Versioning Software or best practices for clients files: Multiple versions, multiple machines??
jaronoff (89 points) | Tue, 2007-08-21 11:41Hi All,
So I have a dilemma. I have one client that I've been doing multiple design projects for, and they continually change the scope of projects, versions, etc. That's not really the issue per se, the issue is that I work on multiple machines, one at my full time job and my powerbook at home.
In order to work on these projects, I either upload them to my server, which is great, or I put them on my ipod to transfer back and forth between machines.
The problem I run into is when there are 5 versions of a file, all of which i've saved, and I can't tell which one is the most current. I could go with the timestamp, but I don't know which is the most current because I am running off of multiple machines and I'm not sure which one I've given the newest version from. Does that make sense?
Do any of you guys use a system for tracking versions of files from multiple machines? Is there something out there that's easy to use?
Thanks in advance for the help!!
~Josh
_________________________________________________
Let's go a little deeper.
Joshua Aronoff
email:
http://www.josharonoff.com
Commenting on this Forum topic is closed.
In THEROY, Adobe's version cue software is what you would use. If you have bought CS2 or CS3 it would come with it as an option to install. When you save a VERSION of a file it stores the info until you decide that you want to go back to a previous version, in which case you select the version you want to revert to and it does it. This is also supposed to work across multiple computer systems both mac and pc, ONCE they have Version Cue installed. . .
That being said I have to warn you. . . you need to be a REAL IT professional skilled in figuring out why when you've SAVED a version of a file and then open it up the next day it has SUDDENLY reverted to an older version, even as far back as when you FIRST saved the file!? Added to that you need to use Bridge to access the power of Version Cue and its so slow and buggy (quits a lot) that we rarely ever open it up again except to process RAW image files.
That being said I don't know of any other apps that do versioning LIKE Version Cue. . . so in THEORY you could use version cue as long as you make concise back ups of your work.
I would still like to know if ANYBODY has experience working with Version Cue, because its driving me insane. . .lol
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
Add this to the end of your file names:
_X
Where "X" is a number starting from 1 and going up. Every time you save the file when you're done with major edits, you just increase the number. That way, the largest number is always the latest file.
I'm not saying you do a save as every 5 minutes. But if you work on the file at home today, save the file as "abcdefgh_1.indd" Then when you work on the file tomorrow at the office, save the file as "abcdefgh_2.indd", etc..
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Visit Creative Guy for graphics and Mac OS tips, tricks, tutorials and commentary
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Visit The Graphic Mac for graphics and Mac OS tips, reviews, tutorials and discussion.
I implement a slightly different numbering system for my files...
[Customer Name]
[Design Type] - ie. website, identity, brochure
[Stage] - ie. concepts, final
[File Name - Design # - Version]
ie.
[XYZ Company]
[IDENTITY]
[CONCEPTS]
XYZ Logo CONCEPT 01-0.eps [Original Design]
XYZ Logo CONCEPT 01-1.eps [Client Revision 1]
XYZ Logo CONCEPT 01-2.eps [Client Revision 2]
XYZ Logo CONCEPT 02-0.eps [Original Design]
XYZ Logo CONCEPT 02-1.eps [Client Revision 1]
[FINAL]
XYZ Logo FINAL 01-0.eps
XYZ Logo FINAL 01-1.eps
It becomes easy because the bottom file is ALWAYS the most current working version of each design.
I use a file folder system called BUJIC (Back Up Just In Case).
_BUJIC (duplicate your Mech files here)
Assets (all art and text assets received for the job and/or linked in the mech file/s)
Correspond (all email communications here, proofs, etc.)
Mechanicals (Illustrator, Quark, InDesign files; main file for job)
Working Assembly (layered photoshop files, or other work files not directly placed into the job Mechanical)
Label your different versions as CG suggested, and you can back them all up by option dragging the mech folder to the bujic folder.
Drag the entire job folder wherever you're working and then all files will update and you won't have to pick and choose.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
I had a similar problem keeping track of the most current files while transferring back and forth from work to home. One option I've been using is a folder syncing utlity.
I just run the syncing utility when I get to work and leave work to make sure both have the most current versions.
http://www.versiontracker.com/php/qs.php?mode=basic&action=search&str=sync&srchArea=macosx&submit=Go
I tried using a synching utility once, and found that if my computers had different dates and times that I could erase a 'new' file with an 'older' one because the synch would confuse those dates. I lost 8 hours of work once and deleted the app before it could happen again.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
I could understand if the two computers were in the same building but I'm confused why you'd have such vastly different times on a home and work computer.
A few minutes difference doesn't affect anything when syncing home and work. Besides, you can always set time automatically to international standards.
Do you work in different time zones? ;)
A few minutes would make all the difference, and it did in my situation...
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
Syncing files isn't voodoo magic... it just takes a little setup on the front end. Of course proper backups are vital to protect your work.
I 'automatically' set the time on my home and work computer to 'time.apple.com' and live 30 minutes from work. Then I make sure the sync utility always uses the newest file.
I'm not sure how you'd ever be able to copy files from work... take them home... modify... and bring them back the next morning to have the file from work be newer.
I must have cracked the secret code of computers because it always syncs the files with the newest ones for me. Do what works for you.
CreativeNRG, I always appreciate your input, however in this case you can leave the sarcasm at home, thanks. The backup software didn't work for me and it cost me money. That's why I don't use it anymore.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
I feel your pain in losing valuable work but mistakes happen either way. We've all answered 'yes' when asked if we really want to save over an existing file with the same name and inadvertantly destroyed a certain level of work at one time or another.
I've give you a horror story...
Back in the day the innocent Quark 3.31 upgrade came out and an IT Tech installed it on everyones machine late one night and didn't tell anyone. Well, the upgrade busted something with postscript generation that wasn't discovered for a week and it cost our company something in the neighborhood of 1,000 man hours. Backups didn't help as the files wouldn't open in the older version of Quark.
It was a VERY painful lesson to say the least but we didn't stop upgrading Quark, we fixed our procedures.
In this case we're talking about transferring files between work and home and keeping the most current versions straight. Backups are in addition to all this.
My workstation and the server are backed up every 4 hours at work and I always copy the files off my jump drive to my machine at home. [Those files stay there and are backed up each night]
So, even if I take modified files back to work the next morning and something screwy happens and destroys the correct file during the syncing process, my ass is covered both ways to Sunday.
When you allow software to do things for you. . . in this case replace older files with newer files if you don't have a back up you COULD lose data. You have to be sure that what your replacing is an older version and not a newer one! That requires human choice making and input. . . SKYNET hasn't come online yet so independent computer thinking is still A LONG way away! lol
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
This is the reason why I personally don't use automated back up software anymore.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
I swear by (Dantz) EMC's Retrospect. . . it has saved my bacon MANY times. The learning curve is a bit steep but that's because it allows you to back up in MANY MANY MANY different ways. . . I have an external 250 mb drive with Retrospect backing up every night, not only my design files but my emails and other docs as well. It does incremental back ups so I can go back a couple of days to a previous version. . . but every month I do a recycle back up and so those older versions are only valid for one month. . .
Carbon Copy Cloner is cool too but unless you have a drive that is the same size as the original. . . not really a good choice for daily back ups.
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda