Opening an older PLAXIS project

All PLAXIS applications support backwards compatibility. This means that a project created in an older version can be opened in the latest version so that one can continue working without any problems.

When opening an older project with PLAXIS, Input program will read all the information and, in some cases, provide feedback to the user.

The feedback typically involves informative hints, giving an explanation on what are the default values concerning new features added in the latest version, which are not present in the older project file. In this case, you can read the information, safely ignore this feedback and click OK to open the project, as detailed below.

However, in some cases, this feedback can include warning and error messages which require the user’s attention.

Explanation about feedback messages

With every PLAXIS release, several improvements and new features are added to the software. In order to maintain compatibility, PLAXIS provides an automatic mechanism to make sure that a project created in an older version can be opened in our latest versions.

Because of the new features added in a newer version, proper feedback is provided to inform the user about the new properties or objects created, making it transparent as to what is being adopted by PLAXIS.

For example, when trying to load a tutorial example created with PLAXIS 3D 2018 version in PLAXIS 3D CONNECT Edition V20.04 the following feedback message is provided:

Figure 1: Opening tutorial lesson from 3D 2018 to 3D CONNECT Edition V20.04

In the feedback above one can read the Hints regarding two properties that were introduced in the latest version (e.g., see: Swept meshing in PLAXIS 3D), which, naturally, are not available in the old project file.
The feedback states that the default values will be assigned, and it is OK to safely ignore these hints for the new properties. Note that using the default values ensures compatibility and the project is not affected.

Beside Hints, the feedback can include Warnings or even Errors when loading the project information. An example of a warning is shown below:

Figure 2: Opening tutorial lesson from 3D 2013 to 3D CONNECT Edition V20.04

In the feedback above one can read about a Warning and some Hints (partially hidden). The warning here identifies an object that could not be converted due to geometry incompatibility (see: PLAXIS 3D 2016: Fully parametric geometry). In this case, the user is required to take action concerning this warning message.
By clicking OK the project can still be opened since the rest of the geometry can be read correctly.

An example of an Error is shown below:

Figure 3: Opening tutorial lesson from 2D CONNECT Edition V20.04 to 2D CONNECT Edition V20.03

In the feedback above an Error is encountered when trying to open this project. As explained in the message, this error occurs because of a compatibility issue with the project created in a newer version (i.e. PLAXIS 2D CONNECT Edition V20.04) was opened in an older version (i.e. PLAXIS 2D CONNECT Edition V20.03).

As explained above PLAXIS supports backwards compatibility but not vice-versa, therefore, one cannot continue in opening this project.

When an Error is shown, the user is required to take an action on this project.

See also