Opening an Archicad file from 2003

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I have a client who wants to rehabilitate and build an old project back from 2003.
I have the Archicad model file and I tried to open it with Archicad 17, but I got a warning saying that "It is not possible to open files from older versions".
I stil have the original Archicad versions (maybe Archicad 6 or 7) but I am afraid that they duo not run on the computer I am using nowadays. I tried to open it with Archicad_12 but Archicad_12 crashed. : (

What can I do to open an old Archicad file from 2003? Any hints?

Jaime Neto
Archicad 17
MacBook Pro 17''
MacosX 10.9.3
Portugal

[Eduardo Rolon]

Start here with the converters and read the Migration guide for AC17.

https://www.graphisoft.com/downloads/fileconverter.html

I would try to use the converter to update to the earliest version that AC17 can use, then use 17 to bring it forward.

[Anonymous]

ejrolon wrote:
Start here with the converters and read the Migration guide for AC17.

https://www.graphisoft.com/downloads/fileconverter.html

I would try to use the converter to update to the earliest version that AC17 can use, then use 17 to bring it forward.

I have opened an older version of Archicad (Archicad 10) on MacosX 10.9.3.
It opened fine but... when I tried to open the older file from 2003 it crashed.
I think I must use Archicad 7 to open it, but Archicad 7 does not run os MacOsX 10.9.3.
So, it seems that the only solution is to run Archicad 7 on an older Macintosh, maybe a G4.
It is really annoying trying unsuccessfully to open older files from Archicad.
I think that Graphisoft should have a more pratical solution for this problem.
I am a dedicated Archicad user since version 4.5 and I feel frustrated not being able to open older files, considering that I have spent so much hours of work.
There shouldd be a technical solution for this problem!

Jaime Neto
Archicad 4.5---->Archicad 17
MacOsX 19.9.3
MacBookPro 17''
Portugal

[Eduardo Rolon]

Another discussion on the subject

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=46219

[David Maudlin]

Jaime wrote:
So, it seems that the only solution is to run Archicad 7 on an older Macintosh, maybe a G4.

You don't need a G4, just a Mac that can run OSX10.6, which has Rosetta, which can run AC7. See this thread for partitioning a hard drive to run 2 operating systems: Mac mini won't open archicad.

David

[Anonymous]

Hello, note that this topic is quiet so assume you found a resolution? However, thought I would just post this table in case someone finds it useful. One of the guys in our office dropped it into our QA handbook for reference, as we began using ArchiCAD before version 8 and migrating really old files has been problematic in the past.

Just a disclaimer to say that the link in the jpeg is dead, I haven't been able to find the equivalent page on the new ArchiCAD help centre, so I can only assume that the info is still current.

Most interesting point to note is that "3. Codemeter dongles will not install 8.0 or earlier versions".

[Laszlo Nagy]

Dan wrote:
Most interesting point to note is that "3. Codemeter dongles will not install 8.0 or earlier versions".

Yes, because CodeMeter came out with AC13.
There are enabler programs that were created for AC 10, 11 and 12 so they too can be run with CodeMeter dongle, although they originally required WIBU dongles:

http://www.graphisoft.com/downloads/protection_key.html#CMEnabler

I suppose there were technological reasons why there are no enablers for even earlier version. For one thing, AC10 was the version where PlotMaker got integrated with ArchiCAD, which was a big change. (But this is just a guess on my part.)

[Anonymous]

Hi laszlonagy,

Not that you're suggesting I am, but just to just say I wasn't necessarily complaining regarding the dongle (I hope it didn't read like that?). I totally understand that sometimes things just need to move on and technology can't be infinitely backwards compatible.

Anyway as we know from below/above, the file converter page looks like it has everything you need to get those dusty files open 🙂

[Laszlo Nagy]

Dan wrote:
Hi laszlonagy,

Not that you're suggesting I am, but just to just say I wasn't necessarily complaining regarding the dongle (I hope it didn't read like that?). I totally understand that sometimes things just need to move on and technology can't be infinitely backwards compatible.

Anyway as we know from below/above, the file converter page looks like it has everything you need to get those dusty files open 🙂

No, I didn't take it that way.
I just found this a good opportunity to place some info here about the CodeMeter enablers. Recently they have been a great help to me because I didn't know about them before and I thought I couldn't run pre-13 versions anymore because I have only a CodeMeter key. But I found these enablers, installed them and everything is dandy.