I have x6 on Win7-Enterprise, has worked well since upgrade from x5. All of a sudden, however, the program closed in the middle of usual tasks, and when I reopened the data base (which is on c drive c:\EndNote_db\main.enl, not in program folder), it would no longer sort properly.
I adjusted the sort order (Tools-Sort library) to repair to previous (author-date-ref id-no other), but database would only sort by Ref Type. All smart groups lost member records and displayed “0.” On reopening database again, it indicated “database locked or locked volume.” Any assistance is appreciated.
Do you have an intact .DATA folder or a compressed library backup somewhere? You can reconstruct a working library, if the data folder hasn’t been corrupted or moved independently from the .enl file. You could try following the “advanced recovery” description here:http://help.thomson.com/default.asp?portalid=tsc&refid=TS_ENDATABASEFAQ3 Otherwise I really think you need contact tech support. Their phone numbers are listed on the support site.
Thank you for your prompt response. “Recover library” with a recently-saved version restored libary with smart groups, and it functions normally again. So, the problem is resolved, but still wondering what might cause something like that.
If any sort of internal error occurs while data is being written, a database can become corrupted. That is why almost all database programs include some sort of utility for rebuilding or repairing the database. It is usually not because the user did anything wrong.
However if a library is stored in a folder that is set to be synchronized, the library can become corrupted. Also some backup programs can also cause the library to become corrupted. The library consists of an ENL file and a DATA folder, and the DATA folder contains a folder called RDB that has the MySQL files that are the reference data in an EndNote library. Some backup programs and synchronization programs modify the contents of the RDB folder, causing the library to become corrupted.
In general if your library is stored in the Documents folder or the Desktop, the chances of corruption taking place can be minimized.
I have the same problem on my X6 for the Mac. I tried everything you suggest – rebuilt the library twice – but it did not help. Do you have any other suggestion?