FormIt for Windows
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  • Introduction
  • What's New
  • FormIt Capabilities
    • Multiple Clients
    • Conceptual Solid Modeling
    • Working with Data Formats
    • Languages
    • Collaboration
    • Presentation Graphics
    • FormIt + Autodesk Docs
    • FormIt + Dynamo
    • Solar + Energy Analysis
    • FormIt + Revit
    • FormIt + JavaScript for Plugins
  • FormIt Introduction
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Prerequisites and Installation
    • Setting Up the Project
    • Toolbars and Palettes
    • Navigating the Scene
  • FormIt Primer
    • Part I
      • 1.1 - Set the Location
      • 1.2 - Project Set Up with Images and Grid
      • 1.3 - 3D Sketch and Drag Face
      • 1.4 - Add Floors with Levels
      • 1.5 - Group Objects
      • 1.6 - Control Visibility with Layers
      • 1.7 - Paint with Materials
      • 1.8 - Create Columns with Array
      • 1.9 - Adding Details
      • 1.10 - Computational Groups with Dynamo
      • 1.11 - Import Models with Content Library
      • 1.12 - Visual Styles
      • 1.13 - Section Planes
      • 1.14 - Export Image
      • 1.15 - Working With Revit
    • Part II
      • 2.1 - Offset Line Tool
      • 2.2 - Advanced Modeling Tools: Shell and Cover
      • 2.3 Orthographic View Workflow
      • 2.4 - 3D Terrain Workflows
      • 2.5 - Plugins
      • 2.6 - Dynamo FormIt Nodes
      • 2.7 - Diagnostics Tools
      • 2.8 - Advanced Revit Workflows
      • 2.9 - Solar and Insight Energy Analysis
      • 2.10 - Collaboration Sessions
  • Tool Library
    • 3D Text
    • Align Camera With Face
    • Arc
    • Array
    • Array Along Path
    • AutoSave
    • Boolean Cut
    • Boolean Intersect
    • Boolean Join
    • Circle
    • Collaboration
    • Content Library
    • Copy Object
    • Cover, Sweep, Loft
    • Create Panorama
    • Curve + Surface Faceting
    • Delete, Edit, Move
    • Dynamo
    • Energy Analysis with Insight
    • Faces: Extrude, Cut and Offset
    • Faces: Flatten
    • Faces: Tilt and Facet/Smooth
    • Groups Tree
    • Groups
    • Import and Export Data
    • Layers
    • Levels and Area
    • Lines
    • Materials
    • Measure Angle
    • Measure
    • Meshes
    • Mirror
    • Model Statistics
    • Model Tree
    • Modifying Faces, Edges, and Points
    • Non-Uniform Scale
    • Offset Line
    • Orthographic Views
    • Orthographic and Perspective Camera
    • Placing Primitives
    • Place Vertex
    • Plugins
    • Polygon
    • Properties
    • Railing Along Path
    • Rectangle
    • Revit
    • Rotate Object
    • Scale Object
    • Scenes
    • Section Planes
    • Selection
    • Setting Location
    • Sun + Shadows
    • Shell
    • Snaps and Inferences
    • Solar Analysis
    • Spline
    • Storefront/Curtainwall Mullion System
    • Undo Manager
    • Visual Styles
    • Work Planes
    • World Axes
  • Plugins
    • Introduction to Plugins
    • How to Use Plugins
    • How to Develop Plugins
      • Your First Plugin
        • Plugin Playground
        • Launching the Sample Plugin
        • Adding Your Own Features
        • Saving Your Work to GitHub
        • Publishing Your Project
      • Advanced Development
        • Using an IDE
        • Cloning a Sample Plugin
        • Hosting a Plugin on a Local Server
        • Previewing a Plugin in the Plugin Manager
        • Setting Up FormIt for Development
        • Hosting a Plugin on GitHub
        • General Plugin Setup in the Manifest
        • Reloading for Local Changes
        • Client-Side vs Web-Side Engines
        • Debugging
        • Versioning
      • Additional Development Options
        • Creating an HTML Panel Plugin
        • Creating a Combined HTML Panel and Toolbar Plugin
        • Creating a Toolbar-Based Plugin
        • Testing a Combined HTML Panel and Toolbar Plugin
        • Creating an Add-In
        • Invoking Plugins and API from Dynamo
    • FormIt APIs
    • Examples
      • Generate String Lights
      • Manage Cameras Plugin
      • Properties Plus Plugin
      • 3D Context Creator
      • FormIt Plugin Community
  • Appendix
    • Keyboard Shortcuts
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On this page
  • Toggling AutoSave
  • How AutoSave Works
  • Working With AutoSave Enabled
  • Recovering Data with AutoSave
Edit on GitHub
  1. Tool Library

AutoSave

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Last updated 3 years ago

Starting with v17.3, FormIt for Windows includes AutoSave, which makes a backup copy of your FormIt model while you work. This backup file can be used to recover data if FormIt closes with unsaved changes.

Toggling AutoSave

Find configuration options for AutoSave in Edit > Preferences > AutoSave.

AutoSave is enabled by default, but can be disabled entirely by simply unchecking the box.

Set the interval (in minutes) at which AutoSave will make a backup copy by entering a value in the "AutoSave interval" number box.

Note that these preferences are application-level, and will not change when opening different files.

How AutoSave Works

When AutoSave is enabled, it determines whether the current FormIt file has unsaved changes. If there are unsaved changes, Autosave creates a backup copy of the file at the specified interval.

Backup files are stored next to the original file, and have an extension of .axmb.

For example, if your original FormIt file is stored at C:/Users/<user>/FormIt/MyProject.axm, the backup file can be found at C:/Users/<user>/FormIt/MyProject.axmb.

If you start a new FormIt session without opening an existing file, unsaved changes can be found at C:/Users/<user>/Documents/Untitled.axmb. Once you save the new model to a different location, the backup will start adding unsaved changes next to the new location, as noted above.

When you save changes to the original file, AutoSave automatically deletes the backup file since the backup is now older than the original file. However, making subsequent changes to the saved file will prompt AutoSave to again start backing up at the specified interval.

If your working file has unsaved changes and you choose to close FormIt and discard the changes, the AutoSave backup will be deleted. However, if FormIt is forced to close — either through a computer shutdown or an application crash — the AutoSave backup file will remain, and can be used later to recover data.

Working With AutoSave Enabled

FormIt minimizes the potential performance impact of AutoSave by executing the backup in a separate process. With small- to medium-sized files, you shouldn't notice when AutoSave backs up. With very large files (~400MB and above), you might notice just a momentary pause while FormIt copies the entire model and starts backing up in a separate process.

If you're wondering if AutoSave is currently backing up, you can watch the status bar the bottom left of the application for a brief "AutoSaving..." message:

If your status bar is disabled, you can enable it at Window > Status Bar or via the shortcut HS.

Recovering Data with AutoSave

When opening a FormIt file with a backup available, FormIt will alert you that the backup file exists. As mentioned above, this could be simply due to you closing FormIt without electing to save changes to this project last time it was edited, or due to FormIt unexpectedly closing.

Clicking the "Open it?" hyperlink will load the .axmb backup file.

Similarly, you can use File > Open, and manually select the .axmb file from the file explorer to open a backup.

Once the backup file is open, the next time you save, FormIt will require you to pick a different FormIt file (.axm) to overwrite. You cannot overwrite FormIt backup files (.axmb).