Ableton Forum

The Backup file method is not completely logical, at least to me. It seems the backup is created once a file is saved a second time. For example, I save a file at 12:00, I could then work on the Session for an hour, save it again, and then a backup is created of the file created at 12:00. So if, between 12 and 1 the Session crashes, and the Session file gets corrupted (it happens), I lose the previous hour’s work, plus whatever amount back in time the previous backup was generated (pre 12:00). You might say “but you already have the file saved at 12:00”, but in my experience this week, that file got deleted/disappeared when a crash happened, possibly as the crashes happened while I was saving but that doesn’t help me.

Wouldn't it be a good idea if Live automatically saves the current set as a backup in the background every 5 minutes or so? In the event of a crash, when you restart, you will be asked whether you want the backup (maximum 5 minutes old) or the last version saved by the user.

Gral wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:36 pm

Wouldn't it be a good idea if Live automatically saves the current set as a backup in the background every 5 minutes or so? In the event of a crash, when you restart, you will be asked whether you want the backup (maximum 5 minutes old) or the last version saved by the user.

Even the tracker Renoise had an option where it could-auto save and you could choose the timeframe, even every minute if you wanted.

What I do is "Save As ..." and then add eg "_03" after the project name, so you'll have a backup 100% of the time. Then later I'd use _04, _05, etc.
On top of that I've also programmed a macro button on my keyboard that syncs my Live-folder from my F: to my H: drive.

I have:
1 - original .als file
2 - a Live-created backup (but only when you save manually)
3 - own created backup with a number suffix
4,5 and 6 - all of that sync'd to a second hard drive on my system
7,8 - all of that sync'd to 2 thumb drives

It's good to have an old-fashioned desktop pc and 2 hard drives next to your OS one for sync purposes.
And also to be a bit paranoid.


[edit]
The thumb syncs makes the total add up to 12 instead of 8. Super paranoia!!

The irony: for the first time using Live I lost a project, it having become corrupted and both myself and Live not having made a backup in time.
But I DID make a manual backup (with suffix "_97", "_98" was the corrupted one) of it which was less than 2 minutes earlier so that saved the project (and my day ... and my sanity).

So one can never trust Live backup, sometimes backups are over 30 minutes apart!
Imagine losing 30 minutes of jamming!!

Gral wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:36 pm

Wouldn't it be a good idea if Live automatically saves the current set as a backup in the background every 5 minutes or so? In the event of a crash, when you restart, you will be asked whether you want the backup (maximum 5 minutes old) or the last version saved by the user.

There's situations (playing live for example) where automatic saving wouldn't be desirable. You could say "well, then make i optional", agreed.

But, Live does restore a crashed set perfectly. I can't remember the last time it re-opened after crash and it didn't restore everything perfectly.

It works perfectly until it doesn't. I've used Live since v5, and never had issues. Had a crash recently, Live didn't restore the backup and corrupted the Live session. Luckily I do my own version backups but lost a days professional work. Incredibly frustrating. Support couldn't help. Just had to accept it and move on.