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Aspect keeps file content locally in two ways. The cache holds data fetched as you work and can evict it to free space. Pins keep selected files available locally for offline use through a mount. Opening a file once does not guarantee that all of it is cached or will remain available offline. Pin the files you need and wait for synchronization.

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Prepare an offline session

1

Mount while connected

A new CLI mount resolves its path through Aspect’s API. Create the mount while online rather than relying on a pin to make a later mount command work without a connection.
2

Pin the files you need

The target can be a project, directory, or individual asset. The command registers the pin; its return does not mean downloading has finished. Adding the same pin again returns the existing pin.
3

Wait for the pin to finish

Confirm that the needed pins show synced, and that their downloaded content is complete. Check errors or storage limits before leaving the network.
4

Keep the mount available

Work through the existing mount. Check for pending or failed uploads before disconnecting, and let Aspect synchronize changes after reconnecting.

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Pin states

aspect status also includes an overall pin sync summary. For an offline session, inspect the specific pins you need rather than relying only on an aggregate byte count.

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Set storage limits

These settings apply to Aspect on this computer, including the shared filesystem service when you use the desktop app. Sizes require a unit: B, KB, MB, GB, or TB. They are decimal units; fractional sizes such as 1.5TB are accepted. aspect settings list --json reports values in bytes. Choose limits that leave room for your other files and applications.

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Remove a pin

You can also pass a pin ID from aspect pin list --json. Removing a pin removes the offline-retention requirement. It does not delete files from Aspect, and cached content may remain on disk until the cache evicts it. A file included only through a pinned parent folder does not have its own pin to remove. If pin remove reports not_pinned for that file, remove the parent’s pin instead. Pin smaller folders or individual assets when you need finer control. For a local copy that you manage independently of mounted-drive caching, use download.