# Converting old projects
> [HTML Version](hm_working_projects_convold.html)
Help+Manual automatically converts the project files from older versions with obsolete formats (H+M 3 and H+M 4) when you open them. Alternatively, you can also use the standalone converter program to convert old projects manually.
Help+Manual 4 projects are generally converted 1:1 and do not require any post-processing after conversion. Older Help+Manual 3 projects did not have the styles and other features introduced in the modern versions of the program and may require some reformatting after importing.
## Backward compatibility with Help+Manual 5 and later:
All Help+Manual projects created with version 5 and later are fully backward-compatible and require no conversion. Just open them in Help+Manual 10 and start editing.
You can edit projects saved with Help+Manual 10 in earlier versions but this is not generally recommended. Any new features will be stripped out by the older versions when you do this. If you are working on projects in a team all team members should also be using exactly the same version.
[] Converting old projects automatically
**Previous Help+Manual projects created with version 5 or later**
Projects created with Help+Manual 5 and later can be opened and edited directly. No conversion is required. However, newer features of the current version of Help+Manual are not supported by earlier versions. If you use these features and then edit and save with the older version, the features may be deleted by the older version.
**Help+Manual 3 and 4 projects**
1. Select the File menu and click on Open, then select the format of the project you want to open in the _Files of Type:_ field (or the drop-down menu next to the _File Name:_ field in newer versions of Windows).** **
2. Select the file you want to convert and click on _Open_ to display the following dialog:
_(./images/dlg_autoconvert.png)_
3. Select Convert and open to convert the old project.The new project file will be saved in the same directory as the old project you are converting.
This method automatically converts the old project into a single compressed file with the extension **.hmxz** containing all the project components except the graphics files. If you are using the Basic version of Help+Manual this is the only project format you can use.
**Using the external converter:**
If you use the external converter you can also convert old projects to the uncompressed XML format (HMXP, Professional and Floating license versions only) and select additional conversion options for Help+Manual 3 projects.
Follow the instructions above and select Start external converter. For full details see [The Project Converter](hm_advanced_tools_converter.md).
[] Invisible topics from obsolete Help+Manual project formats (HM3 and HM4)
If your old HMX or HM3 project contains "invisible topics" (topics without TOC entries) they will be moved to a sub-folder called _Topics\\Invisible_ in the Topic Files section in the Project Explorer_._
### Automatic Converter:
| | |
|------|------|
| (./images/exp_movedinvisibles.png) | When you use the automatic converter a chapter called _(Former Invisible Topics)_ will also be created at the bottom of the converted project's Table of Contents (TOC) section.
These TOC entries are linked to the topic files of the former invisible topics but they will still not be included in your published output because their include options are automatically set to "None". |
| You can delete the (Former Invisible Topics) chapter by selecting it and pressing DELETE. Before confirming, deselect the option _Also delete referred topic files_ to keep the actual topic files. | _(./images/dlg_deleteinvisibles.png)_ |
### External Converter:
When you use the external converter program you can decide what you want to do with your old invisible topics:
_(./images/dlg_importinvisibles.png)_
**Add invisible topics to TOC** creates the (Former Invisible Topics) chapter described above. We recommend deselecting this option.
**Keep organization structure** creates sub-folders in the Topic Files section to match your folder structure in your old project. You can create a maximum of 10 levels but the converter will not create more levels than the original project contained.
[] Important: Images from old projects are not copied or moved
When you convert old projects the images they use are left in their original locations. The images are accessed by adding links to the old locations to the Project Search Path in the converted project. If you want to store the images with your new project you must manually copy them to a new folder in your new project folder and then update the Project Search Path of your new project so that it only references the new folder(s) location.
See [Managing your graphics](hm_working_graphics_managing.md) for more details on these subjects.
[] Post-processing for Help+Manual 3 projects
There are three areas where you may need to make adjustments after converting and importing old HM3 projects:
### Settings for styles:
The settings for your styles may need to be edited a little because styles in Help+Manual 3 projects did not have the same close association with text and paragraphs that they have in Help+Manual 4 and 5. All the formatting of your text will be converted correctly but you may find that some paragraphs are associated with the Normal style instead of a newly-defined style matching the old formatting.
### Imported and converted tables:
Some of the static tables from H+M3 projects may also need a little post-editing. Tables in Help+Manual 3 were fixed-width only and they were often split into multiple tables to handle page break problems in PDF and printed manuals. The Project Converter has [options](hm_advanced_tools_converter.md) for dealing with both of these issues but because of the differences between the two table formats you may need to make some manual corrections to your tables after importing.
### Custom code in HTML templates:
The [HTML templates](hm_advanced_templates_html.md) used in Help+Manual 4 and later have changed considerably, so it is not possible to transfer custom code from your **.hm3** projects when they are imported – the risk of damaging the resulting code would be too great.
If you have entered custom code in your templates you will need to re-enter it in the templates of your converted Help+Manual project.
See also:
[The Project Converter](hm_advanced_tools_converter.md)
[Text Formatting and Styles](hm_working_formatting.md)
[Dynamic Styles](hm_ref_styles.md)
[Working with Tables](hm_working_tables.md)