Hi,

I was working on a simple invoice database, populating a simple custom value list with custom values (not related or from field). When I tried the value list it said "<Value list missing>". So I went back to the value list set up screen and then BOOM "The file "<Unknown>" is damaged, please use recover, do you want to continue using this file ?"

So I tried recovering the file, the recover went fine but the result was the same. The file opens, define field and define relationships are ok but whenever I try accessing the value list setup the file crashes. And if I say "Yes" continue working with this file, FMP freezes.

I'm looking for a way to remove the value list. As you can imagine I dont really feel like redoing the whole thing... I tried to save a clone of the db but the result is the same. I tried opening the file as text but the format is too weird for me to know what part to remove. Is there a way to remove the value list ? A utility or something ?

All help is greatly appreciated,

Thanks

Hmm, I was going to suggest that clone idea, but it looks like you tried.

The only other thing I could recommend is try opening on another platform, maybe it won't freeze. If that doesn't work, thy opening it of a FM server.

If that doesn't work, contact FileMaker Inc.

If that doesn't work, get really drunk.

Those are good ideas but since the db didn't contain any records (still in dev) and it's never a good idea to use a corrupted db... I started over instead of trying to repair it. Thanks to my exemplary extensive documentation (which almost makes up for my less than exemplary backup routine !) it wasn't too painful and took a little more than an hour.

3 things to learn from the experience :

- Backup often (even in dev)

- Make clone backups as well (sometimes the layouts, scripts and value lists are more valuable than the data)

- Extensive documentation might make you easier to replace as an IT employee but it actually DOES help you sometimes :-)

That said, I'll get drunk anyway...

I've had this happen to me more than once. Never did pinpoint the cause, but both cases were multi-user, FileMaker 3. In one case, the value lists would show up, but the names had been replaced with "x." Each value list was named "x." And all the values were there, but one list in particular could not be deleted and caused the computer to lock up every time I tried. Cheers.

Just had the same thing happen to me - don't really want to start over again - even the day's work will be a pain to re-create. What happens if it does it again? Surely there is a solution to this.

--magilla

It might be a corrupt layout rather than the value list. Try deleting the whole layout and recreating it.

Version 7 will fix that problem with the recover command.