What I did was open a file that was saved in 2009. The school that we work in is using a network boot for windows 7. The shared hard drive to store anything on, especially the backups, no longer exists. All of their machines no longer meet the minimum requirements for video I believe, and they could not get it to work in their environment and be stable. ( I only heard this second hand).
Checking for backups was my first stop trying to troubleshoot this. Anyways I was able to open the “lift” drawing and “insert component” in the 2011 chassis drawing.(Insert component side window should also have had some warning that the assembly or part was not saved in the 2011 version) I postitioned it and then went to save the 2011 file, which it allowed me to do. The crucial step is that I needed something other than the * that is next to the title of an unsaved file. The program should warn you to save the outdated file, which in turn updates it to 2011 as you mentioned. I suggest:
Color change in drawing title bar: Lift_2012*
Make the file name flash in a color:Lift_2012*
Make the “insert component” left hand window indicate with color, flashing, or pop-up for the unsaved in current version item in open part section.
The program tree when you try to bail out of the main assembly, say using the “X” in the right corner is correct in that it advises that you have unsaved work and do you want to save it. (here have the programmers force you to save sub assemblies and parts first, thus forcing them to update to new version, then force the user to rebuild the the final drawing assembly and then save. Again with appropriate windows dialog popup). However I should not be able to “insert component” of an unsaved assembly or part from another version Solidworks. Once the 2011 file was saved with the 2009 “lift” assembly that was not saved, the file became truncated and appeared to be from an outdated version. (which is sort of opposite of what you mentioned, that it would be updated to 2011 version).
Lastly there has to be some utility that an expert user could use to open the file and remove the unwanted assembly or part from the drawing. Then being able to save the assembly in the newer current version. (Like built into e-drawings).
The problem with saving as an older version is that every release there are new features and interface changes. This in turn changes the structure of the “save file”. This is where the problem occurs. There is no way of keeping the same “save file” structure without losing features that are new or have undergone changes that do not exist in an older release of SolidWorks. This is something we have been looking into for some time now and something we have been trying to figure out.
I hope this helps.
I’m totally committed to fixing this issue, how can I beta test things for you and help? Thanks to FIRST we were able to show the cost savings to the school to come over to the Solidworks platform and your licensing structure, as opposed to some of Solidworks competition. I’m glad that all the mistake cost the team, was us learning how to redraw, fast and under pressure. We also learned that everyone drawing needed to have some sort of version control that makes sense. Since we are all using USB flash drives to save our work on. At least we had all the parts to insert and re-mate.
James “R3P0” Robinson
Team1504.com
Ps. I left you a voice mail in case you have any questions…or job offers. 