The SAVEOPT command lets you access the drawing saving related options via a GUI dialogue window operation. These options, such as the AutoSave feature, saving backup file, creating preview image and DWG file version selection, are controlled by specific system variables. With SAVEOPT, you can easily access these options without knowing how to setup these related system variables.

SAVEOPT will pop up the dialogue window as shown below:

The following describe these screen items in details.

Automatic Save

The AutoSave feature will automatically backup the current drawing in editing session to the disk storage periodically, to prevent the possible loss of the work due to unexpected events. You may enable such feature from this group, which contains the following screen items:

• Save File     Filename entry, specifying the path name used for the drawing to be saved in the disk automatically. If a path name is explicitly given, the AutoSave feature will always backup the current drawing to the fixed file. If it is not given, AutoSave will save to its original file. You pick at this entry, and a file window will pop up for you to specify the path name. If you cancel the file window, then it means no explicit file is given.

• Save by time elapse     A combo-box of value entry and selection, specifying the time interval in minutes since the first undo-able command operation issued after the last drawing file saving operation that TwinCAD must save the drawing automatically.
  
  If you pick at the value field, you will be asked to enter the value directly. Zero value means to disable the AutoSave feature based on this time elapse, and the value field will display "N/A". You may select a commonly used value from a drop-down list by picking at its drop-down button.

• Save by Command Count     A combo-box of value entry and selection, specifying the effective command counts, after which TwinCAD must save the drawing automatically.
  
  If you pick at the value field, you will be asked to enter the value directly. Zero value means to disable the AutoSave feature based on the effective command counts, and the field will display "N/A". You may select a commonly used value from a drop-down list by picking it by the drop-down button.
  
  An effective command is a command that affects the drawing database and that can be undone. Note that this will exclude the UNDO/REDO commands.

Note that the automatic saving operation occurs only in the top level command processing when a command is just finished or a new command is about to start.

TwinCAD can not save the drawing if it is in waiting for the user input, even when the elapse time has passed the limit.

Preview Options

When you are selecting files from the file window for a drawing loading operation, you may press the additional [Preview] button to view the drawing before loading it. The preview image of the drawing was actually created when the drawing was saved, not when it is put to view. If the drawing file does not contain any preview image, nor can an associated preview image file be found from the same path, you won't be able to see the preview image of it from the file window operation.

However, saving an additional preview image with the drawing requires additional overhead in the disk storage. So, TwinCAD does not compulsively save the preview image with the drawing. In fact, you may have the following options:

• Save Preview Slide -- You may choose to save a preview image in slide file format or not. In current release, TwinCAD create preview images only in slide file format, although it may preview the bitmap images as well. Check on this checkbox to enable TwinCAD to create a slide on the current drawing view when the drawing is saved.

Once you have enabled TwinCAD to create a preview image, you may have the following options:

• Embed it in WRK file -- If you are saving a WRK file, the preview image can be embed into the WRK file. If you choose not, or you are not saving WRK files (e.g. DWG file), the preview image will be saved as a separated image file of the same pathname in the disk, when the drawing file is saved.
• Save for WBLOCK -- You may choose to support the creation of a preview image for drawing saved by WBLOCK command. If this option is not enabled, TwinCAD will not create preview image for drawing saved by WBLOCK command.
• Query before saving -- You may choose to create the preview image based on individual query. If you check on this option, TwinCAD will pop up a query window for you to decide whether to create the preview image or not, whenever the drawing is saved.

Save DWG File

TwinCAD can save DWG file in either R10 or R12 format. You may choose from this group to select the desired format. Also, TwinCAD will create a TAG file to save the tag definitions in the current drawing when the drawing is saved in DWG file format. If this is not desirable, you may suppress it by checking on the item "Suppress TAG File".

Backup Original File

You may check on the item "Backup Original File" to enable TwinCAD to backup the original drawing file when the current drawing file is saved to overwrite it. If this option is enabled, the original drawing file will be renamed with BRK (for WRK file) or BAK (for DWG file) file extension.

Save Encrypted WRK File

You may check on the item "Save Encrypted WRK" to enable TwinCAD to encrypt the drawing file when it is saved in WRK file. If this option is enabled, you will be asked to define a password string to encrypt the drawing. See also SAVE command for more details.

Other Buttons

After completing your option setup, you have to press the [OK] button to confirm the change and terminate SAVEOPT. Or, you may press the [Cancel] to quit SAVEOPT operation. You may also press <ESC> key or the right mouse button to quit the operation.

Special Notes: