. IMO there isn't any need to open exactly the same project file twice. A user who wants to to work with two instances this should be forced to open the second instance by saving the original project a second time using a different name.

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could the second copy be opened in Read Only mode?

This happens if I try to open the same xls file twice.

You then cannot overwrite the original as the Read Only will simply close & not save.

Jill

 

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Whatever software we are using there is a degree of personal responsibility involved in using it. These things that are put in with the intention to help, often infuriate others. I actually don't need or want my software to nanny me and I get tired of being asked am I sure every time I want to do something. I have an extreme example below of where I think programmers have gone mad with their clicks on how to format my Canon G16 card in camera: 

Turn on Camera- Press Menu - click right for tools - Click down 12 items to format - click right to select OK to format - click OK to format - Then I am reminded that all data will be lost and I have to click up to OK once again - Then click to format - even when its done I have to click OK - 19 selections to format the card

Where does it end? 19 clicks later 

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This is not a question of nannying, but of consistency. We don't need configuration management for our projects, but a minimum of support for consistency would be fine. Do you think that the developers of MS Office, LibreOffice, Foxit-Software, Photoshop, and others are all idiots who like it to nanny their users?

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  • Igor changed the title to Opening same project more than once [DONE]

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