I save my working file on the Desktop and I usually place the backup in Dropbox, though not always. Suddenly, I find my Desktop has several backups of backups. I have no idea why this is happening, given the first/original backup is not open. Any suggestions on how to stop Scrivener making backups of backups?
Are you sure the extra backups are being created by Scrivener?
You can confirm Scrivener’s automatic backup location by going to Scrivener -> Preferences -> Backups.
Katherine
What do you mean when you say that you usually “place” the backup in Dropbox but not always?
And was the problem that you were expecting to find only one backup and instead found several?
Or was it that you found the backups on your Desktop and not in the Dropbox folder?
And what do mean when you describe them as “backups of backups”?
In its default configuration Scrivener makes a backup of the project every time you close the project and it keeps the last 5 (or is it 10?) backups and delete older ones, and it places the backups in the folder you designate under preferences, like Katherine wrote. Somehow I feel like your description doesn’t match what Scrivener does. 
Lunk–Sorry for the confusion.
I’ve been using Scrivener for years. After saving a project, one backup file would appear on my Desktop. Recently, though, I noticed 3 or 4 backups with names like Back up of Backup and Backup of Backup of Backup (and maybe a number, but I don’t remember clearly). This hadn’t happened before. I thought maybe it was because I had not placed the first backup into Dropbox every time (which is the only reason I mentioned DB).
I’ve made sure to place the backup into DB since the problem arose, so I haven’t had the problem occur again–I just get the one backup at the end of the day, which I put into DB. I didn’t know several backups were kept, so that might explain the situation, though why the backups should appear on the DT now and not before, I don’t know.
I checked Backup in Preferences and “Backup to” goes to my DT as I expected. So now I’m wondering why I don’t always have 5 backups there. I used Spotlight to search for backups of my current project but no Scrivener backup files were shown.
Thanks for taking an interest.
Backups go to where you specify in Preferences. You shouldn’t then move them manually or you will get the situation you’re in now.
Specify in Preferences the relevant Dropbox location where you want the backups to be, then just leave it alone. Scrivener will create its backups in the place you specify, numbered the way it does them, and they will remain there for the occasions you need them.
Understood. Thanks very much.
If you have activated ”Store in iCloud” you may also run into trouble if you have any of Scriveners projects or backups stored in the Documents or Desktop folder. Your Mac then uploads your files to iCloud, remove the local copy and only keep like a pointer, memory of what used to be there, so that when you want a file it downloads it from iCloud.
Don’t confuse this with using iCloud Drive, which is different.
If you’re not sure, click on About this Mac in the Apple menu, Storage, Manage. At the top right you should have a button saying Store in iCloud if you have not activated this feature. If so, everything is fine. If it is active, make sure you don’t have Scrivener related files or projects in the Documents or Desktop folders, to avoid potential problems.
Lunk–To confirm. So if I use iCloud Drive to save backups, there would be no problem, correct?
None that I am aware of. iCloud Drive works pretty much like Dropbox, Box, or any other cloud storage. My only concern with iCloud Drive is that some folders created by iOS apps never show up on the Mac or the web interface, but they are accessible from all my iOS devices. But I have not had any problems with folders/files created on any of my Macs.
Still, I have my backups in my Mega folder, which is an encrypted cloud service on New Zealand. It seems to work exactly like Dropbox.
Sorry to turn this into a saga but …
I created a new folder on iDrive and used Backup to (with Backup as Zip file checked) to save a copy of my project there. After doing some more work, I closed the project (which is on my Desktop) but a Scrivener backup appeared on the DT. I checked the folder on iDrive and there is no new file saved. How can I get Scrivener to save to the folder on iDrive automatically? And not have a backup appear on my DT?
You set the backup location in Preferences, and make sure that i sticks.
Also, did you check that you have NOT turned on Store on iCloud?
That is not Scrivener’s file naming convention. Those copies are being created by some other software.
The number of backups that Scrivener keeps is defined in the Scrivener → Preferences → Backups pane. There are two ways to confuse the counter, both of which can cause unexpected results.
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If your live project is in the same folder as the backups, Scrivener will avoid deleting old backups in order to avoid deleting a live project by mistake.
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Scrivener only counts the backups that are actually in the backup folder. If you make a backup and move it somewhere else, it won’t be counted.
Katherine
If you don’t want backups on your desktop, don’t put them there. Scrivener’s automatic backup location is defined in the Scrivener → Preferences → Backups pane, and the option there appears to be pointing to your desktop.
You can put manual backups wherever you want, but they are completely separate from Scrivener’s automatic backups, and also completely separate from the live project. The Backup To command created a backup to iCloud Drive, but the original project would have stayed in its original location. To move it use either Finder or Scrivener’s Save As command.
Katherine
Success! No more backups appearing on my DT. And backups now going to my iDrive folder. Thanks to all who commented here–and for your patience.