Exporting a file to give to someone else.

[mark33.in.oz]

I know someone else locally who uses Fusion 360.

Only for the fun of it we swapped files now and then to help each other with designing things.

The files use to be .f3d he (recently) couldn't import it and I was asked to send it as a .3mf file.

Has there been a change in what is happening with file portability?

I would (maybe) appreciate this if I was sending it to someone who was using a DIFFERENT CAD program, but when they are using the SAME one and it won't load on theirs:  it makes me wonder.

[jeff_strater]

No, no change.  There are two different operations.  Export:

This is what allows you to export as a Fusion Archive (F3D or F3Z)

There is also a Save as Mesh command:

that allows you to export your design as a mesh file (usually for 3D printing).  This does default to 3MF as a file type

[mark33.in.oz]

Ok, thanks.

"In the past" I would export the .f3d file and send it to the other person and all is/was good.

The other day I exported and saved as .f3d, sent it and was told it wouldn't load on their machine.

I then tried the other format and all worked.

[jeff_strater · Accepted solution]

the only reason why an F3D would not be readable on the other person's machine is if the two of you are on different versions (yours has updated, the other person's has not).  Check version numbers.

Yes, a mesh format will likely be readable by others, but you are losing a lot of information using that format.  No timeline, and the geometry will be faceted (triangles) instead of precise solid geometry.  Don't use a mesh format unless you are planning to 3D print it, or modify it in some mesh editor like Meshmixer.

If you need to share a design with someone with a different CAD system, choose STEP as the output type.  That preserves the precise geometry and any component structure you have in your design.

[mark33.in.oz]

Thanks.   This may be the problem.   We registered a few moths apart from each other and may have different versions.

Though that seems counter productive if "backward compatibility" isn't given.

[jeff_strater · Accepted solution]

Backward compatibility is supported.  A version of Fusion can read design from any previous version.  However, "forward" compatibility is not.  Meaning:  A version of Fusion cannot read designs written by a "future" version of Fusion.  This is pretty common across lots of applications.  It would be very difficult to predict what might be added in a future version.  It sounds like your friend just needs to update to the latest version (usually a quick process), and you should again be able to share designs.

[mark33.in.oz]

Ok.   I only asked because it was only the other week I updated and I thought they had updated....   Ah.  Yeah.  It was going backwards, not forwards in versions.

Or the wrong way I guess.

Again:  Thanks.