saveas

Saveas, often written as Save As or saveas, is a common feature in software applications that writes the current document, project, or data to a new file, typically with a different name, location, or format. The operation creates a separate file while preserving the original, enabling users to keep an unmodified version while generating a new one.

In most programs, selecting Save As opens a dialog to specify the destination path, file name, and format. The command may also control options such as overwriting existing files, embedding metadata, or choosing features preserved during conversion. Save As differs from a regular Save in that it does not overwrite the original file unless the same name and path are chosen.

Common domains include word processors, spreadsheets, image editors, and CAD tools, where users may Save As to produce a different file type or to branch versions. In programming and scripting environments, a function or method named saveas or save_as is provided to persist data structures or figures; for example, MATLAB's saveas saves figures to formats like PNG or PDF, and AutoCAD's SaveAs writes a drawing under a new name.

Users should be mindful of format limitations, feature loss when exporting to other formats, and permissions that prevent saving in a location. Save As is often a prerequisite when sharing files or creating templates and backups, and is commonly complemented by an Export command when the target format is non-native.