[Dropped] Recover recently deleted spreadsheet

[alexandra3]

Please HELP, anyone..
I am NOT an expert & I have OpenOffice 4 on a MAC. I accidental deleted a a spreadsheet file and I can NOT figure how to backup a few days not to lose all my important data.
Is there anyone who can HELP me?

I did tried, Tools, Options, Load/Save and nothing happened. I am so in need of help.

Edit: Changed subject, was How to backup OpenOffice 4 spreadsheet a few days???  Make your post understandable by others  -- MrProgrammer, forum moderator

[MrProgrammer]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I accidental deleted a a spreadsheet file and I can NOT figure how to [back up] a few days not to lose all my important data.

Maybe it's in the Trash: Q24: How do I restore OpenOffice files from backups?

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit ☐ button and add [Solved] to the start of the Subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

[alexandra3]

Please HELP, anyone..
I am NOT an expert & I have OpenOffice 4 on a MAC. I accidental deleted a a spreadsheet file and I can NOT figure how to backup a few days not to lose all my important data.
Is there anyone who can HELP me?

I did tried, Tools, Options, Load/Save and nothing happened. I am so in need of help.
Not in trash, as it was save on OpenOffice. I need to back up to few days??

[Hagar Delest]

Not in trash, as it was save on OpenOffice. I need to back up to few days??

What do you mean?
How did you delete the file? OpenOffice saves the file on your hard drive, it does not save it anywhere "inside" the application. Thus if you deleted the file with the delete key for example, it should have gone to the trash, except if you have a feature that definitively deletes it (I'm not a Mac user).
If you need to restore your documents to a previous state, you may have more luck in a Mac forum.

[robleyd]

Note: also asked on the Users mailing list, where Time Machine was also suggested.

[Lupp]

If you could find the deleted file(s) in your trash folder, the pursuit is over. Otherwise you deleted it (them) using a shortcut for permanent deletion (or a similar proceeding).

Files deleted using a system's file manager are marked "deleted", but not immediately overwritten automatically. In many cases they can therefore be recovered with the help of specialised software. This mainly if the system wasn't used much yet since the accidental deletion.

I would suggest to input

Code: Select all

recover files on a Mac even if deleted "permanently"

into your online search.

In a few cases on Win I used to use "recuva" years ago. There surely is similar software for Mac / OSX.

See also my post below which specialises on OpenOffice tools. (Unfortunately not so powerful.)

[robleyd]

Photorec is a similar application which is available for multiple platforms including Mac

[Lupp]

If you were well advised, in the >Tools>Options (or Preferences) for your OpenOffice, under Load/Save, the item "Always create a backup copy" is enabled.

If not so: Enable the option for the future.

If so, you have a backup of THE PREVIOUS STATE BEFORE THE LAST EDITING SESSION with your deleted OpenOffice file in the backup folder maintained by OpenOffice under the folder path shown under

>Tools>Options(Preferences)>OpenOffice>>Paths>>Backups

(By default this is the folder 'backup' contained in your user profile. )

Anyway you will need to re-create the "last-session-changes".

[keme]

You say that "... it was save on OpenOffice." this could mean a couple of things:

you start OpenOffice and see the icon for your file there.
If this is what you have been doing, the file is not "saved on OpenOffice" as such. It is saved into a designated folder in the storage device inside your computer (usually to the "Documents" folder) and the OpenOffice start-center application remembers the location of recently used documents. Sometimes, the startcenter "memory" (and also the corresponding "recent documents" entry on the File menu) is corrupted, and everything disappears from there. This does not mean that your file is gone. Open Finder, select the Documents entry (usually visible in the left pane), and you should find your spreadsheet there.

If you find your file icon in the startcenter/recent documents but get a message that your file is not found, it is probably deleted by accident. In that case, you should find it in the trashcan. The bin icon should be on your dock, or possibly on the desktop. Open the bin and restore your file from there.

If any of these descriptions match your situation, but you need more detailed advice on the procedure to locate and open your document, post back and tell us what you need help with.

You only kept the spreadsheet open in OpenOffice, and never saved it to a file
If this is your situation, your spreadsheet survives as long as you do not switch off or restart your computer. It will survive suspend/hibernation, but not a loss of power. You may have received a message that your computer required a restart (which typically happens as a part of major updates), with warning about active applications, and selected the option to "restart anyway".

If any of these descriptions match your situation, your work is most likely lost and beyond recovery.

[Lupp]

From your other (now closed) thread:

...I am NOT an expert, older woman, & I have OpenOffice 4 on a MAC.

I accidental deleted a a spreadsheet file and I can NOT figure how to backup a few days not to lose all my important data.
Is there anyone who can HELP me?
...

If you don't find a way to make use of the already posted help, additional posts here trying to help you won't be of much value.

You need to find somebody trustworthy in your neighbourhood with a bit more of experience in using computers and in using forums as well.
Show that person this thread and give the person access to your computer.

Additional informed questions by that person in this thread may be helpful.
Additional complaining may not.