Upgrade older versions of Revit files?

[tkrich00]

How are other firms/companies handeling upgrading older Revit projects that have been completed and built and the Revit file has been archived? Should these files be upgraded with every year with each new release if have the potential to be needed for future additions / renovations or just needs to be accessed? How many past version can the newest Revit upgrade; i.e. will 2011 upgrade an 8.0 version or earlier?
I am curious how others are handling this process for projects in older Revit versions.

[Merlin]

It's probably not a bad idea to go through archived files and save them in curent versions. I've heard some rumours that soon the versions of Revit and AutoCAD current at the time (future) will only be able to read back a certain number of versions.

[iru69]

This is an instance where you really need to source "some rumors." Someone from Autodesk? An AEC publication? Some random stuff you read in a user forum? ;-)


I've heard some rumours that soon the versions of Revit and AutoCAD current at the time (future) will only be able to read back a certain number of versions.

[jeffh]

In my time at Autodesk I have seen only 1 file that was from an older version of Revit that could not be upgraded. It was like from version 2 or 3 and was trying to promote to Version 8 or 9. I had to install older versions of Revit and "baby step" it to the current version.

If you ran into this situation Product Support could probably help you promote the file to the current version if necessary.

Speaking from my experience as a CAD/BIM manager I don't think I would take the time to promote all of my archived projects. Current and expected to be needed again projects(building prototypes etc...)...yes I would do those but I would cross the bridge of file upgrade when needed on older archived projects and call in product support if I found one causing trouble.

[twiceroadsfool]

In my time at Autodesk I have seen only 1 file that was from an older version of Revit that could not be upgraded. It was like from version 2 or 3 and was trying to promote to Version 8 or 9. I had to install older versions of Revit and "baby step" it to the current version.

If you ran into this situation Product Support could probably help you promote the file to the current version if necessary.

Speaking from my experience as a CAD/BIM manager I don't think I would take the time to promote all of my archived projects. Current and expected to be needed again projects(building prototypes etc...)...yes I would do those but I would cross the bridge of file upgrade when needed on older archived projects and call in product support if I found one causing trouble.

I agree. Taking in to account the size of the models, and all of the Linked Models to them, its an astronomical undertaking to upgrade all projects on the "what if" of needing them again.

We deal with it on an instance basis. If a former projects model is needed again, we deal with it then, particularly because its probably going to go through some clean up at that time, as well. But, some projects will simply never get touched again, so doing all of the archived projects on the "what if," is a big time investment...

[Merlin]

This is an instance where you really need to source "some rumors." Someone from Autodesk? An AEC publication? Some random stuff you read in a user forum? ;-)

Can't say....That's why it's a "rumour"...LOL

[iru69]

Now I'm really confused - is there a subtle subtext, wink, wink, that I'm suppose to be picking up on?

Can't say....That's why it's a "rumour"...LOL

[eric.piotrowicz]

Now I'm really confused - is there a subtle subtext, wink, wink, that I'm suppose to be picking up on?

I think what he means is that he heard from someone who heard from someone who heard from... as in, no definitive "source" for the rumor and therefore just a rumor.

[Merlin]

I think what he means is that he heard from someone who heard from someone who heard from... as in, no definitive "source" for the rumor and therefore just a rumor.

Presactly! LOL