Participant

Question

Adobe Illustrator keeps saving multiple files of a file I keep resaving?

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
April 29, 2020
6 replies
11053 views

Every time I have saved a file on ai after I make changes to a file, lately it creates multiple new files rather than just resaving the original file under the same name. For instance, if my file was named "JoeShmo_NewPckgDesign.ai" and I saved it 3 different times throughout the day, it will not override this same file and save it with the new changes under this name. Instead, three completely new files called "JoeShmo_NewPckgDesign 1.ai," "JoeShmo_NewPckgDesign 2.ai," and "JoeShmo_NewPckgDesign 3.ai" show up on my desktop....? Therefore the file with the highest number becomes the latest edition, rather than the actual one I am working on in ai. This is making me unsure which files I should be deleting. How do I stop this from happening? I am running out of storage on my computer and this new feature is NOT helping....

J

jimp87522270

Inspiring

I am having what sounds like a very similar problem. I just updated my Cloud because of ONE SMALL ISSUE when I updated my system - Photoshop was bombing on the first open file every time and I had to restart the program. This led to me update my CC to all new programs. Now I'm using Illustrator and when I open ONE file - it gives me TWO copies designated .ai:1 and .ai:2 to work on. Why on earth would it do that? Who knows but like every Adobe "upgrade" it creates more problems than it solves (if it was actually intended to solve a problem). Now I'm never sure if the file I WANTED to save is actually saved and what do I do with the second one? Do I have to save that one too to keep the changes in file .ai:1 - or is it okay to close it as is? This is the kind of UTTER NONSENSE that happens with Adobe products all the time. I get the feeling there is a room somewhere at Adobe Central where they have a bunch of people sitting around trying to figure out how they can make our already hard jobs even harder. If anyone knows what is happening here (see photo) I'd sure be glad to hear it. Thanks.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

I cannot open your screenshot, but from what you describe, I guess you have created a New Window for your file (Window menu > New Window). If so, you can get rid of it by closing it, making a little change in your file and saving your file.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Well then obviously there is some problem with the program because I did not manually create a new window, I did not ask some AI assistant to create one and I have never found a need - in Illustrator or any other program - to open up two copies of the same document at the same time. Seems to me if I want two copies of the same document, the best way to go about it is the same way we've always done it - SAVE AS with another name so the user can discern which document is which and not have to worry if they are overwriting an important file or not saving the changes just made to a working document.

The other side of the coin is that screen shot was not the first time I had the issue. When I came on board here to discuss it - I opened up a document (again) to take a screen shot for the board here. The problem repeated itself. So if I were "creating a new window" I would have somehow had to make that same mistake more than once (highly unlikely since all I did was open the doc - I didn't work on it at all). I have also opened up multiple documents AFTER I reset the preferences and now the problem is no longer occurring. So something changed by resetting the preferences.

So - bottom line - props to Nilzilla for giving me the answer to my issue.

The option to create a new window for your document is as old as Illustrator. It does not create a new document, it just creates a new view for the same document.

One window could show an outline view, the other a zoomed in preview.

When you save a document with multiple windows, it will show those the next time you open the document.

I hope this explains what the New Window command does.

L

liselemon

Participating Frequently

Thanks Monika, I've given it a go. Only time will tell. It doesn't appear to do it to every document but will report back either way.

D

defaultnh1mprc8kn47

Participant

I'm having the same issue, it gets very confusing and consumes a lot of memory, has anyone found a solution?

Monika Gause

Community Expert

Other than resetting the preferences, checking user privileges on your system, checking your antivirus and contacting Customer Care?

L

liselemon

Participating Frequently

Hi there, I am having the same problem. I did as you recommended but it still appears to be saving multiples as opposed to rewriting the auto save. Are there any other solutions?

I am using AI 2021 MacOS Catalin 10.15.7

Monika Gause

Community Expert

How are user privileges for the folder set up?

Also: check your antivirus and whatever settings there are in paranoid Mac OS

L

liselemon

Participating Frequently

Thakns for your reply, I don't quite understand what you mean I'm sorry. User privileges for the folder set up?

N

Nilzilla

Participant

It does the same thing to me. If I have a storyboard I designed thats 250mb and I make revisions 3 times and save... I have multiple files that adds up to 750mb on both my computer and cloud.

Monika Gause

Community Expert

Can you please answer the questions I posted above?

N

Nilzilla

Participant

Im running the latest system on a brand new macbook. It didnt matter where I saved it because it did it regardless. Turns out, after I did an update on adobe, it changed something on my preferences. So what has to happen is you need to quit and restart AI, go to preferences / general then click reset preferences in the bottom right. That should solve the problem.... 15 gigs later...

Monika Gause

Community Expert

Which version and system is it?

Exactly where do you save your files?

Do you have any autosave extensions running?

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded