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Hi all,

Looking for some feedback from experienced users:

We are currently using VW12.5.3 on Mac OS X. No issues at all, most stable version of VW we have used (been around since the early days of MC). We are about to do a system-wide update to get more current with VW. We own multiple licenses for 2010 and 2011. Wondering which version we should standardize on, given the following:

- ideally, we'd like to be able to move all current VW12.5.3 files to the new version we choose, therefore backward compatibility is of UTMOST importance. If we encounter problems in this respect, we're in trouble.

- we don't use 3D other than as a separate stream for presentations. We are a production-oriented firm, doing large-scale multi-family, institutional, and commercial architecture.

- Current hardware is new 27" iMacs running 10.6.7, soon to be running Lion.

- We use symbols (often nested several deep), tons of walls, over 75 customized plug-ins (all of which have been tested with newer versions and are fine), and worksheets/databases extensively. We don't rely too much on workgroup referencing.

I'd be curious to hear of anyone's thoughts and advice. Particularly, with respect to the issue of backward compatibility in moving from VW12 to 2010 or 2011.

Respectfully submitted,

VectorGeek

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I've been burned too many times converting project files up to a new version. Libraries should be fine but you're better off keeping multiple versions of VW on your machines and changing to a newer version of VW on a project by project basis. Each VW upgrade we have a transition period where current projects are finished off in the older version and new projects are started in the new version.

You probably don't want to hear this but I've found v2012 far more stable than previous versions, particularly v2011.

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Thanks Christiaan.

I hear what you are saying. Unfortunately, most of our projects will be active for a couple of years from today. It's just a big pain to have users run two different flavours of VW for that long.

Interesting about 2012. This yearly schedule of NVW upgrades makes things even more difficult. By the time we get everything switched over (be it 2010, 2011, or 2012), 2013's release will be imminent.

:-/

V-G.

Edited by VectorGeek
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I only had a problem when switching to vw2010 (I think). It was with the new render engine. Some texture needed to be replaced. But because we use classes for all attributes, it was just as simple as changing the texture of those classes.

Other than that, I had no other major problems switching to a new version. I always draw in the new version, and drawings seem to do just fine. There can be some minor issues, but most of the time, they are helped in no time.

Although, unlike what Christiaan is experiancing, I'm seeing that VW2012 is less stable on our machines (Windows) than VW2011 was.

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I'm not sure, but I don't think VW 2010 is officially supported on Lion, whereas 2011 is, and runs fine (well, as fine as one can ever expect VW to run). But 2010 will be much more compatible in terms of rendering and textures/lighting due to it still being the Lightworks engine. Of course, the new C4D render engine produces much better renders, in my experience. I wouldn't even consider the Lightworks engine if I had the choice of the C4D one. Yet many others prefer it (Lightworks). Not an easy choice. VW 2010 is probably way more stable. VW 2011 is easily the least stable software I've ever used. Most beta software is more stable. Although it has gotten much better with sp5.

Monadnoc

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VectorGeek

I also run VW12.5.3 on OS10.6.8, and it's been fine. I haven't been convinced by anything I've read on this board so far that the various upgrades to VW have offered much improvement for me and the work I do. However I think Lion (and the end of Rosetta) will be a step too far and I am going to have to consider upgrading to VW2013 when I update my iMac.

It sounds like backward compatibility under Lion is difficult. This is extremely irritating, as Apple and VW don't seem to appreciate the need to be able to access old files - it seems like 12 months is a long time in the computer industry, and 5 years is positively prehistoric! I already have an iBook running OS10.4 to access really old VW and ClarisWorks files, so I might have to keep my present iMac to do a similar role with VW12.5.3 files.

I think you should consider keeping one iMac at least running on your present setup to access archive files, which is what I suspect all our VW12.5.3 files will become.

In the meantime, maybe the way to do it is to keep VW12.5.3 jobs and their iMacs on OS10.6 going until they finish, and as Christiaan suggests, start new jobs in VW2013 under OS10.7.

HTH.

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