accidentally erased midi track recovery?

Cubase
#1

Hi all,

I’ve been searching for the answer on the forum, without results, so here’s my question:

Can I recover an accidentally erased midi-track?

I was working on another track and saved the project several times until I noticed that an important midi-track was erased and/or missing

I’ve tried revert from the file menu (guess you can revert it only one time?) and searched in the mediabay without results.
I also tried to find the track with spotlight; no results……

I know Cubase stores it’s midi-tracks inside the project folder and OSX 10.8 hides some information about different files somehow: could the answer ly there?

Please don’t punish me more by saying “you should have made a backup etc.”
I know that and do so, but didn’t made a backup yet for this project……

Really hope one of you guys can help me out on this!
Cheers,
Chris.

#2

Cubase stores midi embedded inside the project file. So once it’s gone (and the action that removed it is gone from the undo history) I’m afraid that’s it. Sorry to be the bearer of such bad tidings.

#3

Thanks for replying Steve.
Thought so :frowning:
That explains too why I couldn’t find much about recovering a midi file………
Though……… here: http://www.steinberg.net/fileadmin/files/PRODUCTS/Apps/Cubasis/Cubasis_Help/FAQ.html
says that CubasIS has a trash which can be emptied/opened and lost midi files could be recovered there, or am I wrong?
I was looking for something like that in the full Cubase version (Mediabay)

#4

I could not find an instance of the word ‘trash’ or ‘recover’ or a reference to the function you described in the doc you linked.

As you requested, I won’t remind you about Apple Time Machine or the essential importance of automated backups . :wink:

#5

Oops, my bad; here’s the right link: http://www.steinberg.net/fileadmin/files/PRODUCTS/Apps/Cubasis/Cubasis_Help/MEDIA.html

O please; you did it: you reminded me of my Time capsule; they tend to fry the mains transformer (is this good English?) after 2 years and remains useless, though I repaired it somehow and worked for a while……
So make a backup of your Time capsule before it’s too late! ;-/

#6

You’re right; in fact that’s Aplle’s trash: a good idea, but in fact something like that is in CubasIS, as far as I understand.
http://www.steinberg.net/fileadmin/files/PRODUCTS/Apps/Cubasis/Cubasis_Help/MEDIA.html
Why it is not in the “big” Cubase is a mystery for me; could someone please enlighten me on this?
Any help is much appreciated!

#7

Cubasis is not a subset of Cubase as Cubase AI or LE are. That said, I imagine Cubasis handles midi like Cubase does, in that while you can import and export .mid files, midi recordings made inside Cubasis are not files until they are exported.

Anyway, there’s a forum for that, http://www.steinberg.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=183

#8

Would a file recovery program be able to recover this midi track? that said, if I know what the tracks name was, followed by .mid
(in my case: Omnisphere.mid)

Recommendations for such a program? For OS9 I used to use DiskWarrior; that was ok……….

#9

Aloha V,

Try here:
http://data-recovery-software-review.toptenreviews.com/mac-recovery-software/

I also believe it is too late because as Steve said that MIDI info
is within the Project file (and probably not named ‘.mid’ ).

That being said, ‘never say never’ cause if you don’t at the very least try,
you will never get those files back.

Give it a go and Good Luck!
{’-’}

BTW
if you do attempt this procedure, please post back at let us know the outcome.
Good or bad.

#10

Only if you actually exported that file, and then deleted it from your hard drive, which from what you’re saying doesn’t appear to be the case… :frowning:

Also, while not meaning to pour salt on your wound, but risking doing so :wink:, I’ve had a Time Capsule running for about three years without issue– also you can use Time Machine with an ordinary USB drive too. Apparently Windows 8 has a similar feature now, prosaically called “File History” that does the same thing as the Apple product.

#11

i didnt try it myself, but maybe try the “revert” function under file menu to revert to previous project, maybe somehow the project with the midi track is there, and if so export that track.
but first make a backup of the current project maybe with new name.
from the manual:

Reverting to the last saved version
If you select “Revert” from the File menu, you will be asked whether you really want to revert to the last saved version of the project. If you click “Revert”, all changes you have made since saving will be discarded.
If you have recorded or created new audio files since saving, you will be asked whether you want to delete or keep these

#12

Thanks Curteye; very handy, I’ll go try Data Rescue 3 as my last possibility to recover the file.

Steve; it seems the later Time Capsules are better, unfortunately I had one of the first ones: they fry.
To be secure; google yours!
I now have all my HD-bays full with lots of TB’s to backup……

Mozizo: You’re right.
That was the first thing I did, but as far as I understand, one can revert only one time and I saved the project several times (not knowing I accidentally must have erased the midi file)

Thanks for “thinking with me”!

#13

A lesson that I’ve definitely learned the hard way :blush: So, to avoid things like this I always Save As a new file, with an increasing number and short comment (reminder of what I was doing) and it’s saved me many times when I’ve needed to go back to a previous version!

Mike.

#14

Yes, this is a very good practice! I also use the “Save New Version” command (only available as a Key Command) which adds or increments a number at the end of the Project file name.

#15

I had a similar problem and luckily I noticed it before I shut down thus was able to trace it using the history, copying the file and reverting to the present and pasting the file back in place. I was lucky, because as previous respondents have indicated, once you shut down the midi file is gone. I do tend to create a new project file whenever I make changes to the structure. It costs nothing in terms of storage, but gives you peace of mind.

Having said that I remember reading an article on Gary Newman who spent all day in the white hot heat of creativity, producing what he felt was the best thing he had done in ages. The computer froze and he realised with horror that he had not saved anything. In the end he had to manually shut down the computer and lost everything.

It’s happened to us all.

#16

FYI:
A midi part in Cubase is not a midi file. In Cubase the nomenclature is clear, and we should use it, for the sake of clarity.

A midi file is a specific thing - a Standard MIDI File http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI#Standard_MIDI_files.

:ugeek:

#17

Yes you are quite right. Why did I write that? It is of course a midi part.
However one good thing! I am obviously not a geek. An idiot maybe, but not a geek