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The PlexiiDraw file format and older versions

PlexiiDraw saves drawings in a newer format that holds groups, masks and extra artboards. What changes for you, for older versions, and in live sessions.

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From PlexiiDesk 4.3.40, PlexiiDraw saves drawings in a newer format. It can hold things the older format could not, such as groups, clipping masks and more than one artboard. Most of the time you will not notice the change: you open a drawing, work on it, and it saves. This page explains the few places where you might notice it.

Before you start

  • The newer format is on every plan.
  • Update PlexiiDesk on every computer that edits your drawings, and ask the people you work with to do the same. If a drawing in the newer format is opened and saved in PlexiiDesk 4.3.33 or earlier, its groups, masks and extra artboards can be lost.

What you will notice

  • Saving is reliable. Drawings save as you work, without a "Couldn't save" message. Close and reopen a drawing, and everything is still there.
  • Looking does not save. Open a drawing and look around without changing anything, and nothing is saved. The drawing is left exactly as it was.
  • Your first change updates the drawing. The first time you change a drawing made in an older version, it is saved in the newer format.
  • Copies are independent. Duplicate, paste and place make copies that stand on their own: editing a copy never changes the original. See Cut, copy and paste.

Opening drawings in older versions

Once a drawing is saved in the newer format, PlexiiDesk 4.3.33 and earlier do not understand everything in it. If the drawing is opened and saved there, its groups, clipping masks and extra artboards can be lost. Update PlexiiDesk on every computer that edits your drawings before anyone works on them there.

From PlexiiDesk 4.3.40 on, a drawing saved by a newer PlexiiDraw than yours opens read-only, with a note asking you to update, so it cannot be damaged. Nothing you do in that copy is saved. Update PlexiiDesk to edit it. Versions before 4.3.40 have no such guard.

In a live session with someone on an older version

When you work on a drawing live with someone whose PlexiiDesk is older, the drawing stays in the older format for that session, so they can still read it. Until they leave:

  • Group and Clipping Mask > Make in the Object menu are greyed out.
  • If you press their keys, PlexiiDraw says why: "Groups and clipping masks need the newer PlexiiDraw drawing format: someone in this live session is using an older version of PlexiiDesk, so this drawing stays in the older format until they update."

Once they leave the session, your next edit saves the drawing in the newer format. To avoid this, ask them to update PlexiiDesk. See Work together in real time.

Common questions

I opened an old drawing and nothing changed. Has it been converted? Not yet. Opening and looking saves nothing. It is saved in the newer format the first time you change it.

Why can't I group objects? Someone in your live session is on an older version of PlexiiDesk. Ask them to update, or wait until they leave. See Groups, clipping masks and compound paths.

A colleague says my drawing is missing groups or artboards. They are probably on PlexiiDesk 4.3.33 or earlier. Ask them to update before they edit it: if they save it in that version, those groups, masks and artboards can be lost from the drawing.

Can I go back to an earlier version of a drawing? Yes, with File > Version history. See Version history.

Still need help? Contact support at [email protected].