How to Backup Your Print Modes and Queues in CADlink

With a recent major update, let's discuss how to back up your print modes and queues in CADlink. It's always a great idea to have backups of both your print modes and your device queues. And it's straightforward to do, so it's a wise plan in case anything gets lost, overwritten, reinstalled, etc. Furthermore, it will only take a minute or two, so there aren't any excuses not to do this.

Backing Up Your Print Modes

We know users are constantly tinkering with print modes, which is excellent! Sometimes we all duplicate modes to develop our workflows and do this for testing purposes. But you should take an established set of print modes, whether it's your own or ones that we have created for you by default, and back them up. To do this, please take a look below.

1. The first step is to go up to your main menu: Devices -> Manage Print Modes
2. Now, your print mode box pops up. Select the print mode(s) you want to backup and create a save file for. You can select multiples by using the shift key and clicking the top and bottom print modes.
3. At the top of the prompt box is an icon that says Create Print Mode Package when you hover. Press this to bring up the save dialog.
4. Name the print package and select where to save it. We usually will save all print modes and then throw the date in the name as well. These files are small, so save all print modes you have made.
5. Print mode packages will be saved as a .pmz, and you will get a confirmation that it's been successfully created. You're done!

Backing Up Your Queues

Your queue is the devices you have set up. These can carry settings such as your default paper size and the device's connection to your computer. Like print modes, we should back these up now and then, especially when updating significant releases. The steps are incredibly similar.

1. Up top again on the main menu: Queue -> Manage Queues
2. Another box pops up, and this time select all the devices you will be backing up. Again, choose one device or multiple if you have other drivers/devices installed.
3. Now, with them selected, click the icon with the green down arrow up top. This will export and create a file.
4. Name the package again, along with choosing your save location. 
5. Done again! These are saved as .quepmzpak files. We like to keep them in the same spot, sorted by date.

To recap, saving and keeping backups of these files is a good idea. It's quick and easy and only takes up a little room. It's very recommended to do this after a major software update or print mode update.