Inkscape

Inkscape did not save my file

Asked by Ram Lars

First time using Inkscape. I was creating a graphic art and it took me a few hours to finish. I distinctly remember saving it with a file name and kept on saving all throughout the process. There's an exported PNG of my efforts. After closing Inkscape and saving again, I was confident that I had the file.

However when I opened Inkscape again, I could not locate the save file. I looked at the recent documents on the program and it's not even there. The only other item there was an AI file that I used to grab a vector art.

I checked in the windows recent items, I saw a link pertaining to the file I saved.

Searched for it, even for the recovery filenames. I even tried undelete programs just to see if I accidentally deleted the file.

So out of curiosity, I deleted the AI file that I also edited in Inkscape. End result, the filename still exists in the Recent documents in the program but can't be opened because it's missing. How is it possible that Inkscape can't remember a project that I've labored on for a few hours?

I can go back and redo the whole thing but I really don't like wasting more hours on it.

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Hachmann (marenhachmann) said : 		#1

Hi Ram Lars,

this certainly sounds strange and annoying :-(

Could it be possible that you have saved your work under the .ai file name? And then deleted it?

Or put differently:
Are you sure that you have given Inkscape a file name and folder where to save the image as Inkscape SVG file, with an .svg file extension? And that the folder you selected in the 'Save' dialog is not a temporary folder, that will be emptied on every boot of the computer? And that you had permission to save there (i.e. it wasn't some other user's folder, or a system folder, or otherwise write-protected)?

If you just open a file, and then save it again, Inkscape will keep the name and file format, if that's possible.
Up to now, I have never encountered a case where Inkscape did not save the file and gave no warning about saving being impossible.

Can you try if you can reproduce the problem?

Kind Regards,
 Maren

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Ram Lars (raxus) said : 		#2

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I clicked the File menu and then save. I just noticed now that if I do that, nothing happens. The title bar still says New Document. Still I'm pretty sure I saved it in a folder along with the output file. I also did an undelete, everything can be recovered. Some files even days old. I'll try to check again because every document I open now is New Document 1 which might mean that there is a New Document somewhere. I just can't find it even with search.

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Hachmann (marenhachmann) said : 		#3

Hi Ram Lars,

every empty new file you start in Inkscape is called 'New Document 1'. This is the default name. If you open a second file along, then that one is called 'New Document 2'.
As long as it's empty, or has just been saved and no new changes have been made, Inkscape will tell you (in the status bar): "No changes need to be saved".

When there are changes, and you're saving for the first time, Inkscape will open a dialog that asks you where to save the file.

Is this different for you?

Kind Regards,
 Maren

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Ram Lars (raxus) said : 		#4

When I click save in file menu or ctrl+s I remember no dialog popping up. Which is why i clicked save as and saved in the folder where the output was also generated. I tried a while ago to click file then save, nothing happens.

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Hachmann (marenhachmann) said : 		#5

Can you try again?

Do it like this:

- Open Inkscape.
- Draw a circle.
- Click on File -> Save

Now, what happens? Do you get a dialog?

If you get one:
Select a filename, select a folder where you want to save.
Make sure the file type in the dropdown at the bottom of the dialog says 'Inkscape SVG'.

Is the file available on your system after you click on 'Ok'?

Kind Regards,
 Maren

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Launchpad Janitor (janitor) said : 		#6

This question was expired because it remained in the 'Open' state without activity for the last 15 days.