CATIA V5 import options (Windows only)

You can open either part (.CATPart) or product (.CATProduct) documents in Alias by selecting the file name in the file browser. If you get “File not recognized” errors on your CATIA part file, you can either use drag or drop with Alias or use the stand-alone utility to convert the file.

Logfile Output

Creates a log file containing a list of path names of imported files, a list of warning and/or error messages, and the options string.

Convert Cloud Meshes to Meshes

Converts CATIA cloud mesh data (which is generally scan data) to Alias mesh data.

Convert Weld Data

Converts CATIA weld data (assembly joints) to NURBS data in Alias.

Use Tighter Edge Curve Tolerance

Increases edge accuracy and reduces the gaps between surfaces while maintaining continuity.

Convert CGR Data to Meshes

Converts tessellated data associated to a part in CATIA (that is, the graphical representation of the geometry data in CATIA) to meshes in Alias.

Note:

In general, you do not want to import both NURBS and Mesh data, as they are different representations of the same objects.

Keep Color

This option only appears when Convert Meshes is selected. It preserves the color for each face of tessellated data.

Merge Vertices

This option only appears when Convert Meshes is selected. It merges all coincident vertices (within tolerance) in a mesh (tessellated data), and averages normals at the merged vertices.

Tolerance

This option only appears when Merge Vertices is selected. It merges Vertices that are within this distance of each other.

Convert Cloud Points to Point Clouds

Converts CATIA points (Type 1) to Alias points.

Convert Curves

Converts CATIA parametric curves (Type 3), composite curves (Type 24), and NURBs curves (Type 46) to Alias curves.

Convert Nurbs

Imports curve, surface, shell, and solid geometry data in CATIA as NURBS in Alias.

Keep Topology

Converts CATIA skins to Alias shells. When this option is not selected, they are converted to a collection of trimmed surfaces.

Shrink Surfaces

Alias detects trimmed surfaces whose trim boundaries are the same as, or iso-parametric to, the natural boundaries of the untrimmed surface. It then converts these surfaces into Alias surfaces by shrinking the untrimmed surface to the trim boundaries.

When this option is not selected, Alias converts all trimmed surfaces of this type to Alias trimmed surfaces. This is the default.

Convert Invisible

Converts CATIA invisible (not datum) entities to Alias invisible entities.

When this option is not selected, CATIA invisible (hidden) entities are ignored and are not converted. This is the default.

Convert Infinite

Imports CATIA entities which are considered as having an infinite geometry (for example, lines, planes) into Alias.

When this option is not selected, CATIA infinite entities are ignored and are not imported. This is the default.

Convert Empty Geometric Sets

Retrieves empty geometric sets from CATIA and imports them into Alias.

Convert Annotations

Converts CATIA annotations to Alias annotations.

Merge Layers

When importing multiple CATIA files, merges layers with the same name.