How to solve "This file was modified outside of Illustrator" error?

[Ordinaryguy]

I was drawing something last nigh and today in the mornign Ilustrator don't let me open It and shows a message that says " This file was modified outside of Illustrator" and I can't find any YouTube video to solve this and all the other questions about this doesn't seem to provide an actual anwer, I dont know much about computers, what can I do?  I don't have a back up from the file, I use Windows 10, and Is a shared program but no one opened this file, after that message appears this 2 optios of the picture that says:

"Discard changes while maintaining Ilustrator's editing capabilities"

"Maintain changes, reducing Ilustrator's editing capabilities"

None of those options let me draw on the file just open in some empty white space and one of the options have the drawing but don't let me move anything, how can I solve this? 

[Monika Gause]

Where did you save the file?

What is the filesize?

Did you draw inside the artboard?

Did you already try a computer restart?

[Ordinaryguy]

- Its saved in my computer but I use a Shared Adobe account
- 8.91 MB

- Yes but I have elements outside of the white square
- I tryed it after reading this but didn't worked

[Monika Gause]

What exactly is a "shared Adobe Account"? Did you save it the the Creative Cloud? Or some other synchronized folder?

Which version of Illustrator is it?

In some cases this error was linked to the setting "Save in background" and/or "optimize saving on networks".

[Ordinaryguy]

Yes I saved it on Creative Cloud
And is Ilustrator I think it is Version 2020 (24.0.2)

[Monika Gause]

Please give us an exact version number.

Is it a Cloud document or just saved to the Creative Cloud folder?

Can you turn off the Save in background and check out if it still happens?

[Ordinaryguy]

- The Version Number is Adobe Illustrator 2020 24.1.2
- To the 2nd question, I thought the file saved automatically on the Creative Cloud of my friend's account since is he's account, but I just googled what Cloud doccument and Creative cloud folder are and it seems like you have to save or choose to save them there manually, and I think haven't I just clicked 'Save' and choosed a folder on my computer

- I turned off the save in background and tried to open it and it shows the same message 

[Monika Gause]

"Save in background" applies to saving files, so of course you have to first save the document and then open it again and see if the issue is gone.

[Ordinaryguy]

You mean I have to save the file even if it doesn't show anythig? isn't that goint to delete it? 

[Monika Gause]

No. I mean that this settings isn't meant to "cure" your old files. That's not how it works. It changes how file saving works, not how opening of files works.

[renél80416020]

Salut!

Si le fichier est hybride, modiez l'extension .ai en .pdf est essayez de l'ouvrir avec Acrobat Reader.

Ou pourquoi pas avec Illustrator en tant que .pdf ?

If the file is hybrid, change the .ai extension in .pdf is try opening it with Acrobat Reader.

Or why not with Illustrator as a .pdf?

[Ordinaryguy]

Hello! I'll be able to edit it after changing the .ai for pdf?

[Bill Silbert]

By a shared program do you mean that you are using Illustrator on a network server and saving to that server? Is this problem just happening to this file? If you have an earlier version of the file try saving it locally to your hard drive and see if the same problem happens. In general Illustrator does not work well over a network. It is probably best to always save your files locally before storing them on a server.

[Ordinaryguy]

- Yes the adobe account is from one of my friends and is on Creative Cloud I guess, but i can see the files on my Doccuments on my computer
- Yes it just happened to that file, I checked another file and opened normally.
Just a question, by saving it on my hard drive what do you mean? When I save the file I just click on Save and I can see where is locked on my computer, that means it is saves on my hard drive or i just have to save it differently? Im really sorry if this sound confusing im new in to this.

[Bill Silbert]

Saving to your hard drive means that it is saved to an actual location (a file, folder or on the desktop) on your computer rather than saving to a folder that is shared across a network via the internet. 

[Ordinaryguy]

When I saved the file I just choosed a folder on my computer and its saved in my computer.