Project cannot save - file cannot be opened

[Guloluseus]

Morning all

Have a feeling I am not the only one coming across this. Every so often I will try to save (or save as) my current project, ad get an error
"The file "xxxxx.mpp" cannot be opened.
Check that the file name and path are correct.
..."

It is very frustrating to spend time marking up, changing, etc a prog only to find that with no warning MSP decides its had enough!

To summarise- trying to save n MSP 2013 file as a 2013 file or an MSP07 file, cannot save for the above error. I can work on it, print it, but not save or save as... . There is no warning message prior to this.

EDIT: found a possible resolution in that SP1 is supposed to resolve this, however checking version number shows that SP1 is already installed.


Just lost my first 30 mins work so today can only get better

[JulieS]

If you are using Project 2013, there is no released service pack as of yet.

Are you attempting to save to a network drive or locally?

Are you attempting to open the file from Project or through the OS?

[Guloluseus]

Sorry for the delay in replying- Busy got busier

One mistake- I am using 2010, not 2013. I have a couple of machines I use and sometimes forget which one I am on!

As for save location, I always save locally to a folder on desktop- anything that needs to be serverside will be copied over once I have finished.

Generally, I open from OS, but it doesnt seem to make a difference- it will crash whether opening from there or through Project, and may crash whether I have 1 or more than one programmes up.

[JulieS]

The first step I recommend is to install SP-2 for Office and Project 2010. I would then try a repair of Project. I'm guessing this issue is not occurring with other products?

[Guloluseus]

The computer I am running on at work is admin locked- IT can get in to change settings, I cannot. I have checked with them, and they tell em (through remote access) that I am up to date on SPs (would not say which SP, I assume ut is latest, as all our machines are set to update), and ran a repair on Project for me.
that was yesterday (15th)

Today, all was fine till about 11:00am, when project decided it would revert to its previous behaviour. It wasnt a huge problem- I tend to save fairly frequently, so I have 8 or 10 saves every day- but the problem is still there.

I cannot replicate this elsewhere, as I only have MSP07 on my other computers.

Doubt it is relevent but I have Autosave off, as I hate using it as saves usually take 15-30 seconds on a good day.
Still no idea

[JulieS]

I would not recommend AutoSave as it has given trouble before. Can you please check two options in File > Options.
File > Options, Display -- Please ensure the Entry bar is off (unchecked).
File > Options, Advanced -- please ensure Edit directly in Cell is on (checked).

Are you working with 2007 files back and forth?

[Guloluseus]

thanks Julie
Autosave is off, entry bar is ubckecked, Edit directly in cell i son.

The prog was created in 2010, and maintained there- the only time it goes to 2007 is when I save for the client, in which case I open the prog, save as 2007, and close again. (NOT overwriting or changing the original 2010 file).

no probs since 15th (2 days of good saves woo hoo!!), I know we had some form of update yesterday (all I see is windows needs to restart after update) which may or may have had an effect.

[JulieS]

Wow! Two days of saves! Let the dance(s) of joy commence. There was just another update (Tuesday night is the downloads), although I wasn't aware of any Project related fixes. But -- if it's working -- who can question?

Keep us posted.

[Guloluseus]

Just when I thought it was safe to get back in the water...

Project was behaving impecably (unlike my spelling), until yesterday when it decided to go back to its old ways. I spent a good chunk of last week checking with out IT that windows and Project were as up to date as they could be, and even got a repair check carried out remotely.
Trying to save yesterday after a meeting, my file decided to go back to the "cannot save" routine. The big problem was that it was a lookahead meeting, where all activities for the next 4 weeks are noted, actions recorded etc and put into project (4 columns of comments, actioneers etc). I got around the main problem through copy/paste, closing project completely, then pasting the coluns back in, but it looks like the problem has returned.

I can deal with saving every so often and the cut and paste,my main worry is that there will be a time when someone else wuil get the problem- I have a number of projects to run in different locations, so cannot guarantee that I will be in one location at a certain time.

[JulieS]

Sorry the troubles are back. It sounds as though there is ongoing corruption. Here a suggestion. Open the Project file and immediately Save AS with a new name. This forces a "compact" of the project file. Then see if issues continue.

[Guloluseus]

tried the save as... straight away option... so far so good. I think its just one of those things and at least encourages me to save regularly.

One thing that seems to occur before a bad save is file size. The project is about 54Mb in size, and it IIRC it jumps to about 100 Mb in the folder as I try to save it. I dont know if it is trying to save twice, corrupting, or if its something completely different, but I may try and recreate it just to see if it happens more often. Failing that, think its time to mark this as closed and remeber to save often

[JulieS]

How many tasks do you have in the file? The fact that it balloons to double the size is a sign of corruption. Does the "saved as" file reduce in size?

[Guloluseus]

the project varies in size as we add or remove items (due to deletions, varioations etc) and currently stands at 4807 tasks, of which about 60% are complete (actual start/finish dates added) and maybe 2-300 tasks are in progress.

I tried the "save as" immediately after loading, no difference in file size. Currently I am at 53 040 kb (just over 53 meg), the strange saves double this to 106 or so meg.
The programme undergoes at least 3 or 4 revisions every day, due to amended works, updating progress, adding/ removing works, and reprogramming to allow for revosed labour etc.

[Smithy15]

Hi There, I too have been having almost exactly the same issue with Project 2013. A collegue also had the same issues with Project 2010 intermittantly where we tried everything from reinstalling the program, to ultimately replacing the PC with no success. We now both have Project 2013 installed and experience similar "Save" or "Save As" issues.

We are both saving files onto a Network server, so that we both have access to the files as required. We have found if the file location is local, it does not stop the error from occuring.

With Project 2013, The File Size has no impact on the error. Have experienced it with Large & Small files. While working we can Save the file with no issue. If an error occurs when we close we find one or two issues occur.
1. Close the file and are requested if you woulkd like to Save changes. Click Yes and nothing occurs. The file does not close.
2. Attempt to Save or Close the file & the attached error box appears "Project Cannot access the file". Change the Save Location or file name and the error continues. Also find that when we Save As to a complete new location, some of the data can change with extra lines added or durations changed.

The only work around we have been able to come up with for now is to intermittantly back up the file through the day. If Project does decide to go South & Corrupt the file, have only lost a couple of hours work rather then the whole day as we did when the error first started.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[megsy]

Hello. I am experiencing the same (?similar) problem. In my case, the problem is restricted to MS Project 2010 files received as an email attachment. I receive the file and open it directly from Outlook 2010 (i.e. I don't save the attachment locally before opening it). I can then edit the MSP file. I cannot 'save' the file in MSP as the file is opened from Outlook as read only. So when I try to 'save as', I get an error message [The file "xxx.mpp" cannot be opened. Check that the file name and path are correct..."]
The file name referenced in the error message is the new file name I am trying to 'save as', not the original file name I originally opened from Outlook.
The file size is only small - less than 1 mb. Also occurs with a file of 316 kb. So I don't think file size is the issue.
I have check my MSP options as described in this thread:
- Options > Save > Auto save every = unticked.
- Options > Display > Entry Bar = unticked.
- Options > Advanced > Edit directly in cell = ticked.
Can anyone advise if there is a fix for this problem? Is it covered in a service pack?

Thanks