Save reopen and recover a project
These instructions are reviewed against the app source. Final-installer walkthroughs are still pending. Check platform availability and requirements before installing. Windows is an updates list, outside the 1,000 beta places.
MODO saves confirmed edits in the project's working folder. A .modo copy is a separate snapshot you can keep or move to another computer.
Before you start
Keep the working folder available and writable. Finish editing the active text or value field before checking save status.
Save your current work
- Click outside the field you were editing to confirm its value.
- Check the save indicator. Wait for Saved locally.
- To request a save or retry after an error, choose File → Save now / retry in the editor. The desktop's native File menu also provides Save.
- Choose File → Save a .modo copy… when you reach a milestone. In desktop, choose a destination in the save dialog; the browser editor downloads the copy.
- Give the snapshot a recognizable name, such as
paper-studio-layout.modo. Later edits continue in the working folder. Save another copy when you want a newer snapshot.
Reopen the right version
Use a recent project or Open folder… to continue in an existing working folder. Use Open .modo… to open an archive as a managed working copy.
Opening an archive does not continuously rewrite the source .modo file. Reopening the same unchanged archive resumes its existing managed working copy, including later edits. It is not a command to discard those edits and restore the archive's original state.
The .modo archive includes the project document and registered assets. It excludes credentials, Git history, local recovery history, dependencies, builds and generated source. Keep separate backups of any additional code or files you maintain outside that archive.
Check your result
The indicator says Saved locally, and the .modo copy exists at the destination you chose. After a normal close and reopen of the working project, check the last change you made.
Common problems
| Status or symptom | What to do |
|---|---|
| Confirm field value | Finish editing the field, then check again. |
| Check save status | Read the error, check the working folder and available disk space, then use Save now / retry. |
| Disconnected | Restore the editor's connection to its local service before treating new edits as saved. |
| Read only | Do not assume edits can be saved. Check the reported reason; a project from a newer MODO version may require that version. |
| Recovery paused after external file changes | Keep both versions. MODO preserves conflict data in the working project's .modo/recovery directory; it does not automatically merge incompatible edits. |
Recovery covers edits accepted by the local service. Text still being typed in an unconfirmed field may not survive a forced shutdown. Allow MODO to finish saving during normal closure.
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