How does autosave work?

Hi all,

So yesterday I lost a file in the SILLIEST way possible: I was moving it via Ctrl X from an SSD to my PC, but then cancelled the operation before pasting (it never got moved), then did some other task, either Ctrl C or Ctrl Z, and accidentally the previously cut files never returned to the SSD and were forever lost. I am both laughing and crying as I lost many hours worth of GH work.

I was able to “recover” the .gh file through various undeletion methods (ig., recuva, photorec, disk drill, etc.) but every time the GH was empty. Finally I learned it was “overwritten” by some .tmp process that also disappeared. LoL.

Autosave is always on, and it has saved me in the past. However this time, the file isn’t available. Correct me if I am wrong, but what is the point of having an autosave if a file goes away after you save your file via Ctrl S? Is this the case? Is autosave only there for when GH crashes?

Please help me understand.

Thanks!
RC

not an answer to your question, but almost no-one knows you can enable a feature on windows that allows you to press Windows+V instead of CTRL+V, and that will pop up a list of all the stuff you have previously CTRL+Ved in that windows session, Clipboard History:

that thing saves my ass a couple of times per week :slight_smile:

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Thank you Inno! I figured it was a bit pointless to bring this up, first because it’s all my fault lol, and second because even though McNeel does listen this issue belongs more to my wall of shame than the list of bugs to fix. This was SO strange, though… I simply couldn’t wrap my head around how those files didn’t simply return to their location if they weren’t pasted. As I redo my work I’m finally accepting that the file is truly unrecoverable!

Cheers!

*It WOULD be nice if autosaved files stayed there, though…

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Look at it from the bright side: since you are redoing your file you are essentially recovering it…

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I might be wrong, but I thought autosave only works AFTER you have saved the file once.
So if it says Grasshopper - unnamed at the top of your GH window then there will be no autosave file to recover.
Once you have named your current project then there will be an autosave associated with it.

@Dani_Abalde created a plugin that changed this behaviour…
Autosaveplus

See also this discussion… https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/autosaving-in-grasshopper-2-0/49258/21

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That´s 100% true, thanks Martyn - my title is a bit facetious/misleading (apologies).

I was primarily upset for my bad digital habits, and second because the autosaved files go away when you hit ctrl S or the save button (why?!). I never thought I’d say that I wish my file had crashed so I could actually get it back :laughing:

Lol can we request this file stays in the autosave folder no matter what?

*it´s a new day, though - I’ll just learn to use the backup option

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