Running 2012 and 2016 on same system

[unearthed]

I've been given a legitimate VW2016 from a friend who has moved to a more recent release. I would like to run it alongside 2012 until I'm fully happy it will do what I need. 

 

Is this possible - I don't even want to try if VW makes it a total waste of time, or unworkable. I do know for instance that  2012 relies on a specific version of Quicktime, so is that a bottleneck? Are there any other likely issues?

 

My system is Windows 10 Home 64, not on a network.

[unearthed]

Is anyone running two different VW editions? Anyone?

[Pat Stanford]

On a Mac I have 2018, 19, 20, 21 all installed and running in parallel. Often at the same time.

 

I don't know how your Windows machine will work or which versions of Quicktime are required for VW2012 and 2016.

[Jesse Cogswell]

I am on Windows and currently have 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 installed with no problems.  The only thing I've found is that they can't all use the same User Folder, so if you want to share plug-ins and settings, you still have to keep them separate.

 

That being said, I don't know specifically about 2012 and 2016 existing in harmony.  When 2016 was new, I think the earliest version I had installed was 2013 which still worked fine, but I'm not entirely sure about 2012.  But each version is indeed installed in its own folder of the Program Files on your hard drive and kept as a separate instance, so I can't imagine there being a problem.

[zoomer]

1 hour ago, Jesse Cogswell said:

The only thing I've found is that they can't all use the same User Folder, so if you want to share plug-ins and settings, you still have to keep them separate.

 

Of course !

 

(Not that I think this is a good thing)

E.g. on Modo I use the same Preferences Setting Files from 701 or so up to current 14.2.

Plugins and such usually have their own config file that says up to which version they

will work and should load at start.

 

But same as VW works Bricscad (Microstation ?) too.

Each Version has its own user folder. Although Settings for all versions are in a single

config file, but still separated. And usually Library Objects are mostly exchangeable though.

 

And my experience is that incorrect Settings are oft the reason for strange behavior or instabilities.

(Modo therefore has a Save App Starter option that will start without customizations or plugins

to help to narrow down if it is a real Bug or just some Settings issue)

So maybe it is a good idea to separate Settings for each Version though.

 

But as VW saves nearly everything in VWX files, which aren't inter compatible between Versions

so far anyway, there isn't even a chance for a common Setting and Plugin organization.

Edited February 19, 2021 by zoomer