New File Versions Keep Getting Created

[Anonymous]

I feel silly asking this but I can't figure out how to simply save a file without creating a new version. I don't want new versions; I'm drowning in multiple versions. I just want to save the file under its present version name.  Control-S (or clicking on the "Save" button) brings up the box (see below) asking for a new version description. Choosing the "Save As" creates a whole new drawing. I've tried un-selecting the "Automatic version on close" in preferences but then it doesn't appear to save the file at all when I close it. I must be missing something simple here.

A related question is: How do I get rid of all the old versions of a file? If I want to save just the latest version or the latest couple, how do I prune off all the previous versions? All these old versions seem quite useless to me and, I suspect, are just clogging up your servers.

[HughesTooling · Accepted solution]

You're not missing anything, there's no way to save without creating a new version. The only way to clean out all the versions in to use Save As and save with the same name then delete the old file with all the versions you don't want. You can have multiple files with the same name by the way so be careful.

Mark

Edit. Some more thoughts. If the file is used in another design or 2d drawing I don't think you can do anything to clean the file up, the system should stop you from deleting a file that's used in another design.

[secorw]

@Anonymous Could you say more about why you want to avoid creating new versions?

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

OK Mark, thanks. That answers my question.

[Anonymous]

I just thought, if I was doing it wrong, it was creating too much of a load on the system. I was imagining all your users doing this same thing and creating vast fields of data weeds that would eventually load the whole system down. I thought surely there must be a simpler way to go about it.

I couldn't imagine ever going back through all those versions and actually using any of it. I was trying to keep my files as few and simple as possible and not hog up a lot of file space. But, hey, if the F360 team isn't worrried about it, I won't be either.

I greatly appreciate what Autodesk is doing here.

[Anonymous]

I would imagine the server is only saving the difference between versions and not another copy of the whole file. So if you create 15 versions without changing any geometry, there is almost no load on the system.

I find the number of versions overwhelming as well, but revisions and branching are on the product roadmap. When that gets implemented it should be easier to put a pin in a design and mark a useful point in its development.

[Anonymous]

Jason,

That's helpful to know. Thanks for the comment.

[curtisho2006]

Because I have to edit something from a few versions back, while saving everything else from what I have from the newest version.