convert BAK file to DWG file ?

[samschmidBJDW3]

As usual, AiutoCAD's robot tips have NO reference to his simple problem. Tryting to SAVE my drawing, when I "reopen", it shows "no files". Fortuantely, my "backup" drwaing is saved under BAK. AutoCAD won't allow me to "open"... how do I convert my BAK file to a DWG file ? AutoCAD's "tutorial is not current to CADD 2022. Choosing A icon does not bring me to "utilities". Cannot get to "recover drawing", or restore, These robot tutorials are not up to date. Guess they are trying to sell "upgraded support".

I really like the AutoCAD program for yeasr, version updates. But I can see where the "bash Autodesk" crowd comes from. No "live support" at all. Used to have a "troubleshooting" phone line, then went to "live chat" for questions....

[guilherme.lepinski.sc]

just rename the file, changing from ".bak" to ".dwg"

[pendean]

tutorial? HELP inside the program says https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2022/ENU/index.html?guid=GUID-58FE4BFB-E290-49A2-B8A2-068B4C40C02....

or if you are on a MAC (you never say) https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACDMAC/2023/ENU/?guid=GUID-58FE4BFB-E290-49A2-B8A2-068B4C40C02D#:~:te....

Don't glaze over the second half of that link above if you've never EVER known about showing file extensions before today https://www.howtogeek.com/205086/beginner-how-to-make-windows-show-file-extensions/

[samschmidBJDW3]

Thanks, didn't work. That only changes the name, doesn't covert it to a DWG file. Autodesk "tutorials do not address this simple problem... I am embarrassed that I don't know how to do it.... did it years ago in similar situation. Pulled up "recover drawing", then "opened" BAK, then resaved as a DWG to work on drawing. The only "help" I have ever gotten is through "forums", when y'all aren't paid to post. appreciate all of you.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@samschmidBJDW3 wrote:

Thanks, didn't work. That only changes the name, doesn't covert it to a DWG file. ....

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It works for me.  How exactly are you doing it?  For example, let's say you don't have filetype extensions showing (see two of @pendean's links in Message 3), and you go to edit a name that shows as just YourDrawing, though its full name is really YourDrawing.bak.  Then you edit it by adding .dwg to the end of what shows, and you may be ending up with a file whose actual name is now YourDrawing.dwg.bak, which is still a backup filetype.  There was a time long ago when it was not allowed to include periods in file names except as the separator between the name and the filetype extension, but since that restriction has gone away, this is a possibility.

[pendean]

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@samschmidBJDW3 wrote:

Thanks, didn't work. That only changes the name, doesn't covert it to a DWG file. 

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Then you skipped something: it works fine over here for all of us all the time

[paullimapa]

share your .bak file for everyone here to take a look

[cloizidesweber]

Did you ever figure it out?  I am tired of people and AutoCAD telling me to rename my file.  That does not change the extension. I don't have a clue how to change the file type.  I can't open it with any program I know and save it as a .dwg, and I lost my .dwg file when my computer crashed, but before that it saved as a .bak drawing. Need to recover that file.  Hoping you found a solution.

[Kent1Cooper]

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@cloizidesweber wrote:

...  I am tired of people and AutoCAD telling me to rename my file.  That does not change the extension. .....

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Renaming the file by changing its filetype extension is the way to do what you want.  If you have filetype extensions showing in your file explorer, you can change the extension there.  See some of @pendean's links if you don't know how to see them.

[aag6]

The problem could be in the way windows explorer shows the file name. It can be hiding the extension so when you rename the file adding .dwg at the end the file name still ends in .bak. So in the windows file explorer go to options and select showing file extension, that way you can erase the .bak at the end

[cloizidesweber]

Thank you