Recover File

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Guest

I inadvertently added some text to a word doc but failed to save it. Lets
say it was named "FileX". I use "My Computer" to look at the relevant
directory and noticed that there was a file named ~$_FileX.doc in my folder.
Further, even though the details column showed the file to be 1K in size,
when I placed my cursor on the name, the popup box said it was 162K implying
it was the lost file in size. However, when I viewed the file ~$ it wouldn't
read and I got a small amount of junk. What are these ~$- files and how do
you read them? Is there any chance that my lost file can be recovered?

Thanks, bpotenza
 
What you're looking at is the lock file created by Word when a document is
opened, to prevent multiple access. It should be deleted when the document
is closed, but that sometimes doesn't happen. In any case, it doesn't help
you. If you have 'automatically create backup' checked, then your folder
should also contain a file called Backup of FileX.wbk -- but that would
contain the file when you last opened it, ie before you added the text that
you've failed to save.
 
Thanks Jezebel. Since the system failed to delete this specific lock file,
does it have any content and can it be read? You seem to say no. Also, I
also see files named; e.g., ~WRL4095.tmp in the folder. These are
apparently temp files. What is genrating these and when?
Thanks again. bpotenza
 
The ~wrlxxxx.tmp files actually *are* copies of the file. You get one for
each save (it's the previous version or, if you're creating backups [*.wbk
files], the previous but one). They should be deleted when you close the
file but in some cases aren't.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
The lock file has no content you can use (it has nothing to do with what's
actually IN your file -- it's just there to stop someone else opening the
file while you're working on it).

The temp file is another matter. When you're working on a document you're
actually working on a copy (the tmp file) not the original. That file also
will be deleted if Word closes down normally.

That file might indeed have your text in it. Rename it to something
reasonable and try opening it from Word -- as normal, or if that fails,
using the 'Recover text from any file' option under Files of Type on the
Open dialog.
 
It's not even necessary to rename the ~wrlxxxx.tmp files to open them. I
have been able to open several such while I'm working on a document. They
look just like .doc files and you can presumably use Save As to save them as
docs.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
Not necessary indeed. Just prudent: otherwise it gets overwritten if you
re-open the original document.
 
My experience has been that the ~wrlxxxx.tmp files just keep piling up, one
more with each save, until you close the doc.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
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