If you need to upgrade a Tekla Model Sharing model from an older version of Tekla Structures to a much newer version (for example, from Tekla Structures 2019 to Tekla Structures 2023), we recommend that you open and save the Tekla Model Sharing model one version at a time.

Before you continue to the next Tekla Structures version, check that the model works as intended, and back up the model before you continue upgrading to the next Tekla Structures version. When a Tekla Model Sharing model from an older Tekla Structures version is opened in a newer Tekla Structures version, the model data is converted. If you skip some Tekla Structures versions, the database changes are more extensive and the potential need for manual rework to match the new and changed product features increases.

If you need to upgrade a shared model to a new Tekla Structures version in the middle of a project, we recommend you to do the following:

1. Ensure that all users on the shared model write out their changes.

2. A company administrator reads in all the changes, and saves a local version of the Tekla Model Sharing model.

   We recommend that a backup copy of the model is created at this point.

3. A company administrator locks the model in the Management Console for Tekla Model Sharing so that other users cannot accidentally write out changes.
4. A company administrator opens and saves the Tekla Model Sharing local model in a new Tekla Structures version using the Save command. Do not use the Save as command.

   The following message is displayed:

   "This model was created using a previous release. If you save it now, you will no longer be able to open it in previous releases. This model has been shared in a previous version. If you save it now, it will be excluded from sharing. Do you want to continue?"

5. Click Yes to close the message.
6. To investigate that the Tekla Model Sharing model works correctly, do any of the following:
   • Run the repair commands.
   • Check that there are no errors in the log files.
   • Check that the drawings can be opened. When you open a drawing in the new Tekla Structures version, a new .dg file is created and the database conversion is done.
7. A company administrator starts sharing the model with the new Tekla Structures version and invites the users.
8. Users open the new Tekla Structures version and join to the new shared model.

If there are errors in writing out changes to the sharing service, you might need to rejoin the model. Tekla Structures will show you an error message if the errors in the write out could cause database inconsistencies and corrupt model data.

When you write out, Tekla Model Sharing does the following:

1. Saves the model.
2. Prepares the incremental packet. The data in the model folder is not changed yet.
3. Uploads the incremental packet to the sharing service.
4. Saves the model again if the incremental packet is uploaded successfully. Local model data is updated with the needed information.

Tekla Structures will not show you an error message if there are errors at any step before step 4. The sharing service has not received the model update yet. You can try to write out again as the model folder does not contain any data that would prevent the write out. If there are new updates available for the model, first read in the updates and then try to write out again.

If there are errors at step 4, Tekla Structures shows you an error message advising you to rejoin the model. After joining, you can check from the sharing history that your write out was uploaded to the sharing service.

Errors at step 4 mean that the model might not have been saved correctly, and model data might be corrupted or lost. The model has several different Tekla Structures databases each of them with their own baseline. If there are errors, the Tekla Structures model does not have all the needed information of what has been shared.

Tekla Model Sharing sessions time out if you do not read in or write out changes for 8 hours. When your session times out, you are disconnected from the Tekla Model Sharing service and the on-premises server, so that your Tekla Model Sharing license can be released to other users.

In these cases, the Read in icon on the Quick Access Toolbar does not show the number of available packets. However, packets might still be available to read in.

To start a new Tekla Model Sharing session and re-connect to the Tekla Model Sharing service, click the Read in icon on the Quick Access Toolbar.

You can contact Tekla Structures support to solve Tekla Model Sharing issues.

Use the Support tool to contact Tekla Structures support directly. With the Support tool you can collect the model, related files, and log files that are needed to investigate the issues with Tekla Model Sharing.

To create a support request:

1. In the shared model, ensure that you have logged in using your Trimble Identity.

2. On the File menu, click Help > Contact Tekla support.

   1. In Category, select Model Sharing.

   2. In Problem description, describe the problem in detail.

   3. In Steps to reproduce, describe the steps as closely as possibly.

3. Click Next, and ensure that all the check boxes are selected.
4. Click Next, and check the summary.

5. Click Create case to upload your case to Tekla Structures support.

   You will receive a confirmation email from Tekla Structures support.

   Additionally, you can invite Tekla Structures support to join the model to investigate the issue. Remember to remove any support email addresses from the user list after the model has been investigated.