File transfer between versions of ArchiCAD

[Anonymous]

I "hear" that ArchiCAD allows you to open say a version 9 file in version 8 for example. Is this the case? Are there limitations or problems with this?

Thanks.

[TomWaltz]

About in the same way that other programs can. In 9, you can "save as" version 8 (like Word or AutoCAD or other programs).

As with other programs, any data structures made for the newer version will not display correctly in the older version.

[Laszlo Nagy]

This is very visible mostly in case of Library Parts.
If you save a version 9 file in version 8 format, Library Parts will not be converted, since they are a later format.
SO this info will be either lost, or in AC 9 you can explode all Library Parts (create 2D lines/fiils/texts with 3D lost) and that will be saved into ArchiCAD 8.

[Djordje]

laszlonagy wrote:
This is very visible mostly in case of Library Parts.
If you save a version 9 file in version 8 format, Library Parts will not be converted, since they are a later format.
SO this info will be either lost, or in AC 9 you can explode all Library Parts (create 2D lines/fiils/texts with 3D lost) and that will be saved into ArchiCAD 8.

Therefore, if the backwards compatibility is important, use only the oldest version's library. Make SURE that, in case of 9/8.1, you use the 8.1 library revised for 9!!! Free download from tech support sites.

[__archiben]

boofredlay wrote:
I "hear" that ArchiCAD allows you to open say a version 9 file in version 8 for example. Is this the case? Are there limitations or problems with this?

no! the other way around . . . newer versions are generally backwards compatible but you will never open a newer file version in an older archiCAD: you must always 'save as...' the earlier file version and in the process lose any data-associated with the newer version.

because of the advanced data-structures needed to contain the building information - and the continually developing nature of that information - there can sometimes be a few issues with this process too. as lászló has pointed out, this is usually only the case with objects/library parts as their data structures change the most radically with each release.

~/archiben

[Laszlo Nagy]

~/archiben wrote:
because of the advanced data-structures needed to contain the building information - and the continually developing nature of that information - there can sometimes be a few issues with this process too. as lászló has pointed out, this is usually only the case with objects/library parts as their data structures change the most radically with each release.

~/archiben

Off-Topic:
Ben, completely correctly written Hungarian name, I'm impressed

[__archiben]

laszlonagy wrote:
Ben, completely correctly written Hungarian name, I'm impressed

vertesi, neda, kocsis, vass, papp . . . and your good-self nagy makes six budapest lászló's that i have communicated with over the last few years . . . but it's probably the only name i do get right!

cheers!
~/archiben

[Laszlo Nagy]

Ah, yes, of course (slap on forehead with palm), there's some few of us.

[Anonymous]

Having had Archicad in the practice since 1990, we have some old drawings still on disk in version 4.55. We have to keep a copy of Archicad 8 so we can open these files. Now I understand that 9 can only open as far back as 6.5 of which we have many projects we have to occasionally revisit.

With the advent of 10 about to approach us what is the oldest Archicad file version 10 will be able to open, I ask this as I need to know whether to keep 8 running on a machine to enable access and conversion of older files, and will 10 open V8 files that I would be able to convert the old files to?