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Can a model be saved down or back to an older version?
A user with an older version is not able to open a project I sent them. Can a model be 'saved down' to an earlier version?
A model cannot be saved 'down' and most versions are not backwards compatible. For example, if you've created and saved a model in WaterGEMS V8i SELECTSeries 6, a user with an earlier version of will not be able to open it. New releases of the programs have introduced many new element types and features, which will often not be interpreted by an older version of the product. Another reason is that the structure of the database files used to store model data (the 'schema') was changed to accommodate improvements and new features. The older versions cannot interpret the new database format.
Below are the options available to resolving this issue.
The recommended solution is to upgrade to the latest version of the software, or at least the version used to modify the model you want to open.
Downloading Haestad / Hydraulics and Hydrology Software
If the user is not able to upgrade to your version, the best workaround for the Water products (HAMMER, WaterCAD, & WaterGEMS) would be to export the model to the standard EPANET format (File > Export > EPANET). This format can be opened in most older versions (File > Import > EPANET). For example in older v8i versions, you can import EPANET via File > Import > Network. Note that there are limitations with this method such as only being able to export one scenario, and other items described in this wiki article .
The best workaround for SewerGEMS and CivilStorm would be to export the model to the EPA SWMM format (File > Export > SWMM v5). After that the SWMM file can then be opened by most older version of the software (File > Import > SWMM V5). As with the EPANET for the water products, you may also run into some limitations or have the potential to lose some information in the process of the export/import. In SewerCAD and StormCAD, you can export the model to the LandXML format (File > Export > LandXML) and import the LandXML file into the older version of SewerCAD or StormCAD.
Another workaround would be to export all elements in your model to shapefiles and then import those shapefiles with the older version of the software using ModelBuilder.
The first thing you need to do if you're using this method would be to make sure all your FlexTables have all the information you input for the properties of each element and then export each element to Shapefiles. Export your elements to Shapefiles is described in the following wiki:
Converting your model elements to Shapefiles
After you do this you would need to use the ModelBuilder tool in the older version of the software (Tools > ModelBuilder) to import all those elements back in. Using ModelBuilder to construct a network is described in this wiki found below and there is also information in our help documentation on how to use ModelBuilder:
Building A Model Using ModelBuilder [TN]
This method can take some time to work through. It will assure the data is imported accurately. However, each scenario will need to be done separately.
"Unsupported dataset type schema" error or "Object reference" error when opening a model
'Unexpected Numeric Presentation Formatter' or 'Expecting: Numeric Formatter or Station Formatter' error when opening model