Old libraries

[Clicker]

Hello everyone, this is my first post here. I've voraciously read these forums since buying CA a few weeks ago. I've been impressed by how helpful everyone is.

I have downloaded a few symbols that are in .l3a or .L2a format. I also noticed a folder in Chief called "Old-Libraries" that contains similar files. How do I access these types of files? I have a feeling they are from a previous version of CA, but if that is so then why are they included in Chief 10?

[lbuttery]

Gordon:

If you drag one of the old library files to the Chief 10 library a dbx should ask if you want to convert and then it is added to the chief 10 library.

These old formats pre-date ver 8 and and kept around for compatability, and if I remember right most of the them have already been re-done for ver 8 or later and are already in the library ?

Lew

[Clicker]

Lew, do you mean drag using Windows Explorer, or within Chief? Either way, I don't seem to be getting anywhere. Actually, I don't think I can even access the old libraries from within Chief. My main reason for posting is to find out whether or not I can even use a .L2A file, and if so, how? And why is the "old libraries" folder even there?

Thanks for responding.

[lbuttery]

Yes, using Windows explorer.

Try one.


The old libraries are there for legacy plans that need those symbols.

That's about all I know, maybe Dermot has more info on this ?

Lew

[Tim O'Donnell]

close chief then place them both in the library folder of your chief install, not the old library folder...AND THEY BOTH NEED TO BE NAMED THE SAME, with only the extension different(l2a is the 2d or plan view information, the l3a is the 3d info for camera views)

once they are in the LIBRARY folder when you open chief, it will send up a dialog, saying it has found old format libraries and ask if you want them converted. Cklick yes and they will be converted..(these will usually be found in either interior furniture or interior fixtures, but you may need to look elsewhere for them..

If they are very old files they may not be read at all, as only files created with about v4 or later can be read with v10

the old library folder is there for users who open plans done in earlier versions of chief..these plans used a different format for the symbols...the 2d info is in the plan but not the 3d info..(the *.l3x files are the 3d information that go with the 2d embedded in the plan)

[Clicker]

That worked, Tim, thank you. Since I don't have any earlier versions of Chief, there should be no problem if I decided to delete the old libraries, correct?

[Tim O'Donnell]

possibly if someone else were to send you a plan done with a prior version you may need them

unless you are direly short of hd space I would not delete them, as they aren't hurting anything by being there...