Max and Auto backup

[tricky]

How do you guys deal with autobackup of max files?

We are working on a number of large and complex projects at the moment, and jump between Max scenes regularly, sometimes with more than one max scene open at any one time. I have just had a situation where I have opened my latest max scene for a particular project and it is corrupt. I haven't worked on the scene for a couple of days, so all my autobackup files have been overwritten by the more recent scenes I have been working on. I do often save incrementally, so all is not lost, but I have certainly lost a half day's tinkering time with this particular scene. We need autobackup to actually save copies of the current scene in the background without writing over other project's autobackup files.

Is this possible?

[simmsimaging]

I have had major issues with the autobackup corrupting files, and at least as far back as Max 2008. I use the "save as a copy" function, assigned to a toolbar button, and this lets me quickly save out versions without necessarily overwriting my primary working files. It's not automatic, but it's safe.

/b

[tricky]

I have had major issues with the autobackup corrupting files, and at least as far back as Max 2008. I use the "save as a copy" function, assigned to a toolbar button, and this lets me quickly save out versions without necessarily overwriting my primary working files. It's not automatic, but it's safe.

/b

This is efffing ridiculous! I will employ a similar technique until something else comes up. Where do I find the 'save as copy' option?

[voltron7]

Probably not a fix, but I was plagued by this problem until a month ago when I replaced my workstation. Coincidentally, I have not had any more of these autoback problems (knocks on wood desk) since the hardware upgrade.

[tricky]

Probably not a fix, but I was plagued by this problem until a month ago when I replaced my workstation. Coincidentally, I have not had any more of these autoback problems (knocks on wood desk) since the hardware upgrade.

You just wait...

You are still in the honeymoon period.

[deflix]

you could also increase the number of autobackup files to 99 if space isn't an issue. This has been quite useful for me in the past.

[Neilg]

I have 50, and never run 2 copies of max at the same time. It's treating me very well.

Someone in our work here called me over who I found to have 4 copies of max open at once, and one of them was rendering. gave me a full on panic attack.
Also complained about how unstable max was and how it crashes multiple times per day. ha!

[tricky]

I have 50, and never run 2 copies of max at the same time. It's treating me very well.

No chance we could only ever have one scene open. We try to, but often we need to refer to other scenes, or use xrefs etc. Would waste so much time closing and opening all the time.
(and max crashes multiple times a day regardless...

[voltron7]

You just wait...

You are still in the honeymoon period.

hoping it's "permanent"...

[rivoli]

you can set different project folders for any max instance that you're running, in this way backup files will go in different directories and won't be overwritten. I usually save incrementally though, and quite often. as Brett says, not automatic, but it does the job (may require a bit of cleaning up once the project is done though..)

[Morne]

Everytime I save (which is often), I add a number at the end of the file name. Next time I save I increment the number, when I get to 3, I start at 1 again, so at any 1 time I have 3 versions of the file, excluding the autobackup which I only use if I forgot to save for more than 20 min and it crashes...

[voltron7]

I've been using save as, and hitting the "+" button and have seen better stability, so far...used to use incremental in 3dsmax options, not sure if it's related to the crashes.

[tricky]

We have a similar approach but we don't stick with 3. We just increment each time.

[tricky]

you can set different project folders for any max instance that you're running, in this way backup files will go in different directories and won't be overwritten. I usually save incrementally though, and quite often. as Brett says, not automatic, but it does the job (may require a bit of cleaning up once the project is done though..)

I've wondered about this, but never researched it fully. Maybe I should...

[simmsimaging]

This is efffing ridiculous! I will employ a similar technique until something else comes up. Where do I find the 'save as copy' option?

File/Save As /Save Copy As

I like this method as opposed to Save As with increment (+) because it will save the copy, and you can call it whatever you want, and it doesn't change your working file name. THis allows me to save off quick temporary backups with a different naming convention (for safety of overwriting etc) without compromising my file organization and versioning of stages that I want to actually permanently save.

/b