Publisher afbook File type not supported

[vikingtone]

I finished a 664 page book, yesterday, and output a PDF (I can send it if you like  -  108Mb)  The person I made it for wanted a couple of fixes, so I tried to open the afbook file this morning. As I say, I finished the book Yesterday.

And now Publisher says it doesn't recognise its own file format.

I am really getting fed up fighting this thing.

I tried just double clicking the file, and I tried opening the file from within the app. Same result.

So, I suppose, I rebuild the book?

Fantastic,

 

Do I sound upset?  well, yes, because I really really am.

sincerely

 

[walt.farrell]

Do you really have those + signs in the directory name and the 4 spaces before JOHN SLUSAR ALL?

Those are unusual characters to have in a pathname, so perhaps renaming those directories so they don't have those characters, or moving the .afbook file to a location with a simpler name would help?

Just a guess in case it will help...

[vikingtone]

Thanks Walt.  I have had that arrangement of weirdness in the folder for 20 (I'm guessing) plus years. It's never been a problem before.  It wasn't a problem when I created the book file, and opened and closed it numerous times to make fixes. Right up until the 'final' output yesterday. It's just never been an issue with any file or any program.  Even Publisher was just fine, until this morning.

 

thanks again

t

 

[walt.farrell]

You're welcome.

[vikingtone]

OK, this is even weirder.

I rebuilt the book, saved the  afbook file, and exported the PDF.  I closed the book, quit Publisher.

I then opened the afbook file  -  with no problems. So I quit and re-opened the book file a number of times,  no problems.

 

I don't understand  -  but it looks like the perfectly good, earlier afbook file was somehow corrupt ???  but anyway the new one now works (or, works today, anyway.)

 

So, I can only hope that the afbook file continues to be OK.   I also think the error message of 'file type not supported,' is really misleading.  But, as I have things on the level again I guess this thread can be marked as 'resolved'  and  'miraculous.'  Thanks again to walt.farrell, and anyone else who wondered what was up, 

 

take care all,

t

 

[walt.farrell]

2 minutes ago, vikingtone said:

I also think the error message of 'file type not supported,' is really misleading. 

If the file is corrupted, it may be damaged enough that the application cannot even confirm that it is a .afbook file. So all it knows is that it is some kind of file that it can't open.

[vikingtone]

Yep, I do agree.

Though how it got itself immolated between working on it last night, and being OK, to toast this morning......   I just couldn't guess. But I suppose   **it happens.

The 'buttered side down' clause usually means your important files are the ones which corrupt.

I would say, though, that rebuilding the book was simplicity, as I'd manually created consolidated files.  140, compressed to 11, so the book building is a cinch

 

cheers

t

 

 

 

 

[markw]

I wonder, did you have the original, and now corrupted file, on any form of removable drive?
Or in a location linked to a Cloud storage/syncing service?
In the past these have caused many posts here about files no longer opening, with cryptic warnings similar to yours.

And whilst it’s unfortunate this happened, it’s good to hear that you have a workflow that’s robust enough to withstand the app falling down like this!

[vikingtone]

Thanks for that markw,    now that is really interesting.

I hate to use the term 'workflow' as I am a septuagenarian hobbyist  -  but anyway, my workflow involves always having all my 'work' files on external disks.  4 of them adding up to 4Tb.  I don't have a big enough HD on my Mac mini, so, for 20 odd years I have worked with all of my data files on externals.  I leave my HD to cope with nothing other than System, Apps, Downloads and immediate stuff like Photos, music & such.  All of my data is only on externals.  All duplicated.

If externals may be 'tricky' then that's a problem for me.

But, having said that, I have been using Publisher, Photo, Designer for a few years now (since Adobe became unaffordable, frankly) and this mornings problem was the first issue I have had.  So, although I reckon that's a very interesting possibility, I would say it's been a non-problem, until potentially, today.

I will have to live with the danger of it being a possible problem, because I don't have the possibility of having my data on my main HD.

Thanks again for the input  -  very interesting

t

 

[walt.farrell]

Unfortunately, if a file is corrupted while you're writing it it's hard to be sure the Save operation worked.

It can be done for a normal file (.afphoto, .afdesign, or .afpub) with a sequence like this:

1. Assuming you started with a file named file.afpub, do a Save As to file2.afpub. You are now working in file2.afpub, and your original file.afpub was not changed and can serve as a backup (but with work missing, probably).
2. Save As again, to file3.afpub. You are now working in file3.afpub.
3. File > Open and open file2.afpub. If it works, then file2.afpub was properly saved, and you can close and delete file3.afpub.

You can do something similar with .afbook files, but I haven't played with it much. I think the steps are right, but perhaps not optimal.

If you do this, though, I would be very careful not to actually do anything in the duplicate file as both books will be using the same chapter .afpub files, which is not a safe situation.

1. Starting with file.afbook, Save As file2.afbook (from the Book panel settings menu).
2. Unlike with a .afpub file, you now have both file.afbook and file2.afbook open in the Books panel.
3. Do another Save Book As from the Books panel, and save as file3.afbook.
4. Switch to file2.afbook and Close it.
5. From the Books panel, Open file2.afbook again. If it opens, you can close/delete file3.afbook and file.afbook.

[vikingtone]

Thanks again Walt.  I did something similar, but not as rigorous, this morning.  Did a 'save' from books menu, did a 'save as'  from books menu.  As far as I could tell I was now working in the second file, and I did not see that there were 2 book files open.  I finished, exported PDF then quit everything. I could open file 1, so then quit, and I opened file 2 and it was also fine, so quit. I checked the creation time, and replaced the 'unfinished' file 1 with file 2.  I opened it again, and it was fine.

I wonder what the morning will bring     I am hoping nothing, as I hope the project is complete.

 

cheers

t

 

 

[R C-R]

5 hours ago, vikingtone said:

If externals may be 'tricky' then that's a problem for me.

They are working on improving working directly on files stored on externals, but for now they the best way to avoid potential corruption issues from doing this is to copy the file(s) you want to work on to the local internal drive, do all your work locally on that, & once done copy everything back to external & delete the local copies.

A real PITA but better than having to redo everything from scratch.

[vikingtone]

Sounds like good advice.  Thanks for that, I hope it is sorted at some point,

 

cheers

t