Saving a 3D Shape Representation As a V4 Model

This task shows you when a progress bar appears during the conversion of a 3D Shape into a model and how to save 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shapes as CATIA Version 4 models, with particular cases.

This save procedure allows you to translate 3DEXPERIENCE data into native V4 Format. Sometimes, some entities are degenerated during the transfer. Therefore, when the transfer of some elements is incomplete, a report is available.

This page is divided in several steps:

This task shows you how to:

Using a Progress Bar

When saving a 3D Shape as a model, the user can see a Progress Bar during the process, giving the different steps of the migration.

  1. Open a 3D Shape in 3DEXPERIENCE.
  2. Save this 3D Shape as a model. The Progress Bar appears, giving the different status of the 3DEXPERIENCE to V4 data translation:
    • First step: opening the model. The Progress Bar corresponds to the creation and opening of the model (empty). This step is generally very rapid.
    • Second step: converting the 3D Shape into V4 Data 3DEXPERIENCE data are converted into V4 data.
    • Third step (optional): checking V4 compliance rules Checking and possible modifications are made on the V4 data specifications that you have just created. This step is optional and it is launched only if repairs are necessary.
    • Fourth step: closing the model.

Particular Cases of V6/V4 translation

During the process of saving a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape as a V4 Model, the colors of the Faces and the Identifiers of the Part Body and Open Body are automatically maintained in the model. During this V6/V4 translation, G1 concatenation takes place in order to get as few Surfaces as possible.

You will find a demonstration in:

Saving a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape as a V4 Model: Report of Identifiers

Saving a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape as a V4 Model: G1 Concatenation

Saving a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape as a V4 Model: Keep 3DEXPERIENCE Face Color

Once the Save As Model operation is completed, the resulting model can be manipulated like any other existing models.

Only the 3DEXPERIENCE elements in SHOW mode can be translated into V4 format : The 3DEXPERIENCE visualized geometry is transferred into V4 setting. You can work with 3DEXPERIENCE entities within the V4 environment.

The Save As Model Operation generates 3DEXPERIENCE geometry and topology into V4 and keeps canonical shapes :

  • 3DEXPERIENCE part bodies and volumes will be translated into V4 Solids without history.
  • a 3DEXPERIENCE Surface is translated into a Face or a Skin in V4.
  • 3DEXPERIENCE Wireframes are transformed into V4 Curves, Planes, Lines, ..
  • 3DEXPERIENCE Axis Systems are transferred into V4 Axis Systems.

  1. Open a 3D Shape.


    You will remember that in Version 4 the declaration parameter catsite. WRITING_CODE_PAGE declares the code page to be stored in the CATIA data to be written. The information such as the writing code page was specified in V4 by means of the parameter settings in the declaration files. These declaration parameters are no longer supported in 3DEXPERIENCE. Such information must therefore be provided by the dialog boxes described below, before attempting to save a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape as a V4 model.

    If you want to use the writing code page ISO-8859-1 go straight to step 4. It is the default value so normally, unless another code page was already specified, you can go ahead with the save.

    However, if you want to use a writing code page other than ISO-8859-1 start with step 1.

  2. Select the Tools > Options... command. The Options dialog box appears with the General category selected in the left-hand column.
  3. Click the Saving As V4 Data tab.
  4. Open the Writing Code Page list in the Saving as V4 Data section of the dialog box. Select the appropriate code page and click OK.


  5. You can modify the V4 Model Dimension to be consistent with the V4 destination site value.
  6. Select Content Access > Export...
  7. In the Export to File dialog box, select the location of the model to be saved and rename it (or not) as required.
  8. Click the Save as type list and select model in the list displayed.
  9. In the same box, click Save. The MultiBodyAssembly.model just created can now be opened, in CATIA Version 4 and will look something like this:


    Here is a summary of the translation of 3DEXPERIENCE Features into V4 Elements:

    3DEXPERIENCE Features (in the Representation) V4 Elements (in the model)
    1 Surface 1 Face (*FAC)
    1 Face 1 Face (*FAC)
    Several Faces (contained in a Surface) Skin (*SKI)
    Sketches, Wireframe Curves (*CRV), Lines (*LN)
    Several Curves and Lines Composite Curves (*CCV)
    Part Body Volumes (*VOL), SolidE Entitity
    Open Body Curves, Lines, Points,...
  10. If some elements cannot be correctly transferred, the migration of 3DEXPERIENCE data into native V4 format generates a report file (.rpt). Therefore, 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape are translated into V4 Models with an enhanced report of errors and problems. This report has the same name as the 3D Shape and its location is: in C:Documents and Setting \Username\Local settings\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\CATReport

    By this way, the message lets the user know which element could not be translated in V4. Additional information about the error cause is provided as well. The supplied information (error cause) can be:

    • Detection of a gap greater than the maximum allowed value
    • Detection of an element with a dimension smaller than the minimum allowed value
    • Detection of a shell which cannot be closed into a volume or of faces which cannot be joined into a shell
    • A surface which is too small.

    Here is the content of a report file:

    Information
    Report File Name

    C:/Documents and Setting/$Username/Local settings/Application Data/DassaultSystems/CATReport/MultiBodyAssemble.rpt
    Originating Files Data
    Input Data E:\ V6ToV4PartMigr.tst \ FunctionTests \ NonManifoldAndOpenVolume.CATPart
    Output Data E:\ V6ToV4PartMigr.tst \ FunctionTests \ NonManifoldAndOpenVolume.model
    Information for the Feature
    Diagnosis There is one or several non manifold edges.
    Information for the Feature
    Diagnosis The shell cannot be closed into a volume
    Result of migration 0 of the 197 faces have not been migrated. The successful rate for the faces is 100
    Result of migration 2 of the 2 volumes have not been migrated. The successful rate for the volumes is 0

Saving a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape as a V4 Model:Report of Identifiers

This task shows that you can save a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape as CATIA Version 4 models with the reporting of 3DEXPERIENCE Identifiers (names) in the V4 Model. The report of 3DEXPERIENCE Identifiers in the V4 Model can be applied on Part Bodies and Open Bodies.

Part Body features are converted as volumes. The Save As Model operation creates a SolideE entity (Exact Volume). During the Save As Model operation, the identifiers of the solid is no longer " *SOLn " and it automatically becomes the same identifier as the Part Body feature.

Open Body features and Sketches are converted as follows:

  • 3DEXPERIENCE surface features are converted as faces (*FAC). If the 3DEXPERIENCE feature consists in several faces, the Save As Model operation automatically creates a federating Skin (*SKI). 3DEXPERIENCE Identifiers are reported on the V4-generated Skin elements.
  • 3DEXPERIENCE Sketches and Wireframe features are converted as V4 curves (*CRV) and lines (*LN). If the 3DEXPERIENCE feature consists in several curves or lines, the Save As Model operation automatically creates a federating composite curve (*CCV).

3DEXPERIENCE Identifiers of Open Body features are reported on V4 elements contained in the model.

For more information about the results of the 3DEXPERIENCE to V4 translation, please refer to the table above.

To illustrate this behavior, please look at the following image:



The identifier of the Part Body, Feat1, is kept and transferred into the model.

The attributes of 3DEXPERIENCE Points (*PT) and Lines (*LN) are not taken into account during the Save as Model operation. You can compare this 3D Shape and the results of its conversion:



Points and Lines have lost their type attributes (thickness, dotting, star, cross, plus,...) during the V6 > V4 Migration.

Saving a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape as a V4 Model: G1 Concatenation

In CATIA V4, surface of good quality are G1-continuous. In 3DEXPERIENCE, the surfaces must be C2-continuous. It means that a surface already continuous in tangency must be continuous in curvature for the V6.

So copying a V4-surface and pasting it into a 3D Shape often requires to split it in several surfaces. Thus, in order to reduce the topology and geometry complexity when going back to the V4 by saving a Representation as a model, surfaces are concatenated when the G1-continuity can be kept during their transfer. The number of faces lying on these surfaces are concatenated when possible. The result is : simplification of the geometry and topology by reducing the number of elements. It is also a means to retrieve a V4 topology similar to the one that would be used to generate a 3DEXPERIENCE object.

  1. Open a model.



  2. Copy/Paste the model into a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape to be able to add geometric elements in the 3D Shape in 3DEXPERIENCE (in the FreeStyle workbench).



    During the transfer into 3DEXPERIENCE, the initial V4 Surfaces, copied with the CATIA_RESULT option, are splitted into several Surfaces to keep a C2 continuity. They are still NUBS Surfaces.

    When going back into CATIA V4, you must be able to find the same original Surfaces, when they have not been modified in 3DEXPERIENCE. This is why there is a reconcatenation if a G1 continuity with V4 tolerances is detected between Surfaces originating from the same V4 initial Surfaces.

    The faces lying on the concatenated Surfaces are simplified with an elimination of the shared Edge chains.

  3. Save this 3D Shape as a V4 model to go back into CATIA V4 and be able to use a V4 application.



    Note that the number of Surfaces have been reduced. During the 3DEXPERIENCE to V4 translation, Surfaces are concatenated when the G1-continuity can be kept during their transfer. It allows a de-synchronization of the migration of the Geometric Modeler's applications, in 3DEXPERIENCE.

    In CATIA V4, to be able to retrieve the concatenation of the whole initial V4 Surface, you must have migrated either this Surface into 3DEXPERIENCE or a topology containing all the G1 cuttings.

Saving a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape as a V4 Model: Keep 3DEXPERIENCE Face Color

During the process of saving a 3DEXPERIENCE 3D Shape as a V4 Model, the colors of the Solids, Faces and Skins are automatically maintained in the model:



Previously, only one color -the color of the PartBody- was reported onto the model. Now, it is possible to transfer the colors of different Faces belonging to the same Surface.