I have lost access to a file that I've been working on for over a month. I have a partial backup file but not the full version of the project. I get a message that the file is corrupt or may have been created in a different version, but the entire project has been in Storyline 2. I tried the methods mentioned in an earlier discussion (import file into a new Storyline), but I get the same "corrupt file" message.
I didn't reinstall because Storyline works with some other files, just not with this one file.
I'm really sorry to hear about your project file, and it sounds like that version may be corrupt beyond recovery. 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.
Also, as a reminder be sure to always create, edit, and publish projects on your local hard drive. Working from a network drive or a USB drive can cause erratic behavior, such as file corruption, an inability to save changes, and loss of resources.
Repairing Storyline is also a good idea, especially if multiple files are misbehaving and you've already confirmed to be working locally.
Happy to hear that Rita, and since 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 these preventative measures to protect your project files:
1) Save and publish projects on your local hard drive. Working on a network drive or external USB drive can cause erratic behavior.
2) Save incrementally. If your app has an AutoRecovery feature, take advantage of it. If not, save a new version of your project every hour or so with a new file name each time. If a file becomes corrupt, you'll still have a working version available.
3) Install Dropbox. Snapshots of changes in your local Dropbox folder are kept for 30 days. If a file is damaged or deleted, you can restore a previous snapshot: https://www.dropbox.com/help/11/en.
4) Don't leave the app open and unattended for long periods of time. Some users have reported file corruption after leaving their apps open overnight. It's possible that a malware scan or disk backup could run because the machine is idle, making your app vulnerable to crashing.
3 Replies
Hi Rita,
I'm really sorry to hear about your project file, and it sounds like that version may be corrupt beyond recovery. There may still be a working version of your project in your temp files. Here's how to check:
Thank you! I was able to locate a .tmp file and restored it successfully!
Happy to hear that Rita, and since 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).
This discussion is closed. You can start a new discussion or contact Articulate Support.