Cannot continue drawing

Here are some things to check or try:

• This can happen if your file has links to files or fonts that are missing (that the application can't find). 
• Another possibility is that the file is corrupt.
• Check your operating system's file type associations.
• Reset illustrator preferences

@don_11307 sounds like Illustrator might be stuck in preview mode when you're trying to open your drawing. This can sometimes happen due to a temporary glitch or an issue with how the file was last saved or closed. Try this: instead of just double-clicking the file, open Adobe Illustrator first. Once Illustrator is open, go to the "File" menu and select "Open." Then, navigate to your drawing file and select it to open. This can sometimes bypass the preview mode and allow Illustrator to open the file fully for editing. If that doesn't work, try restarting Adobe Illustrator and then attempting to open the file again through the "File > Open" method.