My organization has been using MapPoint 2002 since the beginning of time. I am a recent addition and I am the entire I/T department. One of my efforts is to get MapPoint up to current levels. Since 2002 files are incompatible with the 2011 application, I looked at the documentation and saw that anything 2004 or later should be compatible. I went out looking for any relatively cheap interim release and found 2004 so I purchased it. A couple of hours later, I got a response in this forum from someone saying he didn't think that 2004 was not compatible either but, since I had already placed the order, I was stuck. Well, it appears he was right and Microsoft's documentation is wrong. Does anybody have any ready solutions or am I stuck investing money on another dead version just so I can convert my files?

This was just recently brought to my attention by someone else last week. I know MapPoint 2011 couldn't open MapPoint 2004 files, but did not know the documentation said you could :-/ must have been some lack of communication between the dev team and the team working on the help file.

Maybe you can "borrow" a copy from someone you know who has an MSDN or Action Pack subscription, last I checked, they still had all the old version available for download. Also, check with the people from whom you purchased the MapPoint 2011 licenses, they might be able to help.

Eric

Thanks Eric. I got 2011 directly from Microsoft so I don't expect much assistance there. I will put out feelers with my contacts to see if I can find a version that will bridge the gap for me. I just hope whatever I get will be able to both read 2002 (or 2004) files and feed 2011. I'd hate to spend another $150 or more just to find it still won't get me the whole way.

Thanks,
Scurve (Ed)

Now that you bring it up, I'm not totally sure MapPoint 2010 can open MapPoint 2002 files, however I know it can open MapPoint 2004 files, which you have, so in the worst case you would have to open and save them twice!

However, I'm sure MapPoint 2006 files can open MapPoint 2002 ptm's and MapPoint 2011 can definitely open MapPoint 2006 ptm's, so if you can find MapPoint 2006 that would be your best bet!

Note that if you have lots of files (privately you mentioned you have hundreds), it would probably be worth looking into writing macro to automate the task.

Eric

I don't know where you are getting your old MapPoints but in the past I've used EBay. Amazon might be another choice. You have to be careful you are getting legitimate copies - so I always went for the sealed, unopened original carton. Even so they were costing less than $100 for copies that were two versions out of date!

Thank you all. I found a friend with an MSDN connection and he has a download for me. I just have to make sure it installs properly before I close this out but things look promising. Thanks to all for the assistance.

If you need help with writing a macro let us know. To get started using Excel VBA there are some tips at Working With Excel and MapPoint - MP2K Magazine (http://www.mp2kmag.com/excel)

Eric

Eric, if you have something handy, I'd love the help. I'm just learning VB too so it could take me a bit. And I don't have a lot of time before my boss needs at least some of these files converted. I'll take a look at those tips.

Here's a little script I hacked together for adding all the custom pushpins symbols in a folder --


Sub AddPushpins()

Set MPApp = GetObject(, "MapPoint.Application")
MPApp.Visible = True

Set objMap = MPApp.ActiveMap
Dim LResult As String

LResult = Dir("C:\WorkOnTheseFiles\*.bmp")

Dim szFile As String
szFile = Dir

Do While Len(szFile) > 0
Debug.Print szFile
If Len(Trim(szFile)) > 0 Then
objMap.Symbols.Add ("C:\WorkOnTheseFiles\" & szFile)
End If
szFile = Dir
Loop

End Sub


I mention this example because it has the code for looping over all the files of a particular type in a folder -- assuming you put all your files that need to be converted into a particular folder.

Note that the line Set MPApp = GetObject(, "MapPoint.Application") assumes there is already an open instance of MapPoint.

What you would need to do should be a fairly simple modification e.g.


Sub ConvertFiles()

Set MPApp = GetObject(, "MapPoint.Application")
MPApp.Visible = True

Set objMap = MPApp.ActiveMap
Dim LResult As String

LResult = Dir("C:\ConvertTheseFiles\*.ptm")

Dim szFile As String
szFile = Dir

Do While Len(szFile) > 0
Debug.Print szFile
If Len(Trim(szFile)) > 0 Then
objMap.OpenMap ("C:\ConvertTheseFiles\" & szFile)
objMap.SaveMapAs ("C:\ConvertedFilesFolder\" & szFile)
End If
szFile = Dir
Loop

End Sub


I have not tested this code, so of course Murphy's Law applies! When the code opens the map, it might prompt regarding whether or not you want to convert the map as it does in the regular interface :-/ or something else might be wrong. Let us know how it goes!

Eric

This is awesome Eric. Thanks for the help. I will hopefully get to this Mon or Tue. I will let you know how it goes.

It took a while but I finally got 2006 loaded properly and I have proven out the conversion from 2002 to 2006 to 2011. Thanks to all for their help. Now, thanks to Eric, I will try to focus on the VB program to automatically convert all of our hundreds of files.

Thanks,
Scurve

Great! Let us know how it goes. Also, if you would like to write a short article or TIP in the Tips and Tricks section (http://www.mapforums.com/tips-tricks/) for others who experience the same problem that would be really cool :-)