Autoback is a deathtrap - good alternative script?

[simmsimaging]

Max crashes extremely often when autoback is on so I've had to just give up and turn it off.

I like that autoback saves a copy of the file, with an automatic version naming, but does not affect the actual filename sequencing. My preference is to be able to save "safety" versions as I work, but not replace my main file, or create a huge pile of incremental versions of that file. Most of the "versions" would just be temporary states and all the "extra" versions just make it harder to track where significant changes occur.

I am using workarounds, but I would love to find an automated version of "save copy as" that creates a backup copy with incremental numbering. Is anyone aware of a script that can do that? I searched Scriptspot without any luck.

/b

[AJ Jefferies]

You can enable incremental saves in the preferences so that every save is a +1. To be honest, in all my years of using Max I have never found an automated saving procedure I would trust, I've just conditioned myself to incrementally save every 10 minutes or so & cull the files at the end of the project.

For example my current filename is 'Mouth_269.max'

[instinct]

Martin Breidt's Incremental Save does just that. Increment the Version saved in a subfolder while keeping the original name of the file intact.

http://scripts.breidt.net/#incrSave

Regards,
Thorsten

[simmsimaging]

Thanks AJ: I am trying to avoid having hundreds of files to cull later on. By saving WIP outside of the chain of named files it's very easy to just toss out all the "in between" files at the end. One click to save along the way, and one folder to toss at the end. It doesn't need to be an automated save btw; just an automated naming and saving to a separate folder like the autoback function does.

Thorsten:
Thanks for the link. I have used Martin's script too, and the one-click functionality is perfect, but in terms of saving it actually does the opposite of what I want It moves and renames your last saved file as a backup copy and saves your "current" work over your named file. What I want would be exactly the opposite.

If I could get Martin's script to save the "current" file into the sub-folder and auto name it, and leave the last saved version alone, that would be perfect. This way you could run a series of WIP files and then when satisfied save over your main file, or increment that without generating tons of files that are harder to sort out later.

Alternatively, a button to fire off the autoback save method would be perfect too, but that only seems to be off or on, no way to fire it up manually.

/b

[raymarcher]

Martin Breidt's Incremental Save does just that. Increment the Version saved in a subfolder while keeping the original name of the file intact.

http://scripts.breidt.net/#incrSave

Regards,
Thorsten

Yes but that breaks your xref's no?

[simmsimaging]

No, I think Martin's script preserves X-refs as the main file never changes name, but I don't use x-refs, so it's not been an issue for me.

I use version names of files to track major/minor changes and transitional points in the working sequence, so my filename changes regularly. (i.e File_01_001, File_01_002, etc., and then it would go to File_02_001 for a major update, and so on.) Given that, Martin's script doesn't fit my flow as well.

[MoonDoggie]

Nice script, I'll check that one out. I just keybound Ctrl+Shift+S in max to be Save Incremental, works for me.

[simmsimaging]

The problem is that I don't want to increment my filenames for every temporary version. I use incrementing to track versions that I need to keep permanently, so being able to rapidly save-off a copy without affecting my filename is perfect. Martin's script would be exactly what I need if it just left my saved version alone and saved a copy of the current working file into that .bak directory. It gives you one-click backup of your current status, and when you are happy you can save a permanent version and just toss the entire folder of .bak copies.

That method is what works well for me as I generate a ton of useless iterations while tweaking lights and materials. I just find it a pain to have to manually rename and relocate the file everytime.

/b