Civil 3D 2017 is not backward compatable.

[ChrisRS]

Civil 3D 2017 is not backward compatable.

I suspect that this is the cost of progress, so it OK. Just be aware.

When 2016 was backward compatible with 2015, AutoDesk clearly said so. It would be nice if they spoke as clearly now.

From the help File:

Interoperability Between Versions

This topic describes the behavior when an AutoCAD Civil 3D 2017 drawing is opened in prior versions of AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Objects in a drawing saved in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2017 are available only as proxies when the drawing is opened in a prior version of the software.

Within AutoCAD Civil 3D 2017, set the PROXYGRAPHICS drawing setting to 1 to save the graphics with the drawing, otherwise a bounding box is displayed where the object is located when the drawing is opened in a prior version of the software.

Notice whenyou open an older version file:

[neilyj666]

My understanding is that the Vanilla ACAD dwg format remains the same for 2017 but as you have discovered the Civil 3D dwg has been upgraded so incompatibily issues will abound.

[scaldwell73]

That probably kills my idea of snagging the 2017 pressure pipe catalog to use in 2016 then. We just made the move to 2016, don't see us moving again for a bit.

[ChrisRS]

Shawn,

"That probably kills my idea of snagging the 2017 pressure pipe catalog to use in 2016 then."

I don't know if the 2017 catalogs can be used in 2016. Let me know if you try them. The 2017 Help file referes to the new catalogs but not mention if there has been any change that would prevent them from being used with 2016.

You might want to look a Project Kameleon in Atuodesk Labs. I recently added the ability to work with pressure pipe content. (I have downloaded and looked at but not worked with it.)

[Cadguru42]

---

@ChrisRS wrote:

Shawn,

"That probably kills my idea of snagging the 2017 pressure pipe catalog to use in 2016 then."

I don't know if the 2017 catalogs can be used in 2016. Let me know if you try them. The 2017 Help file referes to the new catalogs but not mention if there has been any change that would prevent them from being used with 2016.

You might want to look a Project Kameleon in Atuodesk Labs. I recently added the ability to work with pressure pipe content. (I have downloaded and looked at but not worked with it.)

---

I thought Kameleon was dead. I tried it out and asked for help and no one on the forums nor from Autodesk ever responded so I gave up. Their own tutorials wouldn't work due to changes to the software and no one from Autodesk would assist. 

[dsimeone · Accepted solution]

Few topics i'll try to respond to...

1. Civil 3D Object Format - Yes, we made the hard decision to update our objects for Release 2017. This enabled us to properly implement the improvements in the initial release AND also provide us a platform for some things that we're hoping to deliver during the year.
2. Pressure content - We intend on delivering the pressure content as a unique doanload for R2016 subscribers. Still working out the logistics but it'll be raw content that you import into Civil 3D 2016
3. We're still actively developing Kameleon. The long term vision is that this becomes a general content creation environment... For C3D users, i see it as the future solution for creation of both gravity and pressure content. For now, Kameleon will remain on Labs so please continue to stay involved with that project.

Thanks

Dave Simeone

Senior Product Manager - AutoCAD Civil 3D

[scaldwell73]

Thanks for the update, Dave. It's appreciated.

[ChrisRS]

Thanks for the update. It is great to see Autodesk responding.

[jporter]

@dsimeone, does this mean the EXPORTTOAUTOCAD drawding that is created will not be compatible with earlier versions as well.  This is what i'm seeing:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/7bac8fc2-3859-4214-a874-1a36f872298c  

[rl_jackson]

I would say the drawing will be compatible

None of the C3DObjects will work - (ie Points, Styles and Other objects)

[jporter]

@rl_jackson, that's what you would think.  But take a look at the video link that I provided and you'll see that it does not work.  I've tried it on several computers and several users.  

[rl_jackson]

I had looked at the video, all the proxy objects are all your C3D objects and they will not work once the drawing is saved in C3D17. You'll need to xml out those object or revert to a previous version not open in 17. All dumb acad line work should be valid. (Export will not convert objects for use in earlier versions hence the proxy warning)

[jporter]

Yes, but the export should have converted those proxy objects down.  Am I correct?  It's always worked that way in the past. 

[rl_jackson]

It has only worked from 13 through 16. Prior to that no release was compatible with any other release of C3D period.

The export command has never converted C3D Objects to earlier version for that version to use. You will need to recreate your drawing via XML (blocks) or other means, in the version 13-16.

[rkmcswain]

rl_jackson wrote:
It has only worked from 13 through 16. Prior to that no release was compatible with any other release of C3D period.

The export command has never converted C3D Objects to earlier version for that version to use. You will need to recreate your drawing via XML (blocks) or other means, in the version 13-16.

Agreed. C3D 2017 > 2016

--is just like---

C3D 2012 > 2011 (or 2013>2012, or 2011>2010, etc)

Correct?

[jporter]

I'm not looking for it to convert Civil 3D objects to earlier versions. I'm simply looking for it to convert the entire drawing to AutoCAD linework with no proxy objects.  I want that alignment to convert to a polyline with text labels, I want the surface to convert to bunch of polylines with elevations, etc., etc.  

[jporter]

I believe the best solution may be to. . .

1. In 2017, export to AutoCAD and export to Land XML
2. In 2016, open the AutoCAD drawing and delete all the proxy object boxes.
3. Import the Land XML file.  

[rkmcswain]

I would agree with that, and if proxyobjects = 1 in v2017, then there won't be any proxy boxes to get rid of.

jporter wrote:
I want that alignment to convert to a polyline with text labels,

And if your final desired result really is a polyline and text, you don't need to import the landxml file.

[JamesMaeding]

Just saw this thread.

If the ability to saveas to lower versions without exploding the aec objects caused problems, this "autocad is same version but c3d objects are not" is going to be *fun*.

The question at hand is:

If we EXPORTTOAUTOCAD, and tell the aec objects to explode, do they?

We do not care about converting c3d data back, that went out the window long ago.

The answer MUST be that , yes, the objects explode.

Just be sure to tell the batch converter or export commands to do so.

Be sure to turn off the bind in options as well as in the civil batch converter dialog, they both must be off or you get in a bind...pun semi-intended.

[jporter]

@rkmcswain, at this point yes the final desire was to get it to Vanilla AutoCAD format.  This was to get to a client who doesn't have Civil 3D, but only AutoCAD.  

I went back through my process and I clarified it.  Here's what you need to do to get it out to AutoCAD and Civil 3D:

1. In 2017, export the file to AutoCAD and Land XML
2. In 2016, begin a new drawing
3. Assign it the same coordinate system as the original drawing
4. Insert the AutoCAD file (you’ll see you’ve lost all proxy objects)
5. Insert the LandXML file

Now if you need to get it back to AutoCAD format for someone else to use. . .because of the fact that you lost those proxy objects in step 4, you'll need to proceed to the end of step 5 and then you'll need to have it open in the earlier version of Civil 3D and then export the file to AutoCAD.