20 hours of work - GONE>>>VANISHED!!! HELP!!!!

[Ain't Skeer'd]

I was working on a map...did the crtl-L quick save...closed down and went to continue editing later, but there is nothing in the map. The file is still there, but it opens blank. HELP!!!!!! I did import 2 textures right before this happened into a folder called untitled...would that be the prob?

[:8: Captain Gillette]

Bummer man... that bites *** . Anyway, this happened to me once, and the reason it didn't work was that the map was saved in a different place than the editor. I was running the UnrealEd from my Unreal Classic folder, but the map was in my UT folder. I don't know if this is your problem, but it's the best suggestion I can give ya...

Best of luck!
Cap'n

[Latch]

I might suggest that, in future, you work on your map and name it with versions. ie DM-Mapname1-1, DM-Mapname1-2, etc etc so that you can go back to an earlier version if UEd munches your map. This saved me more than once. I would resave under a new name for every major addition I put in. By the time I released my first map, it was up to Mapname9-e (I used hex numbering instead of decimal). I would delete really old versions, but during the build process it was normal for me to have a dozen versions of my map on the hard disk 'just in case'.

[Ain't Skeer'd]

I fixed it!!! The new textures I created I imported into the map and told UEd to look in to the flder "Untitled" without adding that folder to my textures. I added it last night in a desperate attempt to retrieve my work and it worked. WHEW!!!!!!!!!!! I've got a LAN party tonight and this was the map we were all looking forward to. Thanks for the input, guys.

[Latch]

In hindsight, I also had this problem but with someone else's map that they wanted me to check out. If your map fails to load, look at the editor log. It will give you a clue as to why it barfed. You probably had a msg such as Failed to load package 'Untitled' or something like that in it.

[Ain't Skeer'd]

DUH!!! I didn't even think to look at the log...I knew that it had a purpose...
Next time, that will be the first place I go.
Thanks for the info.

[Bishop]

I think there should be a forum specifically for maps that have crashed and burned. I know for a fact we have all had maps go kablooie and while its frustrating it can be a healthy learning experience.