Why has the “Save” button disappeared in tcp PointCloud Editor?

Summary

In version 1.21 of TCP-PointCloud Editor the «Save» button was removed from the ribbon menu and only «Save as» remained available. This was in response to a change in the saving model: the application moved to saving the project automatically, with no need for a manual action. The «Save» button was restored in version 1.22. This article explains how automatic saving works and how to keep making manual backups in the meantime. If what worries you is losing work through unexpected closures of the application, and not the button itself, see Unexpected closures: how not to lose work.

Applies to

• TCP-PointCloud Editor.

• Versions documented in this case: 1.20, 1.21 and 1.22.

  • In 1.21 the «Save» button was removed.

  • 1.20 has the «Save» button.

  • 1.22 restores the «Save» button.

Symptoms

• After updating the application, the «Save» button no longer appears: only «Save as» is available.

• The user looks for a way to save with the keyboard or in some other way, without having to rename the project each time.

• It is of particular concern because the application closes unexpectedly with some frequency and unsaved work is lost.

Cause

In version 1.21 manual saving (the «Save» button) was removed because it slowed the saving process down considerably and doubled the disk space needed to store the projects.

Instead, the application saves the project automatically:

• Every time elements are created or imported into the project (point clouds, meshes, surfaces, images, etc.).

• Whenever the project or the application is closed.

Important: automatic saving on closing only happens in an orderly close of the project or the application. If the application closes unexpectedly, or if it is forced to close from Task Manager, that save is not carried out and the work done since the last automatic save is lost.

For that reason it was decided to remove the «Save» button, leaving «Save as» available so that users could still make backups actively.

Solution

Case: continuing to save while the button is not available (version 1.21)

1. Use «Save as» to make manual backups of the project actively.

2. Bear in mind that, in addition, the application saves the project automatically when elements are created or imported and when the project or the application is closed.

Case: getting the «Save» button back

• Update to version 1.22: this version restores the «Save» button in the ribbon menu and adds greater control over the saving process in order to detect saving errors.

• Alternatively, if you need the button before version 1.22 is available to you, you can work with version 1.20, which has that button. To obtain the 1.20 installer, request it from Aplitop technical support.

When installing version 1.20, bear in mind that:

• Before installing 1.20 you must uninstall 1.21 and make sure that the TCP-PointCloud Editor folder does not remain in C:\Program Files\Aplitop. If it is still there after uninstalling, delete it.

• You will not be able to open projects created or worked on with 1.21 using 1.20: an error will be reported when you try to open them.

If the problem persists

• If after updating to version 1.22 the «Save» button still does not appear in the ribbon menu, contact Aplitop technical support.

• If you need the installer of an earlier version and do not know through which channel to request it, check with technical support as well.

Category: Other enquiries · Level: Basic