Are autosave backups deleted if I tell LibreOffice to not save document?

[LeifEricson]

I was working on an untitled and unsaved spreadsheet in Calc, and without thinking I decided to close the spreadsheet without saving. However, even though this spreadsheet has been open for several days, I couldn’t find a backup file for it. I have autosave set up under Tools > Options > Load/Save > General, with the Save AutoRecovery every 10 minutes checked and Always create a backup copy checked. I checked the Backups and Temp directories that were listed in the Paths options window, and I didn’t have a backup of this spreadsheet available.

Did LibreOffice also delete the backup copy of this spreadsheet when I closed it? Or does LibreOffice not back up files that have never been saved before? Or have I not set up autosave correctly? Losing this file isn’t the end of the world for me, but I want to know what to expect from LibreOffice’s autosave features in the future.

[EarnestAl]

@LeifEricson

Or does LibreOffice not back up files that have never been saved before?

It doesn’t backup files that haven’t been saved before.

My mantra is save early, save often. Never rely totally on automatic systems and, for important documents, save dated copies so you can revert to an earlier version.

More info at Preventing data disaster - The Document Foundation Wiki

[LeifEricson]

Thanks for the confirmation! Agreed about the importance of saving frequently.

[mikekaganski]

@EarnestAl

It doesn’t backup files that haven’t been saved before.

Yet, it stores an autorecovery information for these files (yes, removed when the file is closed without a crash, no matter what you chose when closing).
Also, LibreOffice does not save backups for previously saved files (opened from storage), when you don’t save them (i.e., there is no difference in treatment of documents not yet saved as a file, and documents opened from an existing file - except for “automatically save the document instead” rather dangerous function).

[LeifEricson]

I’m a bit confused about what you’re saying in the last part. Are my conclusions below correct:

1. LibreOffice will periodically create autorecovery versions of all open files, but these files are deleted when the file is closed normally. From reading some documentation, it looks like the user cannot access these files, and they’re only made available to the user when LibreOffice crashed and the program has been restarted.
2. When you save a document, it creates a backup copy in the Backups folder.

[mikekaganski]

@LeifEricson

LibreOffice will periodically create autorecovery versions of all open files, but these files are deleted when the file is closed normally.

Yes.

@LeifEricson

• the user cannot access these files, and they’re only made available to the user when LibreOffice crashed and the program has been restarted.

No.

@LeifEricson

When you save a document, it creates a backup copy in the Backups folder.

Yes.

Both yeses depend on configuration (you can turn them into “No”). The “user cannot access these files” is wrong: these files are normal files.

[EarnestAl]

Your summary is correct except that the autorecovery files are stored in the folder given in Tools > Options > LibreOffice > Paths > Temporary files.

The recovery files l will be in a folder with a name similar to lu236086ueb.tmp, so beginning with lu and ending with .tmp. To recover a file(s) where there has been a crash, go to the (each) folder (same date as crash) and copy the largest file to another location. Open LibreOffice and from there open the .tmp file.

[LeifEricson]

I see thanks. I found this page: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Faq/General/140

I’m curious why it says that the autorecovery files are not designed to be retrievable by the user if they can be located easily. However, it makes sense to me that these are normal files.