topic Re: File backup techniques in Modeling

File backup techniques

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:44:02 GMT

I like to save my file periodically as a separate file, marking it with a date etc. However, I would like to be able to save my file directly to my backup folder, while continuing working from the current file, (where currently it automatically transfers to the recently saved file) mainly to help with keeping my folders neat and organized. Is there a way to select which file stays open?

Thanks for any comments.

Re: File backup techniques

Karl Ottenstein — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:16:11 GMT

No. Like almost every program for Windows and Mac (up until Mac Lion), when you Save As, the newly saved-as file is the active one.

You'll have to do a Close after the Save-As and then open the 'active' file from the Recent Files list.

Re: File backup techniques

Barry Kelly — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:35:38 GMT

Or you could "save as" with the new file name and location and then immediately "save as" again with the old file name and location.

Or you could just copy the open file in Windows Exporer (or the Mac equivalent) and rename it.
It doesn't matter if the file is currently open in Archicad.
This way you don't have to open/close or save as files in Archicad at all.

Barry.

Re: File backup techniques

Gorazd — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:11:59 GMT

It would really be nice if ArchiCAD would have some kind of backup plan. To save very hour to some backup folder, and keep last few backups. With the available space on drives theese day it would save people from potential troubles big time. It is awailable in teamwork, why just not expand this for non TW users.

Re: File backup techniques

vistasp — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:31:08 GMT

Windows users might find this discussion on version backups useful.

Re: File backup techniques

Barry Kelly — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:48:52 GMT

vistasp wrote:
Windows users might find this discussion on version backups useful.

Did you mean to link to another post?
Barry.

Re: File backup techniques

vistasp — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:26:38 GMT

Whoops! Thanks Barry!

And here's the link.

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=34929

Re: File backup techniques

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:29:38 GMT

Barry wrote:
Or you could "save as" with the new file name and location and then immediately "save as" again with the old file name and location.

Or you could just copy the open file in Windows Exporer (or the Mac equivalent) and rename it.
It doesn't matter if the file is currently open in Archicad.
This way you don't have to open/close or save as files in Archicad at all.

Barry.

I'm still using this way, a Global Method, I think, for all software.

Re: File backup techniques

Gorazd — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:46:04 GMT

Time Machine is one of the things I miss most from my former MacBook 🙂 I am using some backup techniques, but still it would be nice to have versions backup to any SW, not only ArchiCAD

Re: File backup techniques

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:27:43 GMT

Barry wrote:
Or you could just copy the open file in Windows Exporer (or the Mac equivalent) and rename it.
It doesn't matter if the file is currently open in Archicad.
This way you don't have to open/close or save as files in Archicad at all.

Barry.

I do this too... Just drag a copy of the file into my backup folder and add the date to the file name...

Re: File backup techniques

Dennis Lee — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:32:10 GMT

connor wrote:
I like to save my file periodically as a separate file, marking it with a date etc. However, I would like to be able to save my file directly to my backup folder, while continuing working from the current file, (where currently it automatically transfers to the recently saved file) mainly to help with keeping my folders neat and organized. Is there a way to select which file stays open?

Thanks for any comments.

If you use teamwork, save as will not affect the current file.

Re: File backup techniques

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:10:13 GMT

Or you can do what I do, save the project file as an ArchiCAD Archive Project.

File/Save As/

Select "ArchiCAD Archive Project" under format. Hit options to select additional useful Archive Options.

This provides a nice copy of your project as a .pla file. And the best part is, it does a save as without leaving your current ArchiCAD session. So you don't have to worry about closing and reopening or resaving.

Re: File backup techniques

sinceV6 — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:45:44 GMT

I also drag a copy of the currently opened file, but I first I make a new folder named with the date and the status of the backup (how far along is the project or what change is about to happen) and then drag the copy to that folder. This date-named folder is then placed in a folder named archive or anything like that.

I also used to rename the files with the date; but naming the folder instead of the file is better when you try to go back... just drag the backup back again to the main project folder and overwrite the current one... this is specially useful when using a lot of hotlinked files.

Re: File backup techniques

Arcadia — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:18:18 GMT

Just use an online backup service (which you should be doing anyway) like elephantdrive.com which has the ability to save previous versions of the file for a certain period of time. I rarely have to go back and recover a previous version but it is handy when needed.