Oh, SELF, I AM HAT U

[darsynia]

Oh no.

NO NO NO.

JUST...

*sob*

Dear self,
BACK YOUR SHIT UP FOR THE LOVE OF PURPLE ANTEATERS.

No love,
You.

Worked on Big Bang last night. Copied a section to send to someone then went to bed, forgetting it was highlighted. Woke up this morning to the 'please restart for software update to be complete' and went to close everything and save.

When I went back to the file, there was a nice shiny blank spot where the section used to be.

I must have hit enter when it was still highlighted.

NOW (hubby told me about it just now) I know about 'track changes' which lets you backtrack to previous versions but since I can't activate it retroactively? NOT HAPPY. I already cut out a huge section that wasn't working, so I'm like, seriously down in my word count. With an important check-in on TUESDAY.

I'm going to go eat lunch. NOT HAPPY.

ETA: I had MS Word up in the title but really pretty much any word processor would have had the same result. Computers aren't psychic, heh. *facepalm*

Comments

[inkscribe.livejournal.com]

MS Word is notoriously unstable -- but in different ways on different operating platforms, so I'm sure they'll claim these are 'features', not bugs. ;-)

The person you sent the section to -- was it via email, IM, IRC ??? You can often retrieve through the history or sent files part of those applications.

I personally use Scrivener (on Mac) and then only if I absolutely must put a document into MS Word, I export (or even just copy and paste) into it at that time. However, for straight composing, applications like Scrivener (designed for writing, notes, organising, etc. for writers) are worth their weight in gold. There are similar apps out there on the PC side, too -- many are free or practically free, created by and for writers because of the many limitations working with MS Word imposes on the writer.

Good luck!

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

I actually love Word normally--I have the latest Mac version of it, and that version has pretty much gotten rid of most of what I'd hated about it before--but, really, it's not Word's fault here, it's all mine. I should probably change the title, heh.

I didn't actually send it, is the worst part. I copied it, went to paste it into mail, but they had to log off, and I decided it would be a good idea to go to bed, too. I was so tired I think I even forgot to log off of AIM.

Thanks for the suggestion, though! *runs off to correct her title, as it's kind of... unfair, heh*

[inkscribe.livejournal.com]

Okay, so the next question is: did you restart your computer in the meantime?

If not, then what you copied should still be in memory (I forget what the technical term for where/how it is being 'held' as long as the computer remains active -- yes, I'm geeky but today I'm a tired geek) ... open a blank document and paste it.

re: your ETA -- Yes, I realise this isn't Word's fault in this instance, but no, not all word processors are created equally. Not by a long shot. Ask any technical writer about Adobe's ongoing refusal to reissue Framemaker for the Mac platform and you will hear ranting that will make one of Rodney McKay's tirades seem shy and withdrawn in comparison. ;-)

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

Yeah, software update asked me to restart, otherwise I wouldn't have had the problem, cause I wouldn't have quit the programs. I did try that pretty much the second I realized what had happened, but yeah, too late. Thanks again for your suggestions--they'd be helpful, except for where I'm so totally screwed, heh.

*weak smile*

[inkscribe.livejournal.com]

No worries -- I didn't realise you were in the midst of a software update. My bad.

Of course, the only response one can have to being totally screwed is to write pron. *cheerleads you back to pron*

*g*

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

Hee, I wish I could write pron! I have to work on the big bang to catch up to where I was, and then catch up to where I should be, heh.

I have lots of pron plots percolating, though...

/me takes her alliteration and absents herself

[inkscribe.livejournal.com]

A plethora of pron plots percolating?

*g*

runs and hides now

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

Precisely!

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

OH NO!!!!!!!!! Oh honey! Oh my stars!!!

Can you get the section from the person you sent it to?


Gabrielle

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

I wish :( But I didn't actually ever paste it :(

I keep reminding myself that I was kind of vaguely unhappy with that section anyway, but I'm now nearly 20,000 words from the minimum word count I need and I was a lot closer yesterday and closer still last week.

BUT. I remember the general idea. So I'll just write it better this time. *nods tremulously*

[wizardriddle.livejournal.com]

*takes advice and backs up files*

That has happened to me so many times, it's not even funny. :(

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

Yeap, been a while, that was a mistake! *headdesk*

[iadorespike]

Awwwww, Darsy. :( So sorry about this. Things like this are a good reason to go back to bed. :(

*snuggles you*

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

Heh, I took a four hour nap this afternoon and had the weirdest dreams cause I fell asleep plotting the story! I woke up wondering where my intentional plotting left off and the dream began... I'm pretty sure Beckett wasn't propositioning me in the hallway!

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Ouch -- major suckage.