It is possible to have more than one version of Isadora installed on the same computer; instructions for both macOS and Windows can be found below.

IMPORTANT NOTE: File Formats

The latest version of Isadora 3 can always open a file saved with an older version. However, when you do so, you may be prompted to update the file format to the latest version. Isadora will ask you if you'd like to create a copy of the file, or open it anyway. We recommend creating a copy of the file and retaining the original as a best practice. Previous versions of Isadora will not be able to open that file after saving it as the new version.

Installing a Second Version: macOS

  1. Go to the existing Isadora application and rename it. We recommend adding the version number to the name, as seen in the "Get Info" window for the application. (For example, changing "Isadora" to "Isadora v3.0.2")
  2. Install the new version of Isadora. Again, to keep things very clear, we recommend adding the version number to the name.
  3. Drag both applications to the Dock for easy access.
  4. When you have two versions installed, it is a not a good idea to double-click your Isadora document (.izz file) because you cannot be sure which version of Isadora will open. If you followed step 3 above, then you can drag the .izz file to the specific application you want to use in the Dock. Otherwise, find the application you wish to use in the Finder and drop the .izz file on to it.

Installing a Second Version: Windows

  1. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder that contains the Isadora installation.
    For Isadora 3, this will usually be the "Isadora 3" folder found in C:\Program Files
    For Isadora 2, this will usually be the "Isadora" folder found in C:\Program Files (x86)
  2. Right-click the Isadora folder, and then choose Copy. 
  3. Right-click an empty space within the Program Files folder, and then choose Paste.
  4. We suggest that you rename the copied folder to "Isadora XXX" where XXX is the version number of the program.
  5. Open the copied Isadora folder. Then, right-click the Isadora application choose Create Shortcut. Drag the new shortcut to an open area on the desktop. Again, we suggest you rename the shortcut to include the version number of Isadora.
  6. Uninstall Isadora. (Open Programs and Features by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking Programs, and then clicking Programs and Features. From the list in this, choose Isadora and then click the Uninstall button.) The old version will be deleted, but the folder you copied in step 3 will remain.
  7. Install the new version.
  8. To open a file in the new version, just double-click your .izz file or choose the Isadora application from the Start menu. To use the old version, double-click the shortcut you created on your desktop or drag your .izz file to that shortcut.