Corrupt files

[Jocelyn]

Some of my files will not open correctly. When I open the document I created last night, it opens a window that says ASCII Filter Options and I don't know what to select. Every thing I've tried opens like this:

############################################
###########################################
###########################################

Nonsense! And it's happened on a few others. It's very random.

Thank you to anyone that can help!

[RoryOF]

Nothing to be done, I fear. Look in the temporary OpenOffice directory, pointed to by /Tools/Options/OpenOffice.org:Paths. If there are temporary files of about the correct time with peculiar names such as fgxzry.tmp, move them elsewhere, rename as .odt, and try to open them.

You need to enquire why these files have corrupted. Did you close down your computer too fast? Were you using something like a media player? Often such file corruption comes from user error.

[Jocelyn]

Well they are on an external hard drive so maybe I shut it down too fast.... Thanks...

[RoryOF]

It is very possible; often it takes a few seconds to flush the file buffers on close down, or before removal of a USB device. It is also good practice (read:essential!) to always eject a USB using the correct procedure for the operating system; I know people often just whip out the lead or the device, but this is asking for trouble. The few seconds saved by whipping out instead of proper ejection are quickly lost if a rewrite becomes necessary,

[Hagar Delest]

For the record: 22 page term paper replaced with pound signs.