How to recover missing groups

We have a library that had custom groups that organize the entries.  I changed the name of the database, and although all the entries are still there, the groups are gone!  Does anyone have any ideas as to what may have happened or how to get the groups back?

Did you also change the name of the associated .DATA folder?  I believe that is where the information is located.  You might also notice that you can’t open your attachments, in that case.  A new .DATA folder will be generated with not much in it.  Compare the rdb folder contents in the new name.DATA folder to that in the original .DATA folder and you will see that some files are much smaller. 

 

If you made any changes to the database though, you might not want to just rename the .DATA folder now.  It would be better to recreate your original library.enl file, by creating an empty file (using a text editor like wordpad or notepad) with the correct name matching the .DATA folder (and located in the same folder as the DATA folder, NOT IN THE .DATA folder) and then open that.  This will automatically recreate the contents in the library.enl file.  Now Edit>save copy to the new name and everything should be identical; groups, attachments, term lists, etc. 

Message Edited by Leanne on 07-14-2009 11:32 AM

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Thanks! I checked and it is true that I didn’t change the name of
the DATA file and the new file that was created has smaller files than the
first.

I’m getting confused about how to do the second part though, I
don’t know how to create an empty file using notepad, etc, so if you get a
chance could you help me with that? 

You could also use word.  Just make sure that you save it as a TEXT only file.  You want it to be absolutely empty.  On a Windows machine, Notepad is usually tucked away under Start>Programs>accessories.  Run that program and then with the blank document, File>Save  “the name of the original library”.enl in the same directory/folder as the “the name of the original library”…DATA folder resides.  Now navigate to that folder and double click on the newly created empty file.  Magically it will open with your complete library (I hope!). 

Message Edited by Leanne on 07-15-2009 01:50 PM

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Leanne, i can’t thank you enough, as my good friend drake would say, you the best.

Help

I made it like you said

but the groups are empty… How can I recover my references from my every group?

Thank you

not sure I know where you started.  If you have corrupted the .DATA file, this won’t work.  You need the original .DATA folder.  Details about what you did before losing your groups is required… to give you any advice.  (remember I am just another user, not a Endnote employee. 

Not sure I know where you started.  If you have corrupted the .DATA file, this won’t work.  You need the original .DATA folder.  Details about what you did before losing your groups is required… to give you any advice.  (remember I am just another user, not a Endnote employee. 

I didn’t corrupted the .DATA file

I just sent all references to trash (I didn’t know that all my references from my groups will disappear)

after that, from Trash, I selected all references and I use Restore to Library function

now, as you can see, all references are back to All References field, but my groups are empty

I ask you if I can recover my groups with references 

thank you very much

I would check with support.  I repeated a deletion of the files in a group to trash and had the same result.  It appears that the group information is not recovered when restoring the trash items to the library.  Sorry.  A back up is possibly the only way to recover from this in the present version of endnote…

Hi! I am having the same problem. I can recovery my library but the groups I had are lost. I have tried to do what yoy explained but doing wth the original .DATA name the new wordpad document saved as the name that the first .DATA when I open gives me again the damage massage. Should I do this after doing the recovery or before?

Thank you

before

HI

please help me.

I was trying to sort my ref. preparing my thesis and I have deleted the ref. from endnote web.

the groups are still there but empty.

also on the desktop, i cannot see any ref. left.

this is very critical as I am due to submit my thesis and trying to finalise the ref. list

Thanks

replied to the other post.  Better to start with one post as a new thread than posting randomly in other threads.