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Catch22 Import Archicad13 Doc to Archicad9 Plotmaker

Anonymous
Not applicable
If I try to import Archicad 13 file to an Archicad 9 Plotmaker Document (which I migrated like a good boy from version 9 file) - screen says says "File is in Version older than 8 (Which it isn't) and that it can't read."
This seems to make it impossible for me to use all my original Version 9 .blk Plotmaker books if I converted the document to version 13.

........adding to the problem if I migrate the original archicad 9 file to archicad 13 to work on it (and believe me that has a whole series of problems in itself) I can no longer open it in archicad 9 or convert it back to archicad 9. Stuck with 13 which does not seem to be backward compatible with version 9.

Bob
1 REPLY 1
Karl Ottenstein
Moderator
auglaz2468 wrote:
If I try to import Archicad 13 file to an Archicad 9 Plotmaker Document (which I migrated like a good boy from version 9 file) - screen says says "File is in Version older than 8 (Which it isn't) and that it can't read."
This seems to make it impossible for me to use all my original Version 9 .blk Plotmaker books if I converted the document to version 13.

........adding to the problem if I migrate the original archicad 9 file to archicad 13 to work on it (and believe me that has a whole series of problems in itself) I can no longer open it in archicad 9 or convert it back to archicad 9. Stuck with 13 which does not seem to be backward compatible with version 9.
Welcome, Bob.

Can't really understand what you've done... You cannot take a 13 file back into PlotMaker 9. But, if you follow the migration chapter of the user guide, it will explain how to open the layout book from 9, creating a new 13 PLN from it (layouts are not integrated with the model file) - and to combing the model from the old 9 PLN file.

You'll find the 13 Reference Guide PDF in the Documentation folder. The Migration Guide for AC 9 begins on page 82 (US version). In particular, review "Migrating PlotMaker Layout Books" on page 91 onwards. Be sure to read it all - much has changed. For your model, be sure to read page 100 onwards about Model View Options.

If you migrate your file, it should have NO impact on opening the original file in 9 unless you saved it back on top of itself, over-writing the original, which would be a huge mistake. Hopefully you have backups? If you're saying that you cannot open the 13 file in 9, that is true ... you cannot open a 9 file in 6.5 either. You can only go back one version at a time - losing any new features along the way. To see what each version can read and write, refer to the table in this article:

http://www.archicadwiki.com/ArchiCAD%20versions

Thus, you would need to have AC 12, 11, and 10 installed to save back one version at a time and eventually get back to 9. I'm sure the idea of moving backwards is due to frustration, as there is no functional benefit to 9, so do continue to ask questions on these forums so people can help you get re-oriented and sort things out.

Cheers,
Karl
One of the forum moderators
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