How can I recover backup files for my Teamwork project?

Issue Description

You experience an unexpected crash in Teamwork, accidentally close without saving, or need to restore an earlier version of your project. The original project file may be corrupted, missing recent changes, or you need to access archived project data from BIMcloud snapshots.

Solution

The recovery method depends on your specific situation and the type of backup available. The following solutions address different recovery scenarios.

Recovering Teamwork Projects from Autosave Files

For Teamwork projects, the recovery process follows similar steps but accesses different folder locations.

1. Navigate to the Teamwork autosave folder:
   • Windows: C:\Users\<user>\Graphisoft\TW Data\<Server Name>_<Project Name>_<User Name>\Autosave
   • macOS: System drive/Users/<user>/Library/Application Support/Graphisoft/TW Data/<Server Name>_<Project Name>_<User Name>/Autosave
2. Search by modified date if multiple subfolders exist
3. Locate the database.fdb file.
4. Copy the database.fdb file to your desktop.
5. Rename the file extension from .fdb to .pln (example: database.pln)
6. Open the renamed file with Archicad using the Repair option.

Note that this process recovers only the locally cached version of the project, not the full project on the server. The recovered file can be re-shared if opened as a PLN file.

Rolling Back BIMcloud Project Snapshots

BIMcloud provides snapshot-based recovery options for Teamwork projects and libraries.

Rollback on the Same BIMcloud

1. Open BIMcloud Manager and navigate to the Projects page
2. Select the desired project or library from the Navigator
3. Open the Snapshots panel
4. Select the appropriate Teamwork project snapshot or Library snapshot from the list
5. Click Rollback
6. Choose your rollback option:
   • Overwrite this Teamwork Project/Library: Replaces the current project completely
   • Create New Teamwork Project/Library from Snapshot: Creates a separate new project
7. Click Rollback then OK
   

Recovering PLN Snapshots from BIMcloud

PLN snapshots require a different approach as they can only be opened as solo projects.

1. Download the PLN snapshot from the BIMcloud Manager
2. Open the downloaded file with any compatible version of Archicad as a solo project
3. If needed, re-share the project to convert it back to a Teamwork project

Important Limitations and Considerations

Several important limitations affect the availability of recovery files:

• Autosave files are automatically deleted when Archicad shuts down properly, including when selecting "Don't Save"
• Recovery files are only created during active work sessions and may not contain all unsaved changes
• Log files cannot be used for project recovery purposes
• Database (.db) files from archived Teamwork projects require special handling and may need Graphisoft support assistance

If the autosave folder contains no database.fdb file, it indicates either the project was not saved before the crash or the crash was too severe for recovery.

TIPS:

Still stuck? Here's a related article that can help you resolve your issue:

What to do to recover my file if my solo project crashes?

If you need more help…

Check out more content on the Support Site, Graphisoft Community, or the Graphisoft Learn Portal. You can also contact Technical Support for further assistance.