Don’t lock the record.

Don’t ever write anything that locks a record – ever.

Except just before you update it.

read and display
read and display
decide an update is needed

read the record for update (lock)
check it hasn’t changed since you displayed it ( tell the user if so)
update it
release the lock

read and display
read and display
blahblah

Why is your job more important than the job holding the lock? What if no one is at the workstation?

In short, the lock isn’t the problem and sending a message won’t solve it on an ongoing basis. The problem is the design of the application — it shouldn’t allow standing locks in the first place. Eliminate the locks; don’t just complain (message) about them.

Tom

The example RPG code at the link below is old, and could be implemented today in /Free without numbered indicators, etc., but illustrates the approach. I like the idea of displaying a window informing the user who needs the lock that someone else already has that record locked. And ideally, a message could also be sent to the user who has the lock, to inform them that someone else needs it and to ask them to please finish their work on that record and to release it, etc.
http://www.mcpressonline.com/tips-techniques/programming/techtalk-who-locked-the-record.html

And this one has a link to some code that can be downloaded.
http://systeminetwork.com/article/easily-respond-object-and-record-lock-events

Thanks