Cannot access older revit version files

[arbaaz99]

Hi Guys,

              I am using Revit 2020 and i am trying to access a old revit file. The file is saved/created from a old version of Revit. When I try to access the file i get this message (The file was saved in a later version of Revit and cannot be retrieved in this version). The file is a 2009 version. The file is not upgrading either. So what should I do guys?

Arbaaz Khan

[iainsavage · Accepted solution]

That message means that the file has already been upgraded to a version newer than 2020 - are you sure its a 2009 file?

[hmunsell · Accepted solution]

if you open Revit, and use File > Open. in the window, if you single click on the file, under the preview window, it should tell you the version of the file if the file being selected is older than the version you have open. If the file is New format, that area will say Version Unknown.

[HVAC-Novice · Accepted solution]

Open with R2024 and see if that works. It also will tell you (before converting) what that old version is. It may be a version newer than 2020. 

If you use multiple versions in your office and need to keep some projects (and families) on a specific version, you probably want to start some file naming system to not get confused. If you meant to keep that project in 2020, and someone already converted it to 2024, for example, and put a lot of 2024 work in, this is all obsolete unless you decide to move forward with 2024 for that project. 

In an ideal World, everyone would upgrade to the newest eversion. But we live in this World. 

https://revitlink.blogspot.com/2017/05/why-is-revit-not-backwards-compatible.html

[hmunsell]

@arbaaz99 have you been able to figure this out or are you still having issues opening the file?

[arbaaz99]

It is saying version unknown

[RobDraw · Accepted solution]

That means the file is a newer version than the one you are working in.

[arbaaz99]

Yes. When i try to open the file from the folder instead of opening it from Revit. It tries to upgrade the file. And it gives a message (Your model needs to be upgraded from Autodesk Revit 2009 or earlier to Autodesk Revit 2020).

[hmunsell · Accepted solution]

Did this file come from within your office or from outside your office?

• if from with in, what versions of Revit do you have access to? find the correct version and get it loaded.
  • talk to your IT department or others on the project
• if from outside the office, contact them and find out what version they used.

[iainsavage]

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@arbaaz99  schrieb:
When i try to open the file from the folder instead of opening it from Revit..

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What does that mean? How are you opening a Revit file if not in Revit?