Disaster! All event xml files corrupted at once!

[jji666]

This is worse than when Godzilla first hit Tokyo. Somehow while I was using Xlobby, every event .xml file (both in the default skin and the main folder) became corrupted and causes Xlobby to crash on loading. The xlobby.xml and types.xml were also corrupted at the same time. But the skin and other .xml files were fine. The corrupted ones won't open in explorer or notepad and cause an immediate crash on XL startup.

Due to wanting to start on a clean slate, I actually wiped the system drive and reinstalled everything (replace the mobo too) because I'd had other instability issues creep up over the past year. But I was just wondering if anyone else had seen that issue? Luckily I had a backup from November which contained most of my basic navigation and launch events, but getting XL back up again to the point where it was before is a significant hassle. (I guess I should back it up more frequently).

But I was just wondering if anyone had ever seen this catastrophic event before? Steve and Wes, you might want to make sure that on a crash this much data cannot be lost, like perhaps some automatic backup of crucial data and rather than a .net error on launch, it goes to look at the backup xml files.

Argh!

[wesblack]

Yes,

I have seen this before. Which build were you using that this happened on. We have added some protection for this on the most rescent builds + we will be adding a backup utility that will back up xLobby to a seperate folder in which you can restore it if needed.




Wes Black \ Calrad

[S Pittaway]

If you want to do auto backups a simple way is call trigger a backup batch file when the splash screen is exited.

if something fails xlobby does not get past the splash screen so last "successful start-up" should still be stored.

I do something similar to backup my database files (i had problems with the movie database only being partially saved).

[jji666]

Thanks for the reply and the ideas. I'm no script guy and not a developer, but I've managed to get XL running to my satisfaction generally, subject to this pretty severe hiccup (and the fact that with the version I was using, the resource assignments on my buttons seemed to release all the time).

I was using one of the first paid versions of XL - it may have even been an October or November 2007 version, so I suspect anything much more recent would have prevented this problem. I just stayed away from later versions due to my "if it ain't broke" mentality and because others had mentioned problems with later builds. I am using the latest build now and am working back towards getting all the screens and events back. But those .xml files seem permanently lost.

Anyway, yes, I suggest that some sort of backup and restore/recovery scenario be built in. There is too much time invested in custom configurations to lose it all in a crash, because a reinstall of the basic package doesn't get you back to where you were.

[CiXel]

(i had problems with the movie database only being partially saved).

I've had that happen quite a bit unless I give the database screen 20 mins to rebuild everything.

Fortunately xDatabse keeps a copy around so I just swap that in place

[dalanik]

Once all my xml files (skin) were corrupted, when I view them with HexView, they were full of 255 character. Luckily, I keep backups. The best way is to backup WHOLE Xlobby folder, and then, on skin changes, backup only skin folder. That way you can always restore to latest version. I keep my backups on local NAS, on HTPC (on another logical disk), on my Flash Disk and WD Passport You can NEVER have enough backups!