Title says it all - I just lost about 3 hours of work and I already had to do it twice, since ZBrush crashed on me before… Now, is there a auto-save in ZBrush? Sometimes, when you’re in the context menu and I’m pressing MMB, ZBrush just locks up. It just locked up on me again while saving, so the resulted file was corrupt - When I’m loading the file, ZBrush crashes again.
That’s really annoying! So, is there a auto-save function or an auto-save ZScript available?
Hi Thomas,
Svengali did his best to address this problem with his PSnap Quicksave plugin but this doesn’t amount to an AutoSave. Currently it’s not possible to produce such a thing using zscripting alone, partly because the necessary command [Sleep, using the Timer] doesn’t work and partly because any zscript or plugin it will stop working the moment another script (such as Projection Master) is loaded.
HTH,
Damn, that’s annoying.
Just loaded this thread up, since ZBrush locked up again, that’s the third time in about 5 hours and always through the same bug: I’m opening the RMB Menu, I press the wrong Mouse Button and boom - everything freezes. If I close the task within the Windows Task Manager ZBrush asks me if I want to save the document, but that doesn’t really bring me anything. ZBrush should ask me if I want to save the tool…
Now it’s about 4 hours ofwork that I lost today. Awesome. Nuts.
I’m sculpting an ear for a highPoly character and now I have to do it the fourth time in a row… annoying 
An Auto-Save function has to be in 2.5 - When you’re dealing with highPoly objects, the chance the ZBrush freezes is pretty high, so this would actually save hours and hours of work…
This may help you out. Note: it is a beta; I’ve put it together quickly and it seems to work well but I’ve not tested it thoroughly. It’s not perfect because you have to reload it if you use another zscript, but perhaps it will help you out.
Unzip it to your ZStartup\ZPlugs folder and restart ZB. There will be a new subpalette ‘Auto Save’ in the Tool palette, and an ‘AutoSave’ button. To load the script press the button or use the hotkey ‘K’. (This conflicts with TVeyes’ XYZ adjust - let me know what hotkey you’d like if you like the way this thing works). When the script is loaded a message appears in the ZScript window. That message has to be there for the autosave to work. If you use PM, or some other script, you MUST press ‘K’ or the button to recall the script. When loaded the script will save the current model (if it is in Edit mode) every 30 seconds. It will save it to the ZTools folder with whatever name it has when loaded. Again, if you want longer, shorter time etc. let me know. I may develop options for this if it’s useful.
Cheers,
Hey, you guys!
Thanks a lot! Marcus, I’ll try your script today, let’s see how it works out. A good auto-save is definitely needed in Z!
Hi Thomas,
Here is a new version, with some options. Unzip to your main ZBrush2 folder. When you relaunch ZB there will be an AutoSave button in the Tool palette (as before). Shift-click the button for options - Audible Alert for when switching zscripts causes the plugin to exit; Incremental Saves; Different time intervals. Note: ZB will probably make a ‘ding’ as it launches, this is the audible alert sounding. Instructions in the zip.
EDIT: Forgot to mention, I’ve changed the hotkey to ‘J’ .
UPDATE: Realized that a bug had krept in so updated but doesn’t work well with ZSpheres in Preview mode. Am working on it.
FURTHER UPDATE: ZSpheres should now work ok although I’ve not tested this on a Mac. Anybody who’s tried this, I’d appreciate some feedback. 
Hey marcus 
I have discovered this zscript a bit late (too many crashes this week…), but i think i will use it a lot from now.
It would be cool to make it save to the folder where the original tool is located, or maybe a path that can be changed would do the job.
Also, i´d like to see in some way if the autosave is active or inactive (pressing J could switch on or off) instead of an audible signal.
Does the model saves in the lower level? does it saves the texture? I have not tested it at full, but i think that as it is now it does a great job
Thanks for this great zscriptie!
Hi Jhotun,
Thanks for your comments. I’d treat the plugin with a little care as it isn’t fully tested, and I wouldn’t use it with ZSpheres - there’s an issue with switching from the previewed mesh to save which can introduce errors. As far as I remember the plugin saves at the lowest level and automatically includes the texture.
You might take a look at Svengali’s PSnap plugin which offers a rather more flexible solution, though it is not automatic.
I´m using psnap too, but sometimes when working i fall in “trance” and keep working during hours without saving 
I know this is really bad, but autosave on other progs has helped me a lot in the past
I´ll be using your plugin a lot, so if i find strange things, i’ll report it here.
Thanks!
Would just like to add my request for autosave to version 2.5 as well.
Cheers for this marcus, hopefully it will save repeated sculpting.
El-d