Description of what you are sharing
I bought a lifetime license to BTT and am running 3.373 on Catalina 10.15.4.
I'm trying to take a setup I've created (that works), create a backup (via export), then import that backup as a new preset without overwriting the setup that works.
The steps appear to be:
- make sure the preset/setup is selected as the master preset
- export the preset/setup and name it
- to import the exported backup preset/setup without overwriting the one that works, it looks like you have to create a new blank preset/setup in BTT
- make the new preset the master preset/setup so the backup gets imported into it
- choose import, select the desired backup, and choose to replace the current selected master preset with the exported "backup" preset/setup
Every time I do the above, the exported settings (of the setup that works) are lost. Fortunately I learned how to keep the setup that works by never deleting it or overwriting it. The problem I'm having is I can only "keep" the working setup in BTT because I haven't figured out how to export it and import it without overwriting the setup/preset that works!
Maybe this is so easy/intuitive that I haven't figured it out.
Any help appreciated.
Screenshots (optional)
So basically you want to export a preset and import it again, basically you want to duplicate a preset? 
Export the setup that works. Make sure you export settings too when asked for it!
Rename your setup. Export it under a new name, including once again the settings.
Import the setup you wish to modify (the first one).
Duplicate presets are not possible in BTT though because that would result in duplicate UUIDs 
Even if you rename it you won’t be able to import the same one again without overriding it.
And deleting the other one. I forgot😂
Thanks guys - All I want to do is export a working setup to have as a backup in case settings ever vanish from the working setup.
From what you're saying, is this the way to make a backup and then restore from it?
- export the current working setup/preset and name it -- this becomes the backup file
- if I ever lose settings in the current working master setup/preset, I simply import the backup and overwrite the current master preset/setup.
Is that correct? If so, I'll test it by exporting/backing up, deleting some settings in the running master preset/setup, and overwriting the "damaged" master with the backup preset/setup.
Correct?
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Just tested and that works. My hurdle was I didn't understand that the working master ("damaged" or not) has to be overwritten by it's backup.
Thanks! and feel free to add anything I don't know.
Sounds like there's capability to create, export, and import different presets/setups, you just have to back up the master and then over-write it with the different preset/setup.
Is there a how-to written on how to do that, how to create a backup and restore, and how to create, load and switch between different presets? Let me know, and thanks again.
A backup? BTT has one inside. If you want one extra, just export the Preset with Settings and put it in any folder you want in the Finder 
Yep - did that. Worked for a while until I had to force-shutdown my MBP 16inch because of a conflict with display drivers on external dock. The Dock worked again after restart. Once I restarted however, my snap area settings for primary monitor were lost. Snap settings on secondary monitor are intact. The mouse and trackpad settings are intact; the primary-monitor snaps are gone.
So...I assumed the multiple backups I made of a perfectly working dual-monitor snap setup included snap area settings. Turns out NONE of the primary-monitor snap area settings on any of my backups were actually saved despite the assumption they are saved. If they are, they're certainly not importing (writing over the existing master that lost the primarly-monitor snap settings). That said, the mouse and trackpad settings are preserved in the various backups and reflect the backups. The primary-monitor snap settings are missing in ALL the backups.
This is getting pretty frustrating. Why make backups of perfectly working presets if you can't get import them back in when the master preset stops working?
Should I reinstall BTT?
OK - I tried reinstalling and re-registering 3.373 (same version I created all my backup presets). Now ALL of the snap settings are gone for both monitors.
I've imported every backup I created May 19-21 through the export process where all settings are saved. In all the backups I made, everything imports except the snap settings.
If you're running Catalina, export some backups of your working master preset, uninstall and reinstall BTT and try importing any of your backups. When I did that, none of the backups had snap settings despite exporting/backing up and selecting "all settings"
Try that and let me know if I'm missing something.
Snap Areas only work for a specific display configuration (display types, resolution, display position). Possibly your dock / display driver thing made the system recognize a different display type or resolution?
That makes sense. I'm guessing the dock had a glitch and re-recognized the same monitor. Absolutely nothing changes - same monitor and hardware profile - but with the re-recognition the "old" monitor profile is tossed and therefore all Snap Areas, running and backups, are "detached" from the current monitor profile.
It would be useful if Snap Areas could compare monitor profiles and conclude it's the same damn monitor. It would be more useful if DisplayLink had non-buggy frikken drivers.
Any further insights/thoughts welcome, and thanks for the support!
Possibly create one new snap area in your current preset, export it and send it to me (andreas@folivora.ai). Maybe I can adapt the old snap areas to the new display profile.
Just FYI guys - over time I've discovered the "forgetting snap areas preset" issue has to do with how the MacBook Pro in clamshell mode and the Totu 3-display thunderbolt port wake up.
If I attempt to use snap areas before the laptop and the TB port device fully wake up and get their ducks in a row, things get confused, BTT isn't sure what the "display" is, and snap areas are blank.
Solution is just open laptop from clamshell, the TB port device recognizes the opened clamshell screen, close the laptop and the appropriate snap areas shows up.
This has been consistent behavior, apparently an idiosyncrasy of the combined devices.
