file path for "save as"

Dave Brach
Expert
I request that when I go to "File>Save As" that the default location is NOT the last location a file was saved, but rather the last location that the CURRENT file was saved. We are a small firm with small projects and do not use solo projects, not teamwork. I cannot tell you how many times over the past 10 years we have saved files in the "wrong" folder (folder for a different project). It has happened literally hundreds of times. I just spent 2 hours transferring changes from a file I worked on last week, but saved in the wrong place, to a file that one of my employees was updating today...
26 Comments
DGSketcher
Legend
+1 You should make this a wish!

I assume this is a Mac problem, but nevertheless it is frustrating locating and moving files. It certainly knocks confidence as to whether you have the latest version of a file. These days I keep the live file with its original name and any security copies or archives have yyyymmdd added tothe file name. This way any misplaced files can be easily identified and sorted. Life would be a lot easier though if AC just opened the current file location for any new drawing backups etc
Barry Kelly
Moderator
DGSketcher wrote:
I assume this is a Mac problem

Nope, happens on Windows as well.
I guess part of 'Saving As' is giving the file a new name and telling it where to save.
I am just lazy.
I wish it would default to the folder where the file was opened from.
But then there may be others that want it to go to where they last saved so they don't have to go looking for that folder again.

We shall see.
I will create a poll and we can all vote.


Barry.
Dave Brach
Expert
....by the way i meant to say "we use solo projects, not teamwork"
Anonymous
Not applicable
Same here...too many times saved in wrong folder!
Eduardo Rolon
Moderator
For macOS users you have this option:

https://www.stclairsoft.com/DefaultFolderX/
jl_lt
Ace
This is particularly cumbersome if you have opened 3 or 4 Archicad instances to work with modules. This is not an omission, or something that could be better, or something that we should wish. This is functionality that is wrong at its most basic level and there is absolutely no justification for it to be that way in 2021. No other software i have ever encountered behaves like this when saving.
henryL
Enthusiast
Really essential wish. I think it will be also useful to have a dedicated "export" command.
Minh Nguyen
Graphisoft Alumni
Graphisoft Alumni
Dear All,

Thank you very much for sharing your opinions!

I tried with some other software to see how it behaves between saving/opening. What I found is that the Open/Save dialog always seems to remember the last location it was used. So maybe this is not something that we can alter, as it is on the OS level. Could you help me with some examples of which software has a similar function to this wish?

Best regards,
Minh
jl_lt
Ace
Hi Mr Mguyen. Thats normally the case, that is, any software remembers the location of the file you are working on EVERYTIME, regardless of how many open files you have. If you open project A, it will always save on project A location, no matter if you previously worked on project B,C, etc.

In Archicad, If you worked on project A, and then work on project B from another folder, project B will save on Project A folder if not careful.

Also, if you open more than one Archicad session, the software remembers the last location of the last file saved regardless of the session, so if you work on project A and B at the same time and save on B, then A will also save on B folder.

That is as far as i can remember, since im now behaviorily conditioned to use "save as" and always select the correct folder, which is, at the very least, annoying.
Minh Nguyen
Graphisoft Alumni
Graphisoft Alumni
Hello,

Thank you for the input!

I was able to reproduce the issue, this time with ticking "Launch a new instance of Archicad" when opening another file with Archicad. My observation is:
- First, open file 1
- In file 1's window, File > Open > navigate to file 2 > tick Launch a new instance of Archicad
- In file 2's window, if you go to File > Open or Save as, the location is at file 1
Looks like file 2 carried over the location of file 1 instead of using its correct folder.

On the other hand, I was unable to reproduce the issue with saving in one session, got carried over to other sessions:


Anyhow, now that I know how to reproduce it, I have entered the first one into our Wish List database (please refer to it as IDEA-1386)

Feel free to let me know your further opinions and experiences with this issue!
Thank you very much!
Best regards,
Minh
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with 22 Votes

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