This is one case of an RSC extractor being good.

ID:278251
 
Dec 1 2009, 9:58 pm
I'm adjusting art in a .dmi for an isometric test in 459, when I went to compile it errored, when I reopened the project the .dmi was completely empty, but the icons still in the RSC.
Dec 2 2009, 5:59 am
Use "Print Screen"
Dec 2 2009, 7:02 am
In response to Haywire
Print Screen works too, but then I'd have to rename each icon_state (which isn't a huge hassle per se, but still).
Dec 2 2009, 7:37 am
Naturally, you can always extract RSCs using Dream Maker & Seeker. 
client/verb/getfile()
   src << ftp('my icon.dmi')
Dec 2 2009, 11:17 am
In response to Kaioken
Hmm, I wasn't aware. I would have gladly submitted a bug report, but it only happened a few times.
Dec 2 2009, 1:01 pm
In response to Kaioken
fcopy() can also be used in order to avoid having to deal with the file save dialog.
Jan 13 2010, 12:54 pm
Moonlight Memento wrote:
I'm adjusting art in a .dmi for an isometric test in 459, when I went to compile it errored, when I reopened the project the .dmi was completely empty, but the icons still in the RSC.

I've had the compiler catastrophically crash every so often. It seems to happen after all the project files are saved, but before the compile is finished -- I don't lose anything, it just becomes a minor annoyance. I'm mildly interested in what's different where you have actually lost work in the same scenario.
Jan 13 2010, 2:29 pm
In response to Mobius Evalon
I'm not sure what caused it. After flipping an icon around a bit Dream Maker would lock up and ask the "Don't Send", "Send Error Report" stuff, then when I re-loaded Dream Maker the icons weren't in the .dmi

I couldn't submit a report because it wasn't consistent.