# Plain text import fails

**URL:** <https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/plain-text-import-fails/24536>\
**Category:** Scrivener for Windows\
**Tags:** bug\
**Created:** [November 29, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/plain-text-import-fails/24536 "2013-11-29T03:22:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mela](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/mela/32/23589_2.png) [@Mela](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Mela)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/plain-text-import-fails/24536/1 "2013-11-29T03:22:50Z")

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Hello,

when I try importing a plain text file via “Add -\> Files …” the resulting document is always empty. The file I’m trying to import is a 20k plain text file, ISO-8850-15 encoded.

Windows 7 Professional, Scrivener 1.6.1.0

The project I tried to import in is really old by now. I even can’t remember which template I used to start. Maybe “novel with chapters”.

Greetings,  
Mela

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**Author:** ![MimeticMouton](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/mimeticmouton/32/34_2.png) [@MimeticMouton](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/MimeticMouton)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/plain-text-import-fails/24536/2 "2013-12-02T23:02:21Z")

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Hi Mela,

Thanks, we’re looking into this bug. I’ve found that although it initially appears blank, if you close and reopen the project, the document appears to have imported correctly, with the text now visible. Is this true for you as well? So for example:

1. Import the plain-text file – it imports and you see it in the binder, but it has a blank document icon and there is no text visible for it in the editor
2. Close the project, then reopen the project – the document now has all its text and the correct document icon in the binder

You might also try importing the plain-text file by dragging it from Windows Explorer directly into the binder. That seems to work better, at a guess because it does not automatically load the newly imported file, so it’s bypassing the display issue occurring during the File \> Import process.

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**Author:** ![Mela](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/user_avatar/forum.literatureandlatte.com/mela/32/23589_2.png) [@Mela](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/u/Mela)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/plain-text-import-fails/24536/3 "2013-12-02T23:45:34Z")

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> [@MimeticMouton](#):
>
> 1. Import the plain-text file – it imports and you see it in the binder, but it has a blank document icon and there is no text visible for it in the editor
> 2. Close the project, then reopen the project – the document now has all its text and the correct document icon in the binder  
> .

This works. Thank you.

Mela