Message: Could not create backup file.

Reference Number: KB-03227
Last Modified: August 8, 2025

This article also applies to the following legacy products:
Pro | Architectural | Suite

DESCRIPTION

I'm encountering the following message when saving one of my files:

  • "#272030119 - Could not create backup file. An attempt will be made to save. You should determine why the backup could not be made and correct the problem. Possibilities include a full disk, a path name that is longer than 260 characters or disk corruption."

Why is this occurring? 


CAUSE & RESOLUTION

This message will display when the program tries to generate an Archive, or backup, of the file you're currently working with in the background, but is unable to complete the process. 

There are a number of reasons why this occurs:

  • The Archives directory is located on a network or cloud service, does not have adequate permissions, or is otherwise inaccessible. 
  • The disk is full.
  • The file's full path name is too long.
  • The disk is corrupted.


Archives Directory

Archives are located in C:\Users\[YOUR USERNAME]\Documents\Chief Architect Premier X17 Data\Archives\ on a Windows machine or /Users/[YOUR USERNAME]/Documents/Chief Architect Premier X17 Data/Archives/ on a macOS machine by default. If you have redirected your program's Data folder, (which contains the Archives) from the default location to a network or cloud storage service location, or to an external storage device, you may receive the error mentioned at the beginning of this article. It's recommended to keep the program's Data folder on a local, and always accessible, drive. 

If you suspect that your Documents directory is being stored in OneDrive or iCloud and you are receiving the error above, please access the appropriate resource below: 


Full Disk

Check to make sure that you have a reasonable amount of free/available disk space. If you don't have at least 5 GB of available space, please access the appropriate resource below to learn how to free up space on your system:


Path Name Length

Windows allows a maximum file path name length of 260 characters, while macOS allows a maximum file path name length of 255 characters.

When Chief Architect creates Archives of plan and layout files, these files' path names may be longer than those of the original files, and may be the cause of this message.

For example, the full path name of an Archive file for a plan titled Smith.plan might be C:\Users\[YOUR USERNAME]\Documents\Chief Architect Premier X17 Data\Archives\Smith_b8f17c2e88a82622dc3c96618e1a4976e0d2f795Smith_2024_11_28.plan or /Users/[YOUR USERNAME]/Documents/Chief Architect Premier X17 Data/Archives/Smith_b8f17c2e88a82622dc3c96618e1a4976e0d2f795Smith_2024_11_28.plan which has 140+ characters.

When choosing a file naming convention, try to use short file names and limit the use of folders nested within other folders.


Disk Corruption

There are several reasons why file, or data corruption may occur on a disk. The most common cause is actively working on files in an unsupported fashion; such as over a network or cloud storage service, or off of an external storage device. 

Other things that could cause a file to become corrupted include:

  • Hardware problems;
  • Abnormal program shutdown;
  • Computer shutdown while the file was open;
  • Malware. 


It's possible that you may be able to access data that has been corrupted; however, even if you are able to, it's likely that the file(s) will have missing information and may become further corrupted in the future. You should no longer try to use the affected file(s) and instead resume work on a backup copy. Please see the Related Articles section below to learn more. 

File corruption can sometimes be resolved, depending on the severity of the damage. The Check Disk Utility on Windows and the Disk Utility on macOS are used to scan and fix disk errors, which may prevent future corruption. For more information on these utilities, please visit the Microsoft or Apple website. 


ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING

If you continue to experience this error, please contact our Technical Support team directly, and include all of the following files listed below.

  1. Create a screenshot image of the error(s).
    See Knowledge Base article: Creating a Screenshot.
  2. If the issue only seems to occur in one particular file, use the Export Plan/Layout as Project  tool, Backup Entire Plan/Layout  tool, or one of the other supported Export functions to create a backup of your project with all referenced files.

    See Knowledge Base article: Exporting Projects and Disconnected Files.

    See Knowledge Base article: Using the Backup Entire Plan/Layout Tool.
  3. In X17 and newer, export all of the necessary log files using the Export Logs function: 

    See Knowledge Base article: Exporting Log Files to Send to Technical Support. 


    In X16 and prior, export the Message Log and Rendering Log:

    See Knowledge Base article: Locating the Message Log.

    See Knowledge Base article: Locating the Rendering Log.
  4. Export or save your System Information.

    See Knowledge Base article: Retrieving System Information to Send to Technical Support.


  5. Sign in to the Technical Support Center and create a new support case to send to Technical Support.

    See Knowledge Base article: Using the Technical Support Center.
  6. Give the case a short but descriptive title.

    In the text of the case, type a detailed description of the problem    . The more detailed you are, the more likely we will be to reproduce the issue and identify the problem.

    Click the Browse button and attach the files mentioned above    , then click Submit.
    Note: Some of the requested information may identify you, as well as specific information about your computer, but it will also help us determine the source of the problem. Please be assured that any files submitted to Chief Architect Technical Support will be used for troubleshooting purposes only.


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