working on scenes both laptop and desktop

[SgWRX]

hi, i've been copying project folders from my desktop to laptop to work on them when not at work. when at work, i have the laptop and desktop networked, so on the laptop (faster of the two pc's) i just open the max file via the network share which is located on the desktop. well, i'm worried that i'm going to start loosing things because there are missing files (i browse to get them) etc...

 

can someone direct me to a good read on managing scenes/project folders between two computers? the goal is to keep files on the desktop machine and work on them when needed on the desktop but use the laptop as the main work machine b/c it's faster.

 

thanks!

[jvlive]

hi steve,

 

I can't really direct you to any document regarding your problem, but let me suggest a few things. First, since you prefer to work on your laptop, keep your working max file there. Probably you could copy a backup of that file to the desktop at the end of each day. I assume you have a bigger disk space in your dsktop, if so then this should be your "server" where all your external files are kept. external i.e. textures, libraries, ies files, etc. Everyday before going home use the resource collector to copy the necessary external files (bitmaps, etc. for that max proj. file) to your laptop. Do this after you finish working at home as well, just in case you added a few new external files at home, so when you get to work all the impt files are intact.

 

Hope that helped.

[notamondayfan]

or keep all your files on external harddrives, set the drive path the same on each pc, then when you work on either the laptop or desktop your files will prefectly assigned.

[IHAB]

why not keep one shared folder with all your maps,rpcs......etc. subfolders on one of your desktops,then configuring its path to all other network computers,laptops and rendering machines ?(we're using this method)

[SgWRX]

thanks. these are some things to think about. i like the external HD idea. it's never wrong to have more storage

[mdviz]

I work on a desktop and on the laptop all the time. The method I have found easiest is to set up a shared directory on the laptop and then a project folder for each max project. ie c:\swap\project01

 

In the project folder I would include all the files associated with the entire project with subdirectoris for maps, bip files and even ref pics- I use resorce collector a lot. i.e.

ie c:\swap\project01\scene01

c:\swap\project01\maps

c:\swap\project01\render

c:\swap\project01\ref_files

c:\swap\project01\bip

... you get the idea

 

I then set the same directory structure up on the desktop only it is not nescasary to to share the desktop folder.

 

I start the project on the laptop and then connect the two together and manually copy the entire folder to the desktop. Often a few Gigs are transferred which doesn't take long I use a gigabit link. All files are and paths are always fine and when ever I finish working on one machine I copy the other over overwritiing all files. I only back up to external hard drive before/after transferring to/from the desktop as this then saves carrying yet another brick around with the laptop.

 

You could set a batch or install a program to automate this transfer if you wanted but I like to do it mannually myself.

[jucaro]

Why not use UNC for the path of your maps and XREFs and synchronize your work folders and then do an archive (File/Archive) in max.

 

That will be seamless and MAX would not know the difference.

 

Having an external HD would be the quickest solution as you only need to connect it on which ever you are working.

 

The downside of copying from laptop to desktop and vice versa is that, sooner or later you are gonna overwrite a newer file version with an old one.

 

Here's a handy tool for refreshing your work files should you go the copy method of things. Its already included in vista. But for those who dont like vista here's one for XP

 

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/prophoto/synctoy.mspx

[mdviz]

The archive function in max only includes the files directly associated with the scene that is currently open and not the entire project and as such would not include the other files in the project folder such as renders, old, temp or reference files.

Using the max archive function and then to add the non included files without missing anything sounds complicated and risky to me. Its just easier to copy and paste the entire folder.

 

I have never over written a file in ten years in the way suggested but it is certainly possible. It is also possible that a sync program might crash and destroy or corrupt BOTH sets of data. Time is also needed to set up the sync program for each project as opposed to just copy and paste in explorer.

 

I always use the incremental save function in max which minimises the suggested overwrite problem. I never overwrite on old max file after a transfer. Incremental saves are a must for any professional user

 

There is also a 'backup on save' fuction in max that backs up the last saved file. This file is found in the ..\max\autoback directory called MaxBack.bak

 

It can be opened by max directly and just in case you want to be completely paranoid about a possible overwrite there is also an autoback.max file found in the same directory which you can set (with a custom name) to autosave as many incremental backkup files as you like and at any time increment you like. I typically set mine to 10 files at 10 min intervals.

 

I also always back up to the external hard drive only from the desktop and before any transfer. This way I only would possibly lose one session of work if it does go wrong (but then I do have all those back up files to save me!). This saves lugging an external hard drive and another power supply around as well as the laptop

 

I am not saying this is the best method by any means, I am just offering a method that has worked for me quickly and successfully for years.

 

EDIT - Have just played with the suggested MS synctoy which is very fast to set up so I may well make use of this in the future. Thanks