Database error 6 on 2 different, large files

[justinc35710099]

Working off an NAS server; 2 large files became damaged, no issues previously, about 1.5 weeks apart. Cannot locate "recovery" folder or any files in "#recycle" folder. Changed Data Recovery folder destination (Preferences > File Handling) by creating new folder, restarted ID, rec'd same message.

Of note: both files update yearly (i.e.open previous file, “save as” then info deleted/updated/etc). Both files originally created at least 7-8 years ago, possibly longer than that. Could damage/corruption be from using an old file, as opposed to copying needed info from a “fresh” ID doc?

Any insight appreciated.

[leo.r]

While I'm not sure about the nature of this particular error, can you retrieve the files from your backup? Or are backup copies also damaged? Also, what are your InDesign and macOS versions?

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @justinc35710099,

Thank you so much for sharing all these details. I'm really sorry to hear you're having trouble with this database error. 

Based on what you described, this error (code 6) usually points to file corruption, which can sometimes happen when working directly from a network or NAS drive. Even though it has worked fine in the past, network storage can increase the chances of file damage over time.

I would suggest first checking if you have a backup copy saved locally or in a Time Machine or similar backup, and try opening that version. If not, you can create a new InDesign file and use the File > Place command to import pages from the damaged document. This method can often recover most of your content even if the original file won't open normally.

Going forward, it's generally safer to work from a local copy of the file on your computer and only move it back to the server after saving and closing it. Also, instead of using Save As on an old file each year, it's a good idea to create a new document and copy only the needed content. 

Could you try these steps and let me know how it goes? If the file is still not opening, please share more details, like your exact macOS and InDesign versions, so I can check further options with the team.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Abhishek