How to convert Caesar II 5 file to 4.5 file

If all you did was pick the file (in the "File Open" dialog), and you didn't "save it" in the Piping Input Processor, then the format of the input hasn't changed and you can get the file back. Do this (carefully):

- Enter the input (in Version 5.00) for the job in question.
- While the input is open, use Windows Explorer to copy the ._A file to a different directory.
- After the copy, close the 5.00 input.
- You should now be able to start Version 4.50, navigate to the 4.50 data directory and enter the input for the job.

If you have saved the input in Version 5.00, it may not be possible to go back to Version 4.50. If this is the case, I'd suggest sending the .CAESAR II file to us so we can attempt this for you.

We have a project with work being done out of 2 offices, one is using version 5, the other 4.5, don't ask me why, I'm at grunt level.

Anyway, we will have to check (and perhaps modify with suggestions etc) the other offices calcs, I am on 5, and they are the 4.5.

If I open the 4.5 calc, make my changes, and then save it (so it's now version 5 file), can I send back the ".A" file the next time I open it (being confident that all the right information will get across)? I thought eveytime you open a version 5 file, all the parts of the ".CAESAR II" file are 'exploded' and therefore you can extract the ".A" file while the versino 5 file is open. Does that make any sense?

Cheers.

Yep, just tried it, the version 5 ._A file won't open in 4.5.

Yes, when you are in a 5.00 module the "CAESAR II" archive is exploded, and you could copy the _A file someplace else. However, once you save the data in a newer version, most of the time you can't reopen the file in an earlier version. This is because of the new data added for the newer version.

As an example, Version 5.00 expanded the input to carry an additional 9 values of elastic modulus. Version 4.50 can not handle this - it is unexpected data, the Input Processor would simply crash attempting to read this file. Therefore, we check version numbers, and if unacceptable, we put up the error message and quit.