manual/include/snapshots.html

<p>
  Sometimes you will want to save a <dfn>snapshot</dfn> of the current state of a session for possible
  use in the future. For example, you may be about to change the entire
  arrangement of a piece, or drastically alter the signal processing, and
  want a reference to come back to, should that not work out.
</p>
<p>
  This is easily accomplished using <kbd class="menu">Session &gt;
  Snapshot</kbd>.
  A small dialog will appear, allowing you to enter a name for the snapshot.
  The default name is based on the current date and time.<br>
  You can create any number of snapshots.
</p>
<p class="warning">
  Creating a snapshot does <strong>not</strong> modify your session,
  nor does it save your session. Instead, it saves an alternate version
  of the session, within the session folder. The snapshot shares all data
  present in the session.
</p>
<p>
  After creating a snapshot, you can continue working on the session and
  save it normally using <kbd class="menu">Session &gt; Save</kbd> and any
  existing snapshots will remain unchanged.
</p>

<h2>Switching to a Snapshot</h2>
<p>
  If you are already working on a session and want to to switch to an
  existing snapshot, navigate the  <a href="/ardours-interface/editor-lists/snapshot-list/">Snapshot List</a>.
  Find the name of the snapshot in the list and click it. Ardour will switch
  to the snapshot. If there are unsaved changes in the  current session, Ardour
  will ask what you want to do.
</p>

<h2>Starting Ardour With a Snapshot</h2>
<p>
  Since a snapshot is just another session file stored within the session
  folder, you can specify that "version" when loading an existing session.
  The browser in the "Open Session" dialog will show an expander arrow for
  sessions that have more than 1 session file (i.e. snapshots)
  present&mdash;click on it to see the list, and then click on the name of the
  snapshot you want to load.
</p>

<h2>Saving and Switching to a Snapshot</h2>
<p>
  Sometimes you may want to create a snapshot and then have all future
  edits and modifications saved to that snapshot rather than the main
  session. This is easily done using <kbd class="menu">Session &gt; Save
  As</kbd>. This does not create a new session folder,  but saves your
  session as a new snapshot and then switches the "current snapshot"
  to the newly created one. All subsequent saves of the session will
  be stored in this new snapshot, and existing snapshots (and the main
  session) will be left unaffected.
</p>