On opening my Dataease 4.53 for DOS database as usual I got the following in FORM status

**ERROR** FORM FILE CANNOT BE OPENED, STATUS CODE 1

I cannot open the form or another form that has a relationship with it.

1. Is there any way to repair it?
or

2. How can I copy these two forms from an older backup which does work?

Incidentally I have used the free vDOS which works just fine .

If you have any experience or ideas I would be glad to know.

Thanks

Status code means the file is unavailable. Most likely corrupt or missing altogether.

Your image is a little to small to give any useful information on how to help you.

If its the DBA files that is missing/corrupt and these forms hasn't changed from the old backup you can just copy the .DBA files in question over to a COPY of the corrupt application and test if it works.

If the Form has changed it is a more arduous task. You will even have to patch them in or delete the corrupt/missing forms (which can't be done if they are missing...brilliant). 

This is like removing an appendix for a trained surgeon - routine for someone in the know - but maybe not something one should try on oneself without prior training.... 

Thank you for your reply.

I think the old backup of the old copy of the database should have the same structure and works properly.

So my idea would be to export the form data and import it into a fresh form design which I can add to the current database and then import the data.

But I have forgotten how to do that.

Are the manuals anywhere online? I use to read them thoroughly but I don't think I could find them in the attic.

4.53 was such a great product, I dabbled with the Windows version when it started but lost interest.

I use vDOS which works well at least in Windows 10 64-bit

Thanks

Edward

We digitised the DQL  some years back as there was a lot of requests and you can buy them for a token sum as PDFs on here.

I think I also saw someone listing a complete set on the forum some time back. Maybe they are still available.

https://www.dataease.com/DG3_ForumList/?ParentID=0000003748&field1=0000003748

If you have an old backup. Just create a new application, restore the backup into that application and then take a copy of your current application and simply find the files that are corrupted and copy over with the files from the backup that is correct. Then reorganize the form.

That might be the quickest and easiest way to remedy this.

thx 2 all for an vDOS experience we never used it in the case before but DosBox works wit DE 4.53 on Samsung Gear 1 smartwatch even. In general we have old PC with Win95 and laptops with WinXP. Will check 2014 Google Glass with DE 4.53 soon.