How to retrieve an uploaded object that was removed from workspace

"Over a months time, the objects were removed from the workspace AND their cache was deleted and rebuilt."

If the objects were removed from workspace by "Remove objects from workspace option", it will clear the objects from the server side workspace and client side workspace. So there is no option to retrieve those files if it is removed from workspace. Server side workspaces act as a backup if your local Workspace Cache is corrupted or when the client workstation is not accessible.

Thanks,

Binesh Kumar

Barry Wehmiller

If the file vault on the server hasn't had the unreferenced files deleted, then they'll still be there.  If you know the approximate date they were uploaded, then it's simple enough to just do a text search on the file contents based on the original Creo file names.  Once you find the files, they can simply be renamed to the original name listed in the file and re-opened in Creo.

Using this report you can find exact position of your CAD files in vault by name or number.

https://support.ptc.com/appserver/cs/view/case_solution.jsp?n=CS42155&lang=en

It was also cited in this document Resource for reporting

My Windchill Cache Recovery Tool (Windchill Cache Recovery Tool - Version 2.05 (WC_FileRecovery) - 64 bit version) can be used to recover the files.  It automates the process of opening the file in a text editor as Binesh has suggested (in fact, it was that tedious process that drove me to develop this tool).

After you have isolated the files (by date range in the vaults or using the move unreferenced files method) start the tool and in the Open dialog, set the File name filter to "*.*" (it defaults to "lid*.*").  You can now select the suspect files, open them in the tool, identify the correct files and recover them.  As indicated in the User Guide (included in the installer) and during startup, do not recover the files in their initial location.  Copy them to a new location and use the tool to recover those files.  The link above also includes a link to the original discussion that began on the PTC/USER forum and was migrated to the PTC Community.  There is also a 32 bit version available.

Ron Thellen

Thank you everyone for your replies, they are all very helpful.

I have used the cache recovery tool before, but not with unreferenced objects pulled out of the database. I'll need to read those replies again later, if this can be done, I should know how to do it.

But here's a twist to all this, a twist that I cannot replicate. The user uploaded said objects a month ago, removed them, and also rebuilt his cache 1-2 times since. As admin, I could see every file he told me about but he could not. When he would recreate the object in Creo, the object would be flagged new, but he was not allowed to check in because PDMlink said it already existed. In the short term, to get his new object in, I deleted what I could see as Admin and then he could check in as normal.

So, any idea's how this user could have created this situation? If I could see the objects, why could I not do anything with them? Not open, not add to workspace...nothing but delete worked.