File Associations Problem - Older Installs Open PLNs

[Anonymous]

My office has used ArchiCAD since Version 7.0 and often I need to load and print older projects. I have versions 8.1 through 11 installed on my machine. Regardless of which order I install the different versions, windows seems to randomly pick a certain version to associate PLN files with and will always try to open them with that version.

Example: If I browse with Windows Explorer to a version 11 pln, and double click, ArchiCAD 9 opens and then gives me an incompatible version error. Right clicking and selecting 'open with' does not fix the problem (I assume because all versions are just named archicad.exe). Is there any way to make ArchCAD 11 the default application for opening PLNs while other versions are installed?

P4 3.0GH 2GB RAM
Win XP SP2
AC11US, AC10US, AC9US AC8.1US

[Anonymous]

Hello,
Thank you very much for taking the time to tell me how to take care of this issue in windows xp. Going to the "advanced" option just as you said gave me the option to browse and select the archicad.exe, where the standard route would not allow me to replace the archicad 11 executable with the archicad 12 executable.
I guess microsoft in their "advanced" wisdom only wanted "advanced" users to change a setting like this.

[Thomas Holm]

Link wrote:
I don't believe there's any validity to opening ArchiCAD first, then opening the file. In fact I think it is quite a slow method.

I have every version of ArchiCAD in my quick launch bar, and just drag the files onto the respective version. Unless it is an AC12 version, which is what my pln is associated to, so I just double click the file.

Well, YMMV.
Unless you know beforehand what version each file belongs to, or have labeled them in some way, I maintain the safe way is to open the app first.
This is because each version will open files from several versions back. If you're not sure about the versions beforehand, you will undoubtedly lose time on unnecessary mistakes and conversions.

Using the Open command from within the app, you will get info on what Archicad version the file was created by with a (single)click on its name.

[Link]

Thomas wrote:
Using the Open command from within the app, you will get info on what Archicad version the file was created by with a (single)click on its name.

That's a fair comment, however (in Windows at least) you can see the AC version, simply by hovering your cursor over the file.

Cheers,
Link.

[Thomas Holm]

Link wrote:
That's a fair comment, however (in Windows at least) you can see the AC version, simply by hovering your cursor over the file.

A Windows advantage!

Seems to me Graphisoft hasn't implemented version marking (accessible to the file system) for Archicad files on the Mac, although OSX supports it. Thus, you don't get this info even if you do a Get Info from the Finder. You have to do it from inside Archicad. Actually I'd be happy if someone could prove me wrong here. It would save me time!

[Djordje]

It is very simple and fool proof.

1. Start ArchiCAD

2. Click on File/Open

3. Open the file

End of the story.

[David Maudlin]

Thomas wrote:

Link wrote:
That's a fair comment, however (in Windows at least) you can see the AC version, simply by hovering your cursor over the file.

A Windows advantage!

Seems to me Graphisoft hasn't implemented version marking (accessible to the file system) for Archicad files on the Mac, although OSX supports it. Thus, you don't get this info even if you do a Get Info from the Finder. You have to do it from inside Archicad. Actually I'd be happy if someone could prove me wrong here. It would save me time!

For versions 9 and earlier, the Get Info window shows the ArchiCAD version of the file on the Mac, this feature was dropped with version 10 and later. I agree, this feature should be brought back.

David

[Thomas Holm]

David wrote:
this feature should be brought back.

Yes!

[Anonymous]

I agree- that was kind of nice.

On the multiple instances of AC issue, simply this:

Windows doesn't actually default to the "last installation of ArchiCAD" -that isn't quite correct. Windows defaults to the last association of the file name to whatever program has the latest registry creation date (that CAN be changed by the way). This is especially true when the extension ID (in our case, something like *.pln, or say, *.dwg) is the same across various version of the same *.exe and application to access them!

The biggest problem is unless you do some registry editing, you're stuck using just whatever VERSION of AC is associated with the file association in windows. So while you CAN edit the install method and change the dates of the association, whatever you do you're pretty much stuck with unless you're REALLY savy with registry editing!

(check the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT for this list and editing, but back up your registry BEFORE you do squat! = http://winbeginners.com/graphics/hkey_classes.htm )

so if you have AC7, AC9, AC 11 and AC 12 installed, and you edit the registry to have the plans open under AC9, then AC9 will be the one it opens with from now on, until you re-edit the registry. I just tried it out so I can confirm this.

So the "convenience" of simply clicking a file and having to do some SERIOUS registry editing to perhaps have windows associate *,pln files based on creation date (LOL- now we're getting crazy) with differeny versions of AC, vs. simply dragging the file over the short cut (either on desktop, quicklaunch or a custom tool bar you make) is ...well. You can drag or you can launch AC first like D' says, or sit down for 6 months and learn how to customize your registry and try and do stuff the windows crew has struggled with for the last 10 years to get right (LOL!)....

If you ONLY want to open ALL your files from now on with an OLDER version of AC, you either have to uninstall the newer ones, or change the date in your bios when you install the apps in windows so that the one you WANT to be the default, if the one that the bios was set to latest... Capice? So some juggling with your computers settings, which might give you windows licensing errors or Graphisoft errors, but really is a LOT of trouble for avoiding the work-around.

IF you're still curious why Graphisoft hasn't "fixed" this (least on a windows platform) I don't think it CAN be fixed. IT is a windows issue- windows associates *.*** (in our case, *.pln, for instance) with an app and that's that. Windows as it stands currently does not have a simple default smart-sensor to associate file creation programs with the prospective file names when the file name extension is the same as files created with a later version of the same program or file extension. The reason for that is it would create a NIGHTMARE of code and registry problems in half of microsoft's products- something they are already out on a limb with in the windows registry (the most fragile and vulnerable part of their operating system!).... renaming the various versions of AC (archicad.exe) won't solve this, as windows itself can not differentate, without 3rd part applications, the association of file extensions based on creation and date with different applications.

NOW that would be cool though, eh? Maybe it can be done, and I would think a smart coder could write something we could use, but it is going to be WAY out there on a wing in left field, with maybe a few hundred users in the world at best- which leaves problems that are created by it for your OS, totally in no-mans land and without support.... so maybe it already has been done and disappeared because of this.

Good luck regardless.


oh- the other solution for Graphisoft is proprietary extension names- which creates more spider web problems in the registry and solves less than it creates- AND such a function would render sharing the files between versions of AC and different workstations a major nightmare for the licensing at the very least. A music software maker from Germany tried this and it pretty much put them out of business by version 4- none of their file formats were compatible or had problems with earlier file formats, rendering upgrades a total waste of time and killing off their customer base. Graphisoft is right to leave this in microsoft's no-man's land and stick to simply letting the latest version be the default.

p.s.
we've taken to naming the files with a 2nd extension to indicate the version created with or last edited with so that we don't run into opening issues... I.E.

08412E01.09.pln
year, project number, Existing/Remodel, Version. AC-version*.pln

Date and version is more important for sorting, so I've got the AC variant stuck at the end. Put the AC version where it makes sense for your sorting method. Usually we only have a few files per project, as they're organized in company folders that are the same for every project.

[Anonymous]

p.s.s.

By the way you CAN make a custom file association. You simply have to rename each pln to your new file association, and then when you click on it, windows will ask you what to open it with- choose the proggy you want, and viola!
so naming your extension for AC9 solo plans to something like *.09s and for AC 11 to something like *.11s will get you that quick click for the appropriate version of AC you want.



However, even if you do this (it works for other apps) once AC pops up, it will ask you what file you want to open, with the usual last defaults listed, vs. auto-loading the file you associated with it. I think if you edit the registry, for AC it will auto-load the file without asking for you to browse for it... this is something for the techs though, as it's too much hassle for me. This might work...

http://www.la-solutions.co.uk/content/FileAssociations.htm#Registry

That might help (fast google browse), from a non-related firm, but it's the same procedure for AC's stuff or anyone else

Just drag the file over the AC version you want and release the mouse button!!!!

[Anonymous]

Jp if you're not already working for archicad maybe they should hire you.