Autoback files not overwritten by multiple instances of 3ds Max

[Anonymous]

Problem: when running two instances of 3ds Max the autoback of one instance will overwrite the autoback of another instance. Unfortunately that might mean that following a crash in file A there is no autoback because file B was overwriting file A each time.

Solution 1:

Make autoback smarter so the files aren't overwritten. For instance - just look at file creation and if it was created less than the autoback interval just increment the autoback file to the next number. You'll still only have your chosen number of autoback files - so you might have FileA autoback to AutoBackUp01.max, then a minute later FileB autoback to AutoBackup02.max...

Solution 2:

Just include the 3ds Max filename in the Autoback filename. For instance - instead of AutoBackup01, 02, 03 it would be MyMaxFilename_AutoBackup01, MyMaxFilename_AutoBackup02

[Anonymous]

Even if you do not have two instances of 3ds Max open it's still useful the have in backup file name source file name.

[Swordslayer]

If you want autoback to be automatically named by the current scene, run this as a script once (New Script.. -> Paste -> Evaluate All):

scriptFilename = getDir #userStartupScripts + "\AutobackAutoname.ms"
scriptFile = createFile scriptFilename
scriptContents = "callbacks.addScript #filePostOpen \"autoSave.filename = if maxFileName == \\\"\\\" then \\\"AutoBack_\\\" else getFilenameFile maxFileName + \\\"_\\\"\" id:#AutobackFilenameScript
callbacks.addScript #filePostSave \"autoSave.filename = if maxFileName == \\\"\\\" then \\\"AutoBack_\\\" else getFilenameFile maxFileName + \\\"_\\\"\" id:#AutobackFilenameScript
callbacks.addScript #systemPostReset \"autoSave.filename =\\\"AutoBack\\\"\" id:#AutobackFilenameScript\n"

format scriptContents to:scriptFile
close scriptFile
fileIn scriptFile

[Anonymous]

The autoback folder is specified by the project settings.  If your 2 max instances are for different projects, they will naturally save their respective autoback files in their own project folders (assuming you use default project scheme, and are using the project feature at all)

If you are intentionally using 2 instances of max on one project, or are not making use of the project system (which I can understand, it is not the best) then you will experience this issue.  Extra features to work around it might be overkill IMO, although the max filename idea doesn't seem like it would hurt anything and would be handy.  🙂