Damaged layouts

If a FileMaker Pro database file stops responding or closes unexpectedly when you switch to a particular layout, the layout may contain a damaged or corrupted object. If this happens, try deleting the corrupted object. This may be difficult, however, as the corruption may not be visible. Corruption may also cause FileMaker Pro to close unexpectedly or become unresponsive when it tries to display the object, making the object hard to isolate and delete. In many instances, the simplest and sometimes only solution is to delete the entire layout, which also deletes the corrupted object.

Deleting a corrupted layout

  1. Open the file without displaying the corrupted layout.

    If the corrupted layout always displays when you open the file, see Opening a file with a corrupted opening layout.

  2. Choose File menu > Manage > Layouts.
  3. Select the corrupted layout then click Delete.

If the problem persists, recover the file using the Advanced Recovery Options dialog box. Select Copy file blocks as-is and only Bypass startup script and layout. This combination of options creates a new database that is a copy of the old one. When FileMaker Pro opens, it switches to a new blank layout, and the On Open script option is disabled. (For more information, see Setting advanced file recovery options.)

Opening a file with a corrupted opening layout

  1. Open or create another FileMaker Pro file.
  2. Create a script with the following step: Perform Script [ Specified: From list ; "ScriptName" from file: "BadFile" ; Parameter: ] where BadFile is the name of the unopenable file.
  3. Define this step to perform any script (ScriptName) in BadFile that switches to a layout other than the opening layout.
  4. Perform this script. You should then be in BadFile in a different layout.
  5. Follow the steps in Deleting a corrupted layout, above.

    You can also try recovering the file and rebuilding the file's structure by selecting Scan and rebuild scripts, layouts, etc. in the Advanced Recovery Options dialog box. For details, see Setting advanced file recovery options.