CAD Forum

A question entirely separate from what is the best CAD package for any particular use is: What is the best file type to save CAD drawings in order to protect against the vagarities of the CAD software businesses? STEP files for each part? DWG files, or perhaps something else?

I guess a subsidiary question is what policy to futureproof my files: To have separate files for each part and/or assembly? To keep 2D drawings in a format where 3D models can be recreated? Other option?

The significance is that whenever I update my TurboCAD I seem to lose some sense of functionality between versions. For example, the materials palate was changed from LightWorks to RedSDK between TurboCAD V18 to TurboCAD 2015, then back to LightWorks for TurboCAD 2019, and now (I think) back to RedSDK for TurboCAD 2022. Another example is that ACIS solid modeling has now been removed from versions of turbocAD except Platinum from ca 2020 and even existing, licensed versions seem to have lost ACIS or become flaky.

So what I want to be able to do is save a copy of everything I design as both Turbocad TCW files and as some stable file type so that I can segue elegantly and without pain or rancor into whatever software I like and can afford if the occasion arises.

As to why I haven't changed before, all I can say is that while TurboCAD is a complete pig, at least I know it and the complete pig you know may be better than the pig you don't.

Mike

TurboCAD is 2D? I'd say dwg/dxf for 2D would be safe enough. There are tons of free and free-ish programs that use that format that if TurboCAD fell off the face of the earth tomorrow, you'd still be able to at least read DWG/DXF for eternity, approximately.

3D is a tougher question, because a lot of the functionality is built into the file instead of in the software. If you save as STEP or Parasolid, and then use a tool that has the brains in the software instead of in the proprietary data type, you can always change even 3D data. Which is to say, use something that does direct editing, and use a neutral format file for long term storage.

STEP/Parasolid assembly. Most CAD can import assembly and save out the parts.

pdf for drawing. You'll need to recreate drawing anyway in any CAD.

Thank you both. I have started to comb through my old TurboCAD files making a new directory for each substantial part with STEP files for most components. I am also saving all drawings as PDF and a text file describing anything that isn't clear from the models and PDFs.
This may be a bit paranoid but I have several thousands of hours invested in CAD and a feeling that it may all be rendered unusable by the whim of a market droid.

I hadn't thought about futureproofing, and now you've got me fretting! I've been using TurboCAD since about 1989 and I don't think I could face converting all my tcw files. However, it has made me think about going back a few months and saving in two formats from now on - on my backup drive - to avoid some sleepless nights!