Can't open saved files

[ghost]

Hi! I'm using a mac and I can't open my saved file. When I press open and select the file the screen just flashes and nothing happens... Please help I cant access my work that I spent hours on!

[Jose-Moreno]

@lukasnorberg Hi. Sorry to hear about this. I know it's a drag but there is a template you should have seen when submitting this issue. Never mind that we need to know at least the following:

1. Which version of Pencil2D are you using? (version 0.5.4b, Nightly Build, etc)
2. What kind of filetype are you using as well? (.PCL, or .PCLX ?)
3. If you're using a MAC what's your OS number / flavour (e.g Snow Leopard, Lyon, etc)
4. Lastly could you upload your file and paste a link in here? (note: please use a file upload website you trust), so our lead developer can take a look at it? He's trying to improve MAC compatibility. Let me say though that there is no guarantee that he can restore your file, but at least we can see if this kind of behaviour will be put to rest.

We had a guide to help diminish problems like this (files not opening, crashes, lost work, etc) But we're having difficulties with our website. I'll try to update the guide on our static webpage so I can link that here.

@chchwy Hi Matt, it seems we have another MAC victim. It's possible they are using either .PCLX or the old dev version 0.5.4b. We'll have to wait for his answers, but could you help him out if he replies with the file link?

I think either way that it's going to be time to put that "stable" version to rest and only allow for the latest Nightly Build download 😕

[ghost]

1. Pencil2D 0.5.4 beta for Mac OS X
2. .PCL i guess
3. I don't understand what that is. Where can i find that? Is it latest update? (Sierra)
4. http://www.mediafire.com/file/ddqene9bzp96vh9/First_Animation.pcl.zip

[ghost]

Is there another build I can download?

[Jose-Moreno]

@lukasnorberg Hi, yes we have what are called "Nightly Builds" which are experimental updates of Pencil2D. Usually those have a lot of fixes, but we don't openly release them since they can also have critical bugs yet to be fixed.

You can download the latest version for MAC here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BxdcdOiOmg-CcWhLazdKR1oydHM#list

A note of caution too: If you're using a .PCL file with that version, usually Pencil2D creates a folder that contains all the assets for your Pencil2D file and has the same name of the file like this:

MyAnimation.pcl
MyAnimation.pcl.data (folder)

Usually they are created on the same place, so if you saved your "save file" on your desktop, you should have the .data folder there as well. If you peek inside the folder you might be able to see your drawings. However if you don't see anything, I'm afraid that your work has been erased. This is a problem we've been trying really hard to solve, but it's not been easy at all, because usually when working on a file with more than 100+ frames Pencil2D starts to become unstable, which causes a "wipe" when a critical memory point is reached.

If you can also attach the .data folder on this thread, because without it our lead dev would only see a blank file. Hopefully our lead can respond in a timely manner, I'm not a programmer so I wouldn't know where to start with this aside form trying to checking the file myself with the data folder to see if it works.

[ghost]

Here's the folder: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/tkmr59i135fo3/First_Animation.pcl.data
I've found that the picture will only appear in the folder if it's just one frame. Otherwise it's blank, just as in the folder...

[Jose-Moreno]

@lukasnorberg Hmm, well on the link I provided you should see a "MAC" folder. You should organize the list by "recent" and download the latest version Pencil2D-mac-20161012.zip.

I don't use MAC, but as far as I know, when you download the .zip file, you should have a sort of portable version you can use. There is an .app file container inside if im not mistaken. I can't guide you properly with MAC "installation" since I've never done it before. However it shouldn't be that different from a normal installation, or so I'm told, so I think you'd have to drag your .app folder into your MAC applications folder to allow it to run.

...Looking at the folder you just uploaded, I'm sorry to say though that I think your work has been lost 😕 Usually you'd be able to see inside the same amount of drawings that correspond to your drawn frames. Sigh.

Right now, The only thing I can think of is to forward you to other free animation software meanwhile we fix this horrible issue that has affected a lot of people like you. Truly sorry for your loss.

http://pencil2d-software.tumblr.com/post/145767476221/when-youve-worked-all-day-on-your-animation

[ghost]

At what point do you expect these problems to be solved? Because I've just gotten interested in starting animating, and this seemed like the best and easiest way, all the others are really complicated for a beginner.

[Jose-Moreno]

@lukasnorberg Pencil became abandon-ware around 2008, since it's original creators stopped developing the software. The current lead programmer took interest in it due to the potential of becoming a great app for both novice and pros alike. We want this to be better, however there's but a handful of us working on our spare time to improve it. When will this be fixed? Even if i'm being optimistic I'd say it take a maximum of 2 years to be able to polish it enough that it's problems won't be as frequent. We're desperately in need of kind programmers to help the project out, but they are difficult to find.

I'm an animator by trade, what I can best recommend you to get into animation is to begin drawing with pencil and paper. I'd even recommend taking a look at Aaron Blaise's, ex-Disney veteran and classic animator youtube channel since he's got lots of free videos to get you started along with premium stuff to delve into the basics. The principles can be applied with any medium so you can transfer them between traditional and digital solutions.

As for software, the closest to Pencil2D in simplicity is Digicel's Flipbook. It is paid software, but it's the one that some Disney animators used in the latter years before Feature closed shop.

Their cheapest solution is called Flipbook Lite is their most affordable version costing around 20 dollars and should be enough to get you started, however it is the one that's most heavily restricted on working resolution (video size) and duration (frame count).

https://digicel.net/buyflipbook/

Hopefully we can stabilize Pencil2D enough so we can have enough power to compete with other software, and that users won't lose their work. But for now, we're still working. Hope this helps, and if you ever do something animated regardless of the software or technique you use, hope you can share it with us on our facebook page. Take care!

[MrStevns]

I'm closing this as the original was based on a bug in 0.5.4 build. If the problem persists in the newest nightly build, please make a new thread, stating as much info as possible.