SW 2005 to 2004

Just recently updated one computer from SolidWorks 2004 to 2005. Now
no files opened in 2005 will open in 2004. Is there a way to
retroactively save files in 2005 so they can be opened and modified in
earlier versions?

 

The short answer = NO

The longer answer = you can save to a dumb solid, Parasolid, and then
reopen in 2004. That can allow some feature recognition to be done by
2004, but not sure how much. This is a longer way around and not very
desirable.

I hope you have backups, though on tape or a 2nd hard drive in 2004
format.

Bo

 

There is now way to return to earlier versions of solidworks
they made it like that to force customer to buy

 

<ramble>
With all the requests for backwards compatibility I'm surprised that A) a
third party has not tried to capitalize on this by writing a little
converter program and/or B) SolidWorks itself isn't working on something.
One might assume that all these requests are making it to the right people
or maybe theres not enough of them to justify the cost. I just find it
interesting that we have MDT feature/assembly converters and Pro/E feature
converters and not SW earlier version converters. Or how about a Save As
with version as an option (dare I say like AutoCAD does).
I'm no software expert, but I would think that as long as the feature wasn't
a new feature of that particular new release that it should be able to
convert back. And if it was a special feature that it would just show up as
a dumb solid feature in an older release. I'm sure that there could be some
scenarios of complexity and this would introduce more needed software
support though.
</ramble>

 

Baren-Boym announced that they were going to do it, but apparently it is
harder than they thought, as they've been silent about it for some time. Or
maybe, horrible cynical thought, SWX leaned on them.

You've nicely summarized the gist of some ungodly number of posts running
back at least 6 years.


Jerry Steiger
Tripod Data Systems
"take the garbage out, dear"