Issue description
Archicad crashed while working on a project, either on Teamwork or an Archicad Solo project, and now I need to recover my work by checking the local backup folder for recent .fdb or .bpn files or BIMcloud for recovery options.
Solution
After a crash, try reopening Archicad. It usually offers to recover unsaved work at startup, but sometimes this prompt doesn’t appear.
Archicad saves backups automatically. Here's how to find them:
- Each project has a .PLN file storing all data.
- Saving updates the .PLN and archives the previous version as a .BPN backup file.
- An .FDB file manages background data for tracking and stability.
The backup system keeps only the latest prior version in the .BPN file for one-step recovery.
| Extension | Full Name | Primary Function |
|---|---|---|
| .PLN | Solo Project | The main working file containing all design data. |
| .BPN | Backup Project | The previous state of the project (one save prior). |
| .FDB | Database File | Background data used for tracking and stability. |
Note: Autosave files are automatically deleted when Archicad shuts down properly, including when selecting Don't Save.
The location of the Autosave folder can be set under Options > Work Environment > Data Safety and Integrity…. The default settings are:
- WIN: C:\Users\<user>\Graphisoft\AutoSave-<version>-<number of open projects>
- MAC: System drive/Users/<user>/Library/Application Support/Graphisoft/AutoSave-<version>-<number of open projects>
Note: On macOS, the Library folder is hidden by default. You can display it using the steps described here: How to find hidden folders on mac OS & Windows.
If you started Archicad, and no recovery message was shown, it doesn't mean that the project is totally lost. You can try recovering the files using the following Methods.
Method 1: Recover the file from a Backup file (.BPN)
Every time you save a project, a .BPN format copy of the previously saved .PLN will be created in the same folder the .PLN is stored.
BPN files are automatically created if the corresponding checkbox is checked in the Work Environment > Data Safety & Integrity > Data Safety panel dialogue.
If no recovery prompt appears at Archicad startup, manually open the project folder, copy the .BPN file to your desktop, change its extension to .PLN by renaming it, and open it in Archicad using Open and Repair.
If the .PLN folder lacks a .BPN file, either the 'Make Backup Copy' was never enabled or the project is too damaged to recover from a .BPN file.
Method 2: Rolling Back BIMcloud Project Snapshots
BIMcloud provides snapshot-based recovery options for Teamwork projects, libraries and PLN. To recover a Teamwork project from BIMcloud, follow the steps below:
- Open BIMcloud Manager and navigate to the Projects page.
- Select the desired project or library from the Navigator.
- Open the Snapshots panel.
- Select the appropriate Teamwork project snapshot or Library snapshot from the list.
- Click Rollback.
- 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.
-
Click Rollback then OK
PLN snapshots require a different approach as they can only be opened as solo projects.
- Download the PLN snapshot from the BIMcloud Manager
- Open the downloaded file with any compatible version of Archicad as a solo project.
- If needed, re-share the project to convert it back to a Teamwork project.
Method 3: Recover a Teamwork or Solo project from a database file (.FDB)
If you haven't found a .BPN file or weren't working on a Teamwork project, this is one last option you can try to recover your project.
Keep in mind the project type you were working on before the crash (Teamwork vs Solo). The recovery process follows similar steps but accesses different folder locations.
- Locate the Default location of the Autosave folder.
- Check or change the path in Archicad: Options > Work Environment > Data Safety and Integrity, as explained before.
- Once In the
@ODB_Database~folder, look for thedatabase.fdbfile.- If there are several subfolders inside the
@ODB_Database~folder, use the last modified date to locate the most recent recovery files.
- If there are several subfolders inside the
- Copy
database.fdbto another location (e.g., desktop) and rename the file extension from.fdbto.pln(e.g.,database.pln). - Start Archicad and open the renamed file with the Open and Repair option.
Note: If no
database.fdbfile is present, the project was either never saved or the crash was too severe to leave a recovery project.
Important Notes:
Open the
CacheInfo.XMLfile inside the Autosave folder to check the autosave related data. The project name is listed in this file, which helps to confirm the correct Teamwork project.- Recovery files are only created during active work sessions and may not contain all unsaved changes.
- Save your files frequently to minimize the differences between the PLN and the BPN copy.