AutoSave Inventor files

[Anonymous]

Autosave for inventor files to prevent losing work when a crash occurs similar to how AutoCAD creates a temp file and has a recovery manager in AutoCAD, this is a feature that Solidworks also has.

Before Autodesk, or other user reply and say the solution is to set a timer in the application options (like the last person that posted this idea!) this isn't a solution to many users! Give users the ability to choose whether to autosave or not in the application options.

This is one of the most requested features by our customers when we discuss what they would like to see in the software.

[BeKirra]

I am still with v2014. I have found that there is no "autosave" option in my version or in older versions.

Can it be added to the latest version of Inventor, like what AutoCAD has already have for long-long time? - Please ignore it if there is one in v2016.

[fprico]

I like how it works in Alias, when it crashes it save the file before the program close.

[rodney.pudneyTNG8B]

 It would be great to have a function where your drawing auto saves every 5min or so like in AutoCAD or some of the other programs..... i tend to forget and then it crashes and i loose my work!

[Anonymous]

I think that most people won't this autosave.

You can do it with iLogic.

External Rule :

If AutoSaveTrigger >= 100 Then
AutoSaveTrigger = 0
ThisDoc.Save
Else
Trigger += 1
End If

And Event Trigger, on each Parameter modification. 

[The_Angry_Elf]

Honestly, I don't know of any parametric modeler that offers an auto-save. There are numerous reasons that have been mentioned in this argument over the years, especially the thought that if you're in the midst of doing a complex boolean operation or whatever, the Autosave command basically has to boot you out of that command in order to do the save. That could be extremely frustrating. I'm sure there could be something added in the code that'll stall the auto-save until the command is completed. What if the result of that previous command gave you an undesried result, etc? Also consider at what point or type of command do you draw the line at?

Personally, I'd never, ever want an Autosave.

You do realize that if you crash, there's always the backup file you can access, right?

Do you use Vault? If not, I'd highly recommend it. Chances are you have the free version included with your Inventor license. Make it a habit of saving after you do a major boolean command or whatever...I know, easier said than done, but do what you can.

[r_lehmann79]

second time it's done faster....

[jtylerbc]

Maybe this could work if it was confined to autosaving on drawings, as the original post says if you read it literally.  If you extend the idea to other types of files (parts / assemblies), there are many problems with it as joflaherty explained.

It should be every user's practice to save often, and there is already a pop-up save reminder.  To end up in this situation, you have to be both disregarding good general practice and ignoring the existing reminders.  Everyone gets sloppy at some point and makes this mistake, but if it happens to you on a regular basis, you should probably rethink some of the things you're doing.  Make sure you're set up to save at least one OldVersion.  And get in the habit of saving more often.

My general rule, which I teach when I train our users in Inventor, is "Save every time you do something right."

[Anonymous]

I just had a sit-down a couple months ago with a couple of guys from Autodesk and they pretty much told me the same thing as mentioned above.  It is frustrating to not have an auto-save feature, but Inventor is not AutoCad.  There are many other things going on with a save than just more or less lines, as in AC.

[Anonymous]

Wonderful Enhancement in this release.

Some times, during the work software crash that time it will help to user. The drawing will save automatically.

[RichardCizik7701]

Why can't the autosave have an automatic delay function.  The program should be smart enough to know when the model/assembly is at a point where saving would not generate an error message, if the time trigger occures in the middle of an operation that would normally generate the message, then it waits till that operation set is completed and then saves before the next command is issued. 

If this happened then you would only loose the last set of operations.

Rich C.

[Anonymous]

I would really like to see an Autosave feature implemented similar to what AutoCAD has had for years.

I have been using inventor since 2011 and I've never found an easy way (without the use of macros) to enable an autosave mode.

My work computer crashes Inventor very often and the amount of productivity that I lose on a daily basis is incredible.

A simple autosave option would brighten my days and I'm sure that many -if not all- users would enjoy such a feature.

Please consider this very simple upgrade because many of your competitors already have that easily accessible.

Thank you

Nicolas

[r_lehmann79]

Hello thenicator

there are several post / ideas about auto-save in Inventor, latest I think was this one:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideastation/auto-save/idi-p/5953385

If you refer to the search function in the inventor forums, you will find several discussions about that...

Regards

Ralf

[Anonymous]

Well if there are several discussions about this why isn't there already a way to have an autosave feature?

Please Autodesk, consider this modification.

And if, for some reasons, some people don't want to have the autosave active, they could simply not check this box in the option menu.

[cmcconnell]

I do not want an AutoSave. Imagine this: You are working in a 45000 component assembly. You need to add a component and constrain it. Your boss is standing behind you waiting to see what the component looks like where it needs to go. You are just about to it apply, and a 2o minute autosave is initiated.

I would suggest going after the root cause of the crashes. Until you discover what is actually causing the crashes, map ctrl S to one of your Space Navigator's buttons, and hit it frequently.

[Anonymous]

I understand that you might not want to have an autosave feature on if you are working on a 45 000 component assembly but what about the multiple users who work on much lighter assemblies ?

I usually work with assemblies that contain less than 2000 components and the save takes only a couple of seconds. Hence why I said that this function should be voluntary.

If you work on a huge assembly and you don't want the autosave, then simply don't activate it, and then for the  users who would like to have it on, well they simply have to turn it on.

Such a feature would be a benifit for people like me who would enjoy it and it would not change the user experience of users who don't want it. Pretty simple.

Come on Autodesk, why not?

[rodney.pudneyTNG8B]

Thanks Guys for your comments.....  I learnt the hardway the first few times but now i just automaticly save the doucment when i open it and use the CTRL+Save at regular intervals   

[Anonymous]

Please do this!!!!!!!!!!! I used Solid Edge for many years and worked on massive assemblies and the autosave only took a few seconds. It was so nice and I never lost much work if it crashed. This is one thing I have hated about Inventor since switching 2 years ago. Please make it an option in the application options to turn on or off.

Off topic but why not have the table functionality that others have? The customization you can do to tables is very limited and lousy. It would be so nice to have something as simple as merge cells or multiple headers. I know you can place excel tables but I would like to be able to do many of the excel type commands from within Inventor. Thank you.

[mcgyvr]

@Anonymous You should address why your computer is crashing "very often"... thats not right at all..

Autosave isn't going to fix that..

[admaiora]

Yes.

I am speaking about this..

How many times has happened to you?

Maybe after a very long work..

or a very time and cpu sonsuming Analysis...

And at this point you can:

Yes...you can click 'Save' more often..or you can search in the Old Version folder... but unfortunately in most cases it's not enought.

I would like to see the option to recover,  if desired, the files before crashes/freezes.

I think that it can really make the difference (for me certainly).

Thanks!

[brotherkennyh]

Autosave needs to be implemented.

We lose work often because of the program crashing. Sometimes I deliberately don't save because I am in the middle of some complex changes and I don't want to save until I have seen that they work out ok.

Solidworks has an Auto save feature so I don't see why inventor cannot as well.

Pack and go already demonstrates much of the functionality required.

the auto save would need to write separate files and not overwrite the master. I should also not run in the middle of a command, perhaps only while the UI is idle.

The problem comes with the reintegration of the AutoSaves with the master files. The software could pick up that there are newer autosaves than the main file in the same way that it askes the user if they want to restore old versions when they are opened. The auto saved file opened after a crash could be loaded as the current version, but no overwrite the master until the user manually saves.

Most of the functionality required for this feature already exists as part of Inventor. I cant see why it has not been implemented yet.