How do I Recover Corrupt CPD File

[JACornelis]

Working on Robohelp 6.0 - I deleted a topic and RoboHelp went down - stating that the CPD file is corrupt - to delete CPD file.

I copied the file to a different location ran robohelp again but all of the modifications I made (months worth) do not display - instead it takes me back to the original file (the one that needs to be modified)

I need to recover the corrupt cpd file b/c this file has all of my work. I can't delete it - b/c it contains my modifications.


OS: Windows XP Pro
Web Server: Other
Browser: Microsoft IE
Application Server: none
Database: none

[Peter Grainge]

Would that be John-Pierre?

First take a copy of the project as it is now and hive that off somewhere safe.

Did you delete the XPJ as well? If not delete that as well as the CPD. I don't think that will fix it but it is cleaner.

What outputs do you create and when was the last time you created each type? Don't need exact dates but is it later than the project you are now seeing?

I don't think you have lost your work, just RH not seeing the new topics and we should be able to recover those. Am I right in thinking that if you open a topic that has changed, rather than being a new one, you see the changes?

[jaguarxox]

Do the instructions for X5 also apply to RH7? That is, do i delete the CPD and the XPJ files?

Thanks-

[JACornelis]

Thanks for replying. I see my new topics, in the TOC not in the project. The TOC displays my topics, next to the topic there is an icon with a blue question mark and a red X over it. If I click on it the "TOC Page Properties" displays?

The topics that have changed do not reflect these changes.

[JACornelis · Accepted solution]

Jenny at Adobe helped me out - there's a link to this issue:

http://www.adobe.com/go/rb_34906

TechNote
Opening a Corrupt HTML Help Project
Issue

Your project file is corrupt and cannot be opened.
Solution

RoboHelp X5 instructions:

Follow the steps below to recreate the *.XPJ and *.CPD file, which should resolve the problem:

1. Close RoboHelp HTML.
2. Create a backup of your project folder, and all its contents before following the remainder of the instructions below.
3. Open your project folder, Windows Explorer.
4. Find the *.XPJ and the *.CPD files, which are located in the folder.
5. Delete the *.XPJ and the *.CPD files.
6. Find the *.HHP file (in the same folder as the files listed above).
7. Right-click on the *.HHP file and choose the EDIT option. This should reopen the project in RoboHelp HTML.
8. Save and compile the project.

Note: Avoid moving files outside of RoboHelp and using characters other than A-Z, 0-9, or underscores in your filenames or folder names. Other causes include renaming files outside of RoboHelp, moving RoboHelp project folders or files outside of RoboHelp, having more than one help author work on the same project at the same time, working on a project from a network drive, and opening a project over a UNC path, otherwise you may experience corruption again in the future.
RoboHelp X4 and below instructions:

Follow the steps below to recreate the .MPJ file which may resolve the problem:

Create a backup of your project folder, and all its contents before following the below instructions.

1. Close RoboHELP.
2. Open your project folder.
3. Find the .MPJ file.
4. Change the file extension of that file to .MPJ_OLD.
5. Find the .HHP file (in the same folder as the .MPJ).
6. Right-click on it and choose the EDIT option. This should reopen the project in RoboHELP. If it doesn't, then you'll need to open RoboHelp HTML and browse to the HHP file.
7. Save and compile the project.

WARNING: Following these steps for rebuilding the .MPJ file will cause the .ALI file to be recreated as well. The .ALI file is used for setting up context sensitive help and if this file is recreated, all of the data it contains will be deleted. Before following these steps, backup your .ALI file to a different location on your hard drive. Once you have rebuilt the .MPJ file, copy the .ALI file back to the project folder and overwrite the new version of this file.

WARNING: By recreating your MPJ file you will lose any UNUSED bookmarks, Topic Status Information, and Build Expressions in your project.

Note: Avoid moving files outside of RoboHelp and using characters other than A-Z, 0-9, or underscores in your filenames or folder names. Other causes include renaming files outside of RoboHelp, moving RoboHelp project folders or files outside of RoboHelp, having more than one help author work on the same project at the same time, work on a project from a network drive, and opening a project over a UNC path, otherwise you may experience corruption again in the future.
TechNote Details
Last Update: 03-20-2007
ID: rb_34906
Permanent Link: http://www.adobe.com/go/rb_34906
Products Affected:

* RoboHelp HTML

[Peter Grainge]

That's why I asked if you had deleted both the XPJ and CPD files as then the only way you could have opened it was via the HHP file. That information is on my site.

[Peter Grainge]

That is also on my site if you want a more detailed reply. Short answer is that with RH7 it should only be necessary to delete the CPD.