Saving a file in Vectorworks 2022, so it can be opened by Vectorworks 2021?

[Laura4]

Hello, first post so forgive me if I'm missing formatting or this is not the right location.

 

Our company has 2 Vectorworks licenses, one 2021, and one recently purchased 2022. I can share files to my colleague (2021 to 2022), but when she shares them back, my program (2021) can't open them. We don't see any 'save as' options in her program to make it a different format, is there something either of us can do to share files? Am I missing something obvious?

 

The same problem happens with single files, or cloud-based project files.

 

Help would be much appreciated.

L

[michaelk]

It's not a Save As…, it's an export

 

File > Export > Export As Vectorworks 2021 File…

[Laura4]

@michaelk Thanks, we only see export as 2018 and 2017...no other options in 2022? Is this different for you?

[zoomer]

20 minutes ago, Laura4 said:

Our company has 2 Vectorworks licenses, one 2021, and one recently purchased 2022.

 

This is not good.

It won't be funny. When she updated the File and want's to share it for you, she has to Export

it explicitly for your VW 2021. After you worked on it and she opens again it will be automatically

converted to VW 2022 again. Rinse and repeat.

 

There are 2 options,

Either you Update your VW 2021 Licens which will cost some money,

or you ask your local Software Vendor to organize you a VW 2021 License for your VW 2022 Seat.

Edited October 27, 2021 by zoomer

[zoomer]

2 minutes ago, Laura4 said:

we only see export as 2018 and 2017...no other options in 2022?

 

You can only export VW files to a lower VW version.

So she can open your Files, but she needs to export the File again to VW 2021

before you can access it again.

[Laura4]

Hi @zoomer, thanks, we would be okay with even the export option, but to clarify:

 

On the 2022 version, the only two export options shown are to VW 2017, and VW 2018? Way lower than they need to be, as we just need to go to 2021 version.

 

Yes as you said, it will be inconvenient to export all time, we wish we were warned of this file sharing inconvenience in advance before buying 2022. 😕 

 

L

[michaelk]

16 minutes ago, Laura4 said:

On the 2022 version, the only two export options shown are to VW 2017, and VW 2018? 

 

That's not normal.  I have no idea what would cause that.  I'm looking at my 2022 and it exports back to VW 2021 down to VW 2017.

 

Make sure you have the latest service pack for 2022.  Restart everything.  When that doesn't fix it, call tech support.  You should absolutely be able to export back to 2021.

[zoomer]

I have an export option in VW 2022, to export to VW 2021.

That is as to be expected as any VW could export one Version lower or more.

 

It may just missing in her VW 2022 Workspace.

Maybe because she migrated a previous Workspace ?

 

She should check to switch to a suitable VW delivered Workspace.

Like Architecture or Architecture BIM and try again, or just edit her

Workspace and pull the needed exports over from the menus TAB

from the left side to her Menus on the right side.

 

Just to avoid misunderstandings, VW 2021 can't export upwards to VW 2022.

But VW 2022 can export downwards to VW 2021.

Edited October 27, 2021 by zoomer

[Laura4]

4 minutes ago, michaelk said:

 

That's not normal.  I have no idea what would cause that.  I'm looking at my 2022 and it exports back to VW 2021 down to VW 2017.

 

Make sure you have the latest service pack for 2022.  Restart everything.  When that doesn't fix it, call tech support.  You should absolutely be able to export back to 2021.

 

This is good to know, we thought it was just lacking the feature. Thanks for the advice. Extra annoying after the inconvenience of having to export in the first place, but good to know it may be fixable.

[michaelk]

In the workspace editor there isn't a menu command to export back to each version.  It's just Export Previous File Version (or something like that).  I don't know if this is even possible, but could she have the menu command from the 2019 version?  I can't even think of how you would do that, but that's what it sounds like.

[Laura4]

4 minutes ago, zoomer said:

I have an export option in VW 2022, to export to VW 2021.

That is as to be expected as any VW could export one Version lower or more.

 

It may just missing in her VW 2022 Workspace.

Maybe because she migrated a previous Workspace ?

 

She should check to switch to a suitable VW delivered Workspace.

Like Architecture or Architecture BIM and try again, or just edit her

Workspace and pull the needed exports over from the menus TAB

from the left side to her Menus on the right side.

 

Just to avoid misunderstandings, VW 2021 can't export upwards to VW 2022.

But VW 2022 can export downwards to VW 2021.

 

Thanks, this is helpful, yes we understand we can only export down! We have Landmark. I will share this with her to try.

 

L

[michaelk]

Post back if you figure it out.  I've never heard of this happening before.

[zoomer]

just kidding,

but i don't really get what you are doing there 🙂

You work on a same VW file one after each other.

You can't work on a file at the same time anyway ....

Why not just use the same machine and VW license

to do so (?)

 

If it is (remote) collaboration,

why not try the VW File Sharing options with a master

file and local copies that check out parts of the File

for each "sub-worker" ?

Of course, using same VW versions would be mandatory.

Edited October 27, 2021 by zoomer

[Zarif]

Hi everyone, 

While we are on this topic, is there a way to safe VW files into lower version by default (not exporting the file to lower version). I mean modifying the setting or preferences.....

 

[rDesign]

@Zarif - no, there is no way to set Vw Preferences so that it by default saves in a file version other than the version you are using. I know that AutoCAD has such a setting, but Vw does not.

[zoomer]

6 minutes ago, rDesign said:

@Zarif - no, there is no way to set Vw Preferences so that it by default saves in a file version other than the version you are using. I know that AutoCAD has such a setting, but Vw does not.

 

And it doesn't make much sense to do so.

Each VW version gets new features that, for now, need a file update.

Going Back by exporting to a lower VW file format is lossy and may

mostly keep the geometry that it looks similar in an earlier VW version

but you will likely lose the ability to use again the new features when

migrating it back to the new versions.

 

I thing usually you may be able to access a lower VW version if you are

on VSS or ask the support, to collaborate with your clients file format.

But that also means that you have to use supported older Hardware

and OS.