Can't open Storyline File. I need some more suggestions

Jun 20, 2016

Hannah Montroy
By Hannah Montroy

I have a Storyline file that I have been working on for some time and all of a sudden last week I started getting an error message every time that I try to open it.  I created the file and I am trying to edit the file, on the same computer and with the same version of Storyline.

I looked for a solution on this site and so far none of them are working.  I have tried the following: 

  • I turned off my computer completely and then turned it back on.
  • I copied my file to my local desktop and opened it from there.
  • I did an install over the last Storyline file I had.
  • I completely uninstalled Storyline and then reinstalled it.
  • I saved it with a different name (shorter with no special characters)
  • I tried to open it while online and I tried to open it while offline.
  • I have opened another articulate project and tried to import the file into a new project

Thanks,

Hannah

4 Replies
Leslie McKerchie
almost 8 years ago06/20/16 at 7:15 pm (UTC)

Hi Hannah!

Thanks for all the details in what you've tried to get this working again. What happened when you imported into a new file or did you get an error that prevented it?

There may still be a working version of your project in your temp files. Here's how to check:
 
1) Open this folder in Windows Explorer: %appdata%\Articulate\Storyline
 
2) Scan the contents of this folder for a file that starts with the name of your project. If you find one, copy it to your desktop. If you find more than one, copy the latest version to your desktop.
 
3) Change the file extension of the copy on your desktop from *.tmp to *.story.
 
4) Double-click the file to open it in Storyline.
 
File corruption is unpredictable, and there's no straightforward way to determine what causes it. Common causes are environmental (disk errors, power outages, improper shutdowns), viruses, failed Windows updates, and even file size (i.e., very large files have a higher risk of corrupting). Consider using the preventative measures described in this article to protect your project files.
Christie Pollick
almost 8 years ago06/20/16 at 7:15 pm (UTC)

Hi, Hannah -- 

 Thanks so much for your question and I'm really sorry to hear of your troubles! There is a chance your file could be corrupt beyond recovery. However, there may still be a working version of your project in your temp files. Here's how to check:

1) Open this folder in Windows Explorer: %appdata%\Articulate\Storyline

2) Scan the contents of this folder for a file that starts with the name of your project. If you find one, copy it to your desktop. If you find more than one, copy the latest version to your desktop.

3) Change the file extension of the copy on your desktop from *.tmp to *.story.

4) Double-click the file to open it in Storyline.

Here is another post on a similar topic that you may want to review, and in order to avoid corruption in the future, please see this article: Follow These Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Corrupting or Losing Project Files. 

Please let us know if you are all set or still need more help! :)

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