What version of Inventor (or AutoCAD) created this file and can I still open it?

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Mark Lancaster, Synergis Product Support Specialist:

I’ve had a few cases regarding the “Error in reading RSE stream” message within Inventor.

On the AutoCAD side you might see something like this.

So what do these messages mean? Basically you are trying to open an Inventor (or AutoCAD) file that was created in a newer version.

INVENTOR

For Inventor, once a file is saved (or migrated) in a given version, it cannot be opened or saved to a previous version of Inventor without the loss of features and parametric data.

Is there a way to determine which version of Inventor created this file? Yes and no.

• Yes: File’s iProperties in Windows Explorer
  • This method only works if the operating system is Windows 7 or newer
  • In Windows Explorer, right mouse click on the file and select “Properties”
  • (If present) Select the OK button regarding the message about “Inventor file properties, including Custom and Summary properties, must now be accessed through iProperties”.
  • Select the iProperties tab and the iProperties button.
  • Select the Details tab and the information related to which Inventor version created and last modified it is shown.

• Yes: Design Assistant
  • Launch Design Assistant which is located under the Windows start menu, All Programs, Autodesk and Inventor.

• Open the file in Design Assistant, right mouse click on it and select iProperties.
• Select the Details tab and the information related to Inventor version is provided.

 

• No: Unfortunately when you only access to a previous version of Inventor/Design Assistant, the Windows file properties and Design Assistant information will not display the (newer) Inventor version it was last saved in.
  • For example, here is the Windows file properties of an Inventor 2015 file on a machine that only has Inventor 2013 installed.

AutoCAD

Unlike Inventor, (vanilla) AutoCAD does provide the user the ability to move back & forth between different versions of the software.

If a drawing is created in AutoCAD 2015, would I still see the “created with a more recent version of AutoCAD” message if I opened it up in AutoCAD 2013? The answer is no.

If you were unsure or said “yes”, then let’s first discuss the AutoCAD drawing (“DWG”) version. Every 3 years, Autodesk updates its (AutoCAD) “DWG” format to protect its internal structure from being copied by competitors and to support the current application requirements.

So what does that mean for you? As long as it falls under this guideline, different AutoCAD versions can work on the same file without the need to convert it back and forth.

This guideline was implemented back in AutoCAD 2000 and is categorized as the following:

• AutoCAD 2000 “DWG” version: AutoCAD 2000, 2000i, and 2002 can open this version and all previous version as well.
• AutoCAD 2004 “DWG” version: AutoCAD 2004, 2005, and 2006 can open this version and all previous version as well.
• AutoCAD 2007 “DWG” version: AutoCAD 2007, 2008 and 2009 can open this version and all previous version as well.
• AutoCAD 2010 “DWG” version: AutoCAD 2010, 2011, and 2012 can open this version and all previous version as well.
• AutoCAD 2013 “DWG” version: AutoCAD 2013, 2014, and 2015 can open this version and all previous version as well.
• AutoCAD 2016 “DWG” version: When AutoCAD 2016 is released (Spring 2015).

Does the 3 year guideline apply to other vertical AutoCAD products like AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD MEP, etc? Yes

However, the intelligence behind some of the entities may be “dumbed” down and not supported in the version you’re currently using.

Is there a way to determine which version of AutoCAD created this file? Yes

• When you hover over a drawing file (in a newer version of AutoCAD) in the AutoCAD “Open” dialog, a tooltip will appear showing the version it was created it.
• For example, I’m using AutoCAD 2013 and hovering over a file that was created in AutoCAD 2015.

• If I save my file in AutoCAD 2013 and open it back up in 2015, my tooltip now updates to show it was modified using the 2013 version.

• In Windows 7 (or higher), if you hover over the drawing file in Windows Explorer, the same tooltip will appear.
  • There have been cases where these tooltips
    • Do not appear for drawing files
      • That was created in newer version that you do not have access to.
      • That was created in version 2007 or older.
    • Have incorrect information due to the file being converted using DWG TrueView or by some other method.
  • Another method is to open the drawing using notepad or Microsoft Word. The first six (6) characters will give you a code.

• This code is then cross-referenced to an AutoCAD version/release and will only indicate which AutoCAD version last modified the file.
• AC1027: AutoCAD version 2013, 2014, 2015
• AC1024: AutoCAD version 2010, 2011, 2012
• AC1021: AutoCAD version 2007, 2008, 2009
• AC1018: AutoCAD version 2004, 2005, 2006
• AC1015: AutoCAD version 2000, 2000i, 2002
• AC1014: AutoCAD Release 14
• AC1013: AutoCAD Release 13
• AC1009: AutoCAD Release 11, 12
• AC1006: AutoCAD Release 10
• AC1004: AutoCAD Release 9

So can I still access an AutoCAD drawing file if I don’t have the proper AutoCAD version? Yes

• First download and install the latest Autodesk DWG TrueView™ application (http://www.autodesk.com/products/dwg/viewers).
• Launch the application
• Select the DWG TrueView application menu and the DWG Convert menu option.

 

• Add the required files to the (files) tree and select the conversion setup you desire.

• Select the “Convert” button and the application will convert the file to the specified AutoCAD “DWG” version.

• However since the conversion modifies the file “in-place” you may want to consider converting a copy of the file and not the original.
• For example, If I now open the converted file using AutoCAD 2015, the text window would indicate its now opening an AutoCAD 2004 “DWG” version.

Can I use DWG TrueView to convert drawings that were created in vertical AutoCAD products? Yes

However, the entities created by the vertical AutoCAD product may be “dumbed” down and no longer accessible by the version you have.

Hopefully this information has helped you to understand how to determine and deal with Inventor or AutoCAD files that were created in another version of the software.

Until next time.

Mark L.

Mark Lancaster is a Product Support Specialist on our Helpdesk team working to support customers to create data-rich designs and efficient workflows.  Mark’s most previous experience is as the CAD Design Manager of Pall Corporation, one of our long time customers.  In that position, he was responsible for workstation optimization and design management, established uniform standards for the local and global offices, and developed global systems to control and manage their design data.

Have a question for Mark or any of our technical staff? Contact us, visit the Synergis website or subscribe to our blog.