Topic: Lumion 4 PRO - LOST my last scene!!!!???

[Martinski]

Hello,

I encountered unexpected "Low Memory" problem today while opening my usual "work scene" in Lumion4 Pro". The screen stayed black and I closed Lumion. After resolving the memory problem; I reopened the recent scene (last autosave at blackout) and... an empty scene with lots of water (kind of an ocean)...

HELP...! Is is all lost now? I opened already a saved scene from January but after this job I altered lots of things and imported also a lot of objects..

Is there anything I could do? Or just sit, cry my heart out and re-adjust the older scene from January...

Thanks - Martin

[peterm]

Hi Martin

Sorry to hear of this, very frustrating for you.

So the most recent save you made (excluding the two auto-saves) is from that mentioned in January, there's no other saves or saveAs done?

Do you operate any other form of back-up, for example a backup tool or have Windows File History auto-backup set?

Note that you have not lost all, but the placement (and perhaps some materials changes) since your last save.  Still perhaps a lot of work, but not everything.    All imported objects will be available as they are saved as independent separate files, so it looks like a re-construction since the January file.  It will be quicker this time as lots of decisions about what and where things should go etc have been covered, and you will be able to move through those more quickly this time round.

What are or were your PC specs that resulted in the low memory issue?

[Martinski]

Hi peterm!

Thanks for the fast reply and suggestions!

The problem is: I acquired a new machine (HP Envy) - recently. The pc is powerful enough BUT... I now discovered a strange practice: it came delivered with 2 drives:

- the classical drive c:\ came with a mere 100 GB. It contains window 8 and all programs that I need and install on that TINY drive as I am used to -, practising this the last 20 years of my computer-life..
- a drive with 2 TB, called DATADRIVE E:\...

So - I installed all kind of programs: Iclone5, Sketchup 2013; DAZ; Lumion 4 Ver 4.0.2, Lumion 4 Ver 4.0.3, Lumion 4 Ver 4.0.4, Lumion Viewer Ver 4.0.1 etc.  The "problem" is that every program automatically (as I'm used to until now) is installed onto drive c:c (under the windows os)... But, one hs to admit that nowadays (and with the weight of the actual software) 100 GB is VERY small and limited.

So, after the last update (and keeping 4.0.2 and 4.0.3 on my harddrive); just as I opened my "daily scene" (my workfile in Lumion)... the system said "nope" - low disk space - and I enede up with a black screen, Lumion 4 PRO pending. I closed it manually and ended up with a new "ocean file" instead.

Today (after some weeping) I started again after cleaning the drive c:\; getting rid of some programs. Opened the last saved workfile (dating from February) and restarted the job...

I'm warned now...

Other question: as I saved my workfile in order to check it out in Lumion 4 VIEWER (4.0.1); I still have these files (called 'import.spr and import.sva). Both files were generated on 14th Feb; so more recently then the one I saved earlier and now in use. Can I also open them in Lumion 4 PRO? Or are they only meant as LumionViewer files?

Kind regards - Martin (saving & backing up NOW...)

[peterm]

Hi Martin

Thanks for the background.  The Gods of fortune or luck are on your side     .

An LS4 file when exported from a Pro version can be used (and is intended to be used) also for workgroups and passing the file to different users for changing.  So in your case, yes, you can make use of that more recent LS4 file.  It contains all content, scene data etc, so will give you a much closer version to work with.

Just a reminder then to make use of Lumion's save but also saveAs option so that you have your own version copies rather than relying on the auto-saves.  So I would suggest once the LS4 is opened, to then immediately go Files --> Save Scene and create a new scene/project name so it gets 'savedAs' a new scene.

This is one case where it's not possible (AFAIK) to provide an auto-save backup on exit of scene or application if there's simply no room.  However, I'll discuss it with Morten, as it might be something maybe dev can look at, as to maybe providing some warning of lack of file space when opening or closing a scene.

In regard the hardware; I would have to say that you should go back to the supplier, a 100GB for Windows and applications is not a workable drive and should be replaced/upgraded.  Was it 100GB or 1000GB, perhaps it's an SSD drive, in which case that could explain the GB size, laptop or desktop?

Please note that Lumion stores all user data files in the \My Documents folders, so that is on "C" drive; this is a default and only option (except for a Windows path redirect workaround).  This means you will need to manage file space constantly, Lumion projects (scene and imported models) can get large very quickly.

Once you have your project finalised, I would suggest removing the older update versions of Lumion and just working with v4.0.4.  That will free up about 8GB for a start  .

Also as a reminder to start from today  , using some sort of Backup Utility software tool, making sure the \Lumion sub-folders are definitely backed up to some other storage device.

Note: you can save any LS4 files to other locations such as your "E" drive.

All the best then with recovery, we look forward to seeing the resulting video and images when available.


ps: can you change your forum icon from the standard version icon to the Pro version icon (see your Account, link top of page)