Corrupt form (.scx) - how do I recover it

[phita]

Hi,
I was working on a form and my computer 'hang' and I had to reset it. When I came back to the form, I try to modify it, it tells me "Not a table". How can I fix this problem and recover the form. I had done so much on it I can't imagine starting all over again.

Thanks

 

[Mike Gagnon]

phita

Try using the form as a table and browse it a look in the different fields to see if you detect any out of place like a field with DingBat like characters.

use myform.scx 
BROWSE

Mike Gagnon

If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ184-2483 first.

 

[phita]

Hi,
I have tried to "use" the .scx but it still tells me "Not a table". What else do you suggest I try.

Thanks.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Phita,

It sounds like the header in the SCX file is corrupted. You might have to resort to using a repair tool like FoxFix.

Mike
Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

 

[rgbean]

phita,
If you have a system that "hangs" on a regular basis, then you should also save your form frequently, and use a utility like Norton's unerase - it'll keep each "version" in the "Protected Recycle Bin" for you, then you'll at worse lose just back to your previous change.

Also know that, at least for Forms and Classes, VFP saves off the current version into a pair of temp files that are usually in the same location as the original files. That's how it can ask "Do you want to save the changes" and if you say no, it can set you back to where you were before the changes. On a "crash" look for these and try renaming them to a .SCX / .SCT set, and you may be able to recover at least from your last Save!

Rick

 

[Mike Lewis]

Rick,

Your point about the temp file is very useful to know.

Do you happen to know how these files are named?

Mike
Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

 

[DSummZZZ]

For what it's worth, mine was named:

AU9C01HE.TMP

in the %TEMP% directory.
Dave S.

 

[rgbean]

Mike,
They are usually named <tempname>.TMP and <tempname+1>.tmp, and I've found them sometimes in the same directory as the original file, and sometimes in the temp (sys(2023)) directory. Since they are marked as Temp files, it depends on the file system (FAT, NTFS, Novell, etc.) and your explorer settings as to whether you can &quot;see&quot; them before VFP crashes.

I'm really more of an advocate of frequent saves and Norton UnErase, but the other technique has help save other peoples's work on occassion.

Rick

 

[Mike Lewis]

Dave and Rick,

Thanks for that info on temp files. A couple of times recently, VFP has crashed on me just as I was saving a form, and when I reloaded I found the form was corrupted beyond repair. Next time, I'll look for the temp file to see if I can recover from it. (Doing frequent saves is always good advice, but wouldn't have helped in those particular cases.)

Mike
Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk