Archi CAD 6,5 - Licence change

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I'd like to ask is it possible to change old program licence. I've got the Archi CAD 6,5 with education licence and I would like to change it to the full comercial licence. What shall I do to achieve that if it's even possible? I know it sounds riddiculus, espiecially when new AC 17 is on the market, however it's important for me to use that specific program. I've been informed by Polish distrubutor to buy Start Edition of AC 17, but I simply cannot afford it. Polish companies usually are no help in such situations so I figured that maybe here I can get some informations.

I'd really apreciate Your help.

Regards
Mieszko S.

[Barry Kelly]

Purchasing a license for 17 gives you the right to use any old version that you want (if you can get the software and your machine still runs it).
I think that as you already have version 6.5 EDU this will run as commercial version as soon as you plug in a licence key (It would have to be a WIBU-key as 6.5 won't run with a Codemeter key as far as I know).

I don't know if you can buy a new license with a WIBU key though - I think it is all Codemeter now.

You might find someone willing to sell an old license (cheaply?) but I believe technically you will never own it as the license is not transferable from one person to another.
Some Archicad distributers used to offer a transfer for a fee but I am not sure if this is still done or not.
The fee is probably close to buying a full license anyway by the time you add it to what you pay for the old license.

Not sure if that has been of any help.
Barry.

[Eduardo Rolon]

On another note up until AC09 there was no way to open Edu Projects (PNE) in the commercial version since both versions were separate, nor will they open in AC10 or newer. Now you can open EDU projects in regular AC but it will switch to EDU (with a a watermark on the prints) while working on the particular file.

There was a rumor that GS could convert files from EDU to Commercial but that has never been confirmed and they have no reason to since the licensing is very specific on what you can and cannot do.

What I would do is the following and for this you need a AC17 license.

• 1. in AC6.5 export the 3D in multiple file formats - DWG, 3DS, OBJ, DXF and by level if possible.
  2. in AC17 import the exports by converting to objects (open object command) and check which one has the most information.
  3. Convert the resulting Object into a Morph and use that to recreate the elements that are needed with the correct tools (Slabs, Walls, etc)
  4. You will also need to export to DWG all the Layouts or Saved 2D views in order to recreate your 2D documentation.