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2012 <-> 2013 file format breaks, what the hell!?


Roman

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I'm collaborating with a freelance architect on a project. He just upgraded to 2013, I'm still on 2012 (bought in July). We're using VW solely for drafting. No half ass BIM, no 3d modeling, no specialized geometry.

Our entire workflow is broken, his 2013 files won't open in my 2012

What has changed so much in 2013? And why won't VW make a 2012 Sp5 compatible with the "new" file format? Just one year and everything breaks?

Yes, that's how they force people to pay, it's standard policy in the software industry, but this ridiculous. Pick a file format, amend to it, but keep it consistent for 5 years.

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Hi Peter, yes that makes sense, but the project is constant progress so we're opening and saving all the time.

One thing that makes very little sense is how quickly VW breaks format compatibility. As a courtesy NMK could at least allow VW 2013 to save natively in 2012. Just one year back compatibility would be a minimum. Seriously, what other software out there breaks file format every year?

Furthermore, I doubt the mirrored symbol bug will be addressed in 2012, as they have already moved on with a new version. The upgrade cycle is frustrating and I think the market is ripe for a SketchUp-like innovator to enter the drafting world.

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Seriously, what other software out there breaks file format every year?

To answer your question, Revit - it truly does break file formats, in a big way. I've read posts from professionals and students, agonizing how the person with the Revit 2013 is effectively cut off from the rest of the users using Revit 2012, because Revit can't save its files to previous versions - not even the PREVIOUS YEAR.

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Thanks for responses, not the flame war I was expecting, but one can hope.

My point is that the file compatibility is an artificial one, created in order to keep people in the upgrade pattern.

And the freelancer I work with can no longer work in 2012... his license is for 2013 only. So exporting is the only option.

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My point is that the file compatibility is an artificial one, created in order to keep people in the upgrade pattern.

Don't know if this is true, perhaps partly, but each time a new feature is developed (i.e.. the slab tool) which the previous version didn't have it is understandable that these cannot be 'understood' by previous versions.......thus they need to be 'converted to an understandable but dumb format to be opened....thus conversion or export is needed. Even if this conversion took place on opening in an older version the object would loose its intelligence anyway.

Basically what you are asking is that they continue developing old versions to be able to open newer version files.

Edited by Vincent C
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How about designing a file format that doesn't have to be re-written every year? If BIM objects have parametric features that can't be read by v2012, they are ignored and simply opened as 2D & 3D geometry.

This doesn't have to be an inch-by-inch progression of features and file formats.

In my scenario we are dealing exclusively with 2d geometry, references, and symbols. Please don't tell me that stuff is perpetually being refined to the point of "breaking" with each version of VW...

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I could live with no backwards compatibility if it meant faster development going forward

Me to

Just right now doing some revisions that were started in VW 2010 in VW 2010

My rule is never work in an old file in a newer VW version

I would prefer development resources went into new stuff not backwards compatibility

I have still installed VW 2008 through to VW 2012

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