Editing Saved game folder

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[[File:saving_v50_preview.png|thumb|280px|right|"Saving world information" always seems to take the longest time...]]The '''saved game folder''' is the location where the files containing the information for each [[world generation|world]] are stored by ''Dwarf Fortress''. Knowledge of the saved game folder is crucial to moving, backing up, or sharing saves. See  '''[[Importing and exporting worlds]]''' for sharing world generation parameters and seeds.

== Saving ==
'''Warning''':  Make sure there is sufficient free drive space before saving in ''Dwarf Fortress''!{{bug|2587}} Save folders can be large, ranging from just a few megabytes for small worlds with short histories, to several hundred megabytes for large worlds with many events, and even a gigabyte or two is possible in extreme cases. Also, in some cases, like [[world generation]], ''Dwarf Fortress'' needs twice as much drive space for the save, since it first saves to the <code>current</code> folder, then copies that to the actual save folder. If it runs out of hard drive space while saving, ''Dwarf Fortress'' will act as if it saved correctly, but the save will be corrupted. Opening other saves to verify that they still work, then saving and exiting, will then corrupt that previously-working save as well.

At any time while playing ''Dwarf Fortress'', you can manually save the game with {{Menu icon|Esc}} then selecting ''Save and return to title menu'' or ''Save and continue playing''. If the game asks for a name for the timeline or folder, type the name you want, then press {{k|Enter}} when done. There is also an autosave feature, which will periodically (1, 2, or 4 times per year) save the game. To toggle '''autosave''' and control its behavior, see [[Settings#Autosaves|game settings]].

The ''Retire the fortress (for the time being)'', ''Retire at this location (or rest a while)'', ''Abandon the fortress to ruin'', ''Give in to starvation'', ''Succumb to the invasion'', etc, options also save the world, but end the game mode, and the world will now be available to start a new game mode in.

=== Save and return to title menu ===
This option provides further options, which are also offered after retiring or abandoning:
* ''Save to this timeline'' - this is the normal save option for ''Dwarf Fortress'' which replaces the current ''Active save'' (any other saves will remain).
* ''Save to new timeline'' - this allows to save without replacing the current ''Active save'', will ask what to name the timeline, and the saves in this timeline will be grouped separately from the previous saves with this save being the ''Active save'' of the new group.
* ''Save to new folder (same timeline)'' - this also allows to save without replacing the current save, but will also be grouped together with the previous ''Active save'', and will also be classified as an ''Active save''. This is not recommended since it can be very confusing to both the player and the game.
Since these options are also presented when retiring or abandoning a fortress, choosing to save to a new timeline or folder is useful if you want to both keep the fortress active and check [[Legends]] mode.

=== Save and continue playing ===
This option also allows to save without replacing the current save, will ask what to name the save folder, will be classified as a ''Manual save'', and will be grouped together with the existing ''Active save''.

== Save folder format ==
{| class=wikitable style="float:right; margin:10px;"
|
[[File:Folder-orange.svg|20px|link=]] save
<br>&emsp;[[File:Folder.svg|20px|link=]] current
<br>&emsp;[[File:Folder.svg|20px|link=]] region#
<br>&emsp;[[File:Folder.svg|20px|link=]] region#-year-month-day
|}

Your saved games are located in your <code>[[Game folder|<Dwarf Fortress>]]\save\</code> folder, which contains one or more sub-folders, each one holding one of your worlds, and a <code>current</code> folder which is used to track the changes to the active world while ''Dwarf Fortress'' is running; it is not important unless ''Dwarf Fortress'' is open, and can safely be deleted otherwise.

By default, individual worlds are saved with the folder name <code>region#</code>, where # is a number, starting with <code>region1</code> and then incrementing; however, world folders can be renamed without consequence '''if the game is not running''' (this will not change the actual name of the world). If using auto-backup, then backup folders will be named <code>region#-year-month-day</code>, for example <code>region1-00202-01-01</code>. (''Region'' is also a term used for areas in worlds, thus is only used when referring to the folder name to avoid confusion.)

''Dwarf Fortress'' shows the name of save folders when listing saves. There is no way to rename these folders in 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!

=== Contents ===
The saved game folder will usually have these contents:

* A series of files named <code>art_image-#.dat</code>. These store information about art and are necessary for proper functioning.
* A series of files named <code>feature-#-#.dat</code>. These store information about map features such as [[river]]s, [[cavern]]s, [[magma sea]]s, and [[adamantine|hidden fun stuff]]. These are only generated for parts of the world you have explored (e.g. by embarking in Fortress mode), but using the [[site finder]] will generate them for the entire world. Replacing these files will usually cause unwanted effects such as magma seas present on the surface or spires of [[adamantine]] spiraling up into the sky.
* A series of files named <code>region_snapshot-#.dat</code>. These are the historical maps not currently available in [[Legends|Legends mode]].
* A series of files named <code>site-#.dat</code>. These store the detailed map data of previously abandoned or retired fortresses.
* A series of files named <code>unit-#.dat</code>. These contain the details of historical creatures which might potentially visit your fortress.
* A large file named <code>world.sav</code> or <code>world.dat</code>, depending on the mode currently active (or the lack thereof). This file stores the world data, and in fortress mode is named <code>world.sav</code> and includes the current fortress data. The custom raws generated for the [[forgotten beast]]s, [[titan]]s, [[demon]]s, [[night creature]]s, and [[Evil|evil effects]] are stored inside this file. Replacing this entire file will almost certainly crash the game.

Missing one or more of these important files may indicate a problem with the save; such save corruption is a source of crashes. While you are free to modify these files, their formats are undocumented and can be fragile, so it is recommended to instead use [[DFHack]] to change the data in memory and then let the game save those changes.

DFHack itself will sometimes add its own files to a save folder, but the game itself ignores these, so there is no reason not to include them in backups or for sharing.

For basic backups and sharing, all you need to know is: Always copy the whole folder, not parts of it, and if the world was generated with mods, you may want to include the <code>Dwarf Fortress\data\installed_mods\</code> folder also.

== Manually backing up saves ==
Toady recommends that you make backups, and always save to a fresh file:

# Copy the relevant folder in <code>save</code>, <code>region#</code> or whatever you may have named it, to a safe location.
# When you want to restore a backup, copy that folder back into <code>save</code>.  

Do '''not''' overwrite an old folder, as it might leave residual files, which might then corrupt the save.

== Automatically back up save files ==
Windows systems: A batch file script can be run to handle copying the save folder from a cloud location like drobox into DF before the game starts, start the game and when it finishes copy the save folder back to the cloud location.
If your interested in the script have a look at it https://onemancoder.wixsite.com/dwarffortress
The script also creates date_time stamped backups of your local game folder to c:\temp\df
as well as computer-name_date_time stamps of your cloud save games

(edit the info to make it more user friendly)

== Restoring saves ==
: ''See also: [[Save compatibility]]''

Restoring a savegame from backup can be very confusing: The game saves back to the directory you loaded, so if you load a seasonal save, the game will save to that folder (e.g. [region1-01056-01-01]) and not to the original folder ([region1]) where you might expect it.

This can cause some high blood pressure and panic when you see your 'Region X' save is several years older than expected, and it might look like you lost all your (fortress/adv party) work to some bug. The "missing" save is, however, going to be in the directory you loaded previously. ''Dwarf Fortress'' lists the in-game year of each save on the right of the load screen; the highest year will generally be the most recent save (unless you've savescummed from earlier saves).

''Dwarf Fortress'' autosaves to the original folder and then copies the save to a backup folder, so you should generally be able to recover from a crash by simply loading the 'main' save folder--it should be as recent as the latest "backup" save. If you want to load a backup savegame, it's recommended that you copy/rename the save to indicate that. For instance, using the examples above, copy [region1-01056-01-01] to [region1-fix] and continue play on that save (creating new backup saves of the form [region1-fix-01056-04-01]). Remember to only modify saves while the game is not running, per the instructions for savescumming above.

==Mods==
If a world is using a mod that's been updated, and is currently using an older version of that mod, the player will be prompted about this when a save is loading. Causing a message like the following to appear:<br>
[[File:mod_version_v50_prompt.png]]

When this happens, you have the choice of simply updating the mod, updating ''all'' mods at once, continuing to use the older version of the mod in question without updating, selecting the previous task but not updating ''any'' possibly outdated mods or simply returning to the title screen.

[[Category:Files]]
[[Category:Modding]]
[[Category:World]]
[[ru:Saved game folder]]