How do I undo a HORRIBLE deletion?

[MrHegemony]

In the midst of trying to write my script from two different locations, Celtx has deleted nearly all documents and folders that I hold dear to me from my computer and I don't know how to get them back.

Explanation: I both uploaded my screenplay privately and emailed the 'project.rdf' file to myself. I downloaded the screenplay just fine and then saved the 'project.rdf' file to the 'My Documents' folder. I then browsed and opened the 'project.rdf' file with Celtx just to see if it would work that way as well. As some of you probably know, it was horribly buggy (the script itself didn't work, although the characters and title page were fine). So I deleted the project from the Celtx open screen.

What I didn't know is that Celtx deletes the entire root folder and everything in it - not just the file you want to delete. And since I had last opened the 'project.rdf' file from the 'My Documents' folder - Celtx deleted everything in 'My Documents'! I went into my trash and discovered that only the 'project.rdf' file was in there - everything else in the "My Documents" folder is no where to be found.

Someone - ANYONE! - please help me restore my data! Celtx deleted a lot of very important, personal files!

If it helps, my OS is Windows XP Home Edition.

I really need help with this, because there was a lot of ridiculously important information that got deleted!

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

[spick]

The first thing to do is to not do anything at this point. minimize the use of your computer as the more time spent on it decreases your chances of recovering your files.

We'll investigate some file recovery options for you, which seems to be the only recourse at the moment. I'll get back to you ASAP.

Steve Pick
celtx.com

[spick]

I've sent you an email with more information to the address provided on the forum.

Steve

[nsfilms]

Steve,

Maybe this notice should be added to the Wiki?


DO NOT SAVE PROJECTS DIRECTLY TO MY DOCUMENTS. CREATE A SUBDIRECTORY THERE (EG: SCREENPLAYS) THEN SAVE ALL OF YOUR CELTX FILES THERE. REMOVING A PROJECT FROM CELTX REMOVES EVERYTHING FROM THE PROJECT'S DIRECTORY. IF YOU STORE PROJECTS IN MY DOCUMENTS, ANY DELETION FROM CELTX WILL DELETE YOUR ENTIRE MY DOCUMENTS CONTENTS.

Although I do believe this is mentioned somewhere in the manual / help files if I recall? I guess this would be a typical man problems since we seldom read directions until we've broken something.

As for this person's problem, you should be able to recover most of your files using an Undelete program. But at the very least this should teach you to do frequent data file backups.

[spick]

That would be a wise thing to do. This is the first time I've witnessed this issue.

I will have to do some careful testing to reproduce the issue but will ensure that once the steps are recreated, I'll be sure to add a warning to the wiki.

Cheers,

Steve Pick
celtx.com

[Keith Loh]

You should note that most beginning computer users save everything into their My Documents folder and it takes experience for them to realize that they need to create folders to organize things. I've seen this in my years as a support person. I look into someone's computer and to my horror I see a My Documents that is just an endless scroll of every file conceivable.