Saving down to Land Desktop 2008 problem

[DHUDELSON]

Let me start by saying, sorry for only coming by when I have a problem, like somebody's lame-@** needy relative, but here's the problem that our best minds have been unable to conquer:

 

We use Land Desktop for our "power user" civil engineering platform, locally installed on machines. Then there are the "vanilla CAD" users who share a local network version of the '08 Release. This week, our IT guy decided it was time to retire the server that's got the network ACAD. After he'd installed the '08 CAD on a new server he found that he couldn't get the licensing to work. Apparently neither the vendor or Autodesk is able to help him out.

 

The first idea was to upgrade the network version to the current AutoCAD, and these vanilla users could save back to version '08 (2007 format actually) to accomodate the LDT users.

 

However, the saving down creates major problems for the file, when opened in Land Desktop. AEC objects created before the trip over to current vanilla have disappeared when reopened in LTD. Also, any Land Desktop commands from Layer commands to any menu pull-downs have become unrecognized commands. Even "open" ceases to have meaning. The session has pretty much blown up.

 

We have found that with dwgs saved down from later releases ("futureCAD" from our perspective), we are able to W-block "all" with 0,0 basepoint and have a workable drawing. This works alright for dwgs that don't have AEC object trying to make the round trip, but the process is a complete bother.

 

Are there any other ways to handle this sharing of versions (besides the obvious, upgrading from LDT to Civil 3D)? I would be so grateful if somebody here has the solution.

[Murph_map]

Yes, upgrading to C3D would be the way to go but there is a BIG learning curve ahead. If your vendor could not get the '08 LM to run then you may want to start looking at another reseller, they either didn't ask the right questions or to the right person at Autodesk or where not wanting to help much and want to sell you the upgrades.

[irneb]

Officially ADesk discontinues versions more than 3 below the current. And you cannot get new install licenses for them at such time. We've had similar issues in the past, it gets worse in large organizations - then an "upgrade" in ACad means an equal upgrade in HW. And thus your costs go past the end of the universe. And lo-and-hebold if some HW fails, if you're sticking with some old version you cannot re-install it on a replacement HW at all. Thus you end up with guys on 2008, others on 2009, another group on 2010, then yet some more on 2011 ............

 

And you're correct, all verticals of ACad break the "special" objects if you try to save them down to older versions.

 

Do you still have the original server? Perhaps you can ask your IT guy to do a disc-image of it and install that onto the new server. Or did he go upgrade to a new WinServer version?

[DHUDELSON]

Mr IT says disc-imaging won't work...Big Bro (Autodesk Code) knows its unique host...don't ask me, but that's a no go. Looks we'll keep the old server serving...apparently it still works okay (for an old guy). Eventually we'll make it into the current decade.

Thanks for your time.

[caddcop]

The license is tied to the MAC address - these are hard coded into network cards. If you can migrate the old card to the new server and give the new server the same name, it should work. The network card must be enabled, but it does not have to be in use.

If the network card is built into the server you are probably stuck.

On the other hand, we got he OK from Autodesk to have our latest license file for 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010, with a one year renewable upon request 2009 license.

We made our case with them that we had projects in the pipeline that could not be migrated within their budgets.

If you do need to bring a file back, export to AutoCAD will convert any objects to dumb graphics preventing the message and crippled software.

[irneb]

If you do need to bring a file back, export to AutoCAD will convert any objects to dumb graphics preventing the message and crippled software.

Yes, but then you loose the functionality of the "smart" objects. They simply become dead blocks when you do that. For simply printing it's OK, but if you need to continue working on the DWG it's not.

 

Good tip about the card's MAC - that might be the trick. So if (as has happened to us before) the NIC fails and gets a replacement, you need to re-instantiate the license server? Sorry, we've never used the shared license scheme - precisely due to this possibility, and due to our LAN already being overloaded without the to-and-fro for licensing.

 

If you do have such, you could always attempt to run the license server through a VM on your main server. Depending on the VM software you use, you can then edit the virtual network card's MAC to match that of the old one. I know I can do that through VirtualBox. Actually, that sounds a lot better - since moving onto a new server in the future would then simply mean copying the VM's VDI files across and setting up the VM there (no extra installs).

 

Otherwise, could the old server just be left as only a license server - moving file sharing / domain / active directory / etc. onto the new server?