Computer savvy people, I need your help!

[Sprinkles]

I was just playing around with different color schemes for ponies in Paint a few minutes ago and Paint stopped working. A window popped up telling me that and I was forced to close the program. When I went to re-open the file I was working on (I had saved it not long ago), I was told that I can't open the file because it's empty  Is there a way for me to recover the file or will I have to kiss all that work goodbye?

[rybett]

Geek hubby thinks it's lost.  Sorry!!!! 

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Paint isn't a program with an auto-recover feature.  If the program froze up while it was "writing" or "reading" any part of the data - the file was likely corrupted and no longer can be read.  So you're getting an error about an empty file.   

I recommend breaking up the composition and saving multiple copies of parts when you are working with a digital file - if you have the background as a file and the characters as another, just like layers in Photoshop.  You'll have less of these creative nightmares when the program melts down because you can just reload a fresh canvas and start pasting in your pieces again. 

[Mkanke]

I would probably say its lost for good. When using less 'High end' programs its good to have 2 copies of your save and just save over the oldest one just to help keep yourself from losing progress.

Many of the more detailed higher end programs will have fail safes built in to prevent that loss. I personally use Gimp as its free but many swear by paint.net which also happens to be free.

If you don't want to change things up though make sure to have yourself a second copy of things your working on. Hopefully it wasn't too much work lost!

[Sprinkles]

Darn it! Okay, well thanks anyways guys

[kaoskat]

That really stinks! But maybe your next one will be even better!

[Alrak]

Sorry that windows ate your work! :/
Paint is really a pain to work with, why dont try inkscape or some other free painting program^^?

[Eviecorn]

That sucks.  I'm sorry you lost your work.  I echo the same sentiment though - try GIMP.  It's free and works a lot like Photoshop.

[nollilols]

This has happened to me before, it really sucks. On the plus side, I've often found that when I've had to redo something, it has turned out even better the second time, so maybe that'll happen to you, too!

[melodys_angel]

Agreed, sounds like you have a corrupted file