About working with reference data
You can work with light-weight versions of your design models in Alias as reference data. In Alias, reference data is stored in WREF files, which contain less data than the fully-detailed engineering versions of your design models. You can create WREF files from geometry contained Alias WIRE file and other supported geometry formats such as Catia files or OBJ files.
Using referenced data in your projects provides these advantages:
- Lets you work with large data sets while maintaining interactivity in the software.
- Decrease file loading time when working with large data sets.
- Provides alternative shading and comparisons for design reviews.
- Supports collaborative workflows on design projects.
Reference files are not fully editable like source geometry. However, they inherit shading information from the source geometry. Reference files also work with the following tools and features:
- Diagnostic shading
- Hardware shade
- Transparency
- Visual cross sections
- Measurement locators between reference data and real geometry data
Working with the Reference Manager
Video contents
- 00:00 — Importing reference files
- 01:23 — About reference directories
- 02:05 — Locate reference and source files
- 02:18 — Reference Manager visibility options
- 03:09 — About Alternatives
- 03:36 — About Reference Manager notifications
- 04:45— Batch translation
Working with reference hierarchies
You can import references that contain other references to create a hierarchy of referenced data, consisting of the top level reference and descendant references. When working with hierarchal references, take note of the following:
- When importing a reference that has child references, only the original references are included in the hierarchy. Alternatives of the child references are not added.
- Updating a reference file updates all references in the hierarchy including the child references. Any transformations applied to the child references are overwritten.
- Only top-level references can be removed. You cannot remove child references from a parent reference file.
- You cannot import a file that contains a circular reference. Circular references occur when a referenced file is referenced by a child reference lower in the hierarchy. The Reference Manager flags circular references with this icon
and does not import the file. To import the file, you must first remove the circular reference. - Alternatives created from multi-level references include all the reference in the hierarchy.
For more information, see Add a child reference to a referenced file.
You can also load Dassault Systèmes® ICEM Surf™ Reference Manager Session files (RMS) into the Reference Manager. To do this, you must first load the ImportRMSReference plug-in from the Alias Plug-in Manager (Utilities > Plug-in Manager). After the plug-in is loaded, use File > Import > Import RMS References to import RMS files to the Reference Manager.