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Version 2012 to version 2007: Got An Opener?


David Devitt

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Hello Friendly Neighborhood AutoCAD Forum! I am a contractor draftsman, working from my home office and operating in AutoCAD 2007. I have an offsite client that just upgraded to Version 2012 (which I cannot afford to do at this time). Does AutoCAD have an attachment software of some sort that will allow me to open a drawing created in a later version of AutoCAD, work on that drawing and re-save it as a .dwg file? Boy, I sure hope so!

 

Thanks! - Dave

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DWG TrueView™

 

"Use this FREE* download to accurately view, plot, and publish authentic DWG and DWF files.

And now, DWG TrueView incorporates all the functionality of DWG TrueConvert. This means you

can translate any AutoCAD or AutoCAD-based drawing file for compatibility with AutoCAD

Release 14 through current release."

 

 

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=6703438&siteID=123112

 

The links seem to change all the time, so if that doesn't work go to

http://www.autodesk.com, then pick Products, see all products, page down to DWG TrueView™.

 

Registration required, but it is free.

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:lol: That was my thinking, unfortunately having to perform that step "frustrates them".

 

Yup, and a frustrated client sometimes goes elsewhere. Keep the client happy and you keep the client. For a self employed contractor that is very important.

 

Watch out for functionality in 2012 that is not in 2007. The converters will kill it and the drawing you send back might be missing some functionality. If it's a one off big job consider downloading the trial version of 2012 or 2013, that way you can preserve the functionality. But be aware it's a quantum jump from 2007 to 2012/2013 and it takes a bit of getting used to.

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Yep, that was my second thought and I don't want to lose a client I've been working with for twelve years. I may consider the trial version eventually but since the drawings that I create for this client are actually quite simple, functionality may not be effected. We'll have to test things with a converter, see if that meets their needs and make our decision at that point. Thanks again for your help Tyke!

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:lol: That was my thinking, unfortunately having to perform that step "frustrates them".

 

It's an extremely simple thing for the client to Save As 2007 format for you. Or, if they can't be bothered with saving out a separate file for you, they can configure their Etransmit settings to automatically save the file, and all associated files, to a zip with the CAD files saved to 2007 format. Then it's just a matter of hitting the Etransmit button and sending you the zip file. The fact that they won't do that would be a little irritating for me. :roll:

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Yup, and a frustrated client sometimes goes elsewhere. Keep the client happy and you keep the client. For a self employed contractor that is very important.

 

Watch out for functionality in 2012 that is not in 2007. The converters will kill it and the drawing you send back might be missing some functionality. If it's a one off big job consider downloading the trial version of 2012 or 2013, that way you can preserve the functionality. But be aware it's a quantum jump from 2007 to 2012/2013 and it takes a bit of getting used to.

 

That (according to Autodesk anyway) is not true. I save down to 2004, when the drawing is reopened in my 2011 version ALL functionality is restored. Use DWG TrueView and you should be fine, you can even send them the 2007 versions of the files.

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/devil's advocate

 

Or, Autodesk can make AutoCAD like Revit and make backwards compatibility impossible. This way it keeps the market going forward. :)

Well it "is" true for verticals (in a sense). At least for their "special" objects. Drawing a wall in ACA 2013, then saving as to 2010 format you actually get a warning stating that AEC objects will not work. And the waning is correct, since that wall when opened in 2012 is not a smart object anymore.
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I also recommend DWG TrueView. It also has the benefit of being a good DWG-to-PDF printer. Older versions of AutoCAD did not print to PDF very well, but you can do it better for free with Trueview.

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  • 2 months later...

I have never used any of them, but if the .dwt file were first saved as a backdated .dwg file format,

that drawing could then be opened in the older software and saved as a .dwt in whatever edition (2007?) were being used.

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You can saveas a DWT to an old DWG file, then simply rename it to DWT again. The DWT/DWG is the same thing, it's just that ACad uses DWT as a Template.

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