Using the CATIA V5 Launcher

The CATIA V5 launcher allows you to launch multiple CATIA V5 installations; and environments.

This page discusses:

To activate the CATIA V5 launcher, you must

  • Set the value true in the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Dassault Systemes\xCAD_Connectors\CATIAV5Launcher\IsActive. This setting helps you launch CATIA V5 from the 3DCompass, or using your shortcut.
  • Set the XML file path (inside a directory that you can access) in the registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Dassault Systemes\xCAD_Connectors\CATIAV5Launcher\ConfigPath. You should not create the configuration file. The CATIA V5 launcher uses this referenced path to generate the configuration file at the location defined in the key. You must ensure that the edition rights are appropriate for the launcher to create the file. The launcher does not create intermediate directories if they do not exist.
    Note: An error message appears if you run the CATIA V5 launcher by setting an invalid value for the ConfigPath key.

Using the CATIA V5 Launcher for the First Time

When you use the CATIA V5 launcher for the first time, it checks the local machine to identify the available CATIA V5 installations. The CATIA V5 launcher also detects the environments associated with every CATIA V5 installation. These environment files are detected from:

  • Global environment: The folder containing these environment files is defined in the EnvDir.txt file of the CATIA V5 run time view folder.
  • User environment: You can search these files in a specific folder. For example, $APPDATA\DassaultSystemes\CATEnv.

The CATIA V5 launcher takes into account only the CATIA V5 installations, and associated environments that are compatible with the CATIA V5 POWER'BY connector. If an environment is missing, you must restore the environment file or select another environment.

Note:
  • When you activate the CATIA V5 launcher, the registered CATIA V5 installation and environment is not used.
  • The CATIA V5 launcher remembers the available CATIA V5 installations. The configuration is not selected by default during the first launch. For all subsequent launches, the configuration is selected by default.

CATIA V5 Launcher Configuration File

The below table explains the file sections:

Configuration File Sections Description
Automatic section (CATIAV5AutomaticEnvironments) This section contains all the configurations that are displayed in the Automatic mode from the user interface. It is updated when you refresh the CATIA V5 launcher. In this section, you can modify only the IDReleases tag that contains the Name value. To see the changes done to the IDReleases tag, you must exit and restart the CATIA V5 launcher.
Custom section (CATIAV5CustomizedEnvironments) In this section, you can define custom batches, and scripts. You can select the scripts to automate your tasks.

Script case:

Syntax: <InputFormat>|<Path>|<ModuleName>[|<SubName>]

  • CATVBA
    • InputFormat: Integer. The format of input. It must be 0.
    • Path: The absolute path to the CATVBA file.
    • ModuleName: Name of the module within the CATVBA.
    • SubName: Name of sub within the ModuleName to be executed (CATMain by default)
  • CATScript
    • InputFormat: Integer. The format of input. It must be 0.
    • Path: The absolute path to the CATScript file.
    • ModuleName: Not required (empty).
    • SubName: Name of Sub to be executed (CATMain by default)

Example:

<CATMacro Value=”E:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\V5Launcher\SampleExportBatch.CATScript ”/>

<CATBatch Value=”true”/>

Here, the CATMacro tag contains the path of the script. To use the batch option, you must define the value true in the CATBatch tag.

Batch case:

You must specify the batch location, and parameters in the CATApp tag. You must ensure that the batch you run does not interfere with the running processes.

Example:

<CATApp Value = "E:\SampleBatch.bat myOption"/>

CATIA V5 Launcher Options

The below table explains the CATIA V5 launcher user interface:

CATIA V5 Launcher Options Description
Modes The CATIA V5 launcher has the following modes:
  • Automatic mode: This mode lists all the CATIA V5 installations, and environments that were automatically discovered on the local machine.
  • Customized mode: This mode lists all the CATIA V5 customer scripts, and batches to automate users tasks.
  • Favorites: This mode lists all the configurations that you have previously selected as favorites. You can add an environment configuration as a favorite.

    The Favorites mode is selected by default when you use the CATIA V5 launcher. If you do not have a favorite environment, the Automatic mode is selected by default.
CATIA V5 levels This section displays a list of the supported CATIA V5 levels found on the local machine. One version can correspond to multiple CATIA V5 installations of this version. Select a version to see the corresponding list of environments that have been detected.
CATIA V5 environments This section displays a list of all the supported CATIA V5 environments corresponding to each installation of the level defined in the CATIA V5 level selector. You must avoid using the same environment name for different installations to distinguish between them.
Favorites button This button is available for each environment configuration listed in the CATIA V5 environment selector. Click to add the configuration to the Favorites list.
Refresh CATIA V5 launcher This button checks the local machine for all the configurations that are compatible with the CATIA V5 POWER'BY connector. This action cleans the automatic section of the XML configuration file, and recreates it.
Do not show next time check box (Remember Me) This option automatically launches the last configuration that you used without displaying the CATIA V5 launcher. To view the launcher, you must set <Mandatory Value = "false"> in the configuration file.
Run This button allows you to run a selected configuration.
Cancel This button closes the CATIA V5 launcher.

Note: If a CATIA V5 session is already running when you execute the CATIA V5 launcher, the CATIA V5 Launcher dialog box is not displayed. The current session is used to complete your action.