Autosave Deleting

[Anonymous]

How do I stop autcad from deleting autosave files when it closes? We have network drives, multiple users and more often then we would like the wrong file will be replaced. If the autosave files exist in history we wont lose as much work.

[Jroper · Accepted solution]

The autosave is designed to remove the autosave (.sv$) file if the regular file closes without a problem. It really isn't a good idea to rely on an autosave file for a backup either. It's more of a last resort. Autosave files are more prone to being corrupted. It's better for your network to have a backup solution that to use a local autosave. It's possible your IT department makes snapshot backups of your project directory. Ask your IT department or support. Here is a great article about it on CAD Panacea http://cadpanacea.com/autosave

[pkolarik]

In some cases maybe you can use the .bak file to restore a previous version of the overwritten file?

But, the bigger question is why are co-workers overwriting a file with another file? We have the same situation as you said you have, alot of times with files from different projects named the same as files from other projects, and we almost never have files overwritten with the incorrect file.

Sounds like some co-workers need a slap upside the head 😉

[rkmcswain]

jknezel wrote:

How do I stop autcad from deleting autosave files when it closes?..... If the autosave files exist in history we wont lose as much work.

The only time you should ever need an autosave file would be if you have a power outage or something like that.

Normally.....

If you work on a drawing and then save it and close it, the last QSAVE you did will be newer than any autosave file that exists. = no need for the autosave file

If you work on a drawing and then quit without saving, then you do not want to save your changes. = no need for the autosave file

(That's why they are deleted)

But to directly answer your question, (not a recommendation, just a factual answer) -- you can configure your autosave directory so that you have write access, but not delete access.

[ParishSouthBdx]

I had a similar experience.  But my issue was the autosave files were in monthly batches.  after each month the folder was wiped clean.  But this was the routine maintenance program by IT that was doing that. 

still the only beef I have with AutoCAD's autosave, is the default location it places the file.

it's alway C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp.  The problem is that by default, the AppData folder is a HIDDEN FILE.  If a user doesnt know this, the user would never find the autosave files.  of course one can change this by changing where the systems points to save the file, by changing it in options.

[rkmcswain]

Drafting2 wrote:

still the only beef I have with AutoCAD's autosave, is the default location it places the file.

it's alway C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp.  The problem is that by default, the AppData folder is a HIDDEN FILE.  If a user doesnt know this, the user would never find the autosave files.

A novice user should be going through the Recovery Manager to find/open autosave files. Unfortunately, It's not terribly reliable and may or may not show all available .sv$ and/or .BAK files in the autosave locations.

Even though AppData is hidden, you can easily type in %temp% in the address bar of Windows Explorer to take you to the users location you noted in your reply.

[ParishSouthBdx]

If placed in the realm of findable folders....no need for %temp%, no need to understand hidden folders or files. Sure all these work, I just don't see the significance of placing it by default in a hidden area.

Mr. Stacey J Boudreaux
MACHINE TECH SERVICES
1232 Wall Road
Broussard, Louisiana 70518
drafting2@machinetechservices.com
Office: 337.837.2314 x109
Mobile: 337.255.9440
Fax: 337.330.0066
www.machinetechservices.com
www.wellheadrecoverysystems.com
[EMAIL SIG] [augi]

[rkmcswain]

As you noted, you can change it to whatever you like.

But as to why they chose this location as a default? Because this is the TEMP folder of Windows, where virtually every app writes its TEMPorary files.

%TEMP% has been around since dos. There is nothing magical about it. There are dozens of similar variables. Open a Windows Command prompt and type in SET and press ENTER.

Cheers

[ParishSouthBdx]

cool

Mr. Stacey J Boudreaux
MACHINE TECH SERVICES
1232 Wall Road
Broussard, Louisiana 70518
drafting2@machinetechservices.com
Office: 337.837.2314 x109
Mobile: 337.255.9440
Fax: 337.330.0066
www.machinetechservices.com
www.wellheadrecoverysystems.com
[EMAIL SIG] [augi]

[Jroper]

AutoCAD .sv$ file can be potentially be huge and fill up a hard drive fast.  The \appdata\...\temp is a good candidate because it is a target of cleanup programs.  Also, backup save files are best saved in a folder specific to a user's profile because they are most likely personal to what you are doing with your Window's profile.  Say you were in a school lab where there were 5 different user profiles per computer.  You wouldn't want to go digging for your save file among several other student's backup files in big common temp folder.  The AppData area is hidden for most people's protection.  Moving files in that area can potentially break your programs.  It has to be personal and not breakable by you or another person.  But for most people people who are the sole user on a computer, that the first thing they unhide.

[hollandarc]

"The only time you should ever need an autosave file would be if you have a power outage or something like that."

This is patently false.  Being human, sometimes we close files we thought were saved and they're not.  Wouldn't it be nice if there were a function that automatically saved our work periodically into a file that we could return to in case such an error in judgement occurred?  What if that function was called AutoSave?

"Normally.....

If you work on a drawing and then save it and close it, the last QSAVE you did will be newer than any autosave file that exists. = no need for the autosave file"  Abnormally, we do forget sometimes.  See thoughts above.

"If you work on a drawing and then quit without saving, then you do not want to save your changes. = no need for the autosave file (That's why they are deleted)"  Not necessarily so.  See thoughts above.

"But to directly answer your question, (not a recommendation, just a factual answer) -- you can configure your autosave directory so that you have write access, but not delete access."  That's nice that you finally answered the question or at least acknowledged that it is possible to have the AutoSave function operate on the basis for which  many people here and elsewhere have expressed their need, so why on earth, after acknowledging that need, would you leave the discussion without explain how the modification is actually achieved?  How the hell do we disable the auto delete function? 

[RobDraw]

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@hollandarc wrote:

"The only time you should ever need an autosave file would be if you have a power outage or something like that."

This is patently false.  Being human, sometimes we close files we thought were saved and they're not.  Wouldn't it be nice if there were a function that automatically saved our work periodically into a file that we could return to in case such an error in judgement occurred?  What if that function was called AutoSave?

"Normally.....

If you work on a drawing and then save it and close it, the last QSAVE you did will be newer than any autosave file that exists. = no need for the autosave file"  Abnormally, we do forget sometimes.  See thoughts above.

"If you work on a drawing and then quit without saving, then you do not want to save your changes. = no need for the autosave file (That's why they are deleted)"  Not necessarily so.  See thoughts above.

"But to directly answer your question, (not a recommendation, just a factual answer) -- you can configure your autosave directory so that you have write access, but not delete access."  That's nice that you finally answered the question or at least acknowledged that it is possible to have the AutoSave function operate on the basis for which  many people here and elsewhere have expressed their need, so why on earth, after acknowledging that need, would you leave the discussion without explain how the modification is actually achieved?  How the hell do we disable the auto delete function? 

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Why would you even think of using something that is normally automatically deleted as a backup?

Autosave is not a backup file. That's not what it was designed for. Don't try to use it in this fashion. It is only meant to be a way to minimize lost work in the case of an AutoCAD crash. That is it. If your workflow is so fragile that it requires something more reliable, I suggest talking to your IT people about storing past versions of files in a way that actually makes sense.

[pendean]

You have some reading to do https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Understa...

Read the words carefully, do not gloss over them: this is a factual detailed document.

[hollandarc]

Did you even read my reply? I have no IT people. It's just me. I forget
to hit save sometimes and and I look for autosave files like I used to for
years prior to obtaining AutoCAD 2017. Even a partial file is better than
losing everything like I just did yesterday. Yes, I should follow a better
protocol, but that's easier said than done. I was on AutoCAD Lite since
1994 and I retrieved autosave files all the time and they saved my ass on
many occasions. Now they disappear. I don't care if they load up my hard
disc. I've got enough sense to purge them and other temp files when the
time comes. You've said it's possible to reconfigure, why not tell us how.
I've seen other people making the same request. Why is pulling info out of
AutoDesk so difficult. I've gotten more help from public forums on AutoCAD
than I have Autodesk. I don't get it.

Stephen Holland

Holland Architects PC

404-313-6550

[RobDraw]

This is a user forum and you are asking for help. What you are asking for is bad CADding. Most users will tell you that they don't understand how your autosave files were not getting deleted unless AutoCAD was crashing all the time. If you can't appreciate being told that what you are doing is not reliable, I'm sorry.

Good luck.

[cadffm]

after at least 25 years PC experience?

There is the answer: "you can configure your autosave directory so that you have write access, but not delete access." 

Nothing to do with Autocad.
Example search result: https://superuser.com/questions/720486/how-to-prevent-users-from-deleting-a-folder-while-still-givin...


But: Thats not the right way...

I read here days ago about a funny workaround: Set your autosave folder to forexample cloud drive or similar, where Acad can not delete this files theres.

And btw: and if you have not saved autocad asks you if you want to save.

[hollandarc]

I used autosave files which were not deleted from approximately 1994 to 2016
with excellent results. They saved me when I had crashes and when I forgot
to save a file. Why was that bad CADing? Sometimes empirical knowledge is
as valuable, or even more so, than theoretical knowledge. Others have
expressed the desire for the same approach to overcome mental crashes just
like they do for equipment crashes. Other software, Word, Excel (I
believe), Quickbooks, etc. all offer autosave functions and we all depend on
them from time to time. Why shouldn't the most critical tool for architects
and engineers have the same feature?

Stephen Holland

[RobDraw]

Just because you've been using the wrong tool for so long doesn't make it right and AutoCAD is a totally different beast from those other programs. If you want to continue using a screwdriver when you should be using a hammer, go right ahead but don't make demands that others teach you how to do it.

[Arnottg]

Hi,

 I have found that the best users don't use the tools in just one way.

I miss the ability to keep the autosave files when I close a file, they have there uses.

I hope the next version of autocad will allow that option.

Gerald

[RobDraw]

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@Arnottg wrote:

I have found that the best users don't use the tools in just one way.

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But when they do use them for something that they were not intended, they don't complain when it stops working.

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@Arnottg wrote:

I miss the ability to keep the autosave files when I close a file, they have there uses.

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Why don't you find a tool that is actually designed for that function?

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@Arnottg wrote:

I hope the next version of autocad will allow that option.

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Don't count on it.