Recovering a works spreadsheet

one which wasnt saved! Is it possible, will it autosave somewhere, or is it gone?

I'm a bit gutted, because I've just spend the best part of 3 hours working out a quote for a job, and I thought I was shutting another spreadsheet down! :(

Dabz

Which version of Works are you using?


Andy

Version 8 Andy mate!

Dabz

Don't know about Works, but Word/Office auto-saves a temp file... either a hidden file $~ilename.tmp in the active directory if its an existing file, or something similar inside the windows temp folder (Start -> Run -> %temp% if you don't know the exact location)

But it also depends on *how* it "wasn't saved". If it crashed or you rebooted your computer without saving, then the temp file will likely be there. However, if it asked whether you wanted to save it and you said "no", then most programs tend to delete the temp file in question as well, and it's truly gone.
(After all, it's pretty bad design to keep a file where the creator explicitely said they didn't want it anymore)

As far as I can understand Works do utilize temporary files.

Wks####.tmp

However, I can't find any info on the format, so I would just try searching through them if I were you. Alternatively, if they have been deleted, try a file undelete utility, and search through all recovered temp files using known text that should be in there.


Andy

I suspect that since you actually shut it down (instead of a crash), works may well have automatically removed any temp files. But you may be lucky. The format of them will probably be the same as a wks (same as word and the like).

Well, its gone!

Never mind, I'll just have to do it all again!

Thanks for your help though! :)

Dabz

Do a search for every file created/modified on the date you were editing the file. It might be cached somewhere if you're lucky.

And SAVE SAVE SAVE... every few steps!!! Backups are your fiend!

The problem was, the bloke wanted the quote ASAP, I was working off drawings, fannying on with a scale rule, my desk is only so big, and everything seemed cluttered, even my desktop on the screen... thought I'd do a quick tidy, real desk and desktop, then it was gone! :)

Re-done now, fished out my copy of OpenOffice (Don't like the new portable version on PC Formats cover disc) and uninstalled Works! For the better! :D

Dabz

I thought Microsoft programs automagically saved every 5 minutes?

>I thought Microsoft programs automagically saved every 5
>minutes?

A wise move if your OS/GUI product crashes every few minutes...


Andy