[PLUG] What are .lock files

[Richard C. Steffens]

John Jason Jordan wrote:

> Every time I try to do a backup it stops when it hits a .lock file.

As I understand it, a lock file is used by a program to tell other
instances of that program, or other programs that it is using some
resource. You have a program, or programs that use .lock files for this
purpose.

Ordinarily, the program should clean up after itself and delete the lock
file when it is finished with it. If the program halts abnormally, the
lock file won't go away. At that point, the lock file is no longer
relevant, and may be deleted.

-- 
Regards,

Dick Steffens