Why can't Revit export older version of DWG ????

[Richard McCarthy]

I am just wondering WHY is autodesk not willing to make Revit export (and import) ALL of the AutoCAD format? (DWG2000,2004,2002,R14,R13..etc)
I mean, A LOT (that's more than autodesk would admit I am sure) are still using R14, not many upgraded past 2002 and it's obvious Revit should have supported older version of format since Revit is now an autoDesk family of product. What amazed me is that the rival product ArchiCAD can export a lot MORE format (including older DWG formats) than Revit can.....

[Scott D Davis]

As of now, Autodesk supports nothing below ACAD 2002. When ACAD 04 came out, they dropped support for r14, and now with ACAD 2005 nearly out, 2002 is the lowest supported file format.

It's not just Revit. All Autodesk software is following this.

[funkman]

I agree wholeheartedly.We should definitely be able to save to lower versions of autocad. I have a lot of consultants in r14 which is a PITA to convert twice. I find this almost unaceptable really.

[rhys]

Still OK to export to ACAD 2000! from 6.1 Nearly gave me a heart attack! I would have had to down grade all our consultants are still on 2000. And I will be forever I've no intention to up grade legacy software.

[aggockel50321]

I still have a licensed Acad R12 version that I missed the upgrade abandon date with Autodesk.

I guess I still own a valid R12 license, but don't know if it has any value.

I still can run it on a Win98 machine I have at home, by hitting the F8 key and starting up at a dos prompt, then run a batch routine to load up Pharlap & set up the mouse.

We have Revit & Acadlite here at work. Sometimes I have a need to convert a dwg down to R12 in order to manipulate some 3d vectors.

I stumbled accross this shareware program that does the conversion well. It'll save a .dwg back to R12, & it cost only $40.

http://www.freefirestudio.com/

[Dean Camlin]

You can also export a drawing in dxf back to R12 from within AutoCAD.

[Danny Polkinhorn]

I am just wondering WHY is autodesk not willing to make Revit export (and import) ALL of the AutoCAD format?

Their shareholders make this decision for them. They force people to upgrade which gives Autodesk money. To support an older version on export involves development time, costing Autodesk money. If I were them, I would avoid the topic, and do the same thing.

You can import/open any version of a drawing file into a newer version of AutoCAD. AutoCAD 2005 (R19) can still open R1 files. I'm not sure about Revit, but it's probably the same.

HTH,

[Cathy Hadley]

If you haven't tried this batch converter, I think its great... you can convert any dwg to any dwg (R14 and above) ... works great... runs outside of Acad ...

At Adesk knowledge base go to TS79338 and click on Batch Drawing Converter ....

CZH

(Edit by SD: You must have an ACAD 2004 product installed for the BDC to run)