Could Auto-save function ONLY IF CHANGES WERE MADE?!?

[FartArt]

The idea of Auto-save is great, however, if you've MADE NO CHANGES to your project but leave it running while you get a cup of coffee or walk away for an extended period of time you end up with duplicates of the same file making multiple-auto-saves pointless, and even worse, I somehow accidentally deleted my main scene and didnt notice until the next day, and I had 20 useless auto-saves which had all overwritten my good file before the blunder.

WHY DOES AUTO-SAVE FUNCTION IF THERE ARE NO CHANGES MADE TO THE FILE?!?!?!?! this is frustrating and a waste of time. The software doesnt even let you "save" if you've made no changes to the file, but somehow "autosave" can keep replacing your files without any changes made?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

[Stan Jones]

Since 2013 updates, this should not happen. What PR version are you running?

It is true that Autosave does not always work as expected. But I did several sets of test recently, and in those it performed as designed.

However, many of us believe that once you use a good system of saving the project regularly and saving manual backup copies at any significant step (either as "save a copy" or "save as" - and to a different drive), autosave is rarely needed.

I am also using the cloud sync, and it can be useful, particularly for a local, multidrive disaster. (Computers can still be zapped by lightning.) But the basic sync saves ONLY the last version saved. Both a manual save or autosave triggers the cloud copy. Of more value is the fact that "save as" and "save a copy" both trigger a cloud save of that new project file. So the manual save a copy or save as are keeping those iterated versions in the cloud, not just on the local computer.

[Peru Bob]

FartArt  wrote

leave it running while you get a cup of coffee or walk away for an extended period of time you end up with duplicates of the same file making multiple-auto-saves pointless

I always save as a version number and then back it up before leaving the workstation.

[R Neil Haugen]

Like Stan and Bob, I save-as and also save a copy to another drive, rather than rely on auto-save. It's just Basic Computer 101, really.

I do have auto-save enabled but doing iterative save-as  saves every completed "section" of work means I always have a way back. Takes a few seconds.

Neil

[rodneyb56060189]

Maybe you can go to some settings that let you set how many minutes elapse before auto save. If you set that to zero maybe it will stop.

I don't have your advanced version of CC.

I do what everyone else does. I save projects every time I do major stuff manually (lesson-1-1, lesson-1-2, lesson-1-3) and THEN lesson-2-1 )  That way the timelines and changes are up to date when I turn on the computer.

The SAVE AS function is another layer of safety. With some programs it's more important than others, due to bad programming.

OR BAD platforms that just cant handle the work.

Bottom line: I use auto save and also save versions, and also save backup copies ( save as ).   I'm a scaredy cat !

[Mo Moolla]

For first time and new editors Autosave can and does save your bacon especially if you have wonky gear or unstable power supplies.

However as a rule of thumb, and something I always teach my students, CMD-S / CTRL-S should be a shortcut you instinctively get used to using every few mins. As with everything you practise regularly, muscle memory takes over and it becomes part of your editing process.

Remember that the original save file can get corrupted so ALWAYS make a save copy next to the original at the end of each edit session. Once done copy the save and save copy files over to a different drive for added security.

Try to follow this as part of your workflow and you will never need autosave again

Mo