View Full Version : Archiving AutoCAD drawings
wpalmer
2004-06-25, 08:39 PM
We are drowning in paper/mylar drawings and are looking for a long term archiving system. My experience tells me that it might be difficult to open an R14 dwg file in a few years from now when R2010 is the norm. Any thoughts? Is it better/wiser to store drawings in another format, i.e. DWF, DXF, or? so that recovery is quick and easy?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Glenn Pope
2004-06-25, 09:16 PM
I don't think you will have to worry about AutoCAD not reading R14 files. Autodesk so far has kept AutoCAD backwards compatible when opening files. In version 2005, you can still open ver 2.xx.
cadmancando
2004-06-25, 09:32 PM
I would probably back them up in .DXF format. The file sizes are going to be larger, but at least you can read them with a text editor. If AutoCAD decides to "no longer support the version", I'm sure there would be someone out there that could develop a translator program to convert the .DXF file to the latest version.
My 2 cents.
Maverick91
2004-06-29, 08:12 PM
Instead of worrying about the DWG format growing passe for Autodesk, I'd be more concerned with the recording media becoming obsolete. I had to insist that our IT guy install a 3.5-inch floppy drive on my machine. Two weeks later he had to put a DVD drive on board.
JASONM30395
2004-06-30, 11:49 AM
Instead of worrying about the DWG format growing passe for Autodesk, I'd be more concerned with the recording media becoming obsolete. I had to insist that our IT guy install a 3.5-inch floppy drive on my machine. Two weeks later he had to put a DVD drive on board.
I agree with Doug, I've still got a 5 1/4" drive I won't let the IT guy get rid of because I still haven't found the time to "upgrade" all my old dwg's from 5 1/4 to CD. I also think Autodesk would drop us a hint if they were going to release a version that wouldn't open older files. (At least I hope they would)
tsigler
2004-07-01, 11:42 AM
Have any of you guys tried to retrieve drawings from floppies that are, say, 5-6 years old? I've found that, in many cases, the media has degenerated to the point that they are no longer readable. If you can still read them, I'd advise you to get them onto a more stable media.
For what it's worth.
drafting.41520
2004-07-01, 02:32 PM
One thought that no one has mentioned is that a copy of both recent and archived drawings should be stored off-site. A while ago our company had a fire scare which made us rethink our archiving system. A loss of a week or two of work could be disastrous for most companies.
dhallett
2004-07-01, 03:29 PM
Has anyone else considered archiving in .plt format? There appear to be several programs that will view and print plot files - we have one from Oce' that will view and plot them to any scale. We now are requiring consultants to provide their drawings in this format - no plot style tables or pen weights to worry about. Obviously, you would not be able to restore them to a workable CADD file, but as record documents, there is an advantage to not being able to change them. Also, I have found that these work across all versions of AutoCad. Comments?
Wanderer
2004-07-05, 02:22 PM
Has anyone else considered archiving in .plt format? There appear to be several programs that will view and print plot files - we have one from Oce' that will view and plot them to any scale. We now are requiring consultants to provide their drawings in this format - no plot style tables or pen weights to worry about. Obviously, you would not be able to restore them to a workable CADD file, but as record documents, there is an advantage to not being able to change them. Also, I have found that these work across all versions of AutoCad. Comments?
As an end-user of a long-lived facility, I think I would have to object to my contractors using this, and I seriously doubt if I would either. I'm inclined to think there will be readers of plt format in the future, but, I KNOW there will be DWG readers for a loong time to come due to the legacy data.
Also, I must keep things in a workable format. I never know what I will need or when. Also, if damage occurs to my records, server crash or flooding of my paper files when the contractor didn't send me CAD files, I need to be able to call up the company that made the files, and have them reprinted or copy a cd and send to me. If they have in plt format, I wouldn't be able to reintegrate.
I know, I know, the long-term needs of the end-user are rarely a motivating concern because they might not occur as I've outline above. :p When most companies have completed a project, they'll archive it however is most convenient for them, and that works 99% of the time.
just my $0.02, thanks for listening...:puffy:
Wrongway
2004-07-06, 06:35 PM
I recently inquired at a commercial printing service about plotting and they said bring files in pdf format (or jpg, tiff, gif, etc). Though the linework would be editable, it can be use to underlay new work.
David Bronston
Rock-River Engineering
Fredericksburg, VA
BrenBren
2004-07-06, 06:46 PM
pdf's cannot be converted back into dwg, I believe. Therefore, if you want to be able to modify the drawing in the future, therefore you would have the same problem as saving as plt files
Wanderer
2004-07-06, 06:49 PM
pdf's cannot be converted back into dwg, I believe. Therefore, if you want to be able to modify the drawing in the future, therefore you would have the same problem as saving as plt files
They can, just not without additional software and tons of frustration and re-creation.
arcadia_x27
2004-07-07, 12:06 PM
With Adobe Illustrator you can open an Acad drawing (2000 format) save it as a PDF, and open a PDF and save it as an ACAD drawing. But is it worth the cost of the Illustrator software just to be able to do that? On the DWF side of things, weve switched from paper copies to sending DWF files to the retailers that sell our product and its been recieved very well. Its no harder to install the DWF reader than it is to install the Adobe reader. Some of our retailers having seen the DWF reader and liked it, have gone so far as to buy the DWF Composer and are now marking up their own DWF's and emailing them back as opposed to faxing them. Just the time being saved in not having to try and read somones henscratching from a blurry faxed copy is a big plus for us. Yes you can do all the same things with Adobe Acrobat, but Adobe wont reintergrate from PDF to Acad drawing where with the new 2005 products it will. (although I havent tried that part yet.) just my 2 cents.
Wrongway
2004-07-07, 04:26 PM
Excellent points, thanks. I'm gonna' get on the DWF bandwagon.
Adobe 6.0 Reader is a resource hog anyway and takes forever to load.
I still need a print file though, ---> different thread
Beth Powell
2004-08-31, 06:43 PM
pdf's cannot be converted back into dwg, I believe. Therefore, if you want to be able to modify the drawing in the future, therefore you would have the same problem as saving as plt files
Actually, with 2004/2005 express tools, you can convert .plt to .dwg. Years ago people used to send .plt files to clients that needed to print them, but didn't want them to have the power to edit them (like .pdf or .dwf). You could purchase 3rd party programs back then that would convert them. Now you can do it with express tools, but I haven't received one from anyone in years.
Brian Myers
2004-09-01, 01:26 AM
The only correct answer to this question is there is NO absolute correct answer to the question. On the surface the DWF option seems the most logical, but if Autodesk decides to scrap it for the next big thing in 2 years then you've wasted all that time creating DWF files.
In reality you need to decide how you wish to proceed. Are you archiving with future revisions in mind or just to have electronic documentation of your past work? If it's documentation then I'd say Adobe PDF will be the way to go. 10 years from now you should still be able to open and read a PDF file, if not, you should be able to find a mass conversion program that will do the job for you.
If you believe you'll want to make changes to your work then I'd say perhaps you should just leave them as good ol' DWG files. I imagine that Autodesk will still provide some backward compatibility with older CAD versions, you just won't be able to save them back to that version (and would you even want to???). As far as I know, you can still open even the oldest CAD files on the newest versions of AutoCAD... you just can't save them back.
Now if you're REALLY, REALLY paranoid you can save them as DWG's and PDF's. Then save your old copies of AutoCAD and Windows (whatever version your current system runs on). Since you don't know if your old version of Windows will work on the new computer sytstem, pack a computer and all it's hardware away in plastic and place it in a cool dry place. With no dust, complete dryness and a constant temperature your computer will likely never go bad . Then just bring it out when that Disaster happens and that now slow computer is your only hope.
Like I said, you would have to be REALLY paranoid to do that... even I wouldn't... but in theory it could save your butt.
Myself, I'm simply saving my DWG files on CD's, my server's HD's, as well as tape back-ups. If Autodesk ever decides to end backwards "opening" compatibility I'm sure they'll sell you a software program to convert those old drawings... it's not like Autodesk to miss an opportunity to make a buck. But don't be ashamed to save them as PDF files as well if you don't mind taking the time... you can never be too safe if a major project is on the line. Plus, if you are really worried, I won't tell them about that old, plastic wrapped computer you have stored away in your closet... ;-)
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.