AutoCAD Civil 3D

[#1]

I have two client drawings - an xref and a host - that were created in C3D R12.  I exported the base drawing to a previous release and am able to open it in R11 as normal. 

I exported the host drawing but receive the "created in newer version" error message when I open it in R11 and of course my C3D commands are disabled. 

SAVEAS produced the same result.  DEMANDLOAD is set to 3.  In other words, I've read the techdoc.

Any ideas?

[#2]

If they saved any of their drawings using Civil 3D 2012, you will never be able  to open it in 2011 and perform Civil 3D commands.  The only way for you to be able to do this is to run the

-EXPORTTOAUTOCAD command (don't forget the hyphen).  This has its own set of problems, however which may or may not affect you.  If they have any C3D objects (alignments, surfaces etc) they will be exploded.,

[#3]

One of the "great joys" of C3D is that we basically have incompatible releases of the software every year.  Most things will go forward, but not all, so even forward-compatibility is touch-and-go.  Things like Label Styles may not work as they did in older releases, or they may break completely, giving you GUIDs instead of the text you expect.  Custom Toolbox reports and custom Subassemblies may similarly be broken.  Backward-compatibility is pretty much nonexistent.  You can sometimes export some things to LandXML, and import them in the older version of C3D, but this leaves out so many things that it may not be viable.

The annual incompatlble releases are the bane of all C3D users.

[#4]

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Sinc wrote:

One of the "great joys" of C3D is that we basically have incompatible releases of the software every year.  Most things will go forward, but not all, so even forward-compatibility is touch-and-go.  Things like Label Styles may not work as they did in older releases, or they may break completely, giving you GUIDs instead of the text you expect.  Custom Toolbox reports and custom Subassemblies may similarly be broken.  Backward-compatibility is pretty much nonexistent.  You can sometimes export some things to LandXML, and import them in the older version of C3D, but this leaves out so many things that it may not be viable.

The annual incompatlble releases are the bane of all C3D users.

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Totally agree with this

[#5]

Matt,

As previously stated, I exported my base drawing to a previous release of AutoCAD and was able to successfully open it in R11 with full access to C3D functions.  It wasn't successful on the host drawing.  My project data is safe.  I exported it to XML.

Happy Saturday, Sync.  I read all of your post this time.  I see you're still singing the same tune but thankfully in fewer verses.  I think we're making progress!

[#6]

Didn't understand that post at all...

[#7]

Sinc,

It was a vague reference to an old thread intended primarily for my own amusement.  You're a smart guy (a guru!!!) and I know I shouldn't make fun of you but it's so hard not to when you start whining about the program AGAIN.  I have a project drawing that for whatever reason has not responded to repeated attempts to dummy it down to a previous release.  I was just hoping you or somebody else might have a creative solution. 

[#8]

Glad you're amused.  I'm not.  There are NO other programs I use that have anywhere near this many bugs, or require such a vast number of workarounds.  I've been training a number of people in how to use Civil 3D, and am amazed at how often I have to stop and explain YET ANOTHER reason why things aren't going as-expected, and explain the details of YET ANOTHER bug, and how to workaround it.  It creates for a very unfrienedly user experience, and really complicates training.

I can do it, and I use C3D very effectively myself.  But it's very frustrating, for all involved, especially for new users of Civil 3D.