How to convert newer Framemaker files to older FM Version

[lotharv73558022]

I would like to convert FM2022 files to the FM2020 format. In the FM2022 files none of the new FM2022 features are used. Just good old 2020 wine in a new 2022 bottle. 🙂

Is there a workaround?

I do have FM2020 on my computer and don't want to upgrade yet. An FM2022 trial version is not an option either.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Ok, so the source (FM2022) needs to save the content back into either FM2020 or MIF format. Nothing you can do from the FM2020 end of things. No reason why putting the FM2022 trial on a completely separate machine wouldn't work either for the purposes of back-saving.

[K.Daube]

I have tried the method with Heroic Open , but it does not not work in FM-16 - see last entry in table of last post.

So Jeff's advice is the only help here.

[FrameMaker-dk]

Frameexperts ConvertDocs sounds like the answer. https://frameexpert.com/store/index.html

[frameexpert]

Thank you Bjorn. Note that ConvertDocs can only "push" documents down to an older version; it can't "pull" them down from an newer version. So, for example, you would have to use ConvertDocs with FrameMaker 2022 to save them down to any earlier version. You can't use ConvertDocs with FrameMaker 2020 in order to convert FrameMaker 2022 files to 2020.

[Bob_Niland]

re: An FM2022 trial version is not an option either.

All that's needed for that is a naive machine, perhaps just a virtual machine, for the temporary installation.
For a small number of files, getting someone else to help with the save-back is another path.

It's easily possible that content security would prevent that, but in an enterprise setting like that, I'd push back, through management if necessary, to get the prior document stewards to provide the MIF. My dept. used to routinely generate MIFs, largely because it was hard to predict what FM version the outside translators would have.

In any case, these scenarios are further evidence for why Adobe needs to offer their products as cloud apps, available for short term lease.