Lost File.

pdr · Aug 18, 2011

I shall be glad when this day is over! It's been one long techie nightmare.

My WordPerfect is set to save every two mins. Where does it save to? I'm very tired and I slid my mouse too far, closed WP and lost the file. Where is the backup. I've looked in BackUps and it's empty.

Bigglesworth · Aug 18, 2011

I can't speak from personal experience but, until someone more knowledgeable comes along, perhaps this page (the first part of the answer thereon) may help you, at least to confirm if you're looking in the right place:

http://www.askageek.com/2008/01/15/wordperfect-autosave-and-page-numbering/

pdr · Aug 18, 2011

Thank you!

I've saved that information.

It would have worked if I had saved the document with a title and in a file. Alas I had only just pulled all the bits, urls, and comments I needed together and written the linkage paragraphs all on a new page. Of course, it being one of those days, I went to save it and rolled the wretched mouse so that somehow I closed WP!

alleycat · Aug 18, 2011

WP didn't ask you if you wanted to save the file before closing?

pdr · Aug 18, 2011

Alas...

I don't know what I did. I rolled the mouse and the entire WordPerfect programme closed, and no, I didn't see the usual save window pop up.

I need a separate keyboard because this damn laptop is difficult for arthritic hands with desensitised fingers to use without leaning on or brushing against keys whilst typing and the mouse does amazing things if I just move it! Yes, I do disable the touchpad.

I do realise how frustrating my lack of understanding is to you people who are comfy with tech. and I do appreciate your help and patience. Truly.

I must be last Luddite for I really have a phobia about computers and they never behave even if I go very slowly and do all the right things. Hence I become more uptight and more things go wrong.

Still I managed that darned Audacity didn't I! But not the WinZip. Can't face it yet!

Maryn · Aug 18, 2011

pdr, I'm bad with computer things, too, but a lot of them are simpler than you'd think once someone who doesn't make you feel stupid shows you. (I keep notes for later.)

I haven't had WordPerfect in a lot of years, but let me see if I remember it well enough. They're probably temporary files which are deleted on a normal shut-down of the computer. Since you did not hand-save the document before (accidentally) closing the program, they would be saved. So all you have to do is find them.

Playing around with whatever version you have, there's probably something like Tools (or perhaps Options), with Setting and Files, which has a default location for saving those automatically backed-up files and which is changeable by the user.

Or, if you haven't yet, click on Help (or a question mark) and search for autosave location. It can probably walk you through it in steps anybody can follow.

Maryn, who'll keep you company until someone with specific knowledge sees this

areteus · Aug 18, 2011

Try using a search function for whatever file format word perfect uses for documents (I cannot remember what it is, been so long since I used WP, it might be .wpf. You can find out by looking at the file names of files you have already saved on this program. Include the . to make sure you avoid lots of irrelevant files.) This should give you a list of all the word perfect files on your system (make sure you include all locations in your search). You should then be able to scroll through these to find ones that are not named by you (may be named something like 'document1.wpf') and you can open these to hopefully find the most recent version of your missing file.

After this happened to me many times, I got into the habit of naming my files before i wrote anything, even if just a random filename I made up (like sillystory.doc) to avoid this sort of issue.

ComicBent · Aug 18, 2011

I am not exactly sure what you did. But if you worked on a file, never named it, and then closed out without saving ... the file is just gone.

If you are working and the computer crashes, even if you have not named the file, a file name with braces { } somewhere appears on the C:\ drive. Or that was my experience many years ago when I was more of a WordPerfect user than I am now.

But if you never named the file, and you closed without saving ... it's gone.

pdr · Aug 18, 2011

Sigh!

Right, it being winter and there's stock to feed out, water troughs to de-ice etc then a job interview in town (nope! Too old!) Anyway I've been out most of the day but back to the problem.

Thanks to Bigglesworth I've accessed the back up files. They are all saved neatly in folders exactly like my documents are. No sign of a stray unnamed file there.

None on C drive.

WP Help function requires a whole download of things to make a dictionary before I can search and find. I have begun the process.

How do I find a search function apart from the WP one?

I fear the article is gone, which makes me so cross. I need to get it off this weekend and had been so pleased. It just fell together so perfectly and was almost ready to send.

Typical.

I've never had WP close on me like that. Heaven preserve me from doing it again. I will set and save each file right from the moment of opening the blank page in future.

Anyway thank you again for all your help. I now have saved the information re finding back up files and autosave. And in a serendipitous moment discovered why my intelli mouse keeps shrinking my page.

I shall go and write the article on my Alphasmart in safety. Losing files is not a habit I wish to cultivate, I don't think I've done it above twice before.

alleycat · Aug 18, 2011

Search?

Go to Start > Search. Choose the file type.

alleycat · Aug 18, 2011

Do you still need to learn how to use WinZip?

pdr · Aug 19, 2011

I must!

Yes, I will need to use WINZIP sometimes. If you have simple step by step instructions that I can read slowly and practise I would be grateful.

Right now the bloody computer has reduced me to a screaming heap yet again. It's a daily occurrence. I used your search instructions to find a file named Plug-ins. The search has not found it although I did locate it myself hidden in the Acer C file. I did a search again telling the search to scan the Acer C. Search still can't find the file. That's why I hate computers. I did spell all correctly with correct lower and upper case letters, so what other magical tech trick do I need to know just to make the bloody search actually find something?

alleycat · Aug 19, 2011

If you'd like, we can arrange a time when we're both online (our times are almost completely reversed, but I'm on early and late US time). We can go through WinZip step-by-step as needed; but, really, it is one of the simplest programs you'll ever use.

Have you run the setup file for WinZip yet? Or have you just downloaded the installation file?

pdr · Aug 19, 2011

Just...

stared in horror at the jargon and ran away. Will download tonight.

It's early morning and I've just taken delivery of a dozen orchard trees and a dozen blueberry bushes. All to plant today once the frost has lifted for they must be snugged in and wrapped and frost clothed before tonight!

And why didn't Search find that file? What is it with computers!

Maryn · Aug 19, 2011

You just let me know when to come pick blueberries. I make a good pie, you know?

Maryn, thinking you've got your work cut out for you today

kuwisdelu · Aug 19, 2011

What version of Windows do you have? If memory serves, isn't XP's search kind of medieval compared to 7's? I don't remember even knowing it existed back then.

pdr · Aug 19, 2011

Ah ha!

I can blame XP can I? I will. If even I could find the file then something is wrong with the bloody computer's systems.

Blueberries won't be allowed to fruit for two years, sorry Maryn. Book a writer's retreat holiday at my place for then and come and enjoy. The apricots are great though as are the raspberries. This is limestone country and hard to get blueberries to take without a lot of fuss and pine needle mulch and sweet talking!

Article first then WinZip, alley cat. Might have to be Monday as Sunday is music and choir day. My sanity saving day.

Bigglesworth · Aug 19, 2011

I strongly suspect that XP's "word or phrase in the file" search option doesn't work properly. I've tried using it in the past to find occurances of function names, constants, etc in my source code and it fails miserably. That said, I've just tested it with some keywords in my WIP files and it seems to be playing ball.

Regarding your failing searches though, pdr, I wonder: when you set up your search, I'll wager that you're quite sensibly choosing the "documents (word processing [...etc]" option. I'd further wager that Windows will search files with regular Microsoft file extensions (ie: .doc), and if so then your WordPerfect files may not be being scanned at all.

Try a search on "all files and folders" instead, and see if you enjoy better luck.

bonitakale · Aug 20, 2011

My old WP 12 saves to

C:\Documents and Settings\Bonita\Application Data\Corel\WordPerfect\12\Backup

I finally put a shortcut on the desktop to that folder, to save hunting for it.

Also, I downloaded Agent Ransack to do searches, since XP has a glitch that prevents its reliably finding text files. If you have something decent to search with, you can search for a word or phrase in the document.

pdr · Aug 20, 2011

Er...

I did set search to 'all files and folders', Bigglesworth, still can't find it. I will, when I have a minute, try poking around to see if there's something special to add to find WP files.

Agent Ransack sounds wonderful, it's what I'd like to do to my computer. Will see if I can find it and work out if it will download to my computer.

Thank you both, most helpful and not a tinge of the patronising 'Do this, stupid.' Much appreciated. If you knew how long it takes to screw my courage to the sticking point and post here because of such attitudes you know how grateful I am for your kindly help.

bonitakale · Aug 21, 2011

pdr said:
not a tinge of the patronising 'Do this, stupid.'

Ah, some people need to get a life. We all feel stupid often enough, without their coming along and adding to it.

Torgo · Aug 21, 2011

pdr said:
I did set search to 'all files and folders', Bigglesworth, still can't find it. I will, when I have a minute, try poking around to see if there's something special to add to find WP files.

I suspect the autosaves won't have the same extension as the actual documents - I think, from some cursory googling, the extension is .BK!, .BK1, .BK2 etc - so try searching for *.BK! or *.BK? perhaps.

Lost File.

pdr

Bigglesworth

pdr

alleycat

Still around

pdr

Maryn

Not Any More

areteus

ComicBent

pdr

alleycat

Still around

alleycat

Still around

pdr

alleycat

Still around

pdr

Maryn

Not Any More

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World

pdr

Bigglesworth

bonitakale

pdr

bonitakale

Torgo

Formerly Phantom of Krankor.