Interoperability Between Versions

This topic describes how to open an Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 drawing and view the Autodesk Civil 3D objects in a prior version of the software. It also describes interoperability between Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 and prior versions.

Opening an Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 Drawing in a Prior Version of AutoCAD Civil 3D

• Drawings saved in Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 can be opened in Autodesk Civil 3D 2020, Autodesk Civil 3D 2019, and AutoCAD Civil 3D 2018.
• To open an Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 drawing and view the Autodesk Civil 3D objects in a version of the software prior to AutoCAD Civil 3D 2018, set the PROXYGRAPHICS system variable value to 1 in Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 to save the graphics with the drawing and then use the Save As command to save the drawing to a prior drawing file format. When you open the drawing in a prior version of the software, the Autodesk Civil 3D objects will be displayed as proxy graphics.

Interoperability Between Autodesk Civil 3D 2021.1 and prior versions

This section describes interoperability between Autodesk Civil 3D 2021.1 and Autodesk Civil 3D 2021, Autodesk Civil 3D 2020, Autodesk Civil 3D 2019, or AutoCAD Civil 3D 2018.

Rail Bands in Profile Views

Opening an Autodesk Civil 3D 2021.1 drawing in a prior version

• Rail bands and their labels will be displayed as proxy graphics in prior versions of Civil 3D.

Interoperability Between Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 and prior versions

This section describes interoperability between Autodesk Civil 3D 2021, Autodesk Civil 3D 2020, Autodesk Civil 3D 2019, or AutoCAD Civil 3D 2018.

Bridges and bridge projections

Opening an Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 drawing in a prior version

• InfraWorks bridges are brought into Civil 3D 2021 as a new type of bridge object. Bridge components (for example, abutments, girders, and decks) are also created as new types of objects in Civil 3D.
• Bridge objects in plan view and bridge objects projected to profile view and their labels will be displayed as proxy graphics in prior versions of Civil 3D.

Path-based pressure networks

Opening an Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 drawing in a prior version

• Path-based pressure networks created in Autodesk Civil 3D 2021 can be viewed in a prior version of Civil 3D.
• Editing a path-based pressure network in a prior version of Civil 3D may cause unexpected results. For example, the pressure network parts may become detached from the underlying pipe run. If this occurs and you save and reopen the drawing in Autodesk Civil 3D 2021, a message will be displayed in the Event Viewer informing you that unsupported geometry changes caused the pipe run to be detached from the path. To resolve this issue, you can rebuild the pipe run from parts in Autodesk Civil 3D 2021.