Automatically save files
The way we used to do this was to redefine something we used relatively frequently, such as REDRAW, to include a check on the time since the last saving command, by comparing the value in the DATE System Variable to that in TDUPDATE. If that's more than a certain amount, do QSAVE. I expect a lot of people don't use REDRAW so much any more, probably because most people don't work with blips turned on [I do, because they provide real and worthwhile information], so that may not be the best command to use for the purpose, but it could be done with some other command, preferably not a drafting one like Line but something display-related like Zoom?
EDIT:
Like this, included at the front of whatever command you make a new definition of:
(if (> (rem (- (getvar 'date) (getvar 'tdupdate)) 1.0) 0.00347222)
(command "_.qsave")
); if
[Those System Variables report in decimal days, and 5 minutes is one 288th or .00347222... of a day. Adjust for other intervals.]
It should be a non-transparent-capable command [so not Zoom after all] that is redefined to include such a thing, because QSAVE itself cannot be invoked transparently. I think maybe we used to have it set up so that it didn't just QSAVE, but asked whether you wanted to do so. But I don't use that any more -- I just save [like voting] "early and often."
In any case, it needs to be tied to doing something, that is, triggered by something, because I don't think there's anything in AutoCAD that is constantly monitoring the passage of time, that could make it happen regularly on its own. And besides, when you step away from your computer for a while, would you really want the drawings you have open QSAVEd over and over when nothing has happened in them?
[@3de_projetos and @marcos.olivetti , are you the same person? @3de_projetos is replying in terms that sound like they're the Original Poster, but they're not. And what is "like this" in Message 9?]
@3de_projetos wrote:
.... How would a function, a command look like, so that when I trigger the TRIM command, for example, it saves the file? ....
This is the less-quick-and-less-dirty approach I had in mind:
(command "_.undefine" "TRIM")
(defun C:TRIM ()
(if (> (rem (- (getvar 'date) (getvar 'tdupdate)) 1.0) 0.00347222)
(command "_.qsave")
); if
(command "_.trim")
(prin1)
)
What's "less quick-and-dirty" about it than @pendean's TR suggestion?
1. His requires you to enter the command name in just that way with TR only [it won't do it if you type the whole word TRIM, or pick the Trim icon in the ribbon], but mine operates with the whole command name or the alias [even if you change the alias for Trim] or the ribbon icon.
2. His does the QSAVE every time you use the TR command name, regardless, but mine QSAVEs only when it has been longer than 5 minutes since the last saving operation.
Put that into a file with a .lsp filetype ending, and APPLOAD that to do the undefining and new definition. You can have it loaded automatically in every drawing with acaddoc.lsp, if you like.
Change the long decimal number for a different time limit [it's for 5 minutes, as a decimal portion of a day]. It would be possible to have it ask you for the time limit, but you probably don't want to answer that question every time you want to Trim, so maybe at only the first use in a drawing session?
You can still use the regular TRIM command without the save-time check, by preceding the command name or alias with a period -- .TR or .TRIM.
