Just disable auto-updates, where the game won’t update until you run it (in Steam). Then when you see an update just back-up your entire save folder, which takes like seconds to do.
if you modify the base game, there is a risk, as mentioned. If you create a mod there is a lot less risk however. Worst case you should need to update your mod if the UI ever changes again
if you want to transfer one item to another char, use the shared stash, that is what it is for…
If you use IA or GD Stash for that, you are doing it wrong… can’t speak for IA but the fact that you can easily do it in game is why I never bothered creating an easy way to do it in GD Stash.
I understand, but the thing is, since I’m an altoholic, I have around 40 chars right now. And my shared stash is usually full of components, materials and some great legendaries or MI which I don’t want to risk by using 3rd party programs and moving them from stash to database. I do not recall any instances of item loss with GDStash, but I think recently some people lost items with IA. So I have a full shared stash, and then I get a great item on my char 24 for my char 35. And then I have to remove items from shared stash, put that item there, and after putting it in char 35’s inventory, I have to put back the items that I removed from shared stash.
Sure, this might be rectified by simply dumping everything in GDStash database, and leaving the shared stash empty, but I’m always a bit apprehensive with external tools for games.
In my mod, which I always merge with Grim Dawn, I have not had any problems with the expanded caravan or any other aspect of my mod, for that matter. Yeah, it can be a minor pain in the ass having to update things every time Crate puts out a patch but, I’d rather have that “problem” as opposed to not.
That being said, here’s a screen shot I just took with the default database and only Grim UI installed. I did this to show you that if I forgot to merge the caravan mod with the game after an update, no big deal. Everything is still there. I’ll explain below.
This is my shared stash and oh yes, it looks like shit. The thing is, all of these items are stored in the transfer files located in the “save” directory, not the shared stash in game on the caravan. The caravan shared stash tab shows me the contents of the transfer file and the location of each item on the page. Everything outside of the grid isn’t accessible at this point, so I couldn’t even select an item and drop it. Once I merge my mod, everything is fine. All of my items still show up in my shared stash, fully accessible and ready.
The most important thing to do is, backup all of those transfer files. If you do that, you almost can’t lose anything. I do this after every play session personally.
If you decide to merge this with Grim Dawn, it’s no big deal. I do it many times a day when I’m testing things. If you have things setup, every time Crate puts out a patch, you could have it updated in no time at all, provided they didn’t change anything with the caravan.
When Crate does put out a patch like they recently did adding the search bar, I still merged my mod with the new database. The worst that happened was, I had a search bar sitting in a stupid location. No big deal. I got the files located, changed a few coordinates and fixed it.
I fully intend on keeping my mod(s) updated. Yes, there will a delay while I’m updating things, but that’s to be expected.
So as far as risk goes losing items, I’d say it’s almost non-existent, if you back your files up. I would say the same for merging with the game’s database. If something goes wrong and you didn’t make a back up first, just have Steam verify the files and it’ll download a new one.
Apologies for the long winded post. I’m just trying to assure everyone that if this wasn’t safe, I wouldn’t use it much less release it.
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Man it looks amazing
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I forgot this, I will add it. Thanks for reminding me.
Actually, I have this setting. The problem is that I always start playing the game immediately after manually updating it, and notice my mistake after opening the warehouse. And in order to see what happened, I repeatedly opened the warehouse and lost the data. 
Thank you! 
I don’t understand how you lost items out of your caravan by opening it? My screen shot above shows what happens if I previously had an expanded caravan mod installed, the game got updated and then I start the game without putting the mod back on.
Is there something to repeatedly opening the caravan? I don’t understand.
I’ve also not had any issues with auto-updates turned on either.
That’s true for those who are a cautious even for just a bit like you. Unfortunately I’m terribly stupid and repeat the same mistake. Certainly, once I open the caravan, I realize I made a mistake. The clever person will quit the game there, but I can’t help without checking again. This is my personality problem and I can’t do anything about it. 
I think always “next time for sure”, but actually this will be.
Well, I’m confused, no doubt about it. I just did a test about 10 minutes ago to see what would happen if I repeatedly opened the caravan under the following conditions:
My shared stash contains items from the expanded stash.
The game is 100% default, no mods whatsoever.
My results were just like my screen shot above (without Grim UI) each time I opened the caravan. Items went clear across the character window and I couldn’t select any of them.
I opened the caravan multiple times on the personal stash tab and the shared stash tab. I even moved a few items around in the caravan just to make sure it would write changes to the transfer file.
After doing so, I merged my mod with Grim Dawn (gdx2.arz), loaded my character and nothing changed in my caravan.
All the caravan mod does is change the graphics in the game. It has almost nothing to do with saving the information about the contents of the shared stash to the transfer file. I say almost nothing because it does increase the size of the accessible area which will increase the size of the transfer file.
This is why I honestly don’t understand what could be going on.
If you got the files I’ll be happy to test it a bit. I’m not one bit afraid to lose items or characters, frankly. Doesn’t bother me in the slightest. Not 100% sure if it will work for me at the moment since I’m on the latest test build but I’ll give it a whirl for ya.
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That’d be cool. I ain’t afraid of losing shit either, honestly as I always have backups.
I’ve tested the hell out of it, even trying to break it somehow and can’t.
Very cool. I’ll toss it in a PM here in a second.
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I used to think that the location information of the items simply changed and did not affect the existence of the item. I don’t think there was any loss of items long ago. However, I don’t know since when, but I have experienced many times the disappearance of items.
The worm-eaten picture in the screenshot is not something I deliberately made. This is a strange phenomenon from a logical point of view. Maybe it’s just my mistake, but the cause is unknown.
If we know that it doesn’t happen normally, it’s great.
I’m truly at a loss. I tried to break this thing by running the expanded caravan as a standalone mod (custom game) and I can’t. That’s because the mod has it’s own folder with the transfer file, etc., all located in the “save” folder. There again, those items are “protected” so long as you backup those files.
I don’t see the “worm-eaten” picture you mentioned in the screen shot.
that makes no sense, either all items in the area outside the regular window should disappear, or none of them - and as both JDM’s and your pic show, they do not get removed… so it does not seem that the issue was the changed window size
I don’t know why this happens, but some items are actually gone, or most items are gone. The disappearance is not consistent. However, I have never experienced that the items outside the frame are completely gone. Even if there were almost no items left, a little remained.
I don’t know if this comes from size, but I think it’s because I forgot to remake an enlarged stash.
That makes two of us, no doubt.
I honestly don’t think it has anything to do with the caravan size. The screen shot taken is what happens if I had an expanded stash previously merged with the gdx2.arz, the gdx2.arz then got updated and I did not re-merge the expanded stash.
The screen shot shows the default size caravan but with items in expanded stash locations.
Screen shot
I have seen the same screen many times. I hurriedly rebuilt a large warehouse, but the warehouse was full of holes. However, none of the items in the original size disappeared.
I know it doesn’t make sense, but I’ve been doing this for several years. 
Anyway, I just want to say that I had that experience. This may not be a universal phenomenon. So I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to keep talking about personal trouble any more.
I have intruded much too long on your precious time. It’s not my intention to hinder your work. If this problem arises in the future, I think that it should be considered at that time. I hope your excellent work will be used by many people. 
In an effort to break this mod before I release it, I’ve tried out several scenarios.
In every scenario I attempted, each one has items in an expanded shared stash location from the mod being previously installed.
Adding an item in game.
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Default game version 1140, no mods. I purchased an item from the vendor and placed that item in the shared stash. Restarted the game and everything was intact including the new item.
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Merged the mod with the game. I purchased an item from the vendor and placed that item in the shared stash. Restarted the game and everything was intact including the previous and new item.
Adding an item with GDStash.
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Default game version 1140, no mods, GDStash version 1.4.4f. Added an item from GDStash (Crafting tab) to my shared stash. All original and previous items showed up in GDStash. Restarted the game and everything was intact including the previous items and the crafted item.
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Merged the mod with the game. Added an item from GDStash. All previous items showed up in GDStash. Restarted the game and everything was intact including the previous items and the crafted item.
The end result was, I had 4 new items plus all of my original items.
I’m out of ideas at this point, but it’s not for a lack of trying.
Thank you. I’m doing everything I can think of to try and help, but I’m truly at a loss.
I hope things get sorted out for you.
I’ll be working on an update and will have it out ASAP.
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