Revit 2018 in 2017

[Anonymous]

Is there ANY way to convert a Revit 2018 file to Revit 2017?

Can I save it on Navisworks and then Revit 2017?

Can I save it on IFC and then Revit 2017?

Any ideas are welcome!

[Anonymous]

revit is not back compatible - unlike AUTOcad

im not sure about navisworks i dont use it .... however you can export IFC out of 2018 and then import into 2017.... not sure how much work you can do on it after that - you'll be able to see it!

[Anonymous]

really? that has got to be a bug if its true? we dont have 2018 yet (precisely for these sorts of reasons) so i cant try and replicate...... 3d CAD would be the way to go then eh?!

[chrisplyler]

Get 2018 and install it right alongside 2017.

Since you're wary, you can still use 2017 for your own projects. But you will be able to open 2018 files when you need to.

[Anonymous]

i agree. not my call tho' im just a revit grunt 😉

[dgorsman]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

im not sure about navisworks i dont use it .... however you can export IFC out of 2018 and then import into 2017.... not sure how much work you can do on it after that - you'll be able to see it!

---

Navisworks isn't a version or file type conversion program i.e. it cannot be used to save down to a previous file version, convert to IFC, etc.  It can do some limited export as FBX files but that's purely "dumb" content for the purpose of importing the objects into visualization software.

This is one of the important jobs of the BIM Coordinator/Manager/whatever.  They need to establish which version (and update/SP/etc.) everyone on the project must use, and enforce that selection.  If someone gets a "case of the clevers" and attempts to change versions it can royally mess up a project in lost time.

[Anonymous]

Export views to Autocad and recreate in 2017.

Probably the quickest and easiest method.  It's how I do it switching from Revit to Archicad or vice versa.

[Anonymous]

Yes, The BIM coordinator has an important role. 

But what would you do if the model is done in feasibility stages and there is no agreement in place for the software version yet?

Is Autodesk imposing to us that we must work with the oldest version of Revit in order to not have problems with the team in the future?

[Sahay_R]

A lot of offices run multiple versions of Revit simultaneously, because 

1) the project was started in an older/newer version

2) a collaborator/consultant is using an older/newer version

4) the demands of the owner.

5) contract terms

As far as AutoDesk goes, they are attempting to stay ahead of the game through innovation and updates. If it wasn't for innovation, we'd still be living in caves.......

[dgorsman]

While re-using a study for the actual project is the ideal, that's rarely worked out.  Most of the time everything has started from scratch for various reasons - including settling on a different program version.

@Sahay_R - I dunno, banging some rocks together can be pretty fun.  But I'd still rather have a computer. 

[Viveka_CD · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous

Thanks for posting on the Revit Architecture forum.

A Revit file format is not backward compatible.

However, you can export your Revit model to the IFC and open the IFC file in the previous version of the application. IFC allows the transfer of Building Information Modeling (BIM) data between previous Revit releases, but you may end up losing some Revit BIM data.

See HERE for backward compatibility of Revit with earlier releases of the software

See HERE for upgrading Revit Projects to a New Version

If you find posts have solved your problem, please click on 'Accept as solution' to help others with similar questions.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

hello, I want  to ask, but is there any missing component after that? 

Thanks 

[Viveka_CD]

Hi @Anonymous

With new Revit releases in addition to new commands or changes to prior behavior, under the hood, there will also be changes to the underlying structure of the file format, and how elements are updated. 

Regards,

[shreef_hassan]

You should make way to open newest version file to have ability to open in older version of revit

Also you shouldn't wait for small programing like autocad’s lisps files to correct like this issue

I think its issue when someone work with revit 2019 using his one laptop or workstation  (with good performance ) and then he can't send my his file as I will not be able to open his file in my older version revit 2018

I know it’s a marketing   idea to make this but please you should either make away to save file as older version or  make way to open newest version file

I wish this issue and my  opinion make this better

Good luck , keep going you on the right way

---

@Viveka_CD wrote:

Hi @Anonymous

With new Revit releases in addition to new commands or changes to prior behavior, under the hood, there will also be changes to the underlying structure of the file format, and how elements are updated. 

Regards,

---

---

@Viveka_CD wrote:

Hi @Anonymous

With new Revit releases in addition to new commands or changes to prior behavior, under the hood, there will also be changes to the underlying structure of the file format, and how elements are updated. 

Regards,

---

---

@Viveka_CD wrote:

Hi @Anonymous

With new Revit releases in addition to new commands or changes to prior behavior, under the hood, there will also be changes to the underlying structure of the file format, and how elements are updated. 

Regards,

---

---

@Viveka_CD wrote:

Hi @Anonymous

With new Revit releases in addition to new commands or changes to prior behavior, under the hood, there will also be changes to the underlying structure of the file format, and how elements are updated. 

Regards,

---

---

@Viveka_CD wrote:

Hi @Anonymous

With new Revit releases in addition to new commands or changes to prior behavior, under the hood, there will also be changes to the underlying structure of the file format, and how elements are updated. 

Regards,

---

---

@Viveka_CD wrote:

Hi @Anonymous

With new Revit releases in addition to new commands or changes to prior behavior, under the hood, there will also be changes to the underlying structure of the file format, and how elements are updated. 

Regards,

---

[shreef_hassan]

by the way autodesk have the best developer and programmer

Why they can't solve this issue ????

I think it just very intelligent idea for marketing newest version of revit .

also did you know or I will tell you I know peoples still working with autocad 2007 up till now?

you Know why They learn cad2007 and still work with it and they haven't time to try Newest cad version with ribbon tool bar or new appearance?

at all they should have a way   or answer for or problem .

thanks      

[RobDraw]

They don't have a way. They never did. I'm sorry that you missed the first day of your training. Please stop spamming.

[Viveka_CD · Accepted solution]

Hi @shreef_hassan

We understand your point of view, but as I've mentioned in on of the earlier posts,  Revit file format is not backward compatible.

However, you can export your Revit model to the IFC and open the IFC file in the previous version of the application. IFC allows the transfer of Building Information Modeling (BIM) data between previous Revit releases, but you may end up losing some Revit BIM data.

*Please see AKN article HERE for backward compatibility of Revit with earlier releases of the software

See HERE for upgrading Revit Projects to a New Version

I hope that helps!

Regards,

[benj]

It is without a Doubt Autodesk is ahead of the Publisher pack.

Therefore, we should see a backward compatibility issue addressed via a new Revit platform patch update that can open a 2018 version from launching the 2017 version.

Pretty straightforward, don't you think?

[RobDraw]

That sounds like a reasonable statement but it is just an opinion. 

[candersonFG646]

Solved? You can save an IFC file, but all families become in-place elements. This is seriously horrible. I dont understand why you keep making new versions of revit so everything just becomes incompatible. Dont understand why you dont just make one version of revit and just constantly update it. I bet if you did it that way, you would have alot more time to focus on actually fixing bugs and issues instead of focusing all your time on making the next version.

We have projects that sometimes last years. Sometimes a work-around is not a solution.