Installed Scriv several years ago, never got Scriv icon to display in dock properly, always get two question marks in dock instead of Scriv icon. Ended up with having to rename scriv backup files whenever had crash.
Last time it crashed, now can’t open. Get message:
The project “LD AUG 2020 NEW FILE-1-2-1-1-1-1 2.scriv” is stored inside its own automatic backups folder. This could potentially result in data loss in the event of an automatic backup trying to overwrite the current project file. It is therefore strongly recommended that you close the project and move it to a different location.
I recommend that “you close the project and move it to a different location”!
In Scrivener Prefs/Settings, look at the Backup area. Note where it is putting your automatic project backups. (Did you change this location from its default? Where did you point it?)
If it is not switched on, turn on the option there to have your backup files zipped, safer and keeps you from ever confusing a project backup from an active project.
Click the button in that settings dialog box the will take you in the Finder to the actual folder where your backups are being put. Did you put some projects in this folder?? Take them out of there! And put them somewhere else — like the message said.
If you ever open a project backup file, beware the Recents menu after that — do not later mistake the backup project you opened for your active project! (It may be this is how you got in trouble in the first place.)
You can also locate all projects in your system by searching for .scriv files in Finder. Once you’ve found them, drag and drop (with Scrivener closed!) to move them wherever you like.
As @gr said, doing this will make the Recent Projects menu untrustworthy, so it’s a good idea to clear it the next time you open Scrivener.
Though one would not want to catch-up in such a clean sweep unzipped Scrivener backups, because you don’t want to move those backup files from their backup folder.