Convert from 2004 back to 2003 1

[Monkeywrench]

One component of a large assembly was converted to SW2004 sp01. I need to get it back to 2003 sp3.1 rather than recreate from scratch. Is there any way to do this?

 

[looslib]

Not and maintain parametric features.

Parasolid Export or STEP will give uou a dumb solid that 2003 can open.


"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli
CAD/CAM System Analyst
Ingersoll-Rand

 

[Luca83]

You cannot backwards migrate into a earlier version of solidworks while keeping the feature tree.

You're best bet is to export it as a Parasolid (or whichever translation you choose) though 2003, after you import the file, run it through featureworks to regain as much of the sketches & features back. (if you got the addin)

 

[rporter]

There are a few things you can try, to recover the older version. Check in the solidworks backup directory of the user that opened the file up, Solidworks make a backup of a file when you open it.

The other thing to try is talk to you administator and see if there is a backup file of the data that you could have them restore for you. At my place we can go back for one year and get old data files.


Just some thoughts that may help.

 

[Monkeywrench]

Thanks, I tried the export to parasolid, then featureworks, but not much success due to threads, etc not recognized. At least I have the solid for the assembly.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Monkeywrench
Like you, and probably many others, I learned the hard way that you should always, always, always make backups of your part & assembly models.... especially before upgrading to a newer version of SW. Actually the same goes for any program files.


CorBlimeyLimey
Barrie, Ontario
faq559-863

 

[Monkeywrench]

Thanks for the responses. I looked on my Win2000 C: drive and found a SW Backups folder that was empty. Woops, I thought I wasn't making any backups for some reason, or I had recently cleaned them all out; but that wasn't the case: another folder under Documents and Settings/ myname/ Local Settings/ TempSWBackupDirectory/ and there I found the backup file I needed. It pays to look around and know what the backup system is actually doing. Happy New Year! 12/31/03

 

[SBaugh]

You can setup a specific backup folder in your tools\options\System options\Backups - From there you can make a permenant folder that will store all your SW backups only. ***Also this is special to note***. Where is says make a backup every "X" amount of changes. That doens't mean everytime you add a sketch line or change something, that it will make a backup. That means after "X" amount of Rebuilds, you will get a backup made.

To add to CorBlimeyLimey response you should also and ALWAYS, ALWAYS test the new version before converting to the newest version. I have seen many people eat the carpeting to keep from screaming, because they wish they wouldn't have switched because it caused this or that problem... So always test it before switching over fully. You can run more than 2 different versions of SW on one station. you just have to install into different folders. I usually use Solidworks03, or Solidworks04, etc...

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[Spurs]

It is an aggrivation I have with Solidworks as well. This is especially true if you do contract design work for other people who have different versions.

As a marketing tool - I think the Solidworks people have shot the bull on this one.

All that it is is aggrevating.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Spurs

At the risk of sounding offensive ….what do you find aggravating? Are you referring to the original thread comment about the backwards incompatibility of SolidWorks? If you are and you know of a 3D solids mechanical design program which can do what SW does, is as easy to learn as SW, has the tech support that SW and it’s VAR’s offer, for the same or less than the price that SW sells for AND has backwards compatibility, then please, PLEASE, share your knowledge. There are many people who subscribe to ENG-TIPS forums who would love to find the perfect design tool.

You state that SW has “shot the bull on this one”. In my opinion, they have found the Bullseye and are zeroing-in on dead centre faster than any of the so-called competition.

On a more positive note, it has been stated in this and other threads, that you can install different versions of SW on one computer, which would allow the use of whichever version a particular client needs. I realise that newer is not always better, but an alternative would be to convince your clients that they should update their software to take advantage of the latest offerings (which you and your other clients have done) and thereby remain competitive.

You could use eDrawings (the viewer is free to download) if your clients need to view & mark up drawings or PDF files (if you have the conversion module) or simple hardcopies for manufacture if that’s all that is needed.

Sorry to rant on my but this forum is meant for SW users to find answers to problems they have, or to share tips & tricks they have found. It is not for negative comments or bitching sessions. If anyone wants to complain about SolidWorks then do it where it counts….directly to SolidWorks. Doing it here just provokes responses like this which go on & on & on & on & on & on & on & on & on & on & on &………………………



CorBlimeyLimey
Barrie, Ontario
faq559-863

 

[Spurs]

CorBlimeyLimey

Yes - the backwards compatibility is aggrevating.

I am not provoking anything accept hopefully some future improvment in this regard.

I have told SW of this aggrevation over 2 years ago. Hopefully by seeing it here again, there will be a meaningful resolution. So take that in a positive spirit with which it is intended.

Heck - Im even willing to spend extra money on a backwards conversion utility if thats what it takes!

 

[SBaugh]

Backwards compatibility will probably never happen. This has been discussed to death in this forum and others for YEARS. You can keep asking but I don't think we will ever see this happen. Unless some 3rd party programmer or company comes in and makes it happen.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[SnowCrash]

SW is hardly the only software package to have this issue.

A lack of backwards compatibility is not a bug, it is a feature.
--
Crashj

 

[Theophilus]

Backwards compatibility is not truly possible when novel and innovative features are used in a contemporary version of a part file. How could I represent a full radius in SW 2001 that I created in SW 2004? It cannot happen. This isn't MS Word, where text can be displayed with or without fancy techniques used in more advanced versions. The part is either true to the design or it isn't. Older versions simply cannot replicate the advances of contemporary versions. So we may not like it, but there are no solutions except the use of dumb solids or equivalent.

Since I run a business, backing up all files is mandatory--especially before doing something risky like jumping into a new version of SolidWorks or even a new version of the part/assembly. Doing this and knowing what version my client needs before performing the work eliminates backward compatibility problems altogether. (Prevention is better than cure.)




Jeff Mowry
Industrial Designhaus, LLC

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

 

[JNR]

Unlike cor blimey, I will make no apologies so my comments. Please listen to CorBlimey, Scott B and most important to Theophilus.

It IS NOT POSSIBLE to provide backward compatibility with any complex software that continues (THANK GOODNESS) to be enhanced and provide new features. Even to attempt to do so would require a massive software programming effort. Then you have to do all combinations of all software versions otherwise some whiner would bleat because they left out SW2003 SP4 to SW2001 SP10 or some such wierd combination. The approximations and lost data that would result even if they they were partially succesful would just frustrate you even more - then you would realy be complaining.

As a business decision it is also a no-brainer, because the percentage of total users who would actually use this is SO small.

I for one do not want any sane business to be rat-holing prescious software resources into this kind of dead end unfunctionallity. Gimme new stuff!!!

Be naughty - save Santa a trip.

 

[Bouke]

Hey There,

I don't think the group of users who would like to have a converter for 2004-2-2003 would be too small. I work with 2004 but my supliers still work with 2003 and they don't intend to go to 2004. So now we are having trouble with the feedback.

Kind Regards,

Bouke Brouwers.

 

[Theophilus]

This is the most difficult circumstance and I run into it all the time--especially in Asia.

However, in my case, we do all the design and really don't need parametric editing ability with our vendors--if they can read it, that's good enough.

So we export assemblies into parasolids, which will open in whatever version of SW and maintain the relative positions of each part in the assembly well enough to get the point across. Annotations and feedback can be done with E-Drawings.

Ideally, you find out what version your suppliers (or clients, etc.) need before you take off on the project. It's always handy to keep a few older versions of SW on your system for those reasons--or for viewing/editing files that need to remain in older versions. We have this come up frequently as well.




Jeff Mowry
Industrial Designhaus, LLC

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

 

[JNR]

What is the current count? Must be 300,000 seats by now. I doubt seriously if more than 1.5% of them will want to use backrev conversion. (Except for the one off time when they goof and load the new rev in production before they should have - and then its probably only 2%). That is not an ecconomically viable situation for software development budgets regardless of the fact (as previous pointed out by several people) that it is virually impossible to achieve. Heck, you can't even backrev some MS Office products for the same reasons!!!! There is no equivalent for the newer features. And even if you could do it you can bet your life that 99% of the 1.5% will still bitch that it ain't perfect or the way they personally wanted it. Then they will also bitch (along with the other 98.5% of users) that there weren't enough enhancements in the new rev.........

It's flogging a dead horse.

I was - and he did. So at least I didn't get coal.....

 

[MrPickles]

I have MS Office 2003 Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, that are just fine when opened in MS Office 2000.

What up with that? Them bums get something right?



-----------
Mr. Pickles

 

[J-C]

Because Word and Excel don't really add much in the way of "new" features, just interface enhancements.

3D modeling software is a lot more complex.

Personally, I would not mind the option to save back, but I believe the programming effort involved would be too great and would take away from putting in more useful functions.

Can anyone else think of a 3d cad program that allows saving back.

Jason Capriotti
ThyssenKrupp Elevator