VU.CITY supports both autosave and manual save options to help preserve project progress. Understanding how these two methods work makes it easier to manage and organise saved files effectively.

Autosave

VU.CITY creates a single autosave version of the loaded VU file to reduce the risk of data loss. Only one autosave file exists per VU file at any given time. Autosave occurs once, at the end of the session.

If a session ends unexpectedly (e.g. due to inactivity or connection loss), the session continues running in the background and will create the autosave file once the process completes.

Before reopening the 3D App after disconnection:

• Allow time for the autosave file to appear.
• Check the timestamp to confirm that the latest version has been saved.

• Autosave triggers

  

An autosave is initiated when any of the events marked with ✅ take place.

In these cases, the session automatically saves the current state of the VU file to minimise data loss.

Conditions That Do Not Trigger Autosave are marked with ❌.

These instances fall outside of our control, so it is recommended to save work regularly and incrementally using manual saves.

Autosave and "big tasks"

For processes that run in the background, such as generating a ZTV, autosave will still complete and save the file, even if the user has been logged out due to inactivity. This ensures that resource-intensive tasks are preserved once completed.

Manual save

Manual saves can be created at any time and should be used to capture important project stages or decisions.

• Manual saves can be created using the Save/Save As option in the Developments menu.
• Manual save files are stored separately and are not affected by autosave.
• Descriptive filenames with dates or version numbers (e.g. ConceptDesign 2025-07-30.vu) are recommended to help distinguish between versions and support collaboration.

To maintain clarity across multiple files or project stages, it is recommended to store save files in structured folders based on site or project, and to include dates or version numbers in filenames to support version tracking. Using a combination of autosave for fallback protection and manual saves for controlled milestones helps ensure both reliability and clarity when managing project progress.