Flexi is eating my hard drive

[MHester]

I noticed my hard drive was filling up and found that Flexi was the culprit. I have over 102GB of files stored in a FlexiJobs folder. They're broken into 2 sub folders: Graphtec and HP. I have a TON of task schedule/task object and pdf files (pdfs are the bulk of the 102GB). I have never cleaned/purged any of these files yet, and am curious if I can delete all of these without running into future problems. I see there is a file for pretty much every single job I've ever printed and cut since Aug 2016. I don't mind deleting them, I just want to make sure it's the right thing to do, and it's a normal task I need to purge the files every few months.

 

[d fleming]

Dump them to an external drive. Then if for any reason you ever need them you will have them.

 

[bannertime]

That doesn't sound right. Are you telling the RIP to save file after output? My FlexiJobs subfolders are empty.

 

[MHester]

That doesn't sound right. Are you telling the RIP to save file after output? My FlexiJobs subfolders are empty.

Yes, it looks like you are correct. After printing it "holds" the file, as well as holding the cutting file, I see that in the default job settings now. Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I can change it to "delete" or else I'll have to dump the files every few months. Thank you.

d fleming, I was able to move all the files over to another/larger hard drive, and it gave me 102GB back. Thanks

 

[bannertime]

Glad that was an easy fix! I find it's good to save some files. I ALWAYS save contour cut files until the job is shipped. Simple print graphics and banners don't really need them saved after output. Unless you're doing a lot of them.

Edit: The only files talking about saving are the RIP files. For the love of God, you better be saving and backing up the actual art files.

 

[AKwrapguy]

I noticed my hard drive was filling up and found that Flexi was the culprit. I have over 102GB of files stored in a FlexiJobs folder. They're broken into 2 sub folders: Graphtec and HP. I have a TON of task schedule/task object and pdf files (pdfs are the bulk of the 102GB). I have never cleaned/purged any of these files yet, and am curious if I can delete all of these without running into future problems. I see there is a file for pretty much every single job I've ever printed and cut since Aug 2016. I don't mind deleting them, I just want to make sure it's the right thing to do, and it's a normal task I need to purge the files every few months.

It's a setting that you have selected that saves every job you do. You just need to turn off that option an you should be fine.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

We save everything. Everything gets backup and archived. You never know when that customer who ordered 100 banners is going to come back and want to order 100 more of the exact same thing.

It's 10 years. They'll wait 10 years.

 

[MHester]

It's 10 years. They'll wait 10 years.

Hehe, funny. I still have all the original design files from 20 years back, so I think I'm safe only saving RIP files for the past 2 years. I can always re-rip.

 

[AKwrapguy]

Save early save often.....

 

[eahicks]

We save everything. Everything gets backup and archived. You never know when that customer who ordered 100 banners is going to come back and want to order 100 more of the exact same thing.

It's 10 years. They'll wait 10 years.

I don't think he means actual job files....he means the jobs that sit in the RIP till you delete them. Yes we save every file. I clean out the RIP every Monday morning. There is no need to keep all the completed print jobs.

 

[AKwrapguy]

I don't think he means actual job files....he means the jobs that sit in the RIP till you delete them. Yes we save every file. I clean out the RIP every Monday morning. There is no need to keep all the completed print jobs.

I thing it the actual Flexi archive feature. Felxi will save everything you print or cut in a separate archive folder (by default it's a subfolder in the SAI program file).

But I'm with you, I clean out my rip every few days...

 

[SightLine]

As dirt cheap as hard drive space is I mean cmon' a smallish (by current standards) 2TB hard drive is only about $75 and that will hold a massive amount of RIP files. Even SSD's are really getting down with TB ones getting under a couple hundred bucks. We have ours set to hold/archive in case we need to reprint or something but we still clean it out quarterly so we are only holding onto a few months worth at any given time. I'd not suggest holding RIP files forever as Production Manager has to list and display them all though. Of course we keep all actual original art indefinitely (and usually the Flexi files too since those keep the RIP and Print settings).