Each module has a File > Save command allowing the user to save the current database. It is not necessary to invoke the Save command when going from one module to another.

Any changes made to Criteria or assignments, or any analyses or designs performed are only saved temporarily until the Save command is invoked. This allows the user to work with the database, saving or discarding changes or results as desired. The RAM Manager requires that the Save command be invoked prior to exiting the RAM Structural System or prior to opening another database, otherwise the changes made since the last Save will be lost. The other modules do not require that the Save command be invoked before exiting that module and going to another module. It is recommended that the Save command be invoked periodically, especially when exiting the Modeler.

If it is desired to discard any modifications or changes made to a database since the most recent Save, invoke the File > Revert command in the RAM Manager or exit the RAM Structural System without saving the data. Re-opening the current database with the File > Open command or opening a different database without saving will also cause the changes to be discarded.

There is no explicit command to Copy a database, but this can be accomplished by opening the database, invoking File > Save Asand specifying the new name and/or directory.

Issuing the File > Exit or File > Open commands before the current database has been saved will cause a message to be given warning the user that changes have been made since the last Save was invoked, and gives the user a chance to save work before exiting. Select Yes if you want to save the changes to the database, No if you want to discard the changes, or Cancel if you want to continue with the current database.

If the program crashes or otherwise abnormally terminates at any time before the database can be properly saved, a message will be given the next time that database is opened indicating that a temporary backup file for that database has been found. The backup file contains the database as it existed at the last Save, before the most recent changes were made. The user is given the option to either open the database as it occurred at or just previous to the time that the program terminated (using the Most Recent Database option) or to open the backup database which contains the database as it existed at the time of the last Save (using the Backup Database option). The user is also given the option to cancel opening either one.

If the Backup Database option is selected, any changes made since the last proper Save will be lost.

If the Most Recent Database option is selected, the user should carefully inspect the model. The most recent database contains all or most of the changes since the last Save, but it may also contain whatever data errors or corruption that may have caused the program to terminate. If the data is corrupted, exit without saving. This will cause the most recent changes to be lost and the backup database to be restored to the database (the same as if the Backup Database option had been selected initially).

Alternatively, select the Most Recent Database option and then save to a different name using the File > Save As command. By doing this, both versions of the database will be available for further inspection or use if necessary.