Error message when you try to open a Visio drawing: "This file cannot be opened because it was created with a newer or unrecognized version of Visio"

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SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Visio 2002 or in Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect Edition, when you try to open a drawing that you created in Microsoft Office Visio 2003, you may receive the following error message:

<path>\filename.vsd
This file cannot be opened because it was created with a newer or unrecognized version of Visio. For Visio upgrade information, visit http://www.microsoft.com/office/visio.

In Microsoft Visio 2000, when you try to open a Visio drawing that was created in Visio 2003, you may receive the following error message:

<path>\filename.vsd
This file cannot be opened because it was created with a newer or unrecognized version of Visio. For Visio upgrade information, contact Visio Customer Service at 1-800-24-Visio (1-800-248-4746).

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CAUSE

Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect Edition uses Visio 2002. The file format that Visio 2003 uses for drawings is different from the file format that Visio 2002 or Visio 2000 uses for drawings. You cannot use Visio 2002 or Visio 2000 to open a drawing that you created in Visio 2003.

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WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, you must save the drawing in Visio 2003 by using the Visio 2002 Drawing file format. Then, you can open the drawing in Visio 2000, in Visio 2002, or in Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect Edition. To do this, follow these steps:

Open the drawing in Office Visio 2003.
On the File menu, click Save As.
In the Save as type box, select Visio 2002 Drawing (*.vsd).
Type a file name in the File name box, and then click Save.
Quit Visio 2003.
In Visio 2000, in Visio 2002, or in Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect Edition, try to open the drawing that you saved in step 4.

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STATUS

This behavior is by design.

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MORE INFORMATION

Steps to reproduce the behavior

Create a blank drawing in Visio 2003.
On the File menu, click Save.
Type Drawing1 in the File name box, and then click Save.
Quit Visio 2003.
In Visio 2000, in Visio 2002, or in Visual Studio .NET Enterprise Architect Edition, try to open the Drawing1.vsd Visio drawing that you created in step 3. The behavior that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section occurs.

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REFERENCES

For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

826416 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/826416/ ) You receive a "This file cannot be opened because it was created with a newer or unrecognized version of Visio" error message when you try to open a Visio drawing

For more information about Visio, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/visio (http://www.microsoft.com/office/visio)

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