opening v7.0 files in v12.0

[Anonymous]

I used to work on ArchiCAD many years ago and the firm I was with used v7. I'm trying to take a look at some of my old files so I downloaded the academic trial v12 but it won't let me open my old files. Is there any way to convert the old files for free? I don't need to edit anything and I can't afford to buy any software for this. I just need to take a look at some old drawings and/or print them out for my records.

[Karl Ottenstein]

ebenko wrote:
I used to work on ArchiCAD many years ago and the firm I was with used v7. I'm trying to take a look at some of my old files so I downloaded the academic trial v12 but it won't let me open my old files. Is there any way to convert the old files for free? I don't need to edit anything and I can't afford to buy any software for this. I just need to take a look at some old drawings and/or print them out for my records.

Your best bet is to just open the old files in ... 7. All versions of ArchiCAD work in 'Demo' mode without a key, and the old PlotMaker runs without a key as I recall. (I'm getting old. Sorry.) So, you just need to find somebody who has a 7 CD that they can loan you - unless someone here knows of a download site.

Here is the read/write compatibility of ArchiCAD versions (towards the bottom of the page):
http://www.archicadwiki.com/ArchiCAD%20versions

As you can see, you can read 7 files up to ArchiCAD 10. (At that point, you have to have one of 8.1, 9 or 10 to make a temporary conversion of the 7 file to that version so that 12 can then open it. Huge effort if you just want to look or print.

If you are like way too many users, you probably did not save your 7 projects as a PLA (embeds library parts), in which case the only way the project will open and look correct anyway is with the original 7 library. So, again, you may just need to borrow somebody's 7 CD.

By the way, if you are on an Intel Mac (you do not say), you can download AC 10 US for Intel Mac here:
http://tr.graphisoftus.com/
(towards the bottom of the AC 10 group) - but again, it will only help you if your 7 files were saved as PLA, otherwise your library parts will not show up.

Cheers,
Karl

PS This is of no help to you, ebenko, but to those reading: ebenko's situation will likely happen to you one day. To save (some) future grief, when you wrap up a project, save a set of drawings as a PDF and also save the project as a PLA. I would like to pretend that I always do this...but have to admit that I've forgotten to generate the PLA more often than not.

[Djordje]

Karl wrote:
PS This is of no help to you, ebenko, but to those reading: ebenko's situation will likely happen to you one day. To save (some) future grief, when you wrap up a project, save a set of drawings as a PDF and also save the project as a PLA. I would like to pretend that I always do this...but have to admit that I've forgotten to generate the PLA more often than not.

Can't agree more ... on top of that, keep the old versions installed. Yes, I know it's not easy or even possible with the Macs, but any Windows machine will still run 6.o ... not sure about Vista, though ...

For the hell of it, I will try to install 5.0 on the current XP machine. Just to see what happens. Yes, I have the CDs ... 😉