Fusion
Bug: Missing Machine Tools Libraries
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(I see many many mentioning missing tools files for many reasons)
Mine are no missing too and I am pretty sure I know why.
Theory based on all available evidence:
Mine are missing because I changed the name of the file inside Tools Library Manager, to something that should work in Fusion, but does not work in Widows. Some developer decided to make code that said the file name typed under libraries are literal, not reference. That is they don't correspond to a lookup table a code named cache file. They are applied directly to a JSON as typed. Then said developer committed criminal negligence by instructing the interface to silence any errors. The kind you normaly get when you try to create a file, or change a file name with characters that Windows doesn't support in a file name!!
If you are trying to figure out what happened to your tools and you also happened to rename, or create a library this is likely why you cannot find your stuff, and yes it's gone forever. We should not at all be happy about this. There is no local backup whatsoever. Odds are if you are here, you also did not use cloud services.
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What happened:
I changed the name of my primary library to "3018 CNC bits: Drill" from "3018 CNC bits". In fact I created 2 more libraries to house my previously unsorted bits. I wanted to make folders but apparently sub folder are a higher level than libraries? That should have been my warning Fusion was doing something dangerous. I didn't notice. In the manager everything looked good. I created a library to hold a couple sampled tools from the Fusion catalog. I verified that all the tools showed up where I wanted. Then closed the window. A while later I opened it again to start adding some more bits. But now everything is gone.
What was I expecting:
After closing the window to The tools manager the files would be saved and I could continue to be oblivious to the way the data was stored or cached. When I reopen the tools manager my created bits would still be there.
My theory:
So looking over the damage, everything is exactly as I left it but the libraries with ":" in their name and all the bits stored within are gone.
What I did to recover:
I dug around on the forums and found where they should be stored in windows.
There is a Fusion360 folder in MyDocuments: But, there are no relevant files for this issue in there.
I looked into the Roaming/Autodesk/Cam360/libraries/local: There are two files, one with the previously named 3018 CNC bits, and it is a blank file, no contents at all, really just an icon saving space for a file. There is no file type. There is one other file F360 Default Models.json which correctly corresponds to the Library I created for the sample tools I downloaded earlier and they are showing in the manager.
Theory backed up by evidence:
So all of the evidence supports the theory that Windows refused to allow the name change. So all the data was held in RAM until the manager was closed. Since the error was suppressed, and ultimately ignored, the new libraries could not be created and the old library could not be full renamed and became a damaged file.
What else have I tried:
Cloud was disabled:
-from days past when online services and caching was causing issues and lost data.
-Turned it on. This created a new entry in Tools Manager but no new files.
Looked in Assets:
-that folder is a ghost town of what might have been, but nothing Fusion is actively using at all.
-Certainly no backup copies of anything whatsoever. Online and offline.
Checked assets copy in my online folder:
-Same.
Checked windows explorer Recycle Bin:
-to see if there was a copy erased when the new one was created.
-No file at all. Supports theory Fusion360 tried to rename directly and the error was suppressed.
Searched the Local and Roaming folders:
-any resemblance of a backup file. None found.
-I did find every single file ever created, downloaded from the servers, for 3rd party machines and all of their bits.
-But the ones that are user created? Poof. I mean really, who needs those? hehe
Checked Windows Event Viewer Logs:
-Although some stuff was reported for fusion360 there was no specifics as to what happened.
-The one and only reference to a backed up log, of course could not be found.
My opinion:
With this theory, and data, under my belt it is no surprise at all that to me there are so many complaints of missing files. Any time some one types in a name windows doesn't like. Poof, no more data. File could not be renamed. File could not be created. Shh keep that a secret. -Wheres my data?
Did you remember to put a floppy in the slot? Did you save often?
What will I do now:
So now I have the 7 new bits to create, 3 libraries to recreate and the 21 previously saved bits to recreate.
-No, Fusion360 does not already have these bits. I cannot just grab a generic copy.
-Alternatively abandon the mess entirely. Find another way to generate my cut files without using any part of Fusion360.
My expectations from Autodesk:
Now that this issue has been identified. I will expect a patch so that we do not keep looking data because of naming and suppressed windows errors. -It makes sense that libraries cannot have folders, if they are literally windows folders and JSON files. I would have liked to have known that before saving.
