Save and Back Up Your Models in SketchUp

It is absolutely a good idea to back up your files on a cloud storage in case anything happens to your device. You can then download the model files to both your desktop and iPad to save them locally. Pulling files from Dropbox or cloud storage does however cause all sorts of issues so we recommend working on a copy locally and saving to cloud as a backup. We recommend using Trimble Connect instead of Dropbox.

Trimble Connect has a lot of the same functionality as Google Drive, but it is specifically designed to work well with SketchUp, making the file sharing process faster and easier.

With the desktop version of Trimble Connect downloaded, you can sync your local SketchUp files directly to the shared Trimble Connect drive at any time with the click of a button. This bypasses the need to stop work, save, and upload the file. Similarly, if someone else made changes to a file and synced their progress, you will get a notification that changes were made and can then sync your local file to see their changes- no need to download a completely different, updated file.

It is important to note, however, that these changes do override the previously saved file. Currently, Trimble Connect does not have the ability for true real-time collaboration. If two people were to work on the same file at the same time, they could not see each other's changes live, and would not be able to combine their progress. The second file to be synced would override the first. The good news is, the second person would get a warning message alerting them that new changes have been made by someone else and asking whether they wish to override these changes before they sync.

Trimble Connect does have a file size limit that you should be aware of. No individual file can exceed 5GB. The best way to have multiple people working on the same project, especially with large files that might be getting close to the limit, is to have the different areas of the project saved in separate files, perhaps by room, level, or type, and then one master file where all those pieces get manually put together.

As long as the file size isn't over the limit, the master file could be kept in TC as well. As users finish or make changes to the section they are working on they can add those changes to the master file. That way, the local file that each individual is working on would not be affected.

Making groups in SketchUp can be particularly helpful for this. Any number of components, lines, objects, etc. can be turned into a group (highlight > right click > make group), copied over to the master file, and placed where it is needed. This makes replacing only certain sections or components with an updated version quick and efficient.

**If you have PlusSpec-related questions, please use our forum.