Panicy feeling----corrupt or invalid file

[beej]

I have a 158meg file with the toolpaths all but done. and I did a file save I got the

error "corrupt or invalid file" I have gotten this error before but was able to call up my backup file this time auto backup corrupted my backup file as well.

 

Now when I call up the file there are no toolpaths inside and my solid models are gone. these solid models were imported parasolids and have been fine for 2 days what would make them corrupted all of a sudden with nothing being done to them except applying toolpaths.

 

Meanwhile the cnc is halfway through cutting the backside and will be looking for the front side program shortly.

 

Is there ANYTHING I can do to keep from reprogramming this thing? and how do I keep it from happening again?

[beej]

there's got to be some way of restoring this file. Pete Rimkus? anyone?

[gcode]

Look in C:mcamxcommontemp

Sometimes mastercam tries to write a temp file

when it crashes. It may have a name you don't

recognise so look at the size of the files.

Your file is probably hosed, but its worth a look.

[Fred @ Slate Industries]

Beej

 

CNC told me

"Please send in the file so we can test it. If we can’t open it either then it may be corrupt and we can fix it".

 

Tony

[Müřlıń®]

quote:

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how do I keep it from happening again?

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Others would disagree with me, but this is how I do it and I havent lost a file in a while now.

 

 

I do not use autosave.

 

I have a work directory on a completly diffrent HDD than where my Mastercam directory is.

 

I also have a backup sub/directory in that same working directory.

 

When I save , I manually save using the disk ICON.

If that save does well I will then save into my backup sub directory with the same filename so it just has a diffrent path.

 

Alternating the path between saves. In other words save twice, but the active file/paths alternate from the working dir to the backup dir.

 

I have had the 0 byte file several times and have yet to loose a file...

 

 

***knock on everything wooden I can find***

 

Sorry about your crash dude that sux...

[Jake Statz]

Could you salvage your last saved file using the "Salvage" option in windows explorer.

1.Open window explorer

2.Right click on the folder that your file is saved in.

3.Click Salvage File

4.This should bring up the last saves on that file. Try clicking on the last file with that name then click salvage file.

5.Name the file somthing different than the original file name with the .MCX extention.

6.Click the OK button

This should salvage your file one save before it became corrupt in your folder.

This usually works for me. It worth a try anyway.

[3rdstring]

Jake

 

quote:

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"Salvage" option in windows explorer

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I looked and didn't see any salvage option. Is that a feature you have to turn on? or is it some 3rd party added functionality?

[Jake Statz]

Now that you mention it, it's probably our Netware services add on. Sorry. But everyone should get it. It saves hours of reprogramming and many a headache. I never realized it was an add on until now.

[Matt Berube at Ferron Mold]

Quick google search says that is a neat little feature if your network has "novell" ?

 

Edit : sounds like a handy thing.

[Jake Statz]

Matt your right its called Netware services on our Novell network. Pretty neat is right!!

[Pete Rimkus from CNC Software Inc.]

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"...there's got to be some way of restoring this file. Pete Rimkus? anyone?..."

------

 

Beej,

If you put the file on FTP site we can see what we can possibly rescue for you.

[beej]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies. But I ended up having to reprogram it. That was a sinking feeling but I stayed till 10:30 last night redoing it.

 

Pete, after I thought about it. the file was a 158 meg, I'm not sure I would've ever got that uploaded. But I really appreciate the offer.

 

I had the bitmap option turned on. When I backread some posts, they said that could possibly be causing this. So I've turned it off. Hope that makes a difference in the future.

 

thanks again everyone.

[Müřlıń®]

I have had the 0 byte crash many times and bitmap was NOT turned on when I was saving....

 

3 times now since the release of X ...

 

Too many to count with 9.

 

I think maybe it is a Windows bug, and has nothing to do with Mastercam though...

[Jorgen]

I had the 0 byte thing happen to often to. Only in X and only on files imported from 9. I have the save bitmap off

[bellyup]

regardless of whether it's a windows bug or not,

crashing and losing files continues, and usually without warning. even though some users have devised workarounds to save backups, that's not really the answer. does anyone know if the CNC people are developing a more permanent and/or user friendly method?

[JG]

every one seems to have a different approach of backing up files, might as well toss mine in.

I do a file, save, highlight my file, cntrl c, cntrl v at various times.

 

Jg

[smokey_44]

Well just a suggestion for everyone ,what I do is add _001 _002 ect. to the end of the filename ,save alot (whats the differnece if the files take up a bit of extra space on c drive)I use this alot with any software , I use this method everyday for mastercam and Visi soilds and have not had any problems. The thing is if you use this method to saving ,that at anytime you can bacjup 1 file and restore anything missing or at least try to find out what happened to the file. I work the names like this

 

det63.mc9

 

then resave as det63_001.mc9 then save alot..so by the time your done the file you might have 20 -30 saves on the same file (different names) then if anything happens in det63_030.MC9 YOU CAN "BACKUP" TO FILE DET63_029.MC9. I use this alot during design sometimes I have made it all the way up to _121 lol alot of files but it saves alot of time because you can run back and forth between them if your asked to "bring something back" that you already had (or restore toolpaths) Hope that is somewhat clear to you guys.

 

Dave Ferraro

[gcode]

quote:

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are they developing a more permanent and/or user friendly method

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Yes

gcode teh MR2 betatester

[bellyup]

sorry, just backread this. maybe MR2?

 

 

quote:

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FYI: Also, a 'backup files' option is in the works where you specify a max number of backup files to be retained whenever you file your part either manually or during an auto-save. If you save your part "Test.mcx", then any existing files of the same name in the same directory will have an incremented version number appended to the file name. The result would be "Test-1.mcx", "Test-2.mcx", etc. up to the max you specify. The next time you filed "Test-9.mcx" would be incremented and renamed to "Test-10.mcx" and any existing "Test-10.mcx" would be deleted (if your max backup files was set to a value of 10).

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thanks gcode

[Jorgen]

So when will we get access to this much needed feature? aka MR2

[PeterM]

Here's one last idea, might be worthless. System restore might work if you had a restore point in the time frame between starting the file and the crash. I used it once to recover many accidently deleted files once. After I got my files back I undid the restore, have a good weekend all. Peter

[LaszloK]

Any of the backup methods talked about here will help if you use them religiously. I use a slightly different method but that is not important. In my opinion and especially with solids you need to add an additional step to know you have a good file. Simply open the file after saving it. I regened and checked solids prior to saving them only to get the "missing OP file" error when openning a file which resulted in corrupt solids. I open my file, do some work, save it with a slightly different name (-1), then immediately open it again. If solids are corrupt I have not lost much work and if there are no problems I do some work, save it without the -1, and open it up agin. It is the only method I found to avoid loosing a lot of work.