Corel version 12 and 21

I have corel version 12 on an old computer that I have had since about 2006. II use for my drawings for my laser. It is a laptop.

I had to replace my desktop and it won't run version 12.  It won't open large files.

My problem is I can't save filles from corel 21 in version12 (only back to 15).  I am finding 21 so different and difficult compared to 12.

Any suggestions?  Does corel sell older versions that save in version 12--Newer than 12 but older than 21.

Any help is appreciated.

I have had a suggestion of using CMX legacy format.

Corel tells me 12 is old and they don't support it any more--and basically tough.

Susan Karatjas

  • You'll have to use an "interchange" format like EPS to move artwork from CorelDRAW 2021 down to CorelDRAW 12.

    Corel doesn't sell previous versions of CorelDRAW. With the company fixing to make the application 100% subscription-only in the future they would likely be even less inclined to make older versions available for sell.

    IMHO, it is an especially dopey, stupid policy for modern versions of CorelDRAW to be able to save back only a few versions. There is a couple people I work with who still use CorelDRAW X3. I have to keep a copy of CorelDRAW 2018 running on my computer just to be able to down-save to X3 format (or as far back as CDR 11).

    Here's a more infuriating problem. The past few versions of CorelDRAW will not open or import CDR files made prior to version 6. For a long time CorelDRAW wouldn't open CDR files made prior to Version 3. Now CDR versions 1-5 are dead. Who knows when Corel will arbitrarily cut off support to more versions, like 7 thru 9? If you're a really long time user like me and have lots of archive files dating back into the 1990's the only way to open those files in CorelDRAW is by having a old copy of CDR running on an old PC or in an old version of Windows running in a virtual machine. Very few rival graphics applications have CDR import filters. Inkscape is one, but its CDR import quality is pretty sketchy.

    Compare this with Adobe Illustrator. Within the current version of Illustrator I can save AI files back to any previous Creative Suite version as well as pre-CS versions 10, 9, 8 and 3. The same goes for EPS files. Illustrator 3 was released in 1990. Plus, Adobe Illustrator has always been able to open AI files made in ANY previous version of Illustrator. That makes AI files less hazardous to archive for the long term.

    • I just found your answer in my junk mail. You are obviously more knowledgeable than me. Someone else told me to save on 21 as a CMX presentation file and then bring into 12 so I can cut with my laser. It comes in but I don’t know if there are problems. 

    • Could you contact me via PM? I would like to test solution I'm thinking of.