Is it possible to open a file created in VIZ 2006 with VIZ 4?

[jase]

In short, is it possible to open a file created in Viz 2006 with Viz 4?

The company I work for doesn't want to spend the money for another seat/release. We currently have Viz 4, but we did some work with a trial version of 2006 (which has now expired). While we might make the purchase in the future, is there anyway to use that data now?

[de-co1]

As far as I am aware, you can't. Likewise going across to MAX. An older version of MAX will not be able to open a file from a newer version of either MAX or VIZ.

[jase]

Is there a "Save As" options with Viz 2006? Is there a way to export the data to some usable format?

[de-co1]

In older versions there isn't (I haven't seen or used 2006), and the only way to export is through DXF format.. Doing that though, you lose all your AEC data, and solids don't remain solids anymore. Everything in the entire model is converted to faces.

[kwillcox]

You'll need to export the file to 3DS format. Not very pretty.

[stefan.boeykens]

Search for Bobo's File Format (it used to be called "Back From Five"). This is a Maxscript solution that exports the scene into a script that regenerates most from the scene as native VIZ/max objects.

The second best choice is exporting to a 3DS file or a VRML file, but you'll lose anything that is parametric. 3DS files at least support smoothing and texture mapping (for 1 channel) + lights and camera's and basic animation.

DXF should be your last choice, since you even loose the texture coordinates and materials.

But to summarize: you cannot do this... Once in a new version, you don't go back.