Converting C3D 2012 drawings to C3D 2014

[Anonymous]

I have a project that was created a while back using Civil 3D 2012.  The project was 90% complete but was put on hold until now.  During the hold period we installed Civil 3D 2014 and the main design file was opened by a user and inadvertantly saved to the 2014 version (we have both 2012 and 2014 installed).  I've done this intentionally with other projects and it hasn't been an issue.  In the past I was able to simply open all of the project drawings and save to 2014 without problem.

This project is not working that smoothly.  I can open a 2012 drawing in 2014 and save the drawing to update it and everything looks fine.  However, when I reopen the drawing I either have a Fatal Error or I receive a message saying the drawing needs to be recovered.  When I run Recover on the drawing all of the C3D objects are converted to proxy entities and often won't display properly, such as profiles becoming a box around the limits of the profile.  This happens on two separate workstations.

I have 36 plan/profile sheets in this project so I'm hoping someone has an idea they can offer to convert the drawings without me having to recreate all of the plan/profile sheets.

Thanks,

Scott

[Jay_B]

How are these drawings being opened?

Using a 2014 Civil 3d desktop icon and open from within the interface, or opening via Win Explorer?

The behavior (rectangles) you've described sounds like a possible round trip scenario where it was 2012, then opened in 2014 and again in 2012.

We've upgraded numerous projects from 2012 to 2014 here and haven't seen this issue at all.

Here's our workflow used when upgrading a project:

1. Manually set the Data shortcuts working folder as 2014 can't find it until folder has been set one initial time.

2. Open the base drawing containing survey & EG surface.

3. Set the Survey Database working folder, (the 2012 Survey Databases will have yellow warnings by them).

Rt. click on the heading "Survey Databases" top of prospector & choose "Migrate Databases" or they can also be done

individually if multiple sdb's by clicking on sdb name rt. click & choose "Migrate".

4. Save & close the base dwg.

5. Open & Save all alignment \ profile\ corridor \ cross sections \ pipe network drawings until all C3d source dwgs have been upgraded before opening any plan sheets.

6. Open & Save all c3d plan sheets drawings.

Overall intent is follow the same workflow that was used to create the project.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Jay.

The files are being opened through the interface after launching C3D from a desktop icon.  Opening through Explorer was how it was accidentally upgraded before so I now ensure that everyone open drawings from with C3D.

We have been working on the project recently so our base files have already been upgraded to 2014 and the Survey Database was migrated to 2014 as well.  The working folders were all set there..  All surfaces and profiles are fine in the base drawings.  It wasn't until we started opening the plan/profile sheets that we ran into problems.  They have not been upgraded to 2014 yet and that was our first step in this process.  Everything works as normal when we open the drawings in 2014.  I receive a message in the Panorama saying all data shortcuts were upgraded.  Profiles and alignments appear as they should.  Everything looks great.  It's only when you save the file then reopen in 2014 that it all goes away.

I agree with you that it sounds like the drawings are being reopened in 2012, that's exactly what it looks like.  But we're not, it's all 2014 at this point.

I have checked my save options and I am saving in 2013 format.

We've upgraded several projects in the past as well without problem.  This is a first for me.

[Jay_B]

Are you able to open a 2014 plan and profile sheet on an unrelated project, save and open same file without this issue?

[Anonymous]

Yes.  We can save and open other plan/profile sheets in 2014 with no problem.

I'm still investigating the drawings and have found that there are broken links showing in the Panorama box.  Typically there will be a text object placed in the drawing at 0,0 when there is a broken link and you can click on that to resolve the issue.  I do not have that object in the drawing, only the note in Panorama.  Right now it's saying it can't find the design file but the design file is still there, upgraded, and not renamed.  When I run recover on the drawings as recommended I see that there are usually 1 to 2 items that are erased.  My guess at this point is that the broken link text object is being erased.

The broken link is apparently the issue here so I just have to find a way to get that resolved.  I'll see if I can get that resolved and if not I can recreate the shortcuts.

Interestingly enough, there are 4 drawings out of the 36 that work fine even after saving and reopening.