Recover Source code *.for file

[michael_j_briggs]

I had a Fortran source code on my screen. It had been compiled, linked, and an executable run several times. I had repeatedly saved the source code *.for and the executable. When I came back from lunch, I went to re-compile and save it again. When I tried to compile it gave me an error message that the file did not exist. Now, the source code *.for file appears to have vanished. The workspace is still there and I believe I have all the files. The executable still works!

Is there a way I can retrieve the source code from any of the files that are left in the workspace? I can send youthe files I have if you would like to look at them.This is about 1-2 weeks lost labor and I had not printed the program as I was real close to finishing and was going to print then. I guess it never occurred to me to print in case the file was lost.

[Steven_L_Intel1]

Are you using Compaq Visual Fortran? There is a bug in Microsoft Developer Studio, included with CVF, that can cause source files to be deleted. Usually, what happens is that you get a message saying that the file is already open and cannot be saved. If you don't save the file under another name at that point, the file gets deleted. Microsoft developed a fix for it but did not publish it for general use and did not allow redistribution of the fix.

Unfortunately, there is no way to recover source from the other files.

All I can suggest is that you look for "disk recovery" utilities that can scan the blocks of the disk for particular content (if you remember some of the text in the source file.) This will work best if you don't use the disk further until you try to recover the data. Because of the way Developer Studio deletes the file, it would probably not appear in the Recycle bin. I gather that you have no backups of your disk?

[anthonyrichards]

First. look in the recycle bin.

Second, if you are using windows XP pro, you could try a system recovery to the day before your disaster, as XP stores system recovery points each day (usually!). To do this, you press on booting the system and go into safe mode then select recovery. There is plenty of info on doing this if you look on the MS site.

It worked for me on my daughter's laptop when she lost her desktop and appeared to have lost all her most recent files ( problem caused by failure or power off during an windows update, or something..we will never know).

If this works, the file will of course notcontain the edits you made on the day of failure. HTH.

[Steven_L_Intel1]

Don't get your hopes up. The XP "System Recovery" is for device drivers and registry settings, not user data files.