I am on SP5 for SW15. I want to create a drawing from a SW16 part.
I thought that it would just read SW16 files like they were SW15, but all I get is broken reference lines
and an empty future version file.
how do you make it read a future version?
Sarah,
The limited compatibility between 2015 and 2016 only applies to part files. You will not be able to do anything with a 2016 drawing or assembly file in 2015. Sorry.
Sarah, you can still import the model and then make a drawing from it. Yes you lose he parametrics but you'll at least have a drawing.
Steve C
But how do I actually do it?? The help file is useless.
What step am I missing to actually see the SW16 part in SW15?
I just have an empty assm file...
Sarah, I'm sorry, I do not have either the latest SP of SW2015 or SW2016 to help you. I did think it was supposed to happen rather easily (if I recall the sales pitch from SW).
sorry
Steve C
Yeah from what I had heard it was supposedly very easy. I guess not. Thanks.
I think you're up a creek without a paddle on this one...
I don't know if it would work or not, if you open all the 2016 part files with 2015 first and then the assembly file, what happens then? I don't think you have any options, but to redraw for future reference drawings, (hope I'm wrong on this)
If I open the part first... I still get nothing.
Sw15 does open the SW16 file without any errors, but it is empty...
unless there is some setting somewhere to show a future solid?? to make it visible?
Welcome to Solid-Doesn't-Works typical high quality help files.
Hello Sarah,
That limited function was available for about two years, then was suspended for the code overhaul in SW2015. It was supposed to be back for SW2016, but I have not found that to be the case. I have tried a time or two to open a SW2016 file with SW2015 sp 5, but have always just gotten the spinning circle until I shut it down. I'm afraid you're probably out of luck if you can't go back to an earlier version of the drawing and model that was saved with SW2015 (if that exists).
Ahh... okay. I did notice the help file say this didn't work SW15-SW14 which I thought was weird. Funny that it works halfway.
Sarah,
With the part file existing in 2016 and you wanting to make a drawing in 2015 your only viable option is to export the part file from 2016 as a dumb solid, Parasolid would be best. You can then open that in 2015. From there you can make a drawing, but you will have to manually dimension it. Also, any holes made with the Hole Wizard, such as threaded holes, will not carry their information into the dumb solid. If you know what these are it might be easiest to recreate these threaded holes in the dumb solid in the 2015 part so their information will get generated on the drawing.
However, since you apparently have 2016 and have already converted the part file to 2016 why not just bite the bullet and make a 2016 drawing? It would be fastest on the whole. You could still make a 2015 dumb solid part file for use in assemblies. If you do that you should give them different filenames, perhaps something referencing the version they are in.
I agree with Dennis.
You need 2016 to save as a 2015 dumb solid.
Otherwise, just recreate it in 2015.
I would second updating to 16 over creating a dumb solid as, at least around here, there will inevitably be revisions to the assembly. With using a dumb solid you will need to recreate the entire drawing since you will need to create a new solid.
Right. I was just trying to use a function SW told me it had... silly me for believing SW was telling the truth!
We had started using SW16 and fought some issues for 2 weeks so my boss said to just go back to SW15.
But some of our models that had multiple configs got saved as SW16 files.
The drawings for most of the configs are still SW15, but since SP5 can read SW16 files and all of our dimensions are smart dims not model items, it should be fine.... nope.
It just forces the inevitable to happen now instead of later. We will just use SW16.
If the design didn't change or there were no revision changes, couldn't you just restore the file to an earlier date and still use 2015?
Sarah,
The functionality between versions that you are trying to take advantage of is extremely limited:
1. It only works with SP5.0 of the previous version (in your case 2015) and the next/current version (your 2016)
2. The ONLY thing it does is import a dumb solid. This is no different than you saving a dumb solid from 2016 and then opening that dumb solid in 2015. Their "feature" simply does this in fewer steps. The dumb solid is just that, dumb. It has no parametric dimensions or associativity.
3. This only works with part files, no drawing or assembly files.
Most of us find this functionality to be worthless. If a person can use a dumb solid then doing a Save-As is very easy and it allows you to give it a new name in the process. Then you can open that dumb solid in just about any version of just about any 3D software, not just the previous version of SWX.
