I’ve been so busy trying to learn how to do the more complicated things in D5 that I have neglected to learn one of the very basics. When I create my garden design models in Sketchup, I then click on the Live Sync button and create a new project - that works nicely for me. However, when I alter my SU model and create a 2nd version I currently replace the link to the old D5 file which works fine as long as I never need to return to a previous version which happens from time to time. What is the correct process I should be following?
Hi there,
Personally, I prefer to open the D5 Render File of the project first then the SKP file. After opening these files I now proceed to enable the livesync plug-in to ensure the linkage between these files and to avoid confusion.
I’m not sure that achieves the result I want. I might do 5 versions of a design in Sketchup so I want 5 DRS files too so that I can revert to an earlier version if required. At present I only ever have one DRS file synced to the latest version of a project.
Hi there,
So basically, what you want to achieve is a single SKP file that is linked to 5 .drs files individually.
*Try to copy the first D5 File then rename it to Option 2 (your choice),
- Then activate your D5 Livesync plug-in in SketchUp.
- You will be prompted this window which asks you to either relink your 3d File to an existing project or to create a new one. Select “Create a new Link Model”, just make sure to turn off the live sync while switching to another D5 File.
Not quite. I’ve just done a first version of a job in sketchup and D5 so I have one file for each, my client has made lots of changes so I do a file and save as “… revision 1” in sketchup and I want to do the same for d5. I need the first version to remain fully intact and I need a copy of it linked to my next SU file version.
Hi there,
Just to clarify, have you tried making another copy of the d5 folder of the file you are working? Does it not retain all the settings from the first version? You should be able to retain it as long as it is not the same D5 file. 
This is what I’m trying to understand so I can work most efficiently. When I save my sketchup model as a new version I didn’t know if D5 would recognise the need to keep an old version as well as create a new one.
Hi there,
I tried testing it, for context, I am using one Revit file considered as the main host file for these multiple D5 Project Files.
- Revit Host File to D5 2025 (the file name I set for the first D5 project file) - made all the necessary changes and adjustments, somehow considered as option 1.
- Revit Host File to 2 D5 2025 (second d5 file that I created by copying it from the first one, then renaming the folder, and then the .drs file) - the changes I made in this file are solely on the materials that are set in D5, and are closely related to the first file. Take note that the changes are only in D5 Render and no changes in the 3d Model itself (form, style, etc.)
Note: I enable the D5 Plug-in everytime I open D5 2025 and 2 D5 2025 files
Afterward, I went back to the first file: D5 2025 to check if materials and other information were saved and were not lost, varying their appearance to the second file, which was a success. No lost materials, no reversions, etc.
In general, if the “options” you are trying to make are material specifications or anything that can be addressed in D5, there should be no problem as long as the new and copied folder is renamed and differentiated from the original one. If changes are made to the 3d Modeling software and there is a need for you to keep the file considered to be the first option, then I do suggest making a copy of that file and then proceeding to label it as the “first option”. The file where it was originally linked with D5 should still be the one used for the next D5 file created.
I hope my test and explanation helped you in one way or another. If you are hesitant about the results, you may try it on your end using the same method I suggested, that is of course, during your free time. 
