Template from AutoCad 2018, opened in AutoCad for MAC, EMPTY.

[gobluejd]

I have created some Templates in AutoCad for Windows (started in 17, been recently saved in 18) and when creating a new Drawing with said Template, it opens completely blank.  I.E. no geometry, layers etc...  See attached.

Completely fine on Windows.

[maxim_k]

Hi,

AutoCAD 2018 uses new (2018) drawing file format which also applies to template files.
But AutoCAD for Mac (most recent 2017 and earlier releases) cannot read files in new format, so actually AutoCAD opens new empty drawing instead of creating drawing from your template.
You need to save drawing template in AutoCAD 2018 on PC side in 2013 DWG format, than you will be able to use this template on Mac.

Maxim

[gobluejd]

Thanks.  I figured as much, however I do not see how to revert to 2013 in saving as a Template?

[gobluejd]

Oh -  I think I see what your saying, need to save as a DWG, then open on MAC, save as Template?

Kinda redundant huh?

Think they will update MAC to open 2018 templates?

[maxim_k]

>>>need to save as a DWG, then open on MAC, save as Template?

Yes. This is a common situation when new DWG format is introduced.

>>>>Think they will update MAC to open 2018 templates?

On next AutoCAD for Mac release.

Maxim

[pendean]

Windows and MAC versions of AutoCAD are on separate release dates scheduled: Spring and Fall/Winter respectively.

DWG is just a DWT with the last letter manually changed to alert the OS (in Windows anyway) that it is to be treated as a read-only file. Rename in the file manager is all you've ever needed to do if you organize your templates into your own folders vs. relying on each application's default choice.

[gobluejd]

pendean, I am aware of why this happened, however there should be a SAVE AS option for the template so previous versions can read it.  There is ABSOLUTELY no reason for this to be an issue.  If you have a CAD Manager using a newer version of AutoCad and he creates Templates for pre 18 users, there should be a viable option to save a Template to compatible with previous versions within the same company product.  You should not have to jump through hoops to create templates that a company uses where potentially there are various versions being used.

As far as the release date comment, there was only 3 months between releases.  You can't tell me that AutoDesk is not smart enough to see the issue.  I mean if 2018 DWGs file types were that important, then 2018 would default to that version, not to 2013...Right?

Any way I reach out to @autodeskhelp on twitter and they completely agree with me and have asked the Devs to look into.  I am not the only one who thinks this is odd, regardless of a new file type (which by the way is needed since its been 5+ years since the last).

[pendean]

"template" is not considered a separate file in AutoCAD: it's an OS level lock that the T in the file extension provides to the file. AutoCAD will never override an OS file lock, what you wish for will never happen, Microsoft will not allow it, not sure Apple is any more flexible if the same rules apply there.

Yes, 2017 for MAC was late this year, it wasn't in the years before, doesn't change the reality they are on separate schedules and because of that they are separate formats.

I doubt anything will change until a 2018-for-mac comes out when it does, again, it's been the reality for many years on the MAC side. I hope the twitter folks did not give you the impression they can alter product release times in any way by passing your note to the "devs'.

[gobluejd]

If I revert my templates created in 2018, back to 2013 DWG, then save in 2017 as a template, what information is lost/degraded?

[maxim_k]

I think nothing that AutoCAD 2017 can read will be lost.

Maxim