Overcopied a Document

[undiscovered country]

Hi everybody,

Two days ago, I unconsciously over copied a document with another document so lost the content of the document I over copied (it now has the content of the document I over copied it with). I did this with both the copy on my computer and the one on my USB.

Is it possible in any way to recover the material from the document I over copied?

I use the 6.4 version of Libre Office and windows 10.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all.

[robleyd]

If you have enabled Always create a backup copy via Tools | Options | Load/Save | General then look in the path set for backups under Tools | Options | LibreOffice | Paths.

[undiscovered country]

Thanks robleyd,

Could you tell me what I need to do after I get to paths? Thanks. I've tried to send a screenshot, but it doesn't seem to have come up.

Much appreciated.

[Zizi64]

I've tried to send a screenshot, but it doesn't seem to have come up.

The maximal file size of the attachments is 128 KiB in this forum.

Use a partial screenshot and/or optimize the image before you upload it here:
- Crop the unrelevant parts,
- Use .png file type,
- Use 64 (or less) color only,
- Decrease the resolution if these modified properties are not enough to a smaller file size.

You can achieve this mofifications by a free image manager/editor software like the IrfanView.

[undiscovered country]

Thanks Zizi64,

Much appreciated.

[robleyd]

Once you get to Paths you will see where LibreOffice is se to store backups. You'll then need to use Windows File Manager, or File Explorer or however called in your version of Windows to navigate to that directory and see if there is a relevant backup there; note that it will have the file extension .bak You should see something like this - although the path names will be different on Windows:

lo_paths.png (32.62 KiB) Viewed 7775 times

If you haven't changed the default backup location, it will probably be a hidden folder and you'll need to tell Windows to display hidden folders..

Once you have found a backup copy, open it with LibreOffice, but make sure you Save As to your normal documents directory and with the appropriate file extension.

[undiscovered country]

Thanks, so much robleyd.

Your patience and detail are much appreciated. I'm onto it.

[Mountaineer]

...be a hidden folder ...

For Win10 you can enter %APPDATA% as folder, it will go there, even if it is hidden. Then click LibreOffice and follow to the backups.

PS: It is a wise configuration to include %APPDATA% in Backups of user-data.

[undiscovered country]

Thanks Mountainer and again thanks to all who have answered. You all make this a satisfying place to go when computer headaches crop up.

All of your information has been detailed and clear. It's my lack of computer nous that trips up my progress. I have gone through all the steps you suggested robleyd. I stumble when I get to paths. I see the backup path. It's the '[u]navigating to that directory[/u]' that is not clear to me. I wrote down the path because it wouldn't copy and then wrote it in to search my documents and other folders but it said couldn't find. Is this correct?

What am I doing wrong? Sorry, to be such a dope!

[robleyd]

You don't want search; in later Windows there is an address bar, but as far as I can tell that isn't an option in Win8. There is a list of folders in the left pane of File Explorer? Use that to move around the folder structure perhaps. All else fails, see if you can get basic Windows help from your friends or neighbours.

[LastUnicorn]

I'll try a previous explanation just worded in a different way and with different steps:

1. Copy the following word (in red and including the percentage marks) into your clipboard: %APPDATA%
2. Now paste that into the Address Bar in Widows Explorer and, once it is pasted hit the Enter key on the keyboard.
3. This will cause Explorer to show your AppData\Roaming folder for the user currently logged in to the system.
4. In that (Roaming) folder look for the folder titled LibreOffice.
5. Open that (LibreOffice) folder, then open the 4 folder, then open the user folder.
6. You should now see your backup folder — open that to see your backups.

[robleyd]

Bugrit, millennium hand an' shrimp

I keep reading the sig which says Win8 but first post says otherwise. Please please update your signature to reflect your current operating system and office version..

[LastUnicorn]

Mmm...

If you really are on Windows 10 then you can paste the following into Windows Explorer Address Bar, then hit the Enter key, and it should take you straight to the backup folder: %APPDATA%\LibreOffice\4\user\backup

This works on my own Windows 10 system.

[undiscovered country]

Hi everyone,

I finally got into the backup files! One of those things, for me that is a bit of a hassle when I'm not familiar with it, but easy when I know how.

I pasted the symbols and words LastUnicorn sent, and as he said the backup files came up straight away. Alas, the file I lost is not there. There were other backup files there, with 'BAK file' written after them. They are recent files, because after the problem with my file I found out with the help on this forum, how to backup my files and did it two days ago. The problem seems to be that I didn't back up my files before.

Having said all that, even when my files are backed up, if I over copy a document, as the backup seems to copy the latest version of each document, would that not mean that the original content would still not be on the file?
Anyway, unless there are other ways to retrieve an overcopied document then I can call this problem solved. I, at least know how to backup my files and look for them if needed.

As you may have noticed,I have updated my signature.

Thanks to Zizi64, mountaineer, robleyd and LastUnicorn. All of your efforts together helped me. Much appreciated.

[Hagar Delest]

Having said all that, even when my files are backed up, if I over copy a document, as the backup seems to copy the latest version of each document, would that not mean that the original content would still not be on the file?

Yes. But at least you won't lose the whole file, just the last edits following the previous save.

Usually, files are not really overwritten directly. Try an undelete utility like PhotoRec that may be able to retrieve something.

[LastUnicorn]

If you find PhotoRec difficult to use (I do) then try Recuva – easy to use. Just download the Free Version, that should be fine. If you are using a hard-disk drive then chances of recovery are relatively good if the file hasn't been overwritten. If you are using an SSD – well with testing I have never been able to recover a usable file from an SSD. And that testing was done using both PhotoRec and Recuva.

[LastUnicorn]

Now that you have some attention on 'backups' you might find the extension Timestamp Backup useful. Once the extension is installed to your LibreOffice you have the option to at the same time (simultaneously) make a Save of a file you are working on and automatically make a copy of the file you are saving, with that backup copy having a 'timestamp' in the file name. (The timestamped copy will be placed in your LibreOffice 'backup' folder.) However, to do that you need to either use (menu) File > Save and Timestamp-backup or click the Timestamp Backup icon that gets added to your toolbar.

To read a little about Timestamp Back see this webpage: https://extensions.libreoffice.org/en/e ... amp-backup However, do not download the extension from there as the latest version is not posted at that page.

To get the latest version of the extension (currently v1.2.2) download from here: http://www.flowcont.hu/LO_oxt_store/

Hope this helps for the future.

[Zizi64]

...and you can download the latest version of the extension from my son's (Levente Kovács) site:

https://kovleventer.com/

[undiscovered country]

Thanks Hagar Delest

My problem is that all the information I had on document A has been overwritten with all the info I had on document B. I now have two versions of doc B; one on doc B and one on doc A. The original info of doc A is all gone. I'm trying to get the original info on doc A back. It's all gone, everything on it, and has been totally replaced with all the info on doc B; it is now, essentially the same doc as doc B, with only the name different. I'm not sure how I accomplished this amazing feat. I am usually very careful about things like this. My aim is to somehow get doc A to again show its original content. You have given me some hope and thanks for the recommendation about Photorec.

LastUnicorn,

Thanks a lot for the link to 'recuva'. I have it running at this moment. As I mentioned, the problem is an overwritten document, but I live in hope. Thanks, also for the tip and link to Timestamp Backup. I set the regular backup for my files about two days ago on the advice from this forum. Now, every time I save a doc its name appears twice. One as the doc, and one it seems as a backup version. It has '.-lock' at the beginning, followed by the doc name. I have checked my backup files and all those with 'lock' before their name appear to be backed up. I'm very grateful for the timestamp link but wonder if it is necessary if I already have backup.

Thanks so much. Your help has been very practical.

Zizi64,

Your link and help are much appreciated.

One thing I don't understand is that although I can access this thread when I click my user name on this site, I can no longer see the thread anywhere in the general discussion forum where I posted my problem. It's not a biggie, because I can still access it and it looks like everybody else can, because I am still getting replies. I just wondered why it cannot be seen in the forum, now? Maybe it's a problem with my computer.

Thanks to all. I promise an update on this most enthralling saga!

[robleyd]

One as the doc, and one it seems as a backup version. It has '.-lock' at the beginning, followed by the doc name.

These are lock files, intended to show that the file has been opened and by whom. This is important in multi user environments to stop multiple users simultaneously opening and editing the same file. Those files are automatically created in the file's directory when you open a file, and deleted when you close the file; they have nothing to do with backups which as you have seen are stored elsewhere.

I can access this thread when I click my user name on this site, I can no longer see the thread anywhere in the general discussion forum where I posted my problem.

Short answer - the topic was moved by a moderator to a more appropriate forum, Install, Setup & Troubleshooting - MS Windows. You can see where you are in the forum via the breadcrumb menu at the top of each page, as shown in the screen capture below.

breadcrumb.png (41.5 KiB) Viewed 6876 times

[undiscovered country]

Thanks robleyd,

I'm clear on both of those points now. However, when I check my backup files it does appear that the latest edits are being backed up every day. They started being backed up from about the 27th Aug when I clicked the backup copy option. They all have Bak written under the type of file. Yet, there is one backup file that was backed up earlier than that date and that is dated 23rd, but my options of opening it are limited to apps that can't open it. I can't use libre office writer.

LastUnicorn,

I downloaded Recuva, and ran it. Half a dozen files came up as overwritten files. They are all described as being poor in quality and one described as very poor. All the file names are written in gobbledegook (various symbols instead of proper alphabetical lettered names). Furthermore, like with the file mentioned above to robleyd, when I try to open those files, my choices are limited to apps which can't open the file. I can't use libre office writer

Thanks again.

[robleyd]

my options of opening it are limited to apps that can't open it. I can't use libre office writer.

Yes you can. Double clicking a file is not the only way to open it. Right click the file, select Open With and find Writer. Or open Writer and use File | Open from the menu. Or even open LibreOffice control center or whatever it is called and use File | Open; LibreOffice is smart enough to analyse a file and determine which if any of its applications are suitable to open it.

[undiscovered country]

Hi Robleyd,

When I click 'open with', neither 'writer' or 'open writer' come up as options. Only apps that can't open it come up, like wordpad, notepad (all I get is goobledegook when I open with those two) and the others like adobe, Internet explorer, windows media player are unable to open it. There is no option to open it with Libre office. If I click 'open with' I only have the options they give me, which are all no use.

Thanks. My apologies.

[RoryOF]

If it is an .odt file or any of the .ODF equivalents, try to open it with the system archive manager, or WinZip or 7zip. If that will not open it, forget it.

[robleyd]

There is no option to open it with Libre office

Do what I said - Or even open LibreOffice control center or whatever it is called and use File | Open Just use the LibreOffice application icon to open LibreOffice, then use Open from the File menu at the top. Or you could open LO Writer and do the same.

[Hagar Delest]

Or merely change the extension to .odt.

[undiscovered country]

Thanks robleyd, RoryOF, and Hagar Delest.

I did manage to open it with Libre Office Writer like you suggested robleyd, unfortunately, instead of the normal content, it displays a lot of meaningless symbols. It might not even be the document I lost, anyway.

I think I should give you guys a rest. Thanks to everybody who contributed help. I did manage to find my backup files, learn how to backup my files, how to recover lost files and how to open them. So, progress has been made, although in my case, very slow. I think I have enough info to continue to tinker myself regarding this issue.

I will keep the thread open and maybe bump it in a week or two. However, I think retrieving content off a document that has been overwritten and then saved with other content, seems near impossible.

Thanks, once more to all who contributed help on this thread. It is much appreciated.

[RoryOF]

"Meaningless symbols" usually indicates either a corrupted file, or more usually a file whose content Libre-/Open-Office does not understand - often a .PDF file in some form of disguise.

[undiscovered country]

Thanks RoryOF,

It only states 'file' under type of file. There are other back up files that have come up. I am in the process of checking them, too.