In Active Takeoff newer versions (2.0.17 +), the project save and open functions have been improved, especially for sharing projects with colleagues or with outside users.
All project files are now enclosed into a single folder instead of in two folders in the older versions. The folder, which now contains the project file (qpl) and the plan files (png), is now saved in the "...Active Takeoff\My Projects" directory in your chosen data folder. To see how to change your default Data Folder, pelase click here. The new Data Folder can be located on a local computer, on a network or on a cloud such as Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive or other clouds.
The new saving method requires the user to specify the saving location right from the creation of the project:
As soon as Active Takeoff is opened, the welcome window offers to create a new project or to open an existing project. Click on the "Create a New Project" button.
If a project is already opened, save it and click on the "New" function from the "File" menu.
When creating a new project, Active Takeoff asks for useful project informations in the "Project and contact details" window.
Only the "Project name" is necessary because it will be used to name the .qpl project when saved.
The default data folder in Active Takeoff is defined in the "Tools" menu. By default the data folder is located in C:\Users\...\Documents\Active Takeoff
Where is my "Save as..." button?
Sometimes, it is useful to save a project elsewhere than in the default folder. That's the new equivalent of the "Save as..." function. The user can define an alternate folder by clicking the "..." button shown by the red arrow above. Active Takeoff will display a dialog window allowing the user to specify a different folder. This folder can be located on the local computer, on a network location or in a cloud. The project file (.qpl) and the plan files (.png) will be saved in the same folder, optimizing project sharing between users.
Once you have selected the Save folder, the path to this folder will be displayed in the "Project folder" field.
Proceed with your Takeoff and save periodically.
Once you save the project, the .qpl project (red arrow) and the associated plan pages (.png, blue arrow) will be saved in the same folder. This folder can be shared with other Active Takeroff users.
See also: Opening a project