Knowledge Base

Problem

When opening an observation in Observer XT, the error 'Event Log File Read Failure' appears and the scored behavior data cannot be accessed. The user is unable to retrieve previously coded data.

Details

This error occurs when Observer XT cannot locate the event log files that store the coded behavior data. These files are stored in a subfolder (typically 'Event Data') within the project folder and are separate from the main project file (.vop). The error most commonly occurs when the project folder was moved, copied, or backed up without including all of its subfolders, or when observations were coded in a cloud-synced folder (e.g., Box, OneDrive) that did not fully sync before the move.

Solution

1. Do not create a new observation or overwrite anything — this risks permanently losing the existing data.
2. Locate the original folder where the project was first created and where coding took place. Look for a subfolder named 'Event Data' (or similar) inside the project directory.
3. If the project was moved or copied, ensure the entire project folder structure — including all subfolders — is present in the same location. The .vop project file must reside alongside its subfolders.
4. If the project was synced via a cloud service (Box, OneDrive, Dropbox), check the cloud storage directly for the original subfolder contents and restore them to the local project folder.
5. Once the folder structure is intact, reopen Observer XT and load the project — the event log files should be found automatically.
6. If files are genuinely missing (e.g., coding was done without saving or the drive was formatted), recovery may not be possible. Contact Noldus support for further assistance.
7. Going forward, always back up the entire project folder (including all subfolders) and avoid storing active Observer XT projects in actively-syncing cloud folders.