EndNote can open EndNote 8 and above libraries with absolutely no problems.
Because EndNote includes enhancements, you may encounter one of the following situations, and possibly others, when opening an EndNote library with an earlier version of EndNote.
When you received your copy of the EndNote library, it did not include the .DATA folder associated with it. The .DATA folder is a critical part of your library.
You must get another copy of the EndNote library, including the .DATA folder associated with it.
When you received your copy of the EndNote library, it did not include the .DATA folder associated with it. The .DATA folder is a critical part of your library.
If you have not modified the blank library in any way (such as adding a new reference), you can copy the original .DATA folder to the folder containing the blank library (replacing the new .DATA folder created by an earlier version of EndNote). It should now open correctly. If the original DATA folder is not available, delete the .DATA folder that was created by EndNote 8 or 9, and you will be able to open the library with EndNote .1 (which will recreate the appropriate .DATA folder).
If you have modified the blank library, all previous reference information is lost. You must reload a copy of the original EndNote library, including the .DATA folder.
EndNote X and later included a Korean sort option; EndNote 8 or 9 will ignore the Korean sort option, and will default to the first item in the Sort list (System Default or English).
EndNote X1 and later includes the ability to save groups of records in a library. EndNote 8 or 9 will ignore groups.
The use of the new reference types will prevent EndNote X6 or earlier versions from opening the library in EndNote X7.
EndNote X and EndNote X2 included new reference types. EndNote 8 or 9 will display and print the Generic reference type for those references entered into the new reference types.
EndNote 8 and 9 do not support relative paths for attached files. When you use EndNote to insert a file with a relative path, and then open that library with EndNote 8 or 9, you will see a file path that is not a functioning hyperlink.
Note: Do not modify the non-functioning relative link, or you will break the link.
If EndNote users will be sharing libraries with EndNote 8 or 9 users, we recommend entering each file twice—once with a relative path (for EndNote X and later) and once with an absolute path (for EndNote 8 and 9).
First, use File Attachments > Link to File to link the file with a relative path. On the file dialog, make sure to select the "Copy this file to the default file attachments folder and create a relative link" check box.
Use File Attachments > Link to File to link the file again, this time with an absolute path. On the file dialog, make sure to clear the "Copy this file to the default file attachments folder and create a relative link" check box. Navigate to the existing file in the .Data/PDF subfolder for that reference and insert it.
This will create a relative link and an absolute link to the same document.
While you could insert files only as absolute links, you would lose the ability to easily and accurately transfer attached files to other colleagues using EndNote . Absolute links require the same folder structure on each machine.