theahab Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 Our new Architect, Design/Build company subcontracts drafting to various AutoCAD Technicians via Dropbox. The issue is that amongst the AutoCAD technicians and our office and other consultants, every version of AutoCAD is being used. The issue at hand is that older versions cannot open a newer version, and conversely using a newer version requires using the save as command to save as an older version so that some with the older version can use the newer version's drawings. What is the best way to manage the various versions in a streamlined fashion ...? Look forward to hearing from you. Thank you. Quote
Jack_O'neill Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 Well, you got choices. One is the use of DXF format, it's supposed to be interchangeable amongst platforms, but I'm not sure about different versions of the same software. The other is for the folks that are somewhat behind the times to use Trueview, free from Autodesk. It's a drawing viewer that will up or down convert as needed from 2012 to R12. It will not be perfect however. When downconverting some of the newer features won't convert. Multileaders from 2010 for instance dont show up in a drawing converted to 2004. You may have to as a group set some conventions, a set of do's and don'ts if you will, to make this as painless as possible. Quote
theahab Posted October 19, 2011 Author Posted October 19, 2011 Thank you............. Well' date=' you got choices. One is the use of DXF format, it's supposed to be interchangeable amongst platforms, but I'm not sure about different versions of the same software. The other is for the folks that are somewhat behind the times to use Trueview, free from Autodesk. It's a drawing viewer that will up or down convert as needed from 2012 to R12. It will not be perfect however. When downconverting some of the newer features won't convert. Multileaders from 2010 for instance dont show up in a drawing converted to 2004. You may have to as a group set some conventions, a set of do's and don'ts if you will, to make this as painless as possible.[/quote'] Quote
DANIEL Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 on your newer version go to your option and have them set to autoatically save them down to an older version, this should alleviate your issue as we have this same mix and match issue here. Quote
RobDraw Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 If you are skipping a few versions when you are saving down, please use "export" instead of "save as". The saved down files and get screwed up if you use "save as". Quote
ReMark Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 The Export option being referred to above would show up in the list of "Files as type" as Block (*.dwg). Quote
RobDraw Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 I don't know what he's talking about but this is what I'm referring to. Quote
ReMark Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Guess I was confused. You're referring to the DXF file format? Quote
RobDraw Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 DXF was already mentioned. I was simply saying that when saving down to earlier versions that the export command does a better job because simply doing a "save as" often causes issues. Quote
ReMark Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 When I open that Export option that you have shown in your image I see options for DWF, DWFx, 3D DWF, PDF, DGN, FBX and Other Formats. If I click on Other Formats the Export Data window appears. In the drop-down list at the bottom there are several other file type options available such as BMP, SAT and WMF. DXF is not on the list (sorry if I may have given anyone the impression that it was) but there is an option to export as a Block in DWG format. Quote
RobDraw Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Those options are there but I was referring to the export to .dwg format. Quote
ReMark Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Strange. I don't seem to have that option at the top of my Export list (nor do I have the IFC option). What version AutoCAD was that image taken from? Quote
RobDraw Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 That was taken from AutoCAD MEP 2011 but I can remember it being around for quite a while. Quote
ReMark Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 OK. For a moment there I thought there was something wrong with my program. Thanks. Quote
f700es Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Only ACAD verticals (MEP, Arch, Civil) have the export feature Rob is showing. This is to allow the file to be used in vanilla cad and other dwg editors IIRC. My 2012 Acad is like what Remark says and my Arch 2012 is like your picture above. Quote
Jack_O'neill Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 2010 has a similar arrangement: But it doesn't help. It still screws the mleaders up whether you do saveas or export from this menu to 2004. The leaders come through, but it loses the text. Using the ordinary leader command, they are fine done either way. Quote
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