Converting shapefiles to old (90's) DXF version?

Hello everyone

 

I have an issue, I need to convert shapefiles to a pretty old version of dxf.

 

Shapefiles is a file format used in geographical systems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shapefile

 

For example a shapefile could contain points, lines or polygons, and attributes for each point/line/whatever.

 

Now I need to convert shapefiles to an old version of the dxf format, I don't even know exactly what version so I'll have to find out by trial and error I guess. (But a gut feeling says somewhere in the 90's.)

 

Luckily there are tools to convert shapefiles to the modern versions of DXF, but where do I go from there?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

(I am totally unfamiliar with CAD, AutoDesk, AutoCAD or dxf by the way, just so you know.)

AutoCAD 2012 can save back as an r12 DXF. How much further back do you need to go?

The conversion packages (SHP to DXF) that I have seen are using the R12/R14 versions. What program are you using?

Hello everyone and thank you for the replies so far.

AutoCAD 2012 can save back as an r12 DXF. How much further back do you need to go?

Looking at the release history for AutoCAD r12 was released in '92, so it sure seems promising. However it would be most desirable to find some no-cost software capable of doing this conversion from the more modern versions of dxf to r12. Does such software exists?

 

The conversion packages (SHP to DXF) that I have seen are using the R12/R14 versions. What program are you using?

To further complicate things this "detective-work" is really just something I'm doing as a semi-hobby, apart from my actual work.

 

We got a fairly recent version of ArcGIS Desktop, 9.1 I think. I don't know what formats of dxf it can export the data to.

When backsaving that far back, you may have to explode any complex components in to individual entities. Many early programs won't show an un-exploded item. Also, make sure its all one layer, no splines, no 3-d items.

We got a fairly recent version of ArcGIS Desktop, 9.1 I think. I don't know what formats of dxf it can export the data to.

 

ArcGIS 9.xxx saves to R14 version IIRC.