Autosave script

[arobbert]

If I have more than one project open at a time I don't get autobacks of all the projects. So if there is a crash the file is lost.

Has anyone seen a script or plug in for Max 9 that will save a copy of the current file to a local directory? The autoback option in to Max will not support multiple instances of max (extremely lame). This could work automatically like the autoback or at very least when you save a file.

[pskdude]

you have a point. Luckily i have never experienced this, but i would imagine it would be extremely usefull when working multiple instances.

[arobbert]

For anyone that stumbles on this thread. This script will change the name of the backup to the current file name so multiple projects aren't using the same name (Autoback etc). Problem solved. You just need to clean the folder out once in a while.

http://forums.cgarchitect.com/attach...7&d=1250028204

You'll need a free member login to download the file.

[andrewjohn81]

a different solution is to set up project folders for each file. Sort of annoying if the files are both part of the same project (usually the case I would assume). But you can make the autobak file relative to your project. That way they will never be in the same location.
It's not a super simple solution, but at least you don't have to run yet Another script.

[^Lele^]

One way to do this would be to script a resident (callback) script that checks for the time, and saves out the current filename with an _autoback appended.
I'm not a huge fan of callbacks, however, as they tend to slow max down a wee bit.

[arobbert]

a different solution is to set up project folders for each file. Sort of annoying if the files are both part of the same project (usually the case I would assume). But you can make the autobak file relative to your project. That way they will never be in the same location.
It's not a super simple solution, but at least you don't have to run yet Another script.

I looked at that option but I didn't want to have to monitor and clean out all my project folders. It would be nice if they would allow you to change the paths of individual folders so they aren't all in the same location. I wanted a solution in case I have a crash or go to open a file the next day and find a corrupted file. This keeps them all in one location which is easy to maintain. I'm basically happy with the way auto backup works. But if it doesn't work with multiple instances of MAX that is a problem. All they would need to do is base the name on the current project name.

[^Lele^]

macroscript Alternative_Backup category:"Lele's VRay Tools" 
(
	-- get current file name and path, append "_backup_###", save file without clearing the file saved flag.
	theCfgFileName= (maxFilePath+"Alternative_Backup_FileList2.txt")
	if not (doesfileexist theCfgFileName) do createFile theCfgFileName
	thefile = openFile theCfgFileName mode:"r+"
	seek theFile 0
	try (while not (eof thefile) do	theCount = readvalue thefile) catch(theCount==undefined)
	if theCount==undefined do theCount=1
	if theCount>[B]9[/B] do
	(
		theCount=1
		close theFile
		thefile = openFile theCfgFileName mode:"w+"
	)
	print theCount
	saveMaxFile  (maxFilePath + getFilenameFile maxFileName + [B][I]"_backup_"[/I][/B]+ ( theCount as string)) clearNeedSaveFlag:false useNewFile:false quiet:true
	theCount+=1
	format "%\n" theCount to:thefile
	flush theFile
	close theFile
	theCount=undefined
	theCfgFileName=undefined
	thefile=undefined
)

This will save up to 9 numbered backups of your scene file in your scene folder (feel free to change that to a "backups" subfolder, it's pretty easy to do), without clearing the save flag (ie. like the autobackup does).
Change the bolded 9 to any other number to have that as the maximum number of backups allowed.
Run the macro code, find the command into the Lele's VRay Tools category, and map it to something like ctrl+shift+alt+s.
It writes a tiny text file in the folder to keep track of the file counts.
If that gets deleted, it will restart the count from 1, overwriting any present backup file.
You can safely wipe anything you don't need, with max closed.

[arobbert]

Thanks Lele!

Where would you change the path?

[^Lele^]

Mw

saveMaxFile  (maxFilePath + getFilenameFile maxFileName + "_backup_"+ ( theCount as string)) clearNeedSaveFlag:false useNewFile:false quiet:true

has to turn into this:

saveMaxFile  (maxFilePath [B][I]+ @"Mypath\"[/I][/B] + getFilenameFile maxFileName + "_backup_"+ ( theCount as string)) clearNeedSaveFlag:false useNewFile:false quiet:true

should you want to change your BASE path, remove maxFilePath and put in there a path string.
The @ before the "" means you won't have to bother with replacing \ with \\ (it turns a vivid green in the axscript editor, so you can tell from its color)

[arobbert]

Thanks Lele!