LocalVault Reference Manual

0.2.0 area	What changed	Why it matters
Backup reliability	Version folders, manifests, free-space checks, copy retries, path-risk warnings, and post-copy checksum confirmation.	A backup is not marked successful until LocalVault can prove the stored copy matches the captured source state.
Verification	Manifest-aware Verify Selected, Verify Changed, and Verify All.	You can audit one asset, only stale assets, or the entire LocalVault storage root.
Restore	Preview restore counts, missing-source reporting, conflict tracking, and timestamp-suffixed conflict restores.	Restores are visible before they run and avoid overwriting existing project content.
Library intelligence	Not Backed Up, Needs Verification, Updates Available, Large Assets, Installed in Project, Missing Local Source, Recently Restored, Restore Conflicts, and Multiple Versions filters.	The sidebar becomes a maintenance dashboard instead of only a category browser.
Team and support	Team metadata export/import, diagnostics export, and persisted recent job history.	Local organization state can move between collaborators, and support cases have a single state snapshot to inspect.
Compatibility	Plugin metadata targets Unreal Engine 5.7.0 editor workflows on Win64, Mac, and Linux.	The plugin is positioned as a desktop editor tool rather than a runtime dependency.

Core Workflow

LocalVault is built around one simple idea: owning an asset, having it on disk, and having it ready for project reuse are three different things. The browser keeps those states visible so you can quickly tell what still needs to be downloaded, what is safely backed up, and what is ready to restore.

Illustration: the current LocalVault flow from the official Fab session to sync, local reconciliation, storage actions, and visible asset states.

Initial Configuration

After installing the plugin, open Edit > Project Settings > Plugins > LocalVault. You only need to understand four settings to get comfortable with the day-to-day workflow:

Illustration: the four LocalVault project settings that shape storage, restore, startup sync, and copy behavior.

1. Choose a short, high-capacity backup root such as D:\LocalVault or E:\UEVault.
2. Keep the restore path inside project content unless you have a studio-specific ingest workflow.
3. Leave startup update checks enabled if you regularly reuse backed-up content across projects.
4. Lower MaxConcurrentDownloads on slower disks; raise it on fast NVMe storage and large copy jobs.

Open the browser from Tools > GregOrigin > LocalVault Browser.

Sync & Update Checks

LocalVault does not open a separate sign-in flow. It simply reuses the official Fab session inside Unreal Engine, which keeps the workflow much simpler.

What sync imports	What sync does not do
Owned-library entries, title, author, description, thumbnail URLs, listing type, engine compatibility, and remote update timestamps.	It does not write your collections or wishlist back to Epic. Those stay as LocalVault-only organization layers.
Fab cache presence, LocalVault backup presence, checksum refresh, duplicate grouping, and update flags for locally stored assets.	It does not auto-download payloads. Remote-only assets stay metadata-only until they exist in the Fab cache or LocalVault.

Illustration: update checks only become meaningful once an asset exists in the Fab cache or your LocalVault backup root.

Browser Tour

The browser is built around four simple zones: a search + command header across the top, filters on the left, asset rows in the middle, and a summary + detail pane on the right. Once you know that layout, most of the interface becomes self-explanatory.

Illustration: the current browser anatomy and where each category of control now lives.

Sidebar section	Current meaning
All Assets	Everything LocalVault currently tracks in its local database, including Epic-owned records, cached items, restored items, and locally organized entries.
Owned on Epic	Assets confirmed through your Fab account, even if there are no local bytes on disk yet.
Stored Locally	Assets with a usable local payload. In practice this can mean Fab cache content or project-installed content already found on disk.
Stored in LocalVault	Assets already backed up into your configured LocalVault storage root.
Wishlisted / Duplicates	LocalVault-only planning and audit views built from wishlist state and checksum groups.
Collections / Tags	Dynamic local organization buckets generated from the metadata currently saved in Database.json.

Sort mode	What it sorts by
Title / Author / Source / Engine Compatibility	Alphabetical text sorting with the direction button switching between A-Z and Z-A.
Availability	Storage-state rank. Stored in LocalVault sorts ahead of other local content, then remote-only entries. The direction toggle switches between stored-first and remote-first.
Storage Size	Prefers backup size when present, otherwise local size. The direction toggle switches between smallest and largest.
Last Backup	Uses the last recorded backup timestamp. The direction toggle switches between oldest and newest.

Visible state	Meaning
Update available	A newer Fab revision exists than your stored local version.
Verified	The backup checksum currently matches the source checksum LocalVault recorded.
Wishlisted	The asset is marked in LocalVault’s local wishlist layer.
duplicate(s)	Another locally present asset currently resolves to the same checksum group.
Needs verify	The asset has a backup, but that backup is unverified or changed after its last verification.
versions	The asset has more than one tracked LocalVault backup version.

Vault Tools & Job Queue

The Vault Tools row is the maintenance layer for asset-heavy libraries. It contains operations that inspect, audit, export, or validate your library without changing Epic account metadata.

Illustration: Vault Tools provide audit and support workflows without burying them inside the primary backup toolbar.

Vault tool	Use it when	Result
Preview Restore	You want to know what will happen before copying files into the project.	Updates restore conflict state and reports restorable, conflicting, and missing-source counts.
Verify Changed	You want a fast audit of backups whose payload changed since their last verification.	Runs verification only on backups that need another pass.
Verify All	You want a full integrity audit of every LocalVault backup.	Checks all backed-up assets and records verified or mismatched state.
Export Team / Import Team	You want to share local organization state with another workstation or teammate.	Writes or reads Saved/LocalVault/TeamMetadata.json.
Diagnostics	You need support context or want to inspect sync/cache/storage state.	Writes Saved/LocalVault/Diagnostics.json.

Backup, Verify & Restore

LocalVault covers the full local lifecycle of an asset payload: store it as a versioned backup, write a manifest, verify it, preview restore conflicts, restore it into a project, and open the physical folder in Explorer. The goal is straightforward: make it easy to keep assets under your control and reuse them confidently later.

Illustration: the current storage flow. Backups now create versions, write manifests, verify checksums, restore safely, and expose the best local physical location in Explorer.

// Example backup root after storing several assets
D:\LocalVault\
├── Modern Japanese Furniture Pack__A1B2C3D4\
│   └── Backup_20260506_214500_9F2A11BC\
│       ├── LocalVaultManifest.json
│       └── Payload\
│           ├── Content\
│           └── Config\
├── Stylized Outpost Sample Project__8E7D6C5B\
│   ├── Backup_20260506_210212_21AA8C10\
│   │   ├── LocalVaultManifest.json
│   │   └── Payload\
│   └── Backup_20260506_215501_66CC91A0\
│       ├── LocalVaultManifest.json
│       └── Payload\
└── Ultimate FPS Weapons__FF9081AA\
    └── Backup_20260506_220000_9ABCE100\
        ├── LocalVaultManifest.json
        └── Payload\

// Example restore destination inside a project
[ProjectRoot]\
└── Content\
    └── LocalVaultRestored\
        ├── Modern Japanese Furniture Pack__A1B2C3D4\
        └── Modern Japanese Furniture Pack__A1B2C3D4_Restore_20260506_220100\

Versions & Manifests

Versioned backups are the largest 0.2.0 storage change. LocalVault no longer treats a backup folder as just an anonymous copy. Every successful backup gets a version id, a payload folder, and a manifest that explains what was captured.

Illustration: an asset can have many backup versions, but the active version points at the latest successful payload and manifest.

Manifest field	Why it matters
assetId, title, author	Identifies what the version belongs to, even if the folder is moved or archived later.
versionId	Distinguishes one backup capture from another and powers the multiple versions filter.
sourcePath, backupPath	Records where the copy came from and where the payload lives now.
sourceChecksum, backupChecksum	Defines the expected integrity state used by verification.
files	Stores file-level relative paths, sizes, modified ticks, and checksums for deeper support analysis.
sizeBytes, createdTicks	Feeds storage reporting, sorting, and historical audit context.

{
  "schemaVersion": "LocalVaultBackupManifest.v1",
  "assetId": "A1B2C3D4",
  "title": "Modern Japanese Furniture Pack",
  "versionId": "Backup_20260506_214500_9F2A11BC",
  "sourceChecksum": "a91d...",
  "backupChecksum": "a91d...",
  "files": [
    {
      "relativePath": "Content/Meshes/SM_Table.uasset",
      "sizeBytes": 1048576,
      "checksum": "0d42..."
    }
  ]
}

Organization & Library Intelligence

LocalVault gives you a lightweight local organization layer on top of Epic ownership. Collections, wishlist state, tags, smart filters, duplicate detection, restore-conflict tracking, update flags, and backup-version indicators make a large library easier to maintain without pretending the plugin can rewrite your Epic account data.

Illustration: LocalVault's organization layer combines human labels with machine-detected maintenance states.

Sidebar filter	What it means
Owned on Epic	Remote library entries tracked from your Fab account, whether or not they are locally downloaded.
Stored Locally	Assets with a usable local payload. This includes Fab cache content and project-local content that LocalVault can inspect, checksum, restore from, or open in Explorer.
Stored in LocalVault	Assets already backed up into your configured storage root.
Not Backed Up	Assets that LocalVault knows about but has not yet stored in the configured backup root.
Needs Verification	Backed-up assets whose stored copy has never been verified or changed after the last successful verification.
Updates Available	Locally stored assets where Fab reports a newer remote update timestamp than the local record.
Large Assets	Assets at or above the large-asset threshold, useful before moving storage or planning backup batches.
Installed in Project	Assets whose local path is inside the current project, helping you distinguish reusable vault storage from project content.
Missing Local Source	Assets that are known from metadata but have no Fab cache path and no LocalVault backup path.
Recently Restored	Assets with a recorded restore timestamp, useful after batch restore work.
Restore Conflicts	Assets where restore preview or restore detected that the normal project destination already exists.
Multiple Versions	Assets with more than one known LocalVault backup version.
Wishlisted	Assets flagged inside LocalVault’s local wishlist layer.
Duplicates	Assets whose locally present bytes match another asset’s checksum group.
Collections / Tags	Locally generated filters that appear only when LocalVault already has matching collection names or tag values in its database.

Team Metadata & Diagnostics

Version 0.2.0 adds two portable JSON exports: one for team-facing library metadata and one for support diagnostics. They serve different purposes. Team metadata is meant to travel between collaborators; diagnostics is meant to explain the current machine, settings, sync state, and recent operation history.

Illustration: team metadata is a deliberate share/import workflow, while diagnostics is a support snapshot of the current machine and LocalVault state.

Action	Output or input	What it contains
Export Team	Saved/LocalVault/TeamMetadata.json	Asset id, title, wishlist state, tags, collections, backup path, backup manifest path, active backup version id, and known backup versions.
Import Team	Saved/LocalVault/TeamMetadata.json	Merges records by asset id. Existing titles are preserved when already known; tags, collections, wishlist state, and version references are merged into the local database.
Diagnostics	Saved/LocalVault/Diagnostics.json	Sync status, last sync diagnostic, active endpoint template, Fab cache path, database path, storage root, restore root, update settings, asset counts, missing-source count, and recent jobs.

{
  "schemaVersion": "LocalVaultTeamMetadata.v1",
  "assets": [
    {
      "assetId": "asset-123",
      "wishlisted": true,
      "tags": ["environment", "approved"],
      "collections": ["Prototype Set Dressing"],
      "backupVersionId": "Backup_20260506_214500_9F2A11BC"
    }
  ]
}

{
  "schemaVersion": "LocalVaultDiagnostics.v1",
  "syncStatus": "Sync complete",
  "fabCacheLocation": "C:/ProgramData/Epic/Fab/Library",
  "databasePath": "Project/Saved/LocalVault/Database.json",
  "trackedAssets": 128,
  "backedUpAssets": 42,
  "unverifiedBackups": 3,
  "updatesAvailable": 6,
  "missingLocalSources": 18,
  "recentJobs": []
}

Performance, Storage & Settings

LocalVault's storage model is intentionally explicit: one local database, one thumbnail cache, optional team and diagnostics exports, one versioned backup root, one restore target, and a small set of transfer settings. That makes the plugin easier to audit, move between machines, and fit into studio workflows.

Illustration: project metadata, versioned LocalVault storage, and conflict-safe project restore are separate surfaces with clear file ownership.

Path or setting	Purpose
[ProjectRoot]/Saved/LocalVault/Database.json	Primary metadata store for tracked assets, local organization data, checksums, verification state, duplicate grouping, backup version references, restore conflict flags, last operation errors, and recent jobs.
[ProjectRoot]/Saved/LocalVault/Thumbnails	Cached preview images downloaded from Fab listing metadata for faster browsing.
[ProjectRoot]/Saved/LocalVault/TeamMetadata.json	Portable metadata export/import file for collections, tags, wishlist state, backup manifest references, and backup version references.
[ProjectRoot]/Saved/LocalVault/Diagnostics.json	Support snapshot for settings, paths, sync diagnostics, asset counts, missing local sources, update counts, and recent job history.
LocalVaultStoragePath	Permanent backup root used by Backup Selected, Verify Selected, Verify Changed, Verify All, and the default Open in Explorer target.
[StorageRoot]/AssetName__Hash/Backup_*/	Versioned backup folders. Each successful backup has its own version id and keeps previous successful versions instead of replacing them.
[BackupVersion]/LocalVaultManifest.json	Manifest written beside the payload with schema version, asset id, title, paths, checksums, timestamps, size, and file-level entries.
[BackupVersion]/Payload/	Copied asset payload for the backup version. Restore uses the active backup payload when it is available.
RestoreIntoProjectPath	Project-relative or custom destination used by Preview Restore and Restore Selected.
MaxConcurrentDownloads	Controls multi-asset batch concurrency and the inner parallel file-copy fanout for directory payloads.
bAutoCheckForUpdates	Triggers startup sync behavior and update-flag evaluation for locally stored or locally cached assets.

Per-asset data LocalVault tracks	Why it matters in the UI
Title, author, description, listing type, source, engine compatibility, Fab URL, thumbnail URL	Drives search, row subtitles, the details pane, and thumbnail caching.
Local path, backup path, project restore path	Controls whether the asset reads as remote-only, stored locally, backed up, restored into the current project, or openable in Explorer.
Backup manifest path, active backup version id, known backup versions	Feeds the details pane, multiple-versions filter, manifest-backed verification, and team metadata export/import.
Local size, backup size, last backup, last restore, last verify, last sync, remote updated time	Feeds row metadata, sorting, detail sections, update-state comparison, and Verify Changed eligibility.
Local checksum, backup checksum, backup source checksum, duplicate asset IDs	Powers verification state, integrity reporting, and duplicate detection.
Backup verified, needs verification, update available, restore conflict, last operation error	Creates visible state pills, smart filters, restore warnings, and practical error reporting after failed or degraded operations.
Custom tags, collections, wishlisted state	Creates the local organization layer that appears in the sidebar and details pane.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

About & Contact

LocalVault Plugin © 2026 GregOrigin. Unreal Engine and Fab are trademarks of Epic Games, Inc.