2012 export to 2009 and earlier

[AliaS]

I just downloaded 2012 and I've read that it should export as far back as 12, but my copy only reads that it can export to 2011 or 2010. I'm assisting a designer who uses 2008 so I need to be able to export as far back as that. Previously I had left 2010 on my computer to do this but since I renewed my license the other day I can't open 2010.

Is there something wrong or is there another way to do this?

I'm using the educational version of 2012 (2012 SP2 Build 151150) on an Intel Mac running OSX 10.6.8.

[michaelk]

I'm pretty sure that is a limit of the educational version.

I've never read it, but your license for the education version probably prohibits you using it for professional work - like assisting someone with a professional license.

mk

[AliaS]

I've read it and it doesn't say anything like that.

And not that it makes a difference to the software, but it's through school, and I'm getting credit and not getting paid, so I would say that probably counts as educational...

[IanH]

Your designer may not thank you for using the educational version.

Vectorworks educational use to contain a watermark (and as far as I know, still does). This will be transferred with any file that you use to ay file that your commercial user will use, including their personal libraries.

In effect, you will be contaminating their commercial files with your educational watermark.

As regard to the educational license, The License Agreement clearly states that...

The Licensee (You) may not

(e) Use the software for any commercial or for-hire purpose, except for

use of the software by students as part of a bona fide internship or

apprenticeship program approved by licensee.

If you wish to use the license for commercial work, its use must be approved by Nemetschek.

[michaelk]

I sympathize with your position. I have worked in situations where a student assistant is provided. I wish they could work on a part of the drawing in a way that would be useful to the student and the project.

But that watermark is like the bubonic plague. After one tragic experience, I won't even have a watermarked file on my computer.

I wish there was a low cost, short term "Intern" license for situations like these.

mk

[AliaS]

I guess I missed that section when I read it.

Yeah...he is aware of the watermark, though, and he genuinely doesn't care. It's a co-production with the school so that sort of thing is just kind of accepted.

What I'd still like to know is, is that the reason I can't export to 2008? I guess it sounds as if that's the case, but that's pretty unfortunate...I can think of quite a few genuinely educational purposes for which I'd need to export. All of the school's computers also use 2008. Is there a way to run both 2010 (which is still installed on my computer but I can't open it since the license expired) and 2012? Instead of Vectorworks installed on a second computer, for instance?

[AliaS]

Although that's news to me about it contaminating other files. So his other files will contain a watermark, even if they are never opened with an educational version?

[michaelk]

Not if he/she is careful. But if he/she copies anything -even a line- from an educational drawing and pastes it into a professional drawing, then that drawing is infected.

Any resources - symbols, textures, worksheets, record formats, etc, developed in an educational drawing can never be imported into a professional drawing without becoming infected.

If an educational file is referenced in another drawing then that drawing also becomes infected.

If he/she has a library file in vw2008 of resources and that get's infected - it's a very bad day.

mk