Hello i am saving my model to my desktop for easy access however i now have multible saved files of the same model on the desktop in various stages of design obvously i only want to save one version of this file can i delete the other versions and just keep the latest version i am working on ? . Why does it create a seperate file everytime it saves rather than simple saving back to the origenal saved file ?.
Many thanks James
Huh? I use SU on Mac too and I don’t have this problem. If you hit Save (which you would normally be doing often to protect against loss of work resulting from crashes), you will be overwriting the original file. The only additional file SU automatically creates is a backup file that has a tilde at the end of the file name.
Typically, what names does SU give all these multiple file copies?
Ah mine has a tilde at the end of the file name in fact as it saved the files the tildes increase the first file had one tilde and the last one has 6 so i guess these must be backup files that are being placed on the desktop … the orignal .skp file which is also on the desktop has 6 tilde after the name as well ! Yes i normally hit save regually to save… particully as some years ago i lost a lot of design work by not doing . the name sketchup gives it is the same as the orignal file ? odd to say the least and ideas ?
It sounds like you are opening the backup file to work on each time, so besides updating that, SU is creating a new backup file with the extra tilde. Normal practice would be only to open and update the original (non-tilde) file. The backup file will be updated automatically. Again normally, you would only have two copies of the file, the working one and the backup. If you do it your way, the chances are you will get into a right muddle, not knowing which file is current. If you want to go back over older versions, you can probably do that by going into Time Machine.
Um that sounds about right ! … i have been working on vectorworks for the last year or two so only just getting back into sketchup a result of that i expect as vectorworks shuduales backups rather than manually backing up … do you think it is risky to delete the old backups for this file and just keep the one i am working on the design is finished so dont want to risk losing it ? or is it best to bundle it all up into one folder and not make the same mistake on the next project ?
SU can do automatic backups too. People often switch it off because it can be intrusive.
If you are happy that one of the files you have been working on (say the latest) has everything you need, I would be inclined to rename it without a tilde and get rid of the rest. Next time you work on it, a backup file should be created. If you want a backup from the off, do as suggested but then go back in and change some small thing and save to create the updated file and a backup.
I have been wondering about how best to keep file iterations and have come to the conclusion that it is probably best to create a pdf at each formal issue and store that in an archive file. You could do it with a SKP file too but then you would have to give it a unique name or keep it in a separate folder (which could simply be a date name).
Thanks i have done just that … yes i know that SU can save automatically but i like many others switched it off i assume that vectorworks is more efficent at automatic backups because i only tend to do 2D work in vectorworks .
Many thanks James