about updating blender

i’m running an old version of blender and i know a new version has come out so before i install it i want to check a few things:

  1. will installing the new version autometically remove my current version or will they coexist on my system until i uninstall one?
  2. will opening a file with the new version cause it to be unreadable by the old version?
  3. are there problems with how older files(using blender internal, texture mapping, rigging, animation, lighting and constraints) will open in the new version?
  4. can files made in the new version be exported “backwards” into the old version?
  5. is blender internal still supported in the new version, have any other features been lost?
    thanks
  1. Assuming you install by just copying over Blender, only if you overwrite the old version. Not sure what behavior installers have
  2. Generally no, but depends on how “old” we are talking. 2.49 and below will have problems reading files saved by 2.5+ versions. The file will load, but some things (like animations) won’t be loaded.
  3. Generally no
  4. Again, depends on how old. 2.63+ will open files without issues, aside from new feature being ignored. Pre-2.63 stored meshes differently, and requires the ‘legacy mesh format’ option to be enabled when saving. Pre-2.5 has the mesh caveat, plus it won’t load animations either. Not sure how gracefully it loads newer feature either.
  5. Yes. BI is still supported.

In short, it really depends on how old of a version you are coming from.

Moved from “General Forums > Blender and CG Discussions” to “Support > Technical Support” (could also fit in Basics & Interface)

do yourself a big favor and if the 2.?0 part of the version differ by 2 or more download a zip copy and try that out first

also please be aware that they will use different profile directories (2.7 does not even look for anything in the 2.6 profiles)

i’m currently on 2.65.0 are there any problems you have noticed using the latest version to open files from it?