Autodesk Inventor Question

I'm not familiar with Inventor but your problem sounds familiar. Lots of software do that nowadays. Files that were created using a higher version can't be opened with the older version. Part of the reason, I guess, is because the higher version has some features that the lower version doesn't have. Or the higher version uses a different method to do some things (or everything) than the older one. Or the higher version uses a different file format.

Some software, get around this by putting an option in Save As. You can select to save it as (in your case) Version 10 instead of Version 11. That way, a Version 10 program can open the file.

Another way is to know what commands or features Version 11 has that Version 10 doesn't and then don't use them.

An inconvenient option would be to have everyone use Version 10 to make the designs and use Version 11 only for viewing.

Well, you're outta luck with Inventor. There is no legacy support for previous versions. Once the part, print, assembly, etc... is modified by version 11, it will stay a version 11 file only. You could save your parts as STEP, or SAT files, but you will lose the model tree and all parametrics saved within it.

This has been an autodesk "feature" since the 80's. I won't use their products (crap) unless I have to.

I'm not sure about inventor, but there are knock off programs (programs that work the same with the same files from other vendors) for autocad. Maybe there is a student version. The one I remember is Brickscad.

It's all or nothing with Inventor upgrades. You cannot save in previous Inventor file formats like one person suggested. Once you save with 11, the file cannot be opened with 10. Since it is a school upgrade, hopefully it's free for your entire team to get 11.

You can work with step or iges files like one person talked about, but that's a hassle and you lose functionality - parts will be imported as solids, not parametric models. 11 is ok with step and iges, but older Inventors have some quirks with both.

This is the only part of Inventor that really annoys me. Most other CAD programs will just suppress or ignore incompatible features between versions. On the bright side, once you all switch to 11, it has much much better analysis, cable harnessing, and animation features.

I dont have Inventer but i have used autocad for over 20 years and can do anything with it

Normaly you would need to open your file in Inventor 11, then pick on file and on saveas, near the bottom you should be able to select the version you want to save your file as.

autodesk has always supported that kind of file exchange

Open Inventor 11 > Help >import/export. Then save your drawing in the format recommended by Help for use in the another CADs. Now , I hope, you can use it in the Inventor 10.

I do not have any version of Inventor, but I have used this way for other CADs.

Please, let me know the results.

Be lucky.

You cannot open newer version file on older version program, at all.

Saving as STEP, IGS or other 3D format will result in losing all the features. The part will become a dumb solid.

Either stay away from the IV11 computer or only use it to view files only.

I've been using IV since R1.0.

Pineapple

Thanks for all of your responses. I will make sure next time all work is done on one version of the software only.