Ive got a very important work file i need to either be de-corrupted or have the PDF file pulled out (as I've heard some people can do).
It has at least 100-200 hours of work in and I just don't think I can go on with my work course without it, ill have to redo a whole year.
If there is anyone who can help me, Ill get you a link for the file in question.
cheers
MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)
It it is a Pages '09 package format file — you can use the Finder to right-click on this document, choose Show Package Contents, and then navigate down into its QuickLook directory. There, the Preview.pdf document can be copied elsewhere, or simply opened in Preview for subsequent copy/paste into a new Pages document.
If it is the default Pages '09 single format file ( a compressed and zipped Pages package format file) then the following Terminal command sequence will get you access to the Preview.pdf document inside the archive, and write it into the current directory location as Preview.pdf. You can subsequently access and process it as you did with Preview in the first paragraph.
unzip -j filename.pages QuickLook/Preview.pdf
If your document is a Pages v5 (any version variation), there is no PDF stored inside the document, and the preview.jpg is only the very first page. All of the document content is in *.iwa files that only Pages v5 knows how to open. I suspect that they are at minimum compressed, and probably seeded with an encryption key that only Pages knows about. At any rate, there is no way to recover your document from them.
It it is a Pages '09 package format file — you can use the Finder to right-click on this document, choose Show Package Contents, and then navigate down into its QuickLook directory. There, the Preview.pdf document can be copied elsewhere, or simply opened in Preview for subsequent copy/paste into a new Pages document.
If it is the default Pages '09 single format file ( a compressed and zipped Pages package format file) then the following Terminal command sequence will get you access to the Preview.pdf document inside the archive, and write it into the current directory location as Preview.pdf. You can subsequently access and process it as you did with Preview in the first paragraph.
unzip -j filename.pages QuickLook/Preview.pdf
If your document is a Pages v5 (any version variation), there is no PDF stored inside the document, and the preview.jpg is only the very first page. All of the document content is in *.iwa files that only Pages v5 knows how to open. I suspect that they are at minimum compressed, and probably seeded with an encryption key that only Pages knows about. At any rate, there is no way to recover your document from them.
Have you tried reverting it to a previous version? Open the file then use File - Revert To - Browse All Versions.
Matt
There were methods of trying to recover Pages '09 files, but with the constantly changing and unparseable Pages 5 format about all you can do is right click on the file and hopefully see the xml contents, which has only scatterings of legible text.
Where is your back-up?
Have you gone a year without backing up your "very important work"?
Why do people insist on putting their heads on the Pages chopping block?
We have been warning users about the dangers of using Apple's proprietary, perpetually changing and trashed file formats for years.
The consequences are so predictable, and are only made worse with Pages 5, third party servers, iCloud and iCloud Drive.
Peter
I know, I've been stupid by not backing up but beforehand i'd never had a problem. This will obviously change henceforth.
I have no access to the index.zip file which is what I need. I try to unzip it but it only gives .zip.cpgz or something like that. Ive tried fixing in terminal to no avail.
All I need is a PDF which I've heard people can do, maybe its not a fix for my problem.
cheers, if you have any more info please get back to me.
I nag my son every semester: Have you done your back-ups? Not just to a portable HDD but also to USB keys.
At least he listened to me and didn't use Pages.
As to the file format, it depends which version of Pages 5, Apple has stuffed it up so many times now that nothing behaves the same way twice.
Peter
fair enough, ill get a HDD and set up time-machine etc. Just annoyed there isn't any way to recover anything. I though iCloud backup would suffice. I chose whether the iCloud or macbook version of my paper was enough and when I closed my laptop and opened it the next day it was ruined and corrupt.
Ill have to deal with it. cheers for the reply.
It is unfortunately pages v5. Is there anything apple can do or shall I just end it here and now? I mean, It was backed up on iCloud so surely they have backed-up previous version or are they providing a shoddy service for that as well?
The delightful thing about iCloud (when it works) is that it mirrors your files. Good or bad.
So don't count on any iCloud version, if you can find it, being a good copy. In fact it may have been the cause of your file failure.
Peter
Apple does not back up user files on iCloud, and as such, it is not intended to be any form of backup strategy. You should be using Time Machine for a backup strategy, and an additional form of backup for critical documents. When working with Pages v5, that would also include an exported Word document.
Time Machine will backup your local Library directory, and within it, the mirror of your documents out on iCloud.
~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~Pages/Documents
If you had a Time Machine backup, it would have been straight-forward to recover an uncorrupted copy of this Pages v5 document before the damage occurred.
I can't even open the file - 'file cannot be opened'
Index.zip is corrupted as seen in reply below.
cheers - if you have any more info please get back to me, this is quite important to me.
This sure sounds like what I thought was wrong. Apple seriously needs to sort this out of it is the resulting force.
Converting corrupted pages file to PDF - URGENT :c
