Last night I saved the model at least 3 times. Though each time the screen went black & SketchUp make 2016 reported not responding it actually returned to stable. This morning I shut down the whole system without closing the model file as it was left on all night & set to auto save every 25 minutes. Today when I rebooted the WIN 10 PRO 64bit desktop system I opened the model file to find it was 3 days old. I had actually saved the file to a backup drive last night & found that the backup drive file was newer than the file in SketchUp Make 2016. I copied & pasted the Backup file .skb to the system model folder & right clicked to open it leading to a Microsoft open with SketchUp Make 2015 or pick another program dialogue box. Scrolling down to SketchUp Make 2016 & selecting it did not open the file. The .skb file was an hour latter than the .skp file which was 4 hours before I stopped & saved! It’s a real nuisance that 4 hours of serious 3d plumbing, hot & cold water supply lines as well as foundation wall & footing changes have been lost. Also the open file in SketchUp Make 2016 isn’t showing any of the new files copied & pasted from the backup drive. Very strange behavior. Any explanation would be appreciated. I will check back tomorrow. I’ve had all the steam kicked right out of me at this point.
Hello @Heinz
I sense some confusion about the difference between Auto-Save and Create Backup.
They are two separate functions that come into play during different events.
• An Auto-Save file is a temporary file available on the file system while SketchUp is running.
The only occasion an auto-save file is saved to disc is when SU closes abnormally (crashes).
In your situation, SketchUp didn’t crash, you closed it without saving.
Hence, the auto-save file was deleted upon closing the application.
• A Backup file is created only when you save an existing SketchUp (.skp) file and Create Backup is enabled.
The original as-opened file is converted to a backup file (.skb)
And the new drawing (.skp) is saved in place of that existing file.
Thus, the backup (.skb) file is always chronologically one save behind the (.skp) model file.
The Backup file (.skb) is saved in the directory where the original .skp file exists.
Working to and from an external drive of any sort has the potential to create certain hazards.
SketchUp’s Backup and Auto-Save, rely on a stable path back to where the original .skp model file exists.
• The path to an external drive is subject to change, which may cause the loss of Backup and Auto-Save files.
• There’s potential to disconnect the drive prior to completion of a read/write, thereby corrupting the file.
Best Practice
• Never save the original file to an external drive.
• Never work on an original file loaded from an external drive.
• Always save work to, and always work from, your local hard disc.
• Afterward, copy the original file from your local hard disc to other drives if you wish.
Well I finally got the latest model back. I had actually uploaded the file to Dropbox before I knocked off. This morning I went to Control Panel/All Control Panel items/Programs & Features/SketchUp Make 2016/Repair! Something I should have done as soon as Auto Save reported that SketchUp wasn’t responding, often accompanied by a black drawing area screen & a blue circular mouse for a minute or two. After that I searched the file systems on the PC, the Backup drive & Dropbox to determine which had the newest dated version. In my case it was Dropbox which had a 12AM time on the day in question. I right clicked on it in the browser Dropbox Model file & opened it & after checking it was in the last state I had left the model in, I saved it to the Documents/Arch/Model file as well as the Backup/Documents/Model file.
Now I have to enter the Model/Preferences/Files & make sure the model is being saved to Documents/Arch/Model file.
Hi Geo. Can you let me know if setting the file auto save location is the right thing to do. I don’t actually have Dropbox on the system, I have an account so that I go to the Browser to access it & upload, other wise Dropbox produces far too many duplicates & they start asking me to buy their company program etc. etc.
Now that the model is right, how do I go about setting the Auto Save to the System Documents/Arch/SKU/Model file.skp. Enter Preferences in the Tools menu of the open Model, select from the dialogue box File & then hit the folder icon at the end of the auto save file input box?
Not sure but the .SKP file doesn’t show up in this folder when you set the folder auto save location. I will have to remember it & check after the next Auto Save. There should also be .SKB files showing. The folder is actually a sub folder of 15AVEDELARIBERA/SkUP. for the Model which contains it’s AutoCAD version in a subfolder AUTOCAD. The Preferences is not in the Tools Menu but the Windows Menu.
Little worried now, though the file is being saved to the right folder, even after this mornings repair I’ve managed to get the dreaded SketchUp not responding screen like so
I checked the file Auto Save Location Folder & did see the dated .SKP & .SKB files though as follows which is what threw me yesterday when they didn’t appear in the folder as per usual even with frequent not responding screens
By the way, it was a Win 10 auto update that caused me to shut down the system without closing the model file. I tend to leave the model I am working on, on 24/7.
It seems you didn’t understand my answer.
I’ll try again.
Auto-Save and Create Backup are two separate functions that come into play during different events.
On a PC, an Auto-Save file appears like this… AutoSave_file name.skp
On a PC, a Backup file appears like this… file name.skb
An Auto-Save file is a temporary file available on the file system while SketchUp is running.
The only occasion an Auto-Save file is permanently saved to disc is when SU closes abnormally (crashes).
Otherwise, when SketchUp closes successfully, the Auto-Save file is automatically deleted.
There is nothing in the SU for Windows UI that enables the user to alter where an Auto-Save file is saved.
Simply put…
An Auto-Save file is saved in the directory where the original .skp file exists.
Again… @Heinz
Do not save a model file directly to external storage and then expect things to always go well.
Always save the file to your Local Disk and then copy that file to external storage for your backup needs.
Do not work on a model file loaded from external storage and then expect things to always go well.
Always copy the file to a directory on your Local Disk and then open that file.
@Geo,
Thanks Mr. Knowles,
I do copy & paste the files to backup drives through the windows file system or use the save as feature built into SketchUp File Menu. When I upload to Dropbox I use the same Windows File Explorer through the browser Edge in my case. It works 90 % of the time. I have set the Auto Save feature to create backup as well. I also hit save every hour or so which is supposed to recreate the .SKP & .SKB files.That is why I was startled that the last backup was 3 days old. I’m glad I had uploaded from the file system to Dropbox otherwise 3 days of work would have been lost due to a Win 10 auto update. I did not download from Dropbox to the file system, I right clicked & hit open, checked the file & then did a save as to the documents folder & a save as to the backup drive. I do not close my models when I am working on them all week or before Win 10 auto update. OpenGL in Window>Preferences> indicates my onboard graphics card set to software aceleration but as I have a wireless Display extender to a bigger screen, I assume that memory causes the black screen in SketchUp drawing area & the accompanying SketchUp not responding notification, particularly when I am streaming News or Movies on the larger screen at the same time I’m using SketchUp.
Thanks again for your input.
Hello Heinz, I noticed that sketchup autosave and backup doesn’t like dropbox. When I work on a model, from a dropbox folder, I “pause” dropbox. That prevent sketchup confusion and avoid creating files like 0.skb, 1.skb, 2.skb…, or yourfilename_1.skb.
Hi JoeDrafter, sorry this is late. No time for anything lately.
I took the Dropbox app of my pc some time ago. I found that it created too many duplicate files on the pc. win 10 pro system. The opposite of it’s original intention.
I go to www.dropbox.com & upload the file for backup when I feel I have done enough work on the model to warrant backup. 2 or 3 hours for me. I only upload the .skp file directly. It has saved me several times. I very seldom use the 0.skp etc. files.
Even with high speed internet(?) it takes 15 minutes to load the very large model I’m working on but it works.