Little "shadow" versions of .doc files transferred to Windows??

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From: Bill Weylock (bill_at_nospam.net)
Date: 12/04/04 

Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 08:38:13 -0800

Could one of you MVPs please confirm what I once read in a support file and
cannot now find again?

When I use a synch utility to synchronize a Mac folder to a Windows XP
folder, Windows generates little 4k shadow versions of each .doc or .xls
file. There will be OriginalMacFile.doc, which I can open and use with no
problems, and also ._OriginalMacFile.doc, which cannot be opened and has no
information OfficeXP can read.

My recollection is that these little files are Windowıs way of handling
³resource² information in Mac files.

I also believe that, once generated, they are useless to both Windows and
Macs. The only thing to be done with them is throw them away.

Iım asking because the very nice young guy who is writing Synk does not want
to include a deletion mechanism for these little boogers until he has
confirmation that they are useless from someone with more creds than I have.

Is there anything to be said for NOT deleting those little guys? For
instance, could they have some residual utility if returned to the Mac side?
I doubt it, but I guess Iıd have the same scruple if I were writing
software.

A link to an MVP file or MS support file would be terrific of course. My
searches have not got me anywhere.

Thanks!

Best,

 - Bill

Panther 10.3.6
Office 2004

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