The information in this article applies to:
QUESTION
My Chief Architect or Home Designer file was here yesterday, but today it seems to be missing. Where is the first place I should look for my missing plan or layout* file?
*Layout files are only available in Chief Architect Premier, Chief Architect Interiors and Home Designer Pro.
ANSWER
Chief Architect programs save files to the location on your computer that you have chosen to save them; the program cannot delete files from your system.
In this article, we will discuss how to check your Recycle Bin/Trash and search your operating system for lost or missing Chief Architect files. If you're unable to locate the original file you were working on, you may be able to locate a backup of the file within the Chief Architect or Home Designer Archives.
To check your deleted items in the Recycle Bin/Trash
- Oftentimes, "lost" files are files that have simply been deleted - either accidentally or intentionally. Check your Windows Recycle Bin or Trash.
Youshould check your Recycle Bin/Trash immediately, as continued write activity increases the possibility of an unrecoverable loss.
- For more information on the Recycle Bin/Trash, please see the appropriate link for your operating system below.
Not all versions of Chief Architect will be supported on every operating system listed above.
Please check the System Requirements for your version of Chief Architect or Home Designer if you have any questions as to whether or not your version is supported under your operating system.
The third party information presented in this document was verified at its writing, however, it's subject to change.
If the missing or lost files cannot be located in your operating system's Recycle Bin or Trash, it is possible they haven't been deleted, but may be at a different location then you initially checked. Use the search function in your operating system to locate them.
To search for files on Windows
- Open File Explorer by clicking the File Explorer icon on your taskbar.
- In the upper right of the Explorer Window, there is a Search box. The search will look in all the folders and sub folders in the current location.
- Try searching for the exact name of your lost file.
- To pull up only files with the .plan extension, type in*.plan
- To pull up only files with the .layout extension, type in*.layout
*Layout files are only available in Chief Architect Premier, Chief Architect Interiors and Home Designer Pro - Sort by the Date Modified in order to quickly locate the most recent files.
- To learn more about searching your Windows computer for files, please see the link below.
To search for files on macOS
- Click on the Spotlight tool (Magnifying glass) located in the top right corner of the menu bar.
- Type in .plan to search for plan files.
- Scroll down and click on the Search in Finder option to show every plan file and its location on your system.
- To learn more about searching for files on a Mac, please see the appropriate link below.
Accessing the archives
If you encountered a power failure or forced system restart before you were able to save your most recent changes in the file, you may be able to locate a recent backup which has much of the data still saved in it.
To learn more, please see the "Accessing Your Archive Files" resource in the Related Articles section below.
Archive files are meant to be for emergency use only and should not be used as your primary backup method for plan and layout files.
If you do not already have a backup system in place, please see "Backing up Chief Architect Content" in the Related Articles section below.
Seek professional assistance
If you are not able to access your hard drive, or if you are unable to find your missing data, contact a computer professional in your area.
Alternatively, use another computer to search the Internet for a data recovery expert, as you may be experiencing a hard drive failure resulting in data loss that could become more serious as time goes on.
For future reference on how Chief Architect recommends organizing your files, please see the "Organizing your Plan and Layout Files" linked in the Related Articles section below.
FAQs
Press the Windows key, enter Windows File Recovery in the search box, and then select Windows File Recovery. When you are prompted to allow the app to make changes to your device, select Yes. There are 2 basic modes you can use to recover files: Regular and Extensive.
How to find a missing folder in a computer? ›
Check File Explorer Options: Open File Explorer, click the View tab and check if the Hidden Items option is selected. If not, click this option to enable the display of hidden files and folders. This may make missing folders visible. 4.
How can you locate a file or folder from the computer? ›
Search File Explorer: Open File Explorer from the taskbar or right-click on the Start menu, choose File Explorer and then select a location from the left pane to search or browse. For example, select This PC to look in all devices and drives on your computer, or select Documents to look only for files stored there.
How do I find a missing file system? ›
- From the desktop, press the Windows + X shortcut key combination.
- In the menu, select Command Prompt (Admin). ...
- On the User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click Yes.
- In the command prompt window, type SFC /scannow and press Enter .
On your phone, you can usually find your files in the Files app . If you can't find the Files app, your device manufacturer might have a different app. Learn how to get help for your specific device.
How do I find lost programs on my computer? ›
Looking for a long-lost app or program? There are several ways you can find what you need. Select Start , and then scroll through the alphabetical list on the left (if your Start screen is set to show as full screen, select All apps, and then scroll through the list).
How do I find a lost hidden folder? ›
Select the Start button, then select Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization. Select Folder Options, then select the View tab. Under Advanced settings, select Show hidden files, folders, and drives, and then select OK.
What is the lost found folder? ›
The lost+found folder contains orphan documents identified by a maintenance task that runs every night. The maintenance task runs on all the AODocs libraries on your domain. It checks that all documents and folders in your libraries have a parent folder that belongs to AODocs.
How do I find a missing folder on my hard drive? ›
Here's how you can find missing files on your external hard drive:
- Open File Explorer and right-click on your external hard drive.
- Select Properties > View.
- Click on Show hidden files, folders, and drives.
- Click Apply > Ok.
Oftentimes, "lost" files are files that have simply been deleted - either accidentally or intentionally. Check your Windows Recycle Bin or Trash. You should check your Recycle Bin/Trash immediately, as continued write activity increases the possibility of an unrecoverable loss.
The find command starts the search from the current directory, including all its subdirectories.
How to find missing files in computer? ›
Tip: If you don't remember the exact file or folder name or its location, you can search for it by typing part of the name in the search box in the Documents library. Right-click the file or folder, and then select Restore previous versions. You'll see a list of available previous versions of the file or folder.
How to repair a missing file? ›
Windows System File Checker (SFC) is a utility that scans and verifies the integrity of all protected system files and replaces any corrupted or missing ones with a cached copy. To use SFC, you need to open an elevated command prompt as an administrator. Then, type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
Where is the location of system files? ›
In Windows NT family, the system files are mainly under the folder C:\Windows\System32 . In Mac OS they are in the System suitcase. And in Linux system the system files are located under folders /boot (the kernel itself), /usr/sbin (system utilities) and /usr/lib/modules (kernel device drivers).
How to find files that have disappeared? ›
10 Best Methods to Find Files on Windows 10
- Method 1: Check Your Recent Files. ...
- Method 2: Look in the Recent Items Folder. ...
- Method 3: Search Your Computer. ...
- Method 4: Look in Temporary Files. ...
- Method 5: Look in Online Backups. ...
- Method 6: Search in Email Attachments. ...
- Method 7: Check in the Recycle Bin.
Downloaded files missing
- Check your trash bin. If you accidentally deleted the files, they may still be in your trash bin. ...
- Check your download history. If you downloaded the files to your computer, they may still be in your download history. ...
- Check your Google Drive activity log.
1. Go to File >Info> Select Manage Document. Choose Recover Unsaved Documents from the drop-down list. Open the document and save.
Where have my desktop files gone? ›
Why Have My Desktop Files Disappeared? Check the Recycle Bin for accidentally deleted files. If not there, use data recovery software to recover them or retrieve them from a backup. Check your desktop settings and enable the display of icons to make them visible again.
