Translating files from the Command Line

 

This procedure describes how to run the CATDMUUtility batch program to import STEP files from the command line.
The CATDMUUtility is a batch process enabling the generation of .CATProduct, .cgr and CATPart formats from STEP files.

Some STEP entities are not converted to V5. Click here for more information.

The following examples show typical arguments and command switches passed to the CATDMUUtility batch:
  Converting a STEP part to a V5 cgr file
    CATStart.exe -env CATIA.V5R10.B10 -direnv C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\CATEnv -run "CATDMUUtility -f InputPartFile -cgr OutputCgrFile"
  Converting a STEP part to a V5 CATPart file
    CATStart.exe -env CATIA.V5R10.B10 -direnv C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\CATEnv -run "CATDMUUtility -f InputPartFile -part OutputPartFile.CATPart"
  Converting a STEP assembly to a V5 CATProduct file
    CATStart.exe -env CATIA.V5R10.B10 -direnv C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\CATEnv -run "CATDMUUtility -f InputProductFile -product OutputCATProductFile.CATProduct"
 

Options

Input and output options that can be used with CATDMUUtility are described below.

Input Options
-f Input file with appropriate extension. A path must follow this option. For STEP parts and assemblies, the file extension should be .prt.

Output Options
-cgr Output file for cgr corresponding to a part input file. 
-part Output file for CATPart corresponding to a part input file. 
-product Output file for CATProduct corresponding to the STEP assembly input file.

Other options

The other options available for conversion are settings which correspond to the environment. These are defined in Tools -> Options -> General -> Compatibility -> External Formats (In particular, the use of cgr or CATPart can be customized in these options) or STEP Settings.

How to run the batch

In a command prompt window, the conversion batch is launched by entering the following command:
  On WINDOWS

"C:\<install_dir>\intel_a\code\bin\\CATStart.exe -env CATIA.V5R10.B10 -direnv C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\CATEnv -run "CATDMUUtility.exe -f inputfile -cgr outputfile1"
  On UNIX <install_dir>/<os>_a/code/command/catstart -env CATIA.V5R10.B10 -direnv /CATEnv -run "CATDMUUtility -f /tmp/model_file.mf1 -product /tmp/prod1.CATProduct"
Where

-env ... is the default environment

-direnv ... is the directory path containing this environment.

CATIA.V5R10.B10 is an example of environment name, it will vary with the level of CATIA installed.
Please note that this conversion will take into account the settings in Tools -> Options -> General -> Compatibility -> External Formats and STEP Settings.