.mlt file disappeared

[Mavi]

backstory - I keep my source files and save files in one hard drive so I could work alternately between laptops. One to edit and the other for exporting (because the former has a smoother experience for some reason even though the latter is drastically more powerful. the former uses windows 10 and the latter uses windows 11). I’ve just finished editing, I plugged in my hard drive and I see my .mlt file, clicked on it, and shotcut was taking a while to load so I clicked on the file again and I’m greeted with a new project screen. I closed shotcut and noticed my save file disappeared. I got it back with easeus because the file wasn’t in the autosave folder nor was it in the previous version properties in file explorer…

Can it still be recovered? send help
scene4new(1).mlt (258.8 KB)

[Mavi]

I just checked my windows 11 laptop has shotcut version 22.11.25 and my windows 10 has shotcut version 22.09.23…

[Elusien]

Your MLT file is improperly terminated. It ends:

    <transition id="transition10">
      <property name="a_track">0</property>
      <property name="b_track">2</property>
      <property name="mlt_service">mix</property>
      <property name="always_active">1</property>
      <property name="sum">1</property>
    </transition>
    <transition id="transition11">
      <property name="a_track">1</property>
      <property name="b_track">2</property>
      <property 

If you do not have a backup copy you can use then try the edited version that I created by removing the incomplete “transition11” and adding the terminating tags:

  </tractor>
</mlt>

scene4new_EDITED.mlt (258.7 KB)

Of course you will be missing some of the work you did on the project, but at least all is not completely lost. You can view the MLT file in a simple text editor like Notepad, or Notepad++.

For future reference please read this thread:

How not to lose project files and data - Best Practices

From time to time we get queries on the forum like: My project file has somehow become corrupted, what can I do? Shotcut just crashed and my project is now screwed up, what can I do? etc… Depending on the state of the project file (XXX.mlt) you may be able to recover it by editing that file. It is after all just a text (XML) file. Before even attempting to do this always make a copy of the file in case you trash it completely while editing. If you cannot recover the project file then the nex…

[Elusien]

If you have “File History” configured on your Windows system(s) you may have a backup already. See the following for more info:

How to back up your files in Windows 10 and 11 with File History

[Mavi]

Thank you so much! I’ll make sure to reduce the likelihood of this happening to me again in the future