Switching between 2011 and 2004

[trucdang3750]

Hello,

We are currently using AutoCAD Architecture 2008 but we are moving to 2011.  We use it like basic AutoCAD (2D Drafting and Annotation workspace), without any of the architectural tools.  We recently found out that some of our teams are swaping files back and forth with clients that need us to save down to 2004. Sometimes they are unable to open the drawings after working in them (in 2008) for a day or so.  It keeps trying to open then times out.  2011 will open them pretty quickley.  Any ideas why?

Are there any issues with working in the same file in 2004 and then 2011 and back to 2004? 

[jking]

It sounds like you are running into file-versioning issues.  The dwg format has evolved over the years to accomodate the evolution of the program.

Since 2004, there have been 2 file format revisions: 2007 and 2010.  The versions are not reverse compatible.  The newer software can open the older formats, but the older software can't open the newer formats.  Your 2008 software uses the 2007 format by default and your 2011 software uses the 2010 format by default.

Unless you update all your stations, you'll have to Standardize on the default format used by the oldest version of your software (2004).  Try setting your 2008 and 2011 stations to use the 2004 format in the Options dialog on the "Open and Save" tab.

[trucdang3750]

Thanks for the reply I should have mentioned that I recommenced changing the save setting under Options but the users are concerned that this will degrade the file, especially when they are working with clients who do not need to save down.  Do you know of any file issues, i.e. file size increase, editability of annotations etc...?

[pendean]

File size gets smaller with newer versions.

Features in newer versions (Mleaders and so on) appear as crippled proxy objects in older versions.

Might I suggest for the clients that need the older formats (and for everyone else), that you set up custom Customer ETRANSMIT profiles and you all start using that command to share files with clients, and leave your SAVE settings to the default 2010 format for ACA2011.

And in case you missed it, I understand you only use ACA as AutoCAD: any AEC content, any, once saved in 2011, regardless of what you have save set to in OPTIONS, gets upgraded to 2010 format and locks any Architecture/ADT user in lower versions from accessing the AEC content.

[trucdang3750]

If binding is not required is there any advantage to using E-Transmit instead of DWG TrueView 2010 to save down?

[pendean]

Automation of specific customer/recipient requirements (once you set up the custom needs to each customer) is the major benefit of ETRANSMIT, it's not just for binding Xrefs.

But if you have an admin or intern sitting at a Trueview station and that's all they do for a living, or you prefer the recipient to do all the work, that works fine too. It would be better if TRUEVIEW's conversion down as opposed to the simpler save down is set up, so that proxy objects are exploded and turned into more usable enttiies for the recipient.

[trucdang3750]

Thanks Dean.  I really appreciate your help.  I'm curious if exploding will help or hurt more in our situation.  You can think of these as Ping Pong projects.  The 2011 users here will receive some of the files back so I'm hoping to keep the functionality of the tools as long as this does not kill it for the 2004 users.  In the our ideal world 2004 users should be able to open the files and see multi-leaders, mtext, dimensions etc without major reformatting.  It's okay if they only see the current annotation scale.  They should be able to add drawing content and send it back to the 2011 user to update their drawings.  Then back again.

[pendean · Accepted solution]

If you have to roundtrip files, then you really don't want to explode or export DWG files to lower formats as I indicated.

The challenge is for the lower version user, especially 2004 if you get into annotative scales and use entities not available to them. It opens up a whole world of them messing up your files before sending them back to you (not their fault, they are trying to work with a lot of added data they cannot use in your files). It's not hard for you or them, it just means you will spend a little more time 'cleaning up' that you would like.

If you have the oppotunity, I recommend to do it all in a single R2011 file then access it in R2004 and see if you can work in it. I think that hands-on experience will help you understand what to expect.

[trucdang3750]

Thanks for the advice.  I would love to try it for myself but unfortunately we don't have 2004 in our office so it's not a true test.