Compatibility of files between versions.

[jimmy.long]

Can anyone clarify a point for me? I heard from a colleague of mine at a different location that starting with Inventor 2017 that all versions will be able to open files created in any version. In other words if I have 2017 and I get a file created in 2018 I can still open it. The files have never been backwards compatible before but if this is true it would be great as we have vendors that are moving to 2018.

[BWMCDOWELL]

I cannot say between 2017 and 2018 but as they have not been backwards combatable up until this point I doubt they would be now, our work around has always been to get files from outside sources in step format.

[Bunny]

Yes, 2017 can open and read some 2018 files, such as ipt's and iam's (I have not tested all file types). I'm not sure of the mechanism, but I believe it results from the AnyCAD functionality. The caveat being that there is no "backward compatibility" as you say. 2017 will read 2018 ipt's and iam's, but generates them as derived components, and can be modified. Edits made to the 2018 version will propagate to the 2017 version when updated, but any changes made to the 2017 version cannot propagate forward to the 2018 version, if that makes sense. Idw's are a different story. Trying to open a 2018 idw in 2017will result in the "...future version..." error.

HTH