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Does Lumion save backups of Projects/Scenes and Imported Model files?

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Arthur Roodenburg
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1. Backups in Lumion 9.0 and newer

If your PC has problems or Lumion 9.0 or newer is not closed correctly while you are working on a Project/Scene, you might be able to restore the Project/Scene the next time you start Lumion again.

1.1: If a Recovery File is available, Lumion will offer you the choice to restore it when starting up Lumion again.

Note: you need to start Lumion via the Windows Start Menu or a shortcut so that Lumion can present the Recovery screen when it is opening.  Do not try opening the LS Project file via Windows File Explorer.

RecoveryFile.png

1.2: In addition, we also strongly recommend making regular backups of all the files you and Lumion have saved (Click here to see where to look), ideally on a different hard drive and/or to online data storage:

  • In Lumion, using SaveAs to make a separate copy of the LS Project file as a version copy.  See Section 4.
  • Use backup or file sync software.
  • Windows File History and/or
  • An online cloud backup service (so long as it does not back up at the same time as you are trying to save files). 

1.3: Regularly save a Material Set of your materials editing.  See our article:

 

2. Backups in Lumion 8.x

2.1: There is no automatic backup function in Lumion 8.x. For that reason, please make sure that you regularly save your Scenes to .LS Scene files.

Files button -> Save Scene tab -> Save As... button: 

or

Files button -> Save Scene tab -> Overwrite button: 

2.2: To make sure that the Scene file is saved correctly:

  • Do not save it directly to a network drive or to a cloud backup folder.
  • Instead, please save the .LS Scene file to the Desktop before moving it to another drive.
  • Make sure to assign a different name to each .LS Scene file, so that you do not overwrite the same file again and again.

2.3: Lumion also asks you if you want to save a copy of the current Scene (including models) when you exit the program. We strongly recommend that you use this function to save regular copies of your Scene and models:

2.4: See 1.2 above on backing up your user files.

2.5: Regularly save a Material Set of your materials editing.  See our article:

 

3. Backups in Lumion 7.5 and older

3.1: Lumion 7.5 and older: Lumion 7.5 automatically saves a copy of the current Scene (excluding Imported Models) when you load a new Scene. The Scene file is called AutoSave and is available in the Load Scene tab. However, the AutoSave file will be overwritten every time you load a new Scene.

For that reason, please make sure that you regularly save your Scene to an .LS Scene file.

Files button -> Save Scene and Models tab -> Save Scene and Models button:

3.2: See 1.2 above on backing up your user files.

3.3: Regularly save a Material Set of your materials editing.  See our article:

 

4. Managing copies of your Project using version files:

In Lumion, using SaveAs to make a separate copy of the LS Project file is a good way to make a backup that also acts as a version copy.

In this way, you integrate manual backups into your workflow.  This does depend from person to person on how you want to do it, but one approach is the following: 

4.1.  On the day a Lumion Project file is created name the file starting with the date.  Example: 220524_NameOfProject.ls12.

4.2.  At regular intervals and definitely by every hour that file is saved using the Save button.

4.3.  However, when a major change occurs to the file (example: imported a new model, added 10 Materials, created an Effect Stack, etc), the Project is saved with the SaveAs... button and a new revision number.  For example with RevXX for 'revision': 220524_NameOfProject_Rev01.ls12.

4.4.  As a general practice it's probably good to ensure that a SaveAs... is done every 4 hours.  For example one at the start of the day, one before lunch, and one at the end of the day. This way, you end up with 3 files that you can always revert to with minimal work loss when/if something happens.

Having one for the start of the day lets you set the file date in the name.  It is of course going to be the same as the one at the end of the previous day when no work has been done over night on it.  However, this save ensures you have another separate copy in case the prior day's last save had problems or was not done.

4.5.  Of course, a week or two along the way, some of the version files can be deleted and only some of the most recent ones should be kept and/or archived in a .ZIP file. This ensures that they occupy less space. 

 

Important:

Do not save a Project in an older Lumion version.

LS Project files are specific to the version of Lumion you create the file in.  

Projects and models saved in your current version should not be opened in an older version of Lumion.  For example: you use Lumion version 12.5 and have saved the Project before in version 12.5.  Do not try opening and then after some changes, save that Project in an older version for example 12.3.

 

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