Restoring a lost .dm file? in BYOND Discussion

ID:136525
 
Sep 5 2002, 8:18 am
I turned on my computer today and fired up DM. I opened up my latest project, and boom: my 1000 line project was cut down to about 40 lines. I don't know how this happened, but I've lost my entire project that I've been working on for weeks now.

I've been chatting with Alathon, and he said that it was possible to extract the source-code from the .rsc file. Both the BYOND executable and the .rsc are intact from the original game (I think), so I'd like to know if this is infact true.

Is isn't the first time my file has been cut off in this project, although the other time it wasn't nearly as severe.
#1 Sep 5 2002, 10:05 am
Was that our new ...

The thing i've been drawing for weeks....

Ah krap good luck recovering it.
#2 Sep 5 2002, 12:24 pm
Malver wrote:
I turned on my computer today and fired up DM. I opened up my latest project, and boom: my 1000 line project was cut down to about 40 lines. I don't know how this happened, but I've lost my entire project that I've been working on for weeks now.

I've been chatting with Alathon, and he said that it was possible to extract the source-code from the .rsc file. Both the BYOND executable and the .rsc are intact from the original game (I think), so I'd like to know if this is infact true.

Is isn't the first time my file has been cut off in this project, although the other time it wasn't nearly as severe.

Geez, sorry to hear that. If this is in fact due to some BYOND bug, we'd better get to the bottom of it. Did the file just get truncated at 40 lines, or completely corrupted, or what? Maybe the program crashed while it was saving (although I would think you would be notified) .. I'll check to see if that would cause this corruption, and perhaps handle it more safely.

You can't extract the source-code from the .rsc (that just stores the icons, sounds, etc), but it may be possible to get a rough backup from the .dmb. Send your files to dantom@dantom.com. I can't make any guarantees here, so don't get your hopes up.

I also suggest searching your drive thoroughly for any backups you may have made, or that might have been created in this odd bug. The windows/tmp (or /tmp) directory is a good place to look.

After having had related problems in the past, I now make backups like a madman, and suggest that all of you do the same!
#3 Sep 5 2002, 12:48 pm
In response to Tom (#2)
Tom wrote:
Geez, sorry to hear that. If this is in fact due to some BYOND bug, we'd better get to the bottom of it. Did the file just get truncated at 40 lines, or completely corrupted, or what? Maybe the program crashed while it was saving (although I would think you would be notified) .. I'll check to see if that would cause this corruption, and perhaps handle it more safely.

Well, it was cut off at 160 lines, in the middle of a statement, too. The file isn't corrupted, and probably would compile fine (if there wasn't so many errors). There wasn't any crash, and I doubt that turning off my computer without the Start->Shutdown method would cause this, seeing as DM wasn't even open when I did this.

You can't extract the source-code from the .rsc (that just stores the icons, sounds, etc), but it may be possible to get a rough backup from the .dmb. Send your files to dantom@dantom.com. I can't make any guarantees here, so don't get your hopes up.

Ugh, that really sucks. I'll send you what I have, and I'll pray that I can get my work back. :)

I also suggest searching your drive thoroughly for any backups you may have made, or that might have been created in this odd bug. The windows/tmp (or /tmp) directory is a good place to look.

I never backup my work. I always knew that I'd regret it, and apparently now is such a time.

After having had related problems in the past, I now make backups like a madman, and suggest that all of you do the same!

Hah. The funny thing is, the night before this happened, I was considering backing up, too.
#4 Sep 5 2002, 1:06 pm
TOMS RIGHT!! the rsc only holds the icons and sounds I know I looked :). But hmm Tom may be able to rebyond compile it back to the source code. I was thinking of making a program for me after I looked into the Byond construction to see how they compiled it but there is no way im doing that. First off I think its illegal and DanTom could sue and for another it would take to long.
#5 Sep 5 2002, 11:18 pm
In response to Green Lime (#4)
Green Lime wrote:
But hmm Tom may be able to rebyond compile it back to
the source code...

What you mean is to 'de-compile' the program back into its source code.


I was thinking (scary) of making a program for me after
I looked into the Byond construction to see how they
compiled it but there is no way im doing that...

Learn how to make 'compliers' first - this is standard project stuff for people who are studying computer science degrees with programming majors in universities - before even thinking about building 'de-compilers'. You will need that education to even understand how to reverse engineer something like this...

And aside from the potential illegal aspects, such a tool *might* be useful for recovery purposes - be sure to talk to DanTom about it before making it public.