File Recovery - Is there any such thing?

Thanks all.

The file was lost due to an overwrite of the project via File Explorer (i.e. outside of InDesign). Like I said, my fault.

If only Adobe products offered a feature like Corel had 10 years ago, that is, when saving a file, the Corel products would also simultaneously save a duplicate in a designated backup folder. A logical and brilliant idea! What a pity that Adobe products cannot do this! This is really the only thing that would have "saved me".

Unless I am misunderstanding, saving to Drop Box (or similar) would not have helped. Because even if the save folder was synchronized with a cloud location, the File Explorer operation would have overwritten the local copy and shortly after, the sync operation would have updated the cloud location with the same file.

I am wondering if a plug-in (or a separate Windows tool) that will watch file saves and duplicate the file automatically.

This may never happen again... but potential loss mitigation is important.

BTW, I do have solid backup practices in place through git (revision control) and a daily off-site backup. But these practices do not prevent mid-day screw-ups like what I did.

Thanks again for your replies.

Shawn

Bob Levine wrote:

 

Won't do you any good now but this will save you in the future:

http://boblevine.us/why-i-always-save-files-in-dropbox-and-why-you-should-to

o/

"As I said, Dropbox is continually syncing your desktop files with its servers, but it’s also keeping a record of every version. So, if you need to go back in time and find a previous version, it’s very nice to know that you can."

That quote is GOLD! Pity I didn't read your blog prior to Tuesday.

The only "problem" is that I believe the Dropbox sync tool only allows for a single sync folder. It is a disappointingly simplistic sync tool on Windows. I am already using it for a library of file in a different location. But I am strongly leaning towards changing the sync location in order to protect my more important working files.

Thank you!

Eugene Tyson wrote:

 

Windows has a Previous Version in the folders where the file is saved

 

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/previous-versions-files-faq#1TC=windows-7

 

Mac have something similar

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11444

Thank you! Wow, something I knew about for years, yet never thought to use it! Doh!

Right now, I am repartitioning my working volume in order to set a reasonable disk space limit for system protection. BRILLIANT! Thank you!

Eugene Tyson wrote:

But here's the lesson - always create backups.

 

Always create versions - I generally end up on Version 5 of a project before I'm requested to get something that was done in Version 1 of the project.

A very important lesson, indeed! In my case I do... daily or more to git (revision control) on an off-site server and daily to a portable HDD (that I take off-site every night). Like I said, this meticulous backup protocol doesn't help when I overwrite a file that I had worked on for over 3 hours on the same day.

In summary, the best ideas are:

1. Set up Windows system protection (thank you Eugene). Give it enough disk space for a reasonable amount of protection. Best practice, in my opinion, is to store your working data on a partition that is separate from your OS. That way, the protection becomes more dedicated to only your working files.
   
   
2. Read Bob Levine's blog (see previous message) - Thanks Bob! Use Dropbox to synchronize your working files. Here is a quote from Bob's blog, "Dropbox is continually syncing your desktop files with its servers, but it’s also keeping a record of every version. So, if you need to go back in time and find a previous version, it’s very nice to know that you can."

Again, thank you to all. I appreciate everyone's input.

Bob Levine wrote:

 

You seriously need to explore this a bit more. You can put as much as you want into that dropbox folder.

 

One thing you can do is to move your documents folder into the dropbox folder.

Because Drop Box's sync tool only works with one folder location AND you have convinced me of the value of using Drop Box for storing multiple revisions of a document... I'm going to have to dedicated the Sync to just my working documents. I can't move my working documents for a variety of complicated reasons... one which is that some of my document source files require specific file paths, it is also my git sync location, etc. I'll make this work. Thanks again!

It turns out that I had mistaking Box (we have a corporate account with them) for Dropbox.

I could not use Box b/c I cannot change the default sync location.

So, I downloaded DropBox. A much slicker and more capable interface! BUT I am in a similar situation with Dropbox. Dropbox appears to require the sync folder's name to be, "Dropbox". If I cannot sync my existing folder, "Projects" Dropbox isn't going to work for me.

I am now investigating this add-on to allow Dropbox syncing from any file location.

WHY OH WHY isn't there a message EDIT option in the Adobe forums???

Anyhow, I meant to add the URL for Dropbox Folder Sync: Dropbox Folder Sync addon [Official Page]

I was wondering what the Action menu was for.... all I see is, "No Actions are available."

Bob Levine wrote:

 

Yes, it’s one parent folder for syncing, but beneath that you can have as many project folders as you want.

Dropbox option is awesome!

Hello Bob, the native Dropbox application with its "Dropbox" folder requirement would not work for me. Fortunately, I found the Drop Box folder sync add-on.

With that plug-in, I can select multiple folders, from anywhere on the project drive, and real-time sync them to Dropbox.

Then I tested by overwriting my InDesign project with an older version of my project (basically what I accidentally did on Tuesday). Over to the Dropbox folder/file view, I right-clicked and selected Previous Versions, selected the current file and presto magic, the current project was recovered!

Bob, I can't thank you enough for this valuable tip!

Windows system protection is useless (well, for what I require)!

So... how about Eugene Tyson's suggestion about using the built-in Windows system protection?

As above, I overwrote my InDesign document with an older version.

Then I right-clicked on the file and selected Restore Previous Version

Unfortunately, the listing was EMPTY

It turns out that this feature is not real-time. It relies on system restore points, which obviously I am not going to initiate all the time.

Nevertheless, thank you Eugene.