topic Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder. in Inventor Forum

PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

glotz_99 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:04:41 GMT

I did something stupid this morning, I had a step file version of my inventor dwg open, and I accidently saved it into the project folder which then overwrote all the files with the same names. (these files are now basic solids instead of having all the editing commands). Luckily I still have the original file open, although I can't save it. How can I bring it back? I was thinking of making a new project folder and pack and go it to there and use that file instead? Any ideas?

Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

Gabriel_Watson — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 17:24:52 GMT

If you overwrote the 3D models and you only have the drawing open, try right-click open on any 3D model inside a view of your drawing (at the model browser on the left pane), to see if the 3D models you have open from memory are gone. Most likely, if you don't have the 3D models open, you will not be able to retrieve the originals.
If you have Vault you could acquire a previous version from "_V", or check else your local disk for "Old Version" folders within the same workspace folders to see if the originals are still there as a copy.

Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

mcgyvr — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:14:52 GMT

If I understand correctly you think you have overwritten the native iam as well as the native ipt files with the step format solids. That may be true... or you may be fine.

Are the original iam AND ipt files all stored in the same folder? Where did the step file ipt files save (typically they just get saved at the same level as the iam which assuming your native ipt files were not in the same folder then they should all be ok still.

If the ipt files are all in different folders and haven't been saved over you simply need to do a save as with the original iam you still have open and it should be good.

Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

glotz_99 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:24:40 GMT

Yes that is correct. The original files and the files created from the step file are now in the same folder. If i save I'll get an error that says a later version of the has already been saved and to use the save copy as but when I do that it says the operation requires data that cannot be found.

Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

blandb — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:27:52 GMT

Do you have an "oldversions" folder in there? You can look at that, find the assembly, and there are options there, restore old version to current, open read only, etc...Does that help? Are you using vault? if so, just get the correct version from vault?

Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

glotz_99 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:29:27 GMT

I can still open and edit all of the parts inside the assembly but there is no way to save them now. If I try to save I get the not current version error and If I try save copy as I get an errror "this current operation requires data from "XX" document but it cannot be found.

Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

glotz_99 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:35:12 GMT

Yes, there is an "old versions folder" but I'm worried I'll lose alot of the work I've already done, (and even worse not be able to tell what changes have been made) We also don't use vault, which would have been handy in this situation.

Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

mcgyvr — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:44:27 GMT

@glotz_99 wrote:

Yes that is correct. The original files and the files created from the step file are now in the same folder.

"are now" in the same folder? Did you move the original ipt files before you did this screw up? If not then the original native ipt files are still in the folders they were in before. You also now have ipt files in the same folder as the assembly.

If I still understand correctly you just need to do a "save as" on the original (native) iam file and you should be good to go..

If not and the original ipt files are actually overwritten because they were in the same folder as the iam then you will need to get your files from old versions folder. I would copy that folder to a new folder and try to rebuild everything in that new/clean folder then you can move it back into the screwed up folder.

Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

glotz_99 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 15:05:55 GMT

Yea I believe everything was overwritten by the "dumb" step file converted files, so there is probably some originals in the "old versions" folder, and I'll try what you said to restore those. I was just wondering since I have the assembly file still open, is there no way to export everything to a new folder and then start working from there??

Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

mcgyvr — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 15:33:01 GMT

@glotz_99 wrote:

I was just wondering since I have the assembly file still open, is there no way to export everything to a new folder and then start working from there??

No.. The iam file just links to the ipt files and does not include them in itself. They are only currently retained in temporary memory.

You can certainly save the iam file to a new folder then move your old version ipt files into that folder to rebuild everything though.

Re: PLEASE HELP, I overwrite the files in the project folder.

glotz_99 — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 17:06:53 GMT

Thanks for everyone's help. I ended up just renaming the files in the old version folder, moved them into the project folder and then used the replace all command to bring in those files.