HOME | DD

Published: 2013-02-12 03:30:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 69587; Favourites: 413; Downloads: 385
Redirect to original
Description
/Comments/This is a tutorial on how to fix the files followed by the SAI "Failed to open canvas" error.
I renamed some of my files via the file browser where you open your files in SAI. It messed up the files. I did some very tedious research and found there was little direct information on the matter, so I made this tutorial.
If you have any questions- please ask!
WARNING: This may or may not help you. This is just what helped me, and I hope it may help others.
---
EDIT: I've gotten pretty good feedback with how this has helped more than failed. Some people found this didn't work for them and were kind enough to leave their way of fixing the issue....
---Fix by WhiteKana
-Ok I was able to open my file after this error, but this solution did not work. I will give my own so that people can see it when they have this problem.
First of all saving as a psd is a MUST ok, if you want your files to be alive it's compulsory. I never saved as sai as a habit I made and honestly it just saved my life. Ok the files will almost always open in photoshop. Unless its full on corrupted. Mine always open tho. What I did was, if your file has a lot of layers try to merge as many as you can to not affect your work. Secondly create a new file in photoshop with the same canvas size and drag all the layers into the new picture. Save the new file and open it in sai. It works. If it still doesn't try reducing the size of your canvas. You know if u have like 10kx10k it's prolly the comp issue haha xD
---Fix by mindcat
I found a way to fix it but it's kind of crazy...You have to make a new page to work on, make it nice and big. Then, use the square looking "selection" button. Make a giant rectangle to fill up the new blank page. You can open up your pictures in something else, like paint. Right click and copy the picture, then paste it into this "selected area" using the Edit tool at the top of paint tool sai. And when you save it, you can save it as .sai and it should stay that way. Problem solved! Hope this helps...
---Fix by Yami-Child
Okay, not sure if this chat here is still valid, but here we go. Here's how I fixed my problem.
What got me as that I opened a psd file while I was working as a reference, but that apparently freaked SAI out. After tons of searching and finding no answers, I came up with something. Now, I used clip paint studio for this, but Photoshop should work just as well. If you were able to save your file as a psd, your half way there. Just open that file up in Photoshop or whatever and open up SAI as well. Open up a new canvas in SAI and make sure it has the same dimensions as your previous work. Now go over to your other program and copy each layer using the selection tool and paste them in SAI one by one. You may have to re-position some things, but its better than starting over. It should work as it did for me. Hope this helps!
---Fix by FlyingCatsandGlitter
I have a method that worked for me. In properties, view the previous versions and select the latest autosave.
Related content
Comments: 273
techn0vert [2016-03-22 18:53:54 +0000 UTC]
This helped! I had my laptop crash last night while working on a drawing and I opened my computer this afternoon and saw that I had a file save as a .tmp file... Changed it to .sai using this method, and now it's recovered! Thanks so much, super helpful!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
trikkee [2016-03-07 19:06:28 +0000 UTC]
Didn't help. I'm pissed!!! (not at you, you're amazing for posting this - just pissed at over 15 hours of work GONE.) My fault. Lesson learned. Backup everything.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Diouveruh In reply to trikkee [2016-04-06 05:05:10 +0000 UTC]
its okay. . . .I literally lost one months worth of work :,(
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
citadelity In reply to ??? [2016-02-13 05:31:20 +0000 UTC]
you're a Godsend im crying i can't believed that worked!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
nanami96 In reply to ??? [2016-01-27 13:27:40 +0000 UTC]
thanks mate, you just saved my drawing!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
AngiiieBum In reply to ??? [2015-12-21 03:16:51 +0000 UTC]
Hi!
I just recently had a sai problem and I am hoping that maybe you know some way of fixing it
Paint Tool Sai help...Ok, so I was working on the YCH that I have somewhere in my empty gallery, all of a sudden, all the colours on my canvas disappear and I'm just dumbstruck...
I saved the file as a .sai and when I went to restart my paint tool sai, and open up the file, it says 'Opening Canvas Failed'.
I was finished with my drawing. Just a few final touches here and there and I was done. Then this bullshit happens and gets me in a bad mood.
I would love you forever if you know how to fix this problem! ;v;
So, gotta get into the habit of only saving as a psd... this is seriously just bullshit...
This is my journal that explains everything about what happened. ;w;
I have tried the steps that you have showed and it didn't help...
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
CuppieGoku In reply to ??? [2015-12-11 10:04:08 +0000 UTC]
Oh my gosh you have no idea how much this saved me!
thank you for making this! i almost lost a really good drawing cause it got messed up when i saved it ;w;
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Shadisfaction [2015-12-02 22:01:42 +0000 UTC]
There is another good solution.
Just open these problematic files in portable version. Really works.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
RyadrusTheWolfDragon [2015-09-21 01:06:27 +0000 UTC]
Thanks a bunch mate! I'd just finished a cool pic and thought i'd lost it!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
kaiichuuu In reply to ??? [2015-09-14 23:26:36 +0000 UTC]
What if you get the error message 'failed to save'..?
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Nikki-Hasselhoff [2015-09-10 05:55:00 +0000 UTC]
Thank you so much. I was about to cry because I thought I'd lost a piece for an art trade. I'm so happy I don't have to redo the whole thing.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
NekoAllen-chan [2015-07-31 11:53:19 +0000 UTC]
none of the tips helps....
but thank you for sharing this since it helped so many...
mine just hate me...
*goes back to drawing.... *
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
NekoAllen-chan In reply to NekoAllen-chan [2015-07-31 12:10:54 +0000 UTC]
I uhhh...
please nevermind the previous comment XD
i can open my file again after i restarted my laptop D
maybe mine didn't hate me that much~!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
BurntMarshmellows In reply to ??? [2015-07-06 03:46:56 +0000 UTC]
what if its just a jpeg image and not opening?? Like I cant just add .sai at the end cuz it will just say .sai.jpeg
anything? >.<
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Lilythekitsune In reply to BurntMarshmellows [2015-07-26 04:33:16 +0000 UTC]
You can open it in MS Paint, resize it 1% and save, it'll open right up :3
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
motherfuckihatethis In reply to ??? [2015-06-29 05:36:19 +0000 UTC]
Had same problem. Found a solution!
Go find the file.
Right click
Properties
For same measure, delete the .sai and right it again
Where it says choose program to open with, clikc browse and find paintoo sai
select paint tool sai to open with
then done.
it should open all other files thats failed to open and should now open.
I think the problem here is that, the program set to open .sai files not paintool sai therefore it cannot open the file. It could only be opened with paintool sai
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
JetWave [2015-06-23 02:34:14 +0000 UTC]
I was halfway through your tutorial before I suddenly thought I could try duplicating the file (copy and paste in the same folder) for no apparent reason and using that file worked. Sooo if this tutorial doesn't work for anybody, that might also be something you could try. Thanks for the tutorial anyway. <3
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
trikkee In reply to Wild-Growth [2016-03-07 19:08:54 +0000 UTC]
That was my problem, too. Did you ever fix yours?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Wild-Growth In reply to trikkee [2016-03-07 23:14:49 +0000 UTC]
Nope, had to redraw hours of work
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
xRozen-Basesx In reply to Wild-Growth [2015-06-18 16:51:42 +0000 UTC]
Hm, that's a problem. Try some of the other fixes.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
T-Spencil In reply to xRozen-Basesx [2015-06-28 18:17:43 +0000 UTC]
what are these other fixes because i have the same problem
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
altryturtle In reply to ??? [2015-05-05 23:29:08 +0000 UTC]
ah this didnt work for me but the other feedback is pretty helpful! i never knew i was supposed to save it as a psd so thank you very much!
i tried the other solutions as well but it didnt seem to work. i tried something (at risk to my file tho). instead of changing the title into .sai in the properties tab i just changed it to .psd. something popped up with a warning but i figured that i could not make this any worse so i went for it. i was able to open it!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
xRozen-Basesx In reply to altryturtle [2015-06-18 16:52:30 +0000 UTC]
Glad we could give you some advice, sorry the fixes didn't work though.
Yup! That happens sometimes. We get lucky.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Prissychan In reply to ??? [2015-05-04 07:11:23 +0000 UTC]
OH MY GOD! THANK YOU! YOU JUST SAVED MEEEEEE ! <3
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Cera-Miaw In reply to xRozen-Basesx [2015-06-19 20:34:05 +0000 UTC]
it's fine I just redrew it >w<
and is nut chur fault that sai sometimes is weiiirdXD
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Moffine [2015-04-06 01:39:10 +0000 UTC]
hOLY SHIZ I HAD A PANIC ATTACK I TOOK SOO MANY DAYS
TO DO THIS ONE DRAWING//
tysm cries
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
xRozen-Basesx In reply to Moffine [2015-06-18 16:53:20 +0000 UTC]
You're very welcome! Glad it worked! Remember to save your project as a PSD in addition to your SAI file.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
TheBlazingK [2015-04-03 01:41:42 +0000 UTC]
/YOU are a genius
you F...ing save my life drawing :3
thank you thank you, thank yoiuoia aouoriuwoier
lololol im just happy i got my picture
safe and sound. Truly thank you
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
xRozen-Basesx In reply to TheBlazingK [2015-06-18 16:53:49 +0000 UTC]
Very welcome! Remember to save your projects as a PSD in addition to your SAI files.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
ixCato [2015-03-29 12:15:23 +0000 UTC]
You are a saint!! I was near in tears after my file corrupted after a week of hell. And then you come along <33
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
xRozen-Basesx In reply to ixCato [2015-06-18 16:54:36 +0000 UTC]
Glad it worked! Be safe and save your projects as PSDs too!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
samalambis In reply to ??? [2015-03-17 08:02:35 +0000 UTC]
you, my friend, have saved my comic pages. i shower you with all the love and happiness i can muster as now i wont have to redraw all those pages pRAISE EVERYTHING YOURE INCREDIBLE
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
xRozen-Basesx In reply to samalambis [2015-06-18 16:55:48 +0000 UTC]
I'm so glad you could save your project! That would have been a lot of work gone. Remember to save your projects as PSDs in addition to your SAI files!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
samalambis In reply to xRozen-Basesx [2015-06-18 22:18:41 +0000 UTC]
yeah it was a major relief to recover those files ;3;
omg i
i never thought of saving /copies/ well. ill be sure to keep that in mine, thanks so much again for posting this lovlieness!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
xRozen-Basesx In reply to frisket17 [2015-03-15 06:26:43 +0000 UTC]
Welcome, glad it was of use.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
MissSakura-Senpai [2015-02-06 02:26:17 +0000 UTC]
I can't find my files. It like they vanished.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
xRozen-Basesx In reply to MissSakura-Senpai [2015-03-15 06:27:22 +0000 UTC]
Try using the search function on your computer. If not, you might be able to try finding it via "recently opened files" within Sai.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
ZavizStrawinski In reply to xRozen-Basesx [2015-03-23 18:58:29 +0000 UTC]
I only can find the file in" recently opened" but it fails loading. Any tips?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
xRozen-Basesx In reply to ZavizStrawinski [2015-06-18 16:29:15 +0000 UTC]
Unfortunately no D:
You might be able to search for it on your computer via the search function, or through another program.
A general piece of advice I give people is this: When using SAI, always save a copy of your project as a PSD in addition to the SAI file.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
<= Prev | | Next =>