# Tips and Tools : Open Maya files from a newer version with older versions

To open a Maya file created in a newer version (ex: Maya 2008 file need to open in 8.5)\
 1\. Save the file as a .ma file from the newer version of maya

2\. Open the file in a text editor

//Maya ASCII 2008 scene\
 //Name: myFileName.ma\
 //Last modified: Thu, Feb 26, 2009 11:06:07 AM\
 //Codeset: UTF-8\
 requires maya "2008";\
 currentUnit -l centimeter -a degree -t film;\
 fileInfo "application" "maya";\
 fileInfo "product" "Maya Complete 2008";\
 fileInfo "version" "2008";\
 fileInfo "cutIdentifier" "200708030025-704171";\
 fileInfo "osv" "Mac OS X 10.5.6";

3\. Replace the version info highlighted above with the older version info (if you don't know what it should look like, save a file as .ma from your older version of maya and open it in a text editor)

//Maya ASCII 8.5 scene\
 //Name: 2008-12-21\_Ig2\_run04-00-1315\_xyzpts-setupscene.csv.ma\
 //Last modified: Thu, Feb 26, 2009 11:06:07 AM\
 //Codeset: UTF-8\
 requires maya "8.5";\
 currentUnit -l centimeter -a degree -t film;\
 fileInfo "application" "maya";\
 fileInfo "product" "Maya Unlimited 8.5";\
 fileInfo "version" "8.5";\
 fileInfo "cutIdentifier" "200708030025-704171";\
 fileInfo "osv" "Mac OS X 10.5.6";

Note: If the file utilizes new features associated with the newer version, it will not work in the older version