Drawing Templates - Versions Issue

[TerribleTim]

Hey gang,
This one didn't dawn on me until one of my CAD Techs pointed it out today. I am running version 2013 while the rest of the staff are running 2012. When I updated our templates using my 2013 version they can no longer use them in the 2012 versions. It's like the templates don't have a "save back" feature to them. They can open the file, but they get a blank drawing with none of our preloaded content in it. Is there any way to fix that?

I can save a .dwg file back as a 2010 version or what ever, but the template option doesn't seem to have that "save back" feature. What do I do here?

[cadtag]

SaveAs to a dwg, then rename in the OS to .dwt. the only difference is the extension.

[TerribleTim]

Yea I guess I never thought of that. I just like that when you save it as a template you get that little box that lets you enter a description. Renaming the extension loses that.

Ok, thanks for the help.

[gfreddog]

Yea I guess I never thought of that. I just like that when you save it as a template you get that little box that lets you enter a description. Renaming the extension loses that.

Ok, thanks for the help.

Same issue here.

[tmad101185]

To get that description box back or whatever, maybe you could try doing as they said to make back into a 2010 dwt. Then open with CAD 2012 and do a save as new template?

[jaberwok]

To get that description box back or whatever, maybe you could try doing as they said to make back into a 2010 dwt. Then open with CAD 2012 and do a save as new template?

More likely to work if it is saved as a 2010/2012 dwg, opened in 2012 then saved as a dwt.

[09silverado]

the whole .dwt extension is redundant... I still don't understand why we use them other than because Autodesk says we should. Everything in a DWT is obtainable from a DWG... weird.

sorry off topic, but back on-topic i'd do the same thing and swap out the file extension.

[TerribleTim]

Well, for me the major advantage of the .dwt extension is that my CAD techs don't "accidentally" save over the template file. Even if your template file is saved "Read Only", any half wit computer user can get around that. At least the .dwt extension is another step beyond that.

[BeKirra]

the whole .dwt extension is redundant... I still don't understand why we use them other than because Autodesk says we should. Everything in a DWT is obtainable from a DWG... weird.

sorry off topic, but back on-topic i'd do the same thing and swap out the file extension.

FYI
From the HELP:

A drawing template file provides consistency in the drawings that you create by maintaining your standard styles and settings.

When you need to create several drawings that use the same conventions and default settings, you can save time by creating or customizing a drawing template file instead of specifying the conventions and default settings each time you start. Conventions and settings commonly stored in template files include
Unit format and precision
Title blocks and borders
Layer names
Snap and Grid spacing
Text styles
Dimension styles
Multileader styles
Table styles
Linetypes
Lineweights
Layouts
Page setups
By default, drawing template files are stored in the template folder, where they are easily accessible. You can use the Options dialog box to set a default for both the template folder and the drawing template file.

[jaberwok]

FYI
From the HELP:

All of which applies equally to a dwg saved and used as a template - just as everyone (including Adesk) did before the dwt extension was invented.