Best Practice

How to open files created in newer release, in older version of Creo

Parametric

Aug 2019
Background
• Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire, Creo Elements/Pro 5.0 or Creo Parametric
models cannot be opened in older versions/releases.
• PTC guarantees retro-compatibility only in being able to open older
models in newer versions of Creo. The other way around is not part
of any PTC products functionalities.

Resolution:
• As a resolution rely on the Non-Granite Cross Release
Interoperability (GCRI) method
Refer to CS34192 for Data compatibility between all releases of
Pro/ENGINEER, Creo Elements/Pro and Creo Parametric

Reference: CS34964
 How to open newer files in older versions
1. Copy the file readnewermodels.dll from the newer version of Creo Parametric, searchpath:
<Creo load point>\Common Files\<datecode>\<machine_type>\gcri

2. Paste the readnewermodels.dll into the older version of Creo Parametric, see the searchpath:
<Creo load point>\common files\<datecodes>\<machine_type>\obj

Example; How to open Creo 3.0 files in Creo 2.0

Additional info depending on Creo version
• Copy the readnewermodels.dll file from the upper version folder
For Creo Parametric 1.0 - 2.0
• Copy readnewermodels.dll from <Creo load point>\Common
Files\<datecode>\<machine_type>\gcri
• Where <machine_type> equals x86e_win64 for 64-bit installation or i486_nt for 32-bit
For Creo Parametric 3.0 - 6.0
• Copy readnewermodels.dll from <Creo load point>\<datecode>\Common
Files\<machine_type>\gcri
64-bit installation readnewermodels.dll file from Creo Parametric 1.0 - 6.0 can be
downloaded as below:
• Creo Parametric 1.0
• Creo Parametric 2.0
• Creo Parametric 3.0
• Creo Parametric 4.0
• Creo Parametric 5.0
• Creo Parametric 6.0
• Paste the readnewermodels.dll file to the lower version in the following folder
For Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 3.0 - 5.0, Creo Elements/Pro 5.0
• Put the readnewermodels.dll into <Pro/ENGINER load point>\<machine_type>\obj\
For Creo Parametric 1.0 - 6.0
• Put the readnewermodels.dll into <Creo load point>\<datecodes>\common
files\<machine_type>\obj\
 Limitations with GCRI
Note: When opening a newer version of the model in the older version of Creo a
dialogbox popes up:

Limitation: the feature in the models created is not editable: