file unable to be backed up with time machine

[desertskypictures]

Every once in awhile a .dwg file is unable to be backed up with Apple's Time machine.  This only happens

with  .dwg files managed by Autocad for Mac. It has been a problem since using autocad 23 and 24.  I do daily backups and they work just fine most days.  Sometimes unlocking the file helps (if it's locked) other times I must save as a new file name and delete the offending file.   Time machine has a dumb feature that if I can't backup a file it quits rather

than moving on.  Apple support is no help they want to blame the external  drive and Autocad

I currently using Autocad for mac 2024.1.1 on my M1 Mac Studio with Version 14.3.1.

While I have a work around has anyone else seen this issue?  I'm using a Education version of autocad

so am unable to contact autodesk for help.

Thank you, Al

[paullimapa]

"Sometimes unlocking the file helps (if it's locked)..."

Out of curiosity how did the file get locked in the first place?

Since I'm not familar with the Mac OS, but in the Windows OS when AutoCAD has a dwg file opened it will lock it by generating a separate .dwl file. But if AutoCAD closes out of the dwg file successfully, the .dwl would be removed & it should be now unlocked. Unless AutoCAD crashed, then the lock remains as the .dwl file is not removed. 

[desertskypictures]

I have no idea why the file is locked.  It doesn't happen all the time.  I get a feeling that autocad is 

corrupting the file header as far as time machine is concerned.  I'm running a test backing up with both

Carbon Copy cloner (CCC) and time machine (TM).  Note that Autocad has no issues opening the file.

When TM has a problem opening, closing or updating the file does not fix the issue, only doing a "Save as"

do a new file name and deleting the old file make the problem go away.     

[paullimapa]

Could be TM picking up something odd. Perhaps CCC won’t have the same problem 

[maxim_k]

Hi @desertskypictures ,

Do you have iCloud sync enabled for the folder where you save your DWG files?

[desertskypictures]

it is not synced with icloud

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Hi @desertskypictures ,

Just for test.

What is the value of the System Variable ISAVEPERCENT ?

If it is 50, try to set it to 0 (zero) and watch the Time Machine backup process.

[desertskypictures]

set it to zero, now I wait!

[paullimapa]

I assume you're running TM backups when your AutoCAD is closed without any drawings opened right?

[desertskypictures]

Backup's happen with Autocad running and not.  That doesn't seem to make a difference.

[paullimapa]

AutoCAD with drawings opened will definitely have those files locked which may cause the issue you've experienced with TM backup.  But of course if the problem occurs even with AutoCAD not running then that's a different problem.

[desertskypictures]

Most on the time, Time Machine (TM) backups up the file just fine, but fails every once in a while.
I thought I fixed it with help from the forum, but it failed this week. Soooo I give up for now and have
TM skip that directory and have Carbon Copy back it up my AutoCad stuff it has no issues so far.