Starting a Session on Windows

Method 1: Using the Desktop

1. On the Windows desktop, double-click the  CATIA V5R18 default environment shortcut

Warning: These shortcuts are created via the official tools (for example, CATIAENV, setcatenv). Consequently, the application (CATIA, for example) runs normally without any blank DOS window in the background, because the official tools ensure that the blank DOS window does not appear.
However, if you create your own shortcut with customized properties, then an empty DOS window will appear, because CATSTART.exe is a batch executable and Windows automatically generates this window. If you close this empty DOS window, it kills CATIA session also.

Method 2: Using the Programs Menu

1. On the taskbar, select the Start->Programs-> CATIA->CATIA environment shortcut.

Method 3: Using the Start->Run... Command

1. On the taskbar, select the Start->Run... command, enter the command:

cnext
or:
cnext.exe

2. Click OK.

This method lets you start a session using the last environment installed.

Method 4: From the Command Line

1. Open an MS-DOS window.

2. Change to the default folder in which you installed the product.

The default folder is:

C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin

3. Enter the command:

cnext
or:
cnext.exe

The options are:

• -e: starts Version 5 and passes the name of the command to start
• -env: specifies the name of the environment with which to start a session (for more information, refer to Managing Environments); by default, the default environment is started
• -direnv: specifies the folder containing the environment
• -batch: starts a session in batch mode (an interactive session is not displayed)
  Used with "-e", it specifies that you want to run a batch utility. For example, you would
  run a batch utility like this:
  CNEXT -batch -e CATV4ToV5Migration
• -object: followed by object to load (between " ") when starting CATIA ; for example, the following command runs CATIA and loads a document:

   cnext -object "e:\\users\\steve\\Product.CATProduct"

  If the program you want to start requires parameters, you must enclose the program name and the parameters between " ". For example: -object "arg1 arg2"

• -macro: starts the specified macro
• -admin: starts a session in administrator mode for the purpose of locking settings
• -workbench "workbench_name": starts a session and directly opens the workbench specified. The string "workbench_name" is the name of the workbench as it appears in the Start menu.
  For example, when using CATIA, the command:
  cnext -workbench "Part Design"
  starts a session and opens the Part Design workbench directly.
• -h: displays help.

Method 5: Using the catstart Command

This command is used to launch other programs for:

• starting a Version 5 session (for example, CNEXT)
• running Version 5 environment administration tools (catiaenv, setcatenv, delcatenv, lscatenv, chcatenv, readcatenv)
• running Version 5 software management tools (CATSoftwareMgt, CATNodelockMgt, CATOptionsMgt and the equivalent batch commands).

1. Open an MS-DOS window.

2. Change to the default folder in which you installed the product.

The default folder is:

C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\B18\intel_a\code\bin

3. Enter the command:

catstart -run CNEXT
or:
catstart

to start a session using the default global environment created at installation.

• -batch: used with "-object", this argument runs macros in batch mode (an interactive session is not displayed)
• -env: specifies a new environment name (for more information, refer to Managing Environments); if you do not specify an environment, the default global environment created at installation is used
• -direnv: specifies the directory created at installation containing the environment (which may be different from the default environment directory)
• -object: followed by object to load (between " ") when starting a session; for example, the following command runs a session and loads a document:

catstart -direnv E:\CATEnv -env CATIA.V5R18.B18 -object "E:\Product1.CATProduct"

If the program you want to start requires you to specify options, you must enclose the parameters between " " (for example, -object "arg1 arg2"). For example:

catstart -run CATSoftwareMgtB -object "-L"

• -run

  This option is used to launch other programs for:

  • starting a Version 5 session (for example, CNEXT)
  • running Version 5 environment administration tools (catiaenv, setcatenv, delcatenv, lscatenv, chcatenv, readcatenv)
  • running Version 5 software management tools (CATSoftwareMgt, CATNodelockMgt, CATOptionsMgt and the equivalent batch commands).

The "-run" option is followed by the name of the program to start. If this option is not specified, a CATIA session is started by default.

These commands also have their own options. If the program you want to start requires you to specify options, you must enclose the program name and the parameters between " ". For example, the following command:

catstart -direnv E:\CATEnv -env CATIA.V5R18.B18 -run "CATSoftwareMgtB -L"

lists the installed configurations and/or products on your workstation.

Note:

Include a referenced path inside backslashes (before the double quotation marks) if the path contains blanks like this:

catstart -run myAppli -object "-open \"C:\My Documents\file0001.txt\" "

Running Macros Using the CNEXT Command

To start a session and run a macro automatically, run the command like this:

cnext -env CATIA.V5R18.B18 -macro E:\tmp\Mymacro.CATScript

or like this:

cnext -env CATIA.V5R18.B18 -macro -batch E:\tmp\Mymacro.CATScript

if you want to run the macro in batch mode.

Starting a Session in Administrator Mode To Lock Settings

1. Enter the command:

cnext -env  "my_env" -admin

where "my_env" is the name of the environment, if you want to run a session in administrator mode for the purpose of locking settings. This prevents all users of that environment from changing the settings you locked.

For more information, refer to Locking Settings.

Note: "Administration Mode" in now displayed in the title bar when starting a session in administration mode.