Autocad File Converter To Older Version Software
Lola Maroun
I'm an Inventor guy, not near as fluent with AutoCAD. I have a tool that exports all of our plasma-cut parts from Inventor to DXF. Problem is, since we upgraded to Inventor 2020, the DXFs are exported in 2019 DXF format, which our plasma software can't read, and I haven't been able to find a way to export to an older version.
It is via the API. And the only way (as far as I'm aware) to export specific faces via the API in Inventor is by executing the "GeomToDXFCommand" command definition, which does not accept any arguments (except file name, by posting as a private event before executing).
If you know of another way to export faces or control export version, please do share it in the other thread I created in the Inventor forum: Inventor Forum: API "Export Face As DXF" in previous version?
John, thanks for the suggestions but I'm programmatically exporting DXFs for several parts at the same time via the API. I'm familiar with how to change those options when exporting a single face or sheet metal part manually, but those options are not available when exporting via the API, hence my need to batch-convert after the fact.
We have planned on updating all our Bricscad licences to the newest versions but we get a terrible issue with MText display using these newer versions.
See attached : when we open the same exact drawing using a newer version (like V18+), most of the MTexts are messed up in their width and insertion points...
The same thing happens if we open our drawings in AutoCAD...
Curiously, if we save a drawing using V18+ and save format = DWG 2010, we can open it in V13 and nothing appears distorted.
The problem is that the mtext objects in the dwg 2010 file contain column information that was not supported in V13 (probably by opening a file written by AutoCAD), but left intact on save. I first thought this could be fixed by running some lines of lisp in V13, to change the column setting from "dynamic" to "none" (2->0), but unfortunately, this property seems to be inaccessible to the lisp api of V13 as well. The only workaround I see at the moment is to save the file back to dwg 2004 format in V13 (getting rid of column information), it will then open correctly in later versions, but of course, this may cause degradation in other areas (I do not remember the features introduced in dwg 2004 and dwg 2010). Maybe Bricsys' support can provide a better solution...
@Knut Hohenberg : You are absolutely right. That seems to be the real issue and saving in DWG 2004 prior to opening it in V18 works.
I wonder what feature loss or degradation happens to my old drawing converting them from DWG 2010 to DWG 2004... From what i tested, i found nothing yet.
I would also love to find a way to progammatically convert the old 2010 DWG drawing into a 2004 DWG upon opening of the file within Bricscad V18+... The thing is, the file has to be converted BEFORE it is opened in V18 or else, the damage is done and the conversion afterward does not help. So i must open it in V13, save it in 2004, and then only i can open it in V18+.
There is an easier way to solve this format change rather than opening in V13 and save as DWG 2004 files. Both ODA File Converter and Autodesk DWG TrueView (if it is still called that way) can do a batch convert of V13's DWG 2010 files to DWG 2004 format. Just select the folder (use a copy just to be sure) containing the files and let it have a go at converting the files to DWG 2004 format after a while depending on the number of drawings all files will have been converted to DWG 2004 format.
Thanks @RSW
That's a really good idea.
Altough, since we have legal obligations to maintain the integrity of our documents forever, i can not simply apply the conversion to my whole folder (there is often external references that could be degraded) and i will therefore only apply the conversion to one file at the time. But it could definitely become handy when needed.
My last hope would look something like a special setting in newer version of Bricscad that could detect older DWG version on opening and set MText Column property to None, keep the new Defined width property as the old Width property and stop degrading the visual integrity of my older drawings...
It would be easy to write a lisp function that checks the version each time a file is opened, and makes that adjustment when appropriate. It would take me quite a while to do it, and I have no use for it, but there are people on this forum who could do it in a few minutes and who might be willing to do it for you just for fun. If not, try The Swamp.
JTB Smartbatch can also execute the lisp as mentioned above by @Anthony Apostolaros on a batch of drawings as well as a few other things to clean up drawings.
Dotsoft Toolpac can, amongst other things, adjust variables in batch processing so you could try if it can update the Mtext Column property etc. that you want to be updated.
CADPower can probably do at least one of these two or both options as well but it has been quite a while ago that I used CADPower so you would have to check with them.
I've tried all other options provided and none of them works (ODA File converter, Autodesk TrueView, DotSoft, CADPower). As i explained earlier, these tools opens the drawing with a recent release of DWG and then saves it to the wanted format. By opening it prior to the conversion, the MTexts are screwed and the damage is done. ODA File converter for example, does not litterally open the drawings, but reads it according to a recent DWG definition, because the harm is done too.
JTB SmartBatch allows me to specify and use BricsCAD V13 to open and process my DWGs, thus doing the same thing as i did manually, which is working perfectly. The DWG are now displayed flawlessly upon opening in recent version of AutoCAD and BricsCAD.
Yes definitely. That's exactly what I will do programatically using JTB SmartBatch to avoid doing this manually all the time. It will use Bricscad V13 to open the drawings, save them as an older format which opens correctly in newer versions and that's it. I will also use the tool to perform some purge operations and reduce our massive drawing library size.
So the problem I have is that my university is not running on the most up to date software(2017) and the file I have is in the most up to date version(2018), wondering if there was a way to convert it to a earlier version without having the most up to date software, I tried using true view but it still needs the newest software. I am also no longer in contact with the person who originally created the file.
the problem I have is that it cant be opened in the version I have (2017) as it has been created in the 2018 software other wise I would save it as an older version. sorry if the question was slightly ambiguous, been on a 2 day cad bender and starting to go slightly crazy!!!
As to the byte sequences - YES - modern VW files have a header you can read with a text editor. Older MiniCAD files, not so much. I'm not sure when the header became human readable. My suggestion, open a file in a text editor and see if you can make anything out. If not, no harm done. Just don't save it with the text editor!
You will need to contact Vectorworks Support for this file. It appears to be a MC 7 file, but it was created by a BETA version of the software and the file format is not the same as released versions. Unless you open it with the right beta version it is not readable. Hopefully the engineers in the Mother Ship can help you.
Good news. On a whim I tried a later version of VW to see what would happen and VW 8.5.2 opened the file. In you email you ask if I can export as a DWG file. I can, but I may not pick the settings you'd like. That kind of translation is somewhat "personal" and is often done several times before it exports to your liking. What version of VW do you have? I was able to bring it up to VW 2018, but that won't do you any good if you don't have it.
I've just add a Wish List Item on this topic. I think a Cloud based Mini Cad file conversion would be a helpful addition to service select. If you think so you may want to add your opine to the thread.
You forgot to mention which version of VW you are currently using. Since the latest versions will open at least back to VW 2013, I saved your files in that format. If you need an earlier version, let me know.
Did you ever get these files converted? Apologies for the long delay, but I have been out of circulation for the last few months. I was able to convert your files today to VW 2021 format, but if you need them in an older version I can do that, too. I did not convert them to DWG because there are a lot of fonts in your files that I don't have on my machine. VW uses font substitution in such instances. I believe if you open the updated files on your machine then you would see the correct fonts, and your DWG conversion would look much cleaner.
I, too, have an ancient file from 2004 that I would LOVE to be able to view, if not edit. (It's a family tree, and as it happens, a distant relative just reached out.) I don't actually know if it's MiniCAD or VectorWorks -- I am guessing the latter? -- but if anyone is willing to help, I'd be delighted to have it in any format. I no longer have access to VW software.
Now, I'm giving them to a surveyor. OBVIOUSLY, he uses Autocad only.
I'm not a technician, and so I installed only the VW viewer, not the full program (that I cannot use).
Please, could someone open my 5 files and save them into DWG or DXF format?
I have a very old .mcd file I am hoping someone may be able to convert to a more current format for me. Ultimately I would like to be able to use the file moving forward as it's a floor plan with measurements, emergency exits, fire extinguishers etc.
Remark, converting the drawing is the proper way to do this. Using save as does not convert the newer objects and features to usable entities which could cause problems when opening the file in older versions. The conversion process takes care of those objects.
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