TimeTravel

TimeTravel FAQ

• What is CoCalc TimeTravel? TimeTravel is a feature that lets you view the edit history of a file and restore its contents to any previous revision. Look for the TimeTravel button just right of the Save button in the toolbar at the top of any CoCalc editor window, Jupyter notebook (modern format), or Sage worksheet.

• How long is TimeTravel history retained in CoCalc? We never delete TimeTravel anymore. We did reset it at some point years ago, when completely changing the format. There are no future similar format changes planned. If you need the edit history of a file deleted, create a help request.

• Is there a way to see the exact time a revision corresponds to? I see revision number and just "a day ago". In Account preferences, click the checkbox next to "Display timestamps as absolute points in time". If unchecked, timestamps are displayed relative to the current time.

• What files are supported by TimeTravel? Editing any file with a CoCalc editor will provide a TimeTravel history. That includes most files you work with in CoCalc: Sage worksheets, modern Jupyter notebooks, markdown, LaTeX, courses, task lists, stopwatches (.time files) and any text file opened in a CoCalc editor window. If there is a TimeTravel button showing above the edit area, TimeTravel is available.

• What changes are not recorded by TimeTravel? Any changes you make to a file outside of the CoCalc editor will not be in TimeTravel (unless you happen to open the file in a CoCalc editor with those changes).

• How often does TimeTravel save a new revision of a file I am editing? Edits are recorded whenever you type, then pause for about 2-seconds. All edits are stored forever.

• If more than one user is editing a file, how do I know which user made a change? In TimeTravel view of a file, the author of each change is shown at upper right above the scrubber bar.

• How can I see what changed between two revisions of a file? Click the checkbox for Changes at the upper left. Two handles appear on the scrubber bar to select revisions to compare, and the difference is shown below instead of the entire body of the file.

• How do I revert to a previous revision of a file? Select the revision you want in TimeTravel using the scrubber bar and/or left and right arrow buttons. Then click Revert in the TimeTravel toolbar. This creates a new version of the document that equals the version you've reverted to, so none of the history is lost. See also How do I revert/undo changes?.

• Can I use TimeTravel to view a file that has been deleted? Yes, if the file had a TimeTravel history. Click the Log button in your project, and click on the link of the file you want to see (or just recreate a file with the same name), then click on the TimeTravel button. You can view any past version of that file, even if it was deleted. You can then restore a prior version. For more information on recovering deleted files, see My files are really gone. Help!