Merge AC 6.5 into AC 10

[Anonymous]

Hello,
I have an AC 6.5 project that I merged into an AC 10 template.
All of the 2D elements (lines, fills, 2D library parts, etc ) are missing
in all Section/Elevation windows and those Section/Elevation windows
whose markers face away from the project and are used to show
details using 2D elements only are completely blank.
I talked to someone at Archicad US tech support and was told
that they had not heard of such a thing and suggested I post
a query here.
Has anyone here run into this issue and knows how to get around it.
Thank you,
Peter Devlin

[Karl Ottenstein]

Not seen this one, Peter. But, I've never used a forward merge with a pre-10 (integrated layout) file and 10 and above. I've always converted using the migration recommendations - opening the original file to get the model info and then merging the layout book into that file.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure I ever took a 6.5 file directly to 10... 7 or 8.1 files might be the oldest that I might have migrated...

If you just open the 6.5 PLA in 10, is the stuff still missing? If not, save that and merge from there into your other 10 template perhaps?

[Anonymous]

Hello Karl,
Thank you for posting back. The AC 6.5 file was not a .pla file.
The AC 6.5 file was opened and saved in AC 10 without merging
and everything was there. The problem occurred when
the AC 10 file was merged into my AC 10 template. I wanted to
do the merge so that I could have the layer names, master layouts, etc
present. Now that I know there are problems with merging I will
copy and paste my master layouts, change layer combination names
and what ever else I can think of instead of merging.
I ended up copying and pasting all the 2D elements from the un-merged
file into the merged one (about one and one half hours work).
Thanks,
Peter Devlin

[Karl Ottenstein]

Ouch. Glad it wasn't a full day's work at least.

[Barry Kelly]

Merging is essentially the same as copy & paste.
The 3D model (& plan) is fine.
The section lines will all come through but the 2D information in those sections will not copy across.
You have to open each section/elevation and copy the 2D info manually as you have discovered.
I'm not sure why but it has always been this way.
Barry.

[Anonymous]

Hello Barry,
Thank you for posting back. Sorry I did not post back
earlier but when I saw your post it was after 2:00 AM
my time and I was tired.
It is interesting that all 2D elements (lines, fills, markers, etc.)
are carried over into the merged file in all plan windows in all stories.
So, I guess the merge mechanism has "nothing against" 2D elements
per se but only in Section/Elevation windows.
I wondered whether it might be the number of version between
the un-merged and the merged AC versions of the two files but you
say "it has always been this way". Perhaps implying
that even two files created and saved in the same AC version would
have the same issue when merged one into the other.
I wondered if it had something to do with the integrated plotmaker
in AC 10 as Karl wondered but since it is not an issue of layouts because
I was not trying to merge layouts I don't think so.
Thank you for your info,
Peter Devlin

[Barry Kelly]

Even if you are copying/merging the same version files you will only get what is in plan (2D & 3D).
In fact even in one file if you select and copy a section or elevation and paste it in the same file you will only copy the section line itself.
There will be no 2D info in it and of course it will now cut through your model where ever you place it.
Barry.