Saving 2008 .dwg as earlier version

[ServaCleanCAD]

Here's a tricky one, where I've drawn a blank from both my AutoCAD supplier and AutoDesk themselves. We produce our drawings using AutoCAD 2008, and are asked on many occasions to supply our drawings in earlier releases of AutoCAD, generally R2000. We annotate the paperspace layout with text boxes and leaderlines, but when the drawing is saved to the earlier version, the viewports have changed views slightly (due to the new camera command replacing the view command, apparently), resulting in the leaders not pointing to the intended target. Has anyone else noticed this problem, and found a way around it? Sorry if I sound a little unfamiliar with AutoCAD, but that's because I have been a machine tool programmer for many years, and am quite new to AutoCAD (only 6 months experience!). Thank you.

[SLW210]

Get your clients to Upgrade or use DWG TruView free from Autodesk to view and convert the drawings or my preferred method, get DWGGateway free from Solidworks.

[Ritch7]

yeh or another way is to download Universal Document Converter http://www.print-driver.com/download/
in which you can change a cad drawing into PDF in seconds.

[ServaCleanCAD]

Thanks for the replies - unfortunately TrueView doesn't work - just downloaded and tried it. Gonna try the SolidWorks one in the morning. PDF isn't the way, the client wants to insert our drawing into his layout. We design bars (as in, restaurant/pub bars), and our clients generally insert our 3D layouts into their architectural drawings. I'll keep trying to find a way! Thanks again.

[SLW210]

Thanks for the replies - unfortunately TrueView doesn't work - just downloaded and tried it. Gonna try the SolidWorks one in the morning. PDF isn't the way, the client wants to insert our drawing into his layout. We design bars (as in, restaurant/pub bars), and our clients generally insert our 3D layouts into their architectural drawings. I'll keep trying to find a way! Thanks again.

Why doesn't TrueView work?

[LElkins]

Here's a tricky one, where I've drawn a blank from both my AutoCAD supplier and AutoDesk themselves. We produce our drawings using AutoCAD 2008, and are asked on many occasions to supply our drawings in earlier releases of AutoCAD, generally R2000. We annotate the paperspace layout with text boxes and leaderlines, but when the drawing is saved to the earlier version, the viewports have changed views slightly (due to the new camera command replacing the view command, apparently), resulting in the leaders not pointing to the intended target. Has anyone else noticed this problem, and found a way around it? Sorry if I sound a little unfamiliar with AutoCAD, but that's because I have been a machine tool programmer for many years, and am quite new to AutoCAD (only 6 months experience!). Thank you.

Are you by any chance using annotative text/dimensions/etc?
In the options dialog, Open/Save tab, in the top left, tick Maintain Visual Fidelity for annotative objects, and you should be ok.

Cheers

[ServaCleanCAD]

Thanks again for the replies. In response to the last 2; TrueView doesn't work because it produces the same result as AutoCAD - the leaders are pointing to the wrong features because the viewport has changed. The option "maintain visual fidelity" is checked, but also doesn't work. You can reproduce my problem if you are using 07/08 AutoCAD, by pointing a leader in paperspace at a feature in a viewport, then saving the drawing as an earlier version (ie R2000), then re-opening the R2000 version. It's bizarre and frustrating! Cheers.

[LElkins]

This may be a bit of a long shot, but may be worth a try.
Are the leaders snaping to a point in the viewport? If they are, try just positioning them without using OSNAP and see how it goes...

Cheers

[Alan Cullen]

This issue has been covered in the FAQ:

http://www.cadtutor.net/faq/question...der+release%3F

I will keep an eye on the outcome here, in case the FAQ needs updating.

Bookmarked

[ServaCleanCAD]

Nope sorry - they are just pointing to the middle (ie. empty space) of a feature. The SolidWorks DWG Gateway looks promising. Looks like a free plug-in for AutoCAD enabling users with earlier versions to open later files without the need to upgrade. I'm just about to download it and check it out. Thanks again. (Mind you - AutoDesk are aware of this problem, but look like they're taking the Microsoft mentality of "we're AutoDesk, and we've updated some features and you'll just have to live with any problems that arise because of the update")