Controlling cloud versions with the Local Save app for Civil 3D

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During design work in Civil 3D, it is common practice to save your files frequently.

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Locally, this does not have consequences, because there is no version control in the standard Windows environment.

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However, Desktop Connector interprets each save as a new version of your file and uploads it to the cloud.

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The result is a high number of versions that do not represent important changes.

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To avoid this, users often set Desktop Connector to Work Offline, or copy a file to another folder to work locally.

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However, both methods sever the cloud connection, which is counter to the collaborative workflow enabled by Desktop Connector.

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The Local Save app addresses this issue

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by allowing you to save files managed by Desktop Connector to a secondary location on your machine.

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No files are uploaded, no new versions are created, and your connection to the cloud remains unbroken.

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You can download the Local Save app from the Autodesk App Store.

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Installing the app adds a new LSave command,

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which creates a backup of your working DWG file with the same name in the preconfigured Automatic Save File Location.

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The installation also includes a partial customization file, Civil_3D_Cloud,

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which adds LocalSave and CloudSave tools to the standard Add-ins ribbon automatically.

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Additionally, the app contains an extended Quick Access Toolbar, called the Civil 3D Cloud Quick Access Toolbar,

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which includes the LocalSave and CloudSave tools.

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To add these or other new commands to your Quick Access Toolbar, you need to edit your workspace using the CUI command.

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Here, in the Custom User Interface dialog,

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the LocalSave and CloudSave tools are copied to the desired location,

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and they now appear on the Quick Access toolbar.

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Alternatively, you can use two new keyboard shortcuts: CTRL+B for LocalSave, and CTRL+E for CloudSave.

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Now you understand how the Local Save app can help you to limit file versions in the cloud,

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while ensuring that your work is saved consistently.