Open Project
The Open page provides access to existing Volvicon project files. You can quickly reopen recent projects, browse local folders, or connect to cloud storage providers to access remotely stored projects.
Opening a project closes the current one. Volvicon prompts you to save unsaved changes before proceeding. Save your work to avoid data loss.
Page Layout
The Open page presents three access methods on the left panel:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Recent Projects | Previously opened project files, sorted by most recent access |
| Computer | Browse local folders and file system |
| Add a Place | Connect to cloud storage providers for remote project access |
Opening Recent Projects
The most efficient way to resume work on a known project.
Workflow
- Navigate to File → Open
- Ensure Recent Projects is selected in the left panel
- Locate your project in the list
- Double-click the project entry to open it
- The backstage closes and the project loads
Recent project entries display both the filename and full path, helping you distinguish between projects with similar names stored in different locations.
The recent projects list has a configurable maximum size. Projects beyond this limit are no longer displayed but remain accessible via the Computer option. Adjust the limit in Preferences → General → Recent files.
Browsing Local Folders
Use this option when the project isn't in the recent list or you need to navigate to a specific location.
Workflow
- Navigate to File → Open
- Select Computer from the left panel
- Choose a recent folder from the list, or click Browse to open the file dialog
- Navigate to and select the project file
- Click Open to load the project
Recent Folders
The Computer view displays recently accessed folders derived from your recent project history. Common locations (Documents, Desktop, Home) appear automatically if no recent history exists.
This list helps you quickly access frequently used project directories without navigating through the full folder hierarchy.
Opening from Cloud Storage
Access projects stored with cloud providers directly from Volvicon.
Adding a Cloud Provider
- Navigate to File → Open
- Select Add a Place from the left panel
- Click Add a Place... to open the provider registration dialog
- Select your cloud provider and complete the authentication process
- The provider appears in the cloud browser
Opening a Cloud-Hosted Project
- Navigate to File → Open → Add a Place
- Browse the cloud provider's file structure
- Double-click the project file to download and open it
- A progress dialog shows download status
- After successful download, the project opens automatically
Cloud-hosted projects are downloaded to a temporary location, opened, and the temporary file is cleaned up after loading. The original cloud file remains unchanged until you explicitly save back to cloud storage.
Handling Download Issues
If a cloud download fails or is canceled:
- Network interruption: Verify your internet connection and retry
- Authentication expired: Re-authenticate with the cloud provider
- File permissions: Confirm you have read access to the cloud file
Partial downloads are automatically cleaned up. You can safely retry the download.
Integrity Verification on Open
Volvicon performs a fast integrity verification when you open a project. It compares the embedded integrity manifest against the actual contents of the .vvcx file to detect missing, added, or modified files.
If any integrity issue is detected, a warning dialog explains what was found and lists affected files when available. You can:
- Continue: Open the project anyway (recommended only if you trust the file source)
- Cancel: Stop opening and investigate the issue
If the project does not contain integrity data (for example, older projects or files modified outside Volvicon), you will see a separate warning indicating the manifest is missing.
If you receive integrity warnings for shared projects, ask the sender to re-save the project in the current version of Volvicon to regenerate the manifest.
Troubleshooting
Project Not in Recent List
- The recent list has a maximum size; older entries are removed
- System privacy tools or clearing browser history may remove recent file tracking
- Use Computer → Browse to manually navigate to the project
Project File Cannot Be Opened
- Verify the file extension is a valid Volvicon project format
- Confirm the file is not corrupted (try opening a backup if available)
- Check that you have read permissions for the file location
Version Compatibility Warning
If you see a warning stating the project was created with a newer version of Volvicon:
- Recommended: Update Volvicon to the latest version before opening
- Alternative: Click Yes to attempt opening anyway (some features may not load correctly)
- Ask the project creator to save a compatible version if data loss is unacceptable
Projects created with older versions of Volvicon always open without warnings in newer versions. Backward compatibility is fully maintained.
Cloud Project Download Fails
- Verify internet connectivity
- Re-authenticate with the cloud provider if the session expired
- Check available disk space for the temporary download
- Ensure firewall settings allow Volvicon to access the internet
Workflow: Opening a Project from a Network Drive
- Navigate to File → Open → Computer
- Click Browse to open the file dialog
- Navigate to the network location (e.g.,
\\server\projects\) - Select the project file
- Click Open
For projects stored on network drives, ensure the connection is stable before opening. Intermittent network access during project operations can cause data issues.
Related Topics
- Home - Quick access to recent projects from the landing page
- Save - Saving changes to the current project
- Save As - Saving to new locations including cloud storage
- New Project - Creating projects from data files