SAVING DOWN 2018 FILES TO 2017 OR OTHER VERSIONS OF AUTOCAD

[PINESTONE CADGUY]

Hello,

Currently using Civil 2018 want to know the best why to send my files to lower version users. It seems to be a hassle as most of my drawings contain xrefs and civil 3d objects

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[remi678731]

You need to ask your users do they have proxy objects installed. To ensure everything is usable you need to export back to the version wanted. But you can't export with xrefs they will have to be bound or unloaded. Also you will need to unlock all layers, all points and any other locked objects. Also if you want them to be able to use any of your objects. landxml them out and send them also

[rkmcswain]

You can't.
Civil 3D, with the exception of the 2013-2016 versions, has never been backwards compatible.

You can physically save down the DWG version, but the recipient will not be able to continue editing this DWG file. Even an empty drawing saved with C3D, contains civil objects that will not translate down.

As mentioned, you can use LandXML to export certain civil objects for import into an earlier version, and then try to export the basic cad linework via saved down DWG, but this will be messy.

To avoid these issues, all parties involved with a given project should agree up front on a CAD version, before the first DWG is produced.

[remi678731]

You can't.
Civil 3D, with the exception of the 2013-2016 versions, has never been backwards compatible.

You can physically save down the DWG version, but the recipient will not be able to continue editing this DWG file. Even an empty drawing saved with C3D, contains civil objects that will not translate down.

As mentioned, you can use LandXML to export certain civil objects for import into an earlier version, and then try to export the basic cad linework via saved down DWG, but this will be messy.

To avoid these issues, all parties involved with a given project should agree up front on a CAD version, before the first DWG is produced.

That would be great in a perfect world, but here in reality we really need to get on board and learn to communicate with each other across multiple platforms. I have one person I exchange file with occasionally who is still using LDD 2000, another who is using LDD 2009 still another who is using carlson or TBC depending on project. Then there is still others using Microstation. The combination gets more complex.