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v0.34:Saved game folder
| This article is about an older version of DF. |
The saved game folder is the location in where a certain region's information and necessary files are stored and accessed by Dwarf Fortress. Knowledge on the technicals of the saved game folder is crucial if one wishes to import or export saves.
Location
Individual worlds are stored in the dwarffortress/data/save folder. By default, they are saved in the format: region#, where # is a number, starting with region1 and then incrementing. On Windows 7, if Dwarf Fortress is installed in the Program Files subdirectory, the saved game folders are instead located at "Users\Myname\Appdata\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Dwarf Fortress\data\save".
If you have modified your d_init.txt to seasonally backup, then the backup folders will be named region#-season-year, for example region1-spr-202.
This can become confusing if you frequently savescum. There is no way to change the name of these folders inside the game, but it is safe to change them using the standard methods of your operating system if the game is not running. However, never alter or delete the folder with the name of the game you're playing while saving from the game, or while that game is running! This can cause fatal flaws many dwarf-seasons later, and is one known cause of the "Nemesis Unit Load Failed" crash error.
Backing up saves
Toady recommends that you make backups, and always save to a fresh file:
- Copy the relevant region folder in "data/save" to a safe location.
- When you want to reuse it, copy that region back to "data/save".
Do not overwrite an old folder, as it might leave residual files.
Please do back up saves. Although the game has permanent death and you might want to play it in that spirit, the game, it is also an alpha, and your world might become corrupted by an error. You can also make use of the auto save features settable in "data/init/d_init.txt".
For more info on the autosave feature, see d_init.txt.
Disappearing Saves
Restoring a savegame from backup can be very confusing.
The game saves to the directory from which it was loaded, so if you restore a game from a seasonal save after a crash, you will be saving to the folder from which you loaded and not to your default folder where you would expect it.
This can cause some high blood pressure and panic, because you will see your 'Region X' save as several years older than you would expect it and it will look like you lost all your work since last autosave to some bug. The save you would like to load is however going to be hidden in the slot from which you loaded from automatic backup.
The golden rule is: if you want to restore a savegame from backup, you should rename that backup to indicate that. Remember to do that while the game is not running, per the instructions for savescumming above.