Open Solidworks 2011 files in Inventor 2011

[Helena]

I need to open Solidworks 2011 files in Inventor 2011. Is there new translator?

Thank you.

[M.Peppel]

Hello Helena,

I doubt that this will be possible before Inventor 2012 becomes available. The only way to get the files into inventor will be to export them as Step files from SWX and import them then into Inventor.

regards

Matthias

[BassEngineer]

If you load the SWX add in you should be able to open..  .prt, .sldprt, .asm, .sldasm file types.

The add in can be loaded from ... TOOLS - Add-ins - Translator/Solidworks

[sam_m]

believe Inventor 2011 only opens SW2010 (and earlier) files.  At the end of the day SW2011 came out after Inventor 2011 so can understand it doesn't know how to open the files.  Don't remember Inventor2010 being patched to allow it to open SW2010 files, so will probably have to wait to Iv2012 to open native SW2011 data.  As suggested, convert to a neural format like STP or IGES.

[BassEngineer]

I should have read the post and topic more carefully...

[JDMather]

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@Helena wrote:

I need to open Solidworks 2011 files in Inventor 2011. Is there new translator?

Thank you.

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If you can't get STEP or Parasolid from SWX -

I'm not sure if this is a solution - but try downloading the latest version of Inventor Fusion http://labs.autodesk.com to see if it will open SWx 2011 files.

[Helena]

I do not see option for opening SolidWorks files in Inventor Fusion.

[AustinLiu]

Autodesk Inventor 2011 doesn't support reading SolidWorks 2011 files, so please try to save IGES/STEP/Parasolid files from SolidWorks and then open them in Inventor.

[PaulKennedy2640]

I am running 2012 and still cannot open solidworks 2011 files.

[JDMather]

Attach the file here.

[mflayler2]

Autodesk was not able to get the translators finished before the 2012 release for SW 2011 files.  It is expected to be addressed in a hotfix or a Service Pack during the release year.

[ed]

Any update on getting SWX 2011-format files open with AIP 2011 or 2012?

TIA,

-ed

[AustinLiu]

Sorry, currently we don't have plan to support SolidWorks 2011 version in Inventor 2011 and 2012.

[ed]

Hmmm...sounds like time to make a plan.

So what do we (are we planning to) tell customers who have moved/are moving to SWX 2011, and aren't willing to send non-SWX files [after we just spent the past year or two getting them used to sending native SWX files, and Not SAT, STEP, or IGES, which they've now decided is simply 'too much work']?

Does SWX perhaps have an option to 'save as' an earlier version (not that they would actually make that effort but at least a place to start)?

If not, how about a "Bonus Pack" for Inventor (subscription customers :)?  Maybe a utility (expansion of TrueView or InventorView perhaps), where we could view and then 'save back' the SWX 2011 into the earlier version(s), like we can with Acad?  Or perhaps Fusion or Inventor LT could be utilized?

Did I mention we're talking about firm SWX supporters to begin with, so not at all disappointed to have their vendors add (switch to) what they consider the 'better' product (as mis-guided as they might be, IMHO ;-)?

All joking aside, I would like to know what the options are for what is already (and is only likely to become more of) an issue.

TIA,

-e

[AustinLiu]

Hi,

Thank you for all your inputs, and I appreciate that very much.

Actually because the release schedule difference between Inventor and SolidWorks, Inventor always support the latest SolidWorks version in next one (mostly) or two Inventor releases.

So currently the only way to support that version is to ask the SolidWorks 2011 users to save the files as IGES/STEP, and  import them in Inventor.

Sorry for such inconvenience; we always try our best to ensure our customers can translate the latest version between different CAD applications.

[FadiEmeid2964]

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@AustinLiu wrote:

Hi,

Thank you for all your inputs, and I appreciate that very much.

Actually because the release schedule difference between Inventor and SolidWorks, Inventor always support the latest SolidWorks version in next one (mostly) or two Inventor releases.

So currently the only way to support that version is to ask the SolidWorks 2011 users to save the files as IGES/STEP, and  import them in Inventor.

Sorry for such inconvenience; we always try our best to ensure our customers can translate the latest version between different CAD applications.

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So what do we (are we planning to) tell customers who have moved/are moving to SWX 2011, and aren't willing to send non-SWX files [after we just spent the past year or two getting them used to sending native SWX files, and Not SAT, STEP, or IGES, which they've now decided is simply 'too much work']?

As quoted from ed, maybe if we can't translate SW to Inventor we should switch and start using Solid Works like the majority of customers out there.

Please try to get a patch to us as soon as possible or if your not planning on getting one at all out to us , then let us know so we have to decide on our options.

We can't just start asking our customers to send STEP , or IGES because our software provider won't supply us a translator.

[swalton]

We have seats of IV, ProE, and Solidworks.  We use which ever software and release that our customers request.  Easy.

Software maintainance is not cheap, but you can't bill for work your tools won't let you do.

[mcgyvr]

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@FadiEmeid2964 wrote:

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We can't just start asking our customers to send STEP , or IGES because our software provider won't supply us a translator.

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Sure you can. Just ask nicely.

My vendors ask all the time for Solidworks files.. A simple "Sorry I don't have Solidworks.. I use Inventor, can I just give you a step file" works everytime..

[swalton]

Vendors and customers are different.

Vendors get step or other dumb format.  I am responsible for the design, not them.

Customers will get whatever they ask for.  They are paying me to make the design, they get to pick the software.

[ToniQin]

Autodesk Inventor 2012 doesn't support reading SolidWorks 2011 files either.

Toni Qin

MFG - Platform Translation Team, Tech Lead

Autodesk Inc.