I have a couple of 15-year-old CDR files that I need to edit/update, but CorelDraw 12 won't open them -- just gives me an error message saying that they were created with CorelDraw version 1 or 2, and it can't open them. Does anyone know a way I can update the format of these files so that I can edit them with recent versions of CorelDraw? Before you ask, I no longer have any version of CorelDraw older than version 12.
It is really devastating after 30 years or so to have found backups of my childhood drawings and not to be able to open them because the drawing application to which I showed the greatest loyalty and paid hundreds of $/€ to buy doesn't support ITSELF. The developers/owners of the application, simply don't care, and for years they have not included import filters for their own old versions of the app! They HAVE included, of course, all other sorts of filters for all kinds of crazy apps out there... but not their own!Please, Corel, be serious.
Niko,
I'm not sure if you realize it, but you just replied to a thread that is already 13 years old!
I feel for you, but can we realistically expect Corel 18 to open up files from Corel Draw 2 or 3? I think that is asking too much. Each version of Corel Draw does have functionality to open older versions of CDR files, Some versions go back further than others, but there is a limit how far back they go.
Think about it, if you were using Corel since its early days, you were probably upgrading (to the next version or skipping a version or two) every few years. Since each newer version supports files from few versions earlier, you could have easily opened your older files, saved them as the current version at that time. If you did that all along, your files would still be readable now, in the latest version. Yes, it is inconvenient, but IMO, not unreasonably so. As I see it, it was you that neglected to keep your files up to date. Sorry!
I still have older versions of Corel available, so if someone gave me one of the really old files, I would be able to save them in a newer format, readable by the latest version of Corel.
What version of Corel were your old files saved in? How many files are we talking about? Dozen? Hundred?
Peteski
Haha yes I had realized that the thread was 13y old already! I don't care if it were 100y old!
I'm sorry, but I really don't understand your point. Why on earth would I need to open and re-save my thousands of drawings every now and then? Who the hell does that? Why do we have computers for if we have to do that silly work? "Neglected"?? REALLY???
Of course it is unreasonable for Corel not to support its own older versions! How difficult could it be to simply add all filters? All app developers have an obligation to their users to keep backward compatibility. This is basic.
Thanks for your offer to update my files, but meanwhile I did find a solution. I had an old PC version 7 of Corel and I installed it on a virtual machine running windows 10 on my MacBook. I have two Corel versions now, and if I want the old one I can simply right-click to select it.
So, all good. Except Corel and their lack of support!
I'm glad that you worked out a solution, and that it is an easy one.
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree how far back a software company should support their products. Maybe because I work for a large computer company in tech support, I see things differently.
But I'm also running some vintage code at home. I still have an active PC with Windows 98SE running Corel V 10. I need that computer to run an old Alps MicroDry printer. I also have CDs for older Corel (down to V 3). The latest version of Corel I own is V 12 on a Windows 7 laptop.
IMHO, any version of CorelDRAW should be able to open or import files made in any version prior to that release. As a comparison, I can open Adobe Illustrator .AI files made 30 years ago in the current version. This practice from Corel of cutting off support of CDR files made prior to a certain version really stinks. I can't remember when, but at some point in the 1990's subsequent upgrades of CorelDRAW cut off file open/import support of CDR version 1 and 2 files. Version 3 was the oldest that was supported. Then in recent years they cut off support for versions 4 and 5.While users can install a virtual machine and run an old copy of CorelDRAW on it to retrieve old files and save them forward a few versions one file at a time, that seems like a lot of work to overcome a basic capability that should have been in CorelDRAW all along.
Such a basic concept!
There should be laws with great fines against lazy companies choosing to stop supporting their files created with previous versions!I wonder if Corel ever made a survey among its clients, if there would even be 1% to support this disgrace! (And that probably from their own employees!)Shame on you Corel!