Trouble restoring single accidently deleted bookmarks folder
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BigSwifty last edited by
Somehow I accidently deleted a folder from the bookmarks bar and I'm having some troubles restoring things to how they were. I've done a Google search and located the file on my C: drive:
C:\Users\USUARIO\AppData\Roaming\Opera Software\Opera Stable
I see the files named 'Bookmarks' and 'Bookmarks.bak,' but when I try to access from Opera by using "Import bookmarks and settings... > Bookmarks HTML file" the file is not shown as an option. Both files are not in folders and shown below all available folders when I search with file manager. I'm assuming neither are HTML files, and so are not shown as options.
So how do I get Opera to access this file (I'm assuming just "Bookmarks" is the one I want)? The file is listed as being modified at around the time the accidental deletion happened. I'm hoping it's before. The "Bookmarks.BAK" file was modified two days ago, so I know for sure it would be there and any added bookmarks over the last two days don't concern me.
Also, is there a way to just add/restore one specific bookmark folder while leaving the rest as is, or is bookmark restoration and all or nothing kind of deal?
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leocg Moderator Volunteer last edited by
@bigswifty Restoring from the trash didn't work? Or did you empty it after have deleted the folder?
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BigSwifty last edited by
@leocg When I looked in the Trash there was nothing there. I get the feeling while hovered over the bookmark folder on the bookmark bar I right-clicked and selected something, but I don't know what I could have selected (other than move to Trash) that would have resulted in the folder no longer being in the bookmark bar, or anywhere else I can see within Opera.
I closed down Opera and re-opened with the hope that all would be back to where it was, but no dice.
I'd be fine with just using the bookmarks.bak file that was last updated a couple of days ago, but I'm not sure how to restore using that file, or changing that file to become the new bookmarks file from where Opera will read. I have a bit of fear about experimenting in search of a solution and somehow making the situation worse by eliminating all of my bookmarks.
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leocg Moderator Volunteer last edited by
@bigswifty Renaming the current Bookmarks file to something like Bookmarks.old and then renaming Bookmarks.bak to Bookmarks should do it but, or course,, you will loose all bookmarks added since the backup file was last updated.
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by
I see the files named 'Bookmarks' and 'Bookmarks.bak,' but when I try to access from Opera by using "Import bookmarks and settings... > Bookmarks HTML file" the file is not shown as an option. Both files are not in folders and shown below all available folders when I search with file manager. I'm assuming neither are HTML files, and so are not shown as options.
You are correct. They're not HTML files. They're JSON files. You can look at them by opening them up in JSONedit in tree mode to see if your missing folder and bookmarks are there. In JSONedit after you load the file, right-click on "root", goto "expand", and choose "all" to easily see all entries.
Just for advanced info (that you don't need to do at the moment), if you wanted to convert that bookmarks file to an HTML file, you can do the following:
Create a test standalone installation in a folder named "Opera Test" on your desktop, and close that Opera. In the "Opera Test" folder on your desktop, there will be a "profile/data" folder. In it, will be a "Bookmarks" file. You can replace that bookmarks file with the bookmarks file from your regular Opera. Then, you can start the test Opera, goto the URL
opera://bookmarks, and use the drop-down at the bottom left to export the bookmarks as an HTML file that you could then import into your regular Opera if you ever wanted to, and drag the missing folder (if it shows up) to where it use to be. Then, you can delete the rest of the imported bookmarks you don't need. -
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BigSwifty last edited by
@burnout426 Thanks for the info. I downloaded JSONedit with thoughts of trying the more advanced solution (partly for the learning experience) but wasn't able to download the file because the Appdata folder where the file resides wasn't visible. Still, I'll bookmark your response for future needs.
Maybe because I don't understand how all the behind the scenes stuff works, but it's odd to me that Opera doesn't have an easy/intuitive solution to this where it would read the JSON file instead of only having and HTML as an option.
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burnout426 Volunteer last edited by
@bigswifty said in Trouble restoring single accidently deleted bookmarks folder:
Appdata folder where the file resides wasn't visible.
Yeah, you have to show hidden files and folders in Windows Explorer. It's also good to shoe file extensions for known file types too.
@bigswifty said in Trouble restoring single accidently deleted bookmarks folder:
but it's odd to me that Opera doesn't have an easy/intuitive solution to this where it would read the JSON file instead of only having and HTML as an option.
Indeed. Glad you got things sorted out though.
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BigSwifty last edited by
@burnout426 Not that it's that important now, since I got my situation figured out, but I did make sure to show hidden files and folders. At least I confirmed that before reading your advise. Not sure if shutting down and rebooting reset that to hiding those files and folders.
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