I created an assembly in 2016 SP5 and came to find out that the customer only has 2014, UGH! I have over 40 hours into this, is there any way that he can open in 2014 and edit features????? They charge a high charge for subscription the least they could do is design into the program backwards compatibility.
Even with backwards compatibility, it might not be easy to edit features as new features/options do not exist in older version.
You may try using BACKWORKS but again it has limited capabilities.
It'd be good to point out that BACKWORKS still doesn't support SW 2017.
It'd also be a good point that this will never happen, really.
Steve C
And once again, SW it's not a 2D package. It's wayyyyyy harder to convert new features to an older rev. Let's just take 3D threads for example. Let's take way back in the day when hole wizard could only add one hole at a time and you had to pattern the holes....and there was no sketch pattern.
Save the files as an Iges or Step files
If you are on subscription, you might want to download previous versions. Then you could work in whatever SW version you need to based on the customer.
I'm not the biggest fan of having multiple versions of SW installed in one PC. It can get messy and I've seen some bugs arise after you install a 2nd version.
I've 5 different version running on same machine without a single war between them .
Mind sharing your secrets? Keep all directories separated and I still get some bugs every now and then.
Separate folders for each version for installation, templates, toolbox, etc. and it works without issues.
Gian,
Gian Flavio Violi wrote:
... I still get some bugs every now and then.
If you only get "some bugs every now and then" your current setup is perfect. Change nothing.
Is it your thought that SolidWorks should run with no bugs?
Please vote...
I'm well aware that SW is gonna have bugs from time to time. But I've found some bugs specifically triggered by multiple versions installs, that's why I'm not a fan of multiple versions.
Just the past week I had to uninstall SW 2017 SP1.0 from multiple workstations since the SR support I got couldn't fix the problem and this was the only way I found out to fix a bug.
Gian,
I must admit that you have devised and absolutely brilliant strategy for fixing bugs in SolidWorks.
Gian Flavio Violi wrote:
...uninstall SW 2017 SP1.0...this was the only way I found out to fix a bug.
I usually have 2 versions plus the beta/PR. There have been very few issues if you keep the installs separated.
With all the vendors and customers I work with, I have never once had an issue come up where someone needed a previous version. If they had an older version, they received a STP file, no problems.
Chris,
I have no idea who your customers are, but in my world, I would lose customers if I didn't/couldn't comply with drawing/file requirements that precisely match the Purchase Order we agreed to.
Most of our customers are the major aerospace companies. Most use CATIA.
If any vendors, suppliers, or customers use SolidWorks, they receive STEP files from us. Backward compatibility is never an issue.
sorry that is not available. There is a thread here before for solidworks backworks but i can't find it anymore. try to google if you can find it and try if it will works to you they offer a beta version.