Autosave Local

[eccross]

I'm sure the idea has been floated out there before, but this is a pretty big deal for users.  I can't begin to imagine the amount of hours lost because of a lack of autosave.  I know that Revit provides save reminders, but often people are either in mid command and don't want to save, or they just aren't ready to save/sync back to central yet.

I propose an autosave that works similarly to Revit Server.  The idea is that Local files still exist in their standard form, but an additional autosave file is created each time a new local file is created (for users at my firm, this should be every time a file is opened).  Periodically the autosave kicks in and only saves changes made since the last save/sync/autosave.  This would cut down on the size of the changes need to be saved.

I would be willing to add a couple minutes to a large project load/save times if it meant that I also got autosaves.

We should also be able to set a frequency for autosaves as well as turn it on/off.  Mine would always be on, but it would cut down on complaints from people who don't want to lose the time autosaving.

[ipselute]

@Hakochkarian: Please don't get it wrong, but Revit is not Autocad. Local autosaving in a collaborative environment is kind of useless. Syncing local copy with server (where central Revit file should be) is much more important. Just think GDrive or Microsoft OneDrive or even Autodesk Drive, or just any other cloud-based solution. The main difference is that collaborative Revit needs syncing between multiple users. But syncing can't be done all-users-at-once. It must be done one-by-one. The same principle is used by all collaborative software (Tekla, Allplan, etc). Even Autocad online does it the same. Multiple users may comment on one particular file, but each comment must be done one-by-one, otherwise file-writing chronology cannot be kept properly by the server and the central file will become corrupt for sure.

P.S. If you badly need autosave in Revit, you can use this extension: https://apps.autodesk.com/RVT/en/Detail/Index?id=4970299609340791742&appLang=en&os=Win64. Yeah, it's free. Although i don't recommend automatic autosave in Revit, as it may interrupt heavy-duty tasks like rendering, purging or generative (dynamo) modeling. Ctrl+S at user discretion is safest way to "autosave".

[dplumb_BWBR]

Is it really that hard to click the "Yes" option when you're prompted to save?

[hstaabprime]

Ctrl+S

[HVAC-Novice]

The auto save also should work in the background while allowing continued work. right now hitting save or synchronize means it takes a few seconds during which we can't work in Revit. This should happen in the background. 

I realize how long it takes depends on model size and network speed etc. but if it worked in the background it would be less annoying. 

[WFTDesign]

I made a vote because on that particular night, using a laptop away from my home for a reason. It was on battery power. So I worked on the project, then left to go to the restroom and chat with fellow people at the restaurant. Then when I got to my booth, the laptop went into SLEEP MODE. So, when I attempt to wake the laptop for a reason, it won't wake up. The only way to wake it up was to force restart the laptop. I knew I would lose a lot of work doing this. That is why I am FOR AUTOSAVE. End of Discussion. 

[HVAC-Novice]

OMG. 5 years later and we still don't have this feature that exists in literally every software. 

[dplumb_BWBR]

When you know you're going to be away from your computer for a while, click on the Save (or SWC) button.

End of Discussion.

[WFTDesign]

When we are humans, and when we are not perfect, we are great when we make mistakes.

When we meet you as smart-aleck like you are, then be it, End of Discussion. 

[HVAC-Novice]

We invented computers to perform the mundane tasks and the ones we may forget. Automation. 

Automatically saving the file has been a function of the most primitive software for decades. Is it 100% necessary to survive? No. But neither are airplanes, AC, cars and computers. We still want them.

Isn't the whole idea of Revit to do things humans are not good at? This human isn't good at pushing a button every so often and then waiting a few seconds before resuming work. 99.99% of software vendors have resolved this with version 1.0 of their software decades ago. 

If one doesn't like this idea, just move along and don't vote it up. That is all it takes. No need to bash people who want that feature. This is how the vote feature works. 

[shefypattambi]

Hi @WFTDesign  I am using a free addin for autosaving.In case if you wanna use please have a look at the below link.I am sure it will meet your expectation.

http://bim2b.ru/bim2b-autosave-for-revit

[WFTDesign]

Hi, @shefypattambi  Yes, the tiny problem is... I have Revit LT. I can't install add-ins. That is why I voted this up.

And thank you, @HVAC-Novice!

[HVAC-Novice]

WFTDesign: I have It restrictions for any software we are allowed to install. So no free add-in for me as well. And I'm always vary of a plugin since you need to rely on it being maintained for the new Revit versions. 

Just shows how important autosave is. Someone even took the time and knowledge to make a tool for such basic function. 

[david.bwprod]

Agreed, this is ridiculous. Autodesk want people to convert from cad to revit but they wont address the single most important feature. There program is so bug written that its almost not worth using. You charge us almost 3000.00 for a program that works so so at the best of times, (ie fittings that wont draw correctly, the inability to be consistent in your own program, no autosave to name a few) and all we get for help desk is attitude.

[AnnieSwan]

Please please PLEASE create the ability to autosave your local file. It is ridiculous that this isn't an option. Revit crashes too often and I ALWAYS lose work. If the worry is workflow slowdown, have this be an option the user can turn on or off. PLEASE!!

[HVAC-Novice]

I'd also add to automate "synchronizing with central". Both saving and syncing take a longish time and the reminder always pops up when I want to do something important, then have to wait.

The autosave and syncing should work so we still can work in Revit and don't notice a lag or how long the saving actually takes. 

OP: if you experience frequent crashes, check hardware, OS, drivers etc. This should not be happening. 

[mgreenENCS]

Please, add an autosave/sync option. That's one thing that was amazing about CAD and I desperately miss it now. Especially when getting the message below and my only option is to close and lose work. Also, that suggestion about the worksets dialog doesn't help.

[101449461]

Autocad has a great autosaving feature which you can toggle on or off. Revit does not have this feature. 

The reason stated by autodesk is simply project data and overloading background usage. Now obviously this is problematic if you are using a computer that is incapable of handling background processing alongside a large project. However, if you are using a powerful computer and are also dealing with a small project autosave would have no affect on the performance of the program. 

I suppose autodesk has already thought of this, but why not just add in a feature for optional autosave? Since autodesk has not done this I can presume there must be a really good reason other than background processing because that alone is not a good reason. 

[phil.burchell]

Plus 1 for some form of autosave. Too many of our users lose work from PC restart (forced by Windows update say, or a power blip) while they're away from their desk. I know that's user behavior but sometimes a 5 minute meeting turns into an hour or more plus phone calls and it's easy to forget to do a sync or save beforehand.

Surely it's possible to trigger a sync/save after a period of no user activity (30mins or more) or does a 3rd party have to come up with a solution?

[101449461]

One thing ill say is that often times revit can be tiring to fix issues, and we may try several nonsensical methods of warping our models. In that case not having autosave is sometimes relieving. However, this is not a worst case scenario. The worse case is when we have a random problem with our computer, or maybe the environment we are in is not consistent with the power, or weather even. And in this case we lose work  

[yhonigMV9VZ]

An enhancement to Revit's current save system: an auto-save feature that operates in the background. This would be an upgrade from the existing reminder system, automatically saving work at intervals chosen by the user.

Why This Improvement Matters:
While the current reminder to save is helpful, an auto-save feature would provide a more robust safety net, ensuring work is preserved without needing manual input, which is especially useful in case of disruptions or crashes.

Proposed Functionality:

• Unobtrusive Save: The auto-save would run quietly in the background, not interrupting the design flow.
• Customizable Frequency: Users can set how often their work is auto-saved.
• Intelligent Save Logic: The feature would smartly save during periods of low activity.
  
  

Advantages Over Current System:

An auto-save feature would build on the current reminder system, offering peace of mind and freeing users to concentrate on their designs without the interruption of manual saves.