Autodesk Direct Connect 2015 Instruction Manual Directconnect Ug En

User Manual: autodesk DirectConnect - 2015 - Instruction Manual Free User Guide for Autodesk DirectConnect Software, Manual

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Autodesk® DirectConnect 2015

User's Guide

Legal Notices
©

2014 Autodesk, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Except as otherwise permitted by Autodesk, Inc., this publication, or parts thereof, may not
be reproduced in any form, by any method, for any purpose.
Certain materials included in this publication are reprinted with the permission of the copyright holder.
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123D, 3ds Max, Algor, Alias, AliasStudio, ATC, AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD, Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, Autodesk 123D, Autodesk Homestyler,
Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk MapGuide, Autodesk Streamline, AutoLISP, AutoSketch, AutoSnap, AutoTrack, Backburner, Backdraft, Beast, BIM
360, Burn, Buzzsaw, CADmep, CAiCE, CAMduct, CFdesign, Civil 3D, Cleaner, Combustion, Communication Specification, Constructware,
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DWG Extreme, DWG TrueConvert, DWG TrueView, DWGX, DXF, Ecotect, ESTmep, Evolver, FABmep, Face Robot, FBX, Fempro, Fire, Flame,
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ImageModeler, Incinerator, Inferno, InfraWorks, Instructables, Instructables (stylized robot design/logo), Inventor LT, Inventor, Kynapse, Kynogon,
LandXplorer, Lustre, MatchMover, Maya, Maya LT, Mechanical Desktop, MIMI, Mockup 360, Moldflow Plastics Advisers, Moldflow Plastics
Insight, Moldflow, Moondust, MotionBuilder, Movimento, MPA (design/logo), MPA, MPI (design/logo), MPX (design/logo), MPX, Mudbox,
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All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.
Disclaimer
THIS PUBLICATION AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS MADE AVAILABLE BY AUTODESK, INC. "AS IS." AUTODESK, INC. DISCLAIMS
ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE REGARDING THESE MATERIALS.

Contents

Chapter 1

What Is Autodesk DirectConnect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Supported products and translators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Chapter 2

What's New in This Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Improvements in Autodesk DirectConnect 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Chapter 3

Installation and Licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
DirectConnect and Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 4

Translator Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Autodesk Inventor
CATIA V4 . . . . .
CATIA V5 . . . . .
DWF . . . . . . . .
DWG DXF . . . . .
IGES . . . . . . . .
JT . . . . . . . . . .
NX . . . . . . . . .
Open Inventor and
Pro/ENGINEER . .
SolidWorks . . . . .
STEP . . . . . . . .

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Cosmo .
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. 10
. 12
. 14
. 17
. 19
. 21
. 26
. 28
. 34
. 36
. 38
. 40

iii

STL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
ZPR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Chapter 5

Locations of Imported Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Autodesk Alias Data . . . . . . .
Autodesk Maya Data . . . . . .
Autodesk Showcase Data . . . .
Autodesk Opticore Studio Data .

Chapter 6

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. 47
. 48
. 48
. 49

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Glossary terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
ASM (.asm) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
BSD license . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
CATIA V4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
CATIA V5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
CGR (.cgr) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Cosmo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
CSB (.csb) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
DLV (.dlv) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
DRAW (DR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
DWF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
DWG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
DXF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
G (.g) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Granite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
IAM (.iam) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
IGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
IPT (.ipt) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
IV (.iv) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
JT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
NX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Open Inventor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
PCRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Pro/ENGINEER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
PRT (.prt) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
SLDASM (.sldasm) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
SLDPRT (.sldprt) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
SolidWorks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SPACE (SP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SPF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
STEP (.step) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
STL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
STP (.stp) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
V3Rx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

iv | Contents

ZPR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Contents | v

vi

What Is Autodesk DirectConnect

1

Autodesk® DirectConnect is a family of data translators. Each of these translators imports a
specific CAD file format into one or more of the following Autodesk® software products:
■ Autodesk® Alias®
■

Autodesk® Maya®

■

Autodesk® Showcase®

■

Autodesk® Opticore® Studio

■

3ds Max®/3ds Max® Design

■

VRED™

The translators also export some CAD file formats from some products.

1

Supported products and translators
Import to Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Showcase, Autodesk Maya,
Autodesk Opticore Studio, 3ds Max, 3ds Max Design, VRED:
File Format

Windows® 7, 64-bit; Windows® 8, 64 bit

Apple® Mac OS® X® 10.7,
10.8, 10.9, 64-bit

Autodesk Inventor (page 10)®
Not available in 3ds Max/3ds Max
Design

Not available

CATIA V4 (page 12)®
All versions + V3RX, .model files from
CATIA V5-6R2013

Not available

CATIA V5 (page 14)®
V5 R23 (V5-6R2013)

Not available

DWG DXF (page 19)®
Up to V2015
Not available in 3ds Max/3ds Max
Design
IGES (page 21)
V5.3

Not available in Showcase, Opticore Studio

Not available in Showcase, Opticore Studio

JT (page 26)
Up to V10.0

Not available

Pro/ENGINEER (page 36) and Creo ®
Up to Wildfire 5.0, and Granite 8.0,
neutral (.neu)
Creo, up to V2
Not Available in Showcase

Not available

2 | Chapter 1 What Is Autodesk DirectConnect

File Format

Windows® 7, 64-bit; Windows® 8, 64 bit

Apple® Mac OS® X® 10.7,
10.8, 10.9, 64-bit

NX (page 28)® UG V13.0 to NX 9.0

Not available

Open Inventor™ and Cosmo™_ (page
34) All versions
Not available in 3ds Max/3ds Max
Design

Not available

SolidWorks (page 38)®(1) 2003-2014
Must be licensed and running on the
import machine.

Not available

SPF
Alias (.wire)

Not available in Showcase

STEP (page 40)
AP214, AP203E2

Not available in Showcase, Opticore Studio.

STL (page 42) (Stereo-lithography)
Not available in 3ds Max/3ds Max
Design

Not available in Showcase, Opticore Studio.

Export from: Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya, 3ds Max, 3ds Max
Design, VRED:
File Format

Windows® 7, 64-bit; Windows® 8, 64-bit

Apple® Mac OS® X® 10.7, 10.8,
10.9, 64-bit

DWG DXF (page 19) Real Dwg
2015, Alias (.wire) only.
Not available in 3ds Max/3ds Max
Design.
IGES (page 21)
V5.3

Supported products and translators | 3

File Format

Windows® 7, 64-bit; Windows® 8, 64-bit

Apple® Mac OS® X® 10.7, 10.8,
10.9, 64-bit

Not available in 3ds Max/3ds Max
Design.
NX (page 28)
UG V15.0*, NX1.0, 3.0, 5.0, 7.0,
8.0
Not available in 3ds Max/3ds Max
Design.

Not available

SPF
Alias (.wire)
STL (Stereo-lithography)
Not available in 3ds Max/3ds Max
Design.
ZPR (page 44)®
(ZPrint CAD for Rapid Prototyping)
V1.2
Not available in 3ds Max/3ds Max
Design.

4 | Chapter 1 What Is Autodesk DirectConnect

Not available

What's New in This Release

2

Improvements in Autodesk DirectConnect 2015
■

CATIA V4 importer supports .model files created from CATIA V5-6R2013.

■

CATIA V5 importer supports V5 R22 (V5-6R2013) files.

■

NX importer supports NX 9.0.

■

Parasolid exporter supports V 26.

5

■

SolidWorks importer supports SolidWorks 2014.

6 | Chapter 2 What's New in This Release

Installation and Licenses

3

DirectConnect and Installation
Autodesk® DirectConnect software installs automatically when the following
Autodesk software is installed:
■ Autodesk® Alias®
■

Autodesk® Maya®

■

Autodesk® Showcase®

■

3ds Max®/3ds Max® Design

■

VRED™

■

VRED™ Design

■

VRED™ Professional

■

VRED™ Presenter

Autodesk DirectConnect software is provided on the media with Autodesk®
Opticore® Studio software, in the Autodesk DirectConnect 2015 folder. It requires
manual installation.
For information about installing these software products, refer to their respective
installation guides.
NOTE DirectConnect Help is supported only on Microsoft® Internet Explorer®.
Performance on other browsers does not provide consistent results.

7

Support platforms
Autodesk DirectConnect runs on the same platform as the Autodesk product
it installs with:
Autodesk Software

Microsoft® Windows® 7, 64bit; Windows® 8, 64-bit

Apple® Mac OS® X® 10.7,
10.8, 10.9, 64-bit

Autodesk Alias

Autodesk Maya

Autodesk Showcase

Not available

Autodesk Opticore Studio

Not available

3ds Max/3ds Max Design

Not available

VRED

System requirements
Autodesk DirectConnect requires the following amount of available disk space:
■ Windows 7: 700 MB for 32-bit, and 900 MB for 64-bit
■

Windows 8: 900 MB for 64-bit

■

Mac OS X: 300 MB for 64-bit

DirectConnect installs with other products, so your system must also
accommodate the host product requirements. (For the system requirements
of the host product, consult the appropriate installation guide.)

8 | Chapter 3 Installation and Licenses

Translator Details

4

9

Autodesk Inventor

Autodesk® Inventor® is a 3D mechanical design, product simulation, tooling
creation, and design communication software.
Autodesk® DirectConnect supports the import of Autodesk Inventor part (*.ipt)
and assembly (*.iam) files into the Autodesk® Alias®, Autodesk® Maya®,
Autodesk® Opticore® Studio, and VRED™ software. See installation information
in Install Autodesk DirectConnect. (page 7)

Import Autodesk Inventor files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

VRED

File > Import

2 In the browser, select an Autodesk Inventor *.ipt or *.iam file.

10 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

3 Click OK, or Open to launch the translator and import the file.
NOTE To maintain the original positioning and orientation of part files in
your scene, import the assembly file. Importing part files before the assembly
file positions all of them at the origin (0,0,0), and removes the original
positioning.

Types of data imported
NURBS are imported, and the following information is maintained on import:
■ Brep bodies
■

Data organization

■

Tolerances and units

■

Material colors and simple transparency

■

Weld maps (beads only)

■

Thread maps

■

Decals

For locating the imported data, see Locations of Imported Data (page 47).

Limitations
■

Work sources, display meshes, and some 2D/3D sketches are automatically
excluded when importing an Autodesk Inventor file.

■

Some cylindrical surfaces (pipes) do not trim properly.

Autodesk Inventor | 11

CATIA V4

CATIA® is computer-aided design software from Dassault Systèmes.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the import of CATIA V4 (all versions, plus
V3RX Levels) into the Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Showcase, Autodesk Opticore
Studio, 3ds Max®/3ds Max® Design , and VRED software. The import includes
geometric sets, attributes, such as names, layers, RGB colors, and visibility,
and the CATIA file types. See installation information in Install Autodesk
DirectConnect. (page 7)
DirectConnect supports CATIA model and export files produced with CATIA
V4.xx and earlier V3RX Levels, and .model files from CATIA V5-6R2013.

Import CATIA V4 files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Open Scene or File > Import

12 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

Autodesk Showcase

File > Import > Import Files

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

3ds Max/3dsMax Design

Application Menu > Import > Select File
to Import dialog

2 In the browser, select a CATIA V4 *.model, *.mdl, *.session, *.exp,
*.dlv,*.dlv3, or .dlv4 file.
3 Click OK, or Open.
The translator launches automatically, and the file imports into the
scene.

Types of SPACE (SP) entities supported for import
■

Point (Type 1)

■

Line (Type 2)

■

Parametric curve (Type 3)

■

Plane (Type 4)

■

Parametric surface (Type 5)

■

Face (Type 6)

■

Volume (Type 7)

■

Transformation (Type 9)

■

Edge (Type 12)

■

Circle (Type 20)

■

Ellipse (Type 21)

■

Parabola (Type 22)

■

Hyperbola (Type 23)

■

Polyhedral surface (Type 16)

■

Composite curve (Type 24)

■

Solids - Mockup (Type 17, secondary type 1)

■

Exact solid (Type 17, secondary type 2)

■

Space ditto (Type 28)

■

Parametric skin (Type 35)

CATIA V4 | 13

■

NURB curve (Type 46)

■

NURB surface (Type 47)

NOTE
■ To locate this data in your Autodesk software, see Locations of Imported
Data (page 47).
■

For information about options in Alias for data importation, see the
Autodesk Alias Help.

■

For definitions on these data types, consult your CATIA documentation.

CATIA V5

CATIA is computer-aided design software from Dassault Systèmes.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports import of CATIA V5 (R6-R23) files in the
Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Showcase, Autodesk Opticore Studio,
3ds Max/3ds Max Design, and VRED software. See installation information
in Install Autodesk DirectConnect. (page 7)
Export of CATIA V5 Part files is available only in Alias (release 10 - 23).

14 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

Import CATIA V5 files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Showcase

File > Import > Import Files

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

3ds Max/3dsMax Design

Application Menu > Import > Select File
to Import dialog

2 In the browser, select a CATIA V5 (*.CATProduct ,*.CATPart, or *.cgr)
file.
3 Click OK, or Open to launch the translator and import the file into the
scene.

Types of data imported
We support the import of files from CATIA V5 releases V5 (R6-23), and the
following types of data:
■ Point
■

Line

■

Arc

■

Ellipse

■

Parabola

■

Hyperbola

■

BSpline curve

■

Polynomial curve

■

Plane

■

Cylindrical surface

■

Conical surface

■

Spherical surface

CATIA V5 | 15

■

Toroidal surface

■

BSpline surface

■

Revolve surface

■

Ruled surface

■

Open body

■

Solid body

■

Layer

■

Geometric set

■

Part (from CATIA V5 release 6 and higher)

■

Product (from CATIA V5 release 6 and higher)

■

Attributes (RGB color, layer, name, visibility, and materials)

■

Per face color assignments

■

Cloud mesh data

■

Tessellated data

■

Weld data

NOTE
■ To locate this data in your Autodesk software, see Locations of Imported
Data (page 47).
■

For information about options in Alias for data importation, see the
Autodesk Alias Help.

■

For definitions about these data types, consult your CATIA documentation.

File formats referenced
The following are some of the file formats that can be referenced by CATIA
V5 assembly files:
■ .CATProduct
■

.CATPart

■

.model

■

.cgr

■

.stl

16 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

DWF

Design Web Format (DWF™) is a file format developed by Autodesk for Web
viewing and printing.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the export of Autodesk Alias tessellated
model data to file in DWF(*.dwf) format up to version 2014, to view in
Autodesk Design Review and Project Freewheel. See installation information
in Install Autodesk DirectConnect. (page 7)
NOTE For more information about software setup for Autodesk Alias, see the
Autodesk Alias Help.

Export DWF files
1 In Autodesk Alias, select a file to be exported as a DWF, and click File
> Export > Active As
, or File > Save As
.
2 On the File Formats menu, select DWF (.dwf).

DWF | 17

3 Set export options, and then click Save.
Option

Function

Export Curves

When turned ON, exports curves.

Export Symmetry

If an Alias layer has symmetry turned ON, this information and
the geometric objects resulting from symmetry can be merged
and converted, or left intact (unmerged) and converted.
When turned OFF, layer symmetry is not exported.

Tessellator

Fast Models triangulate quickly and less accurately.
Accurate Models triangulate slowly and more accurately.
■

Tolerance The amount a polygonal surface can deviate
from the original NURBS surface. The default value is 0.01.

■

Limit Edge Length If selected, a Max edge length slider
controls maximum size of the triangles. If unchecked, there
is no limit to the size of the triangles.

■

Max Edge Length The maximum length of any triangle
edge (in current linear units).

Types of data exported
The DirectConnect translator for DWF exports only meshes. The Alias scene
DAG hierarchy is preserved. Associated color information is also exported.
NOTE For information about options in Alias for data importation, see the Autodesk
Alias Help.

18 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

DWG DXF

The DWG and DXF® file types are drawing files and Drawing eXchange files
in the AutoCAD® software.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the import of AutoCAD (DWG and DXF)
files into the Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Opticore Studio, and
VRED software. See installation information in Install Autodesk DirectConnect.
(page 7)

Import DWG/DXF files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Opticore
Studio

File > Import

2 Browse to, and select a DWG (.dwg) or DXF (.dxf) file.
3 Click OK, or Open to launch the translator and import the file.

DWG DXF | 19

Types of DWG and DXF data imported
■

Colors

■

Materials

■

Lines, arcs, and splines

■

Extruded curves

■

Extrusions

■

Layers

■

Meshes

■

Surfaces

■

Text

■

3D solids

IMPORTANT
■ Showcase does not support the AutoCAD material attribute Illumination.
Alias supports the AutoCAD material attribute Illumination; however,
it is called Incandescence.
■

Showcase supports only 3D hierarchical data. It does not support 2D
drawings.

NOTE
■ To locate this data in your Autodesk software, see Locations of Imported
Data (page 47).
■

For information about options in Alias for data importation, see the
Autodesk Alias Help.

■

With want curves set to ON, DWG and DXF both support curves and
round-trip data export. If they do not come in, set want curves to ON.

Export DWG/DXF files (Autodesk Alias)
1 In your Autodesk software, choose File > Save As
, or File > Export > Active As
.

20 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

2 On the File Formats menu, click DWG or DXF. For details about the
available options, see the Help in the Autodesk software.
3 Select a DWG/DXF version, and click Save.

IGES

Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) is a file format for transferring
graphics data between CAD/CAM systems.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the import and export of the neutral IGES
V5.3 (*.iges or *.igs) format files in the Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya
(Windows version), Autodesk Showcase, Autodesk Opticore Studio, 3ds
Max/3ds Max Design, and VRED software. See installation information in Install Autodesk DirectConnect. (page 7)
NOTE For more information about software setup for Autodesk Alias, see the
Autodesk Alias Help.

Import IGES files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Showcase

File > Import > Import Files

IGES | 21

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

3ds Max/3dsMax Design

Application Menu > Import > Select File
to Import dialog

2 In the browser, select a native IGES V5.3 (*.iges or *.igs) file.
3 Click OK, or Open to launch the translator and import the file into the
scene.

Export IGES files
1 In your Autodesk software, choose File > Save As, or File > Export >
Active As
.
2 On the File Formats menu, click DWG or DXF. For details about the
available options, see the Help in the Autodesk software.
3 Save to a native IGES V5.3(*.iges or *.igs) file.

Troubleshoot (Autodesk Alias)
If the files you import contain unsatisfactory data, change the following import
options in Autodesk Alias:
Default Trim Curves
Specifies the trim curves that the processor uses. You can select parameter
space curves, model space curves, or use the flag that is present in the IGES
file. By default, the preference flag in the IGES files is used.
Shrink Surface
When turned ON, Alias detects trimmed surfaces with trim boundaries that
are the same as, or isoparametric 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 turned OFF, Alias converts all trimmed surfaces of this type to Alias
trimmed surfaces.

22 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

Types of data imported
The DirectConnect for IGES translator imports ASCII format IGES files with
or without linefeed characters at the end of each record. The software does
not support Binary IGES files.
The software imports NURBS for this file format and maintains the following
information on import:
■ Surfaces and curves
■

Data organization (groups, layers, visibility, and instances)

■

Units

■

Colors

NOTE
■ For information about this data in your Autodesk software, see Locations
of Imported Data (page 1).
For information about options in Alias for data importation, see the
Autodesk Alias Help.

■

Identify IGES supported entities in log files
The following table shows IGES entities supported on import by DirectConnect
for IGES.
NOTE The input translator ignores any entities with an entity use flag value 02
(Definition), except for entity use flag value with IGES Subfigure Definition entity
(Type 308).
Type

Form

IGES Entity

100

0

circular arc

102

0

composite curve

104

0-3

conic arc, ellipse, parabola, hyperbola

106

1

copious data

IGES | 23

Type

Form

IGES Entity

106

2

copious data

106

11

copious data

106

12

copious data

106

63

closed area

108

0

plane

108

+/- 1

bounded plane

110

0

line

112

0

parametric curve

114

0

parametric surface

116

0

point

118

0-1

ruled surface

120

0

surface of revolution

122

0

tabulated cylinder

123

0

direction

124

0

transformation matrix

126

0-5

rational B-spline curve

128

0-9

rational B-spline surface

24 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

Type

Form

IGES Entity

130

0

offset curve

140

0

offset surface

141

0

boundary entity

142

0

curve on surface

143

0

boundary surface

144

0

trimmed surface

186

-1,0,1

Manifold Solid BRep Object (MSBO)

190

0,1

plane surface (1)

192

0,1

right circular cylindrical surface

194

0,1

right circular conical surface

196

0,1

spherical surface

198

0,1

toroidal surface

308

0

subfigure definition

402

7, 9

associativity instance

408

0

singular subfigure instance

502

1

vertex list

504

1

edge list

IGES | 25

Type

Form

IGES Entity

508

0,1

loop

510

1

face

514

1,2

shell

(1)For type 190, 0 means unparameterized surface and 1 parameterized. The
plane surface type is unbounded unless it is subordinate to another entity,
such as the Bounded Surface Entity (type 143) or the Trimmed parametric
Surface Entity (type 144), that references its bounding geometry.

IGES levels
The system adds all supported geometric IGES entities that are associated with
IGES level  to an Alias layer called LEVEL.
For example, if a 126 B-spline entity directory entry indicates that it is on level
42, then it is added as Layer LEVEL42.

JT

The JT Open Program develops and supports the DirectModel format JT for
the visualization of 3D models.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the import of JT (up to V10) files into the
Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Showcase, Autodesk Opticore Studio,
3ds Max/3ds Max Design and VRED software. See installation information in
Install Autodesk DirectConnect. (page 7)

26 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

Import JT files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Showcase

File > Import > Import Files

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

3ds Max/3dsMax Design

Application Menu > Import > Select File to
Import dialog

2 In the browser, select a (*.jt) file.
3 Click OK, or Open to launch the translator and import the file into the
scene.

Type of data imported
The software maintains the following information when importing JT files:
■ Precise geometric data conversion
■

Data organization (parent and child hierarchal data, visibility, and
instances)

■

Units

■

Levels of detail (degrees of tessellation)

■

Materials (brightness (shininess), ambient color, specular color, diffuse
color, and emission color)

■

Textures (embedded image files)

■

XT BRep and JT BRep topology

■

Coordinate systems or locators

■

User defined and customized attributes and properties

JT | 27

NOTE
■ To locate this data in your Autodesk software, see Locations of Imported
Data (page 1).
■

For Information about Alias options for data importation, see the Autodesk
Alias Help.

Limitations
■

Import options are not available.

■

The software automatically excludes curve geometry and animation when
importing a JT file.

NX

NX® is a solid modeling package based on the Parasolid kernel. The package
contains many (mostly optional) modules, for example CAD, CAM, CAE, sheet
metal applications, knowledge bases, quality control, and rapid prototyping.
The file structure is binary.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the import of NX files (UG V13.0 through
NX 9.0) into the Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Showcase, Autodesk
Opticore Studio, 3ds Max/3ds Max Design, and VRED software. It supports
the export of NX UG15.0*, NX 1.0, NX 3.0, NX 5.0, NX 7.0, and NX 8.0.
See installation information in the Install_DirectConnect.pdf document on the
installation CD.

28 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

Import NX files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Showcase

File > Import > Import Files

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

3ds Max/3dsMax Design

Application Menu > Import > Select File
to Import dialog

2 In the browser, select an NX (version UG V13.0 to NX 9.0) part or
assembly*.prt file.
For information about import options in Alias, see the Autodesk Alias
Help.
3 Click OK, or Open to launch the translator and import the file into the
scene.

Export NX files - Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya
1 In your installed Autodesk software, choose the menu path:
Autodesk Alias

File > Save As

or File > Export > Active As

Autodesk Maya

File > Export all

or File > Export Selection

2 In Alias, on the File Formats menu, click NX.
3 In Maya, the file type is UG_DCE.

NX | 29

4 For options, see the Help in the Autodesk software.
5 Click Save.
See the Alias documentation for details about building a model for maximum
compatibility between NX and Alias.

Supported Alias geometry types for export to NX
The translator does not support non-geometry entities, such as lights, cameras,
textures, windows, and animations. The numbers in the table entries refer to
Notes for NX entities following the table.
Alias Entity

NX Entity

Conic (ellipse/hyperbola/parabola)

Bcurve

Conic

Curve

Circle

Circle

Line

Line

Curve

BCurve

Surface

BSurface (1), (2)

Trimmed Surface

Face (1), (2)

Plane

Bsurface (1), (2)

Shader

Colour Attribute (3)

Shell (Open)

Sheet Body

Shell (Closed)

Solid Body

Layer

Layer (4)

Category

Category

30 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

Notes for NX entities
(1) NX cannot have free-standing surfaces, so it maps all surfaces to faces
which must be attached to a sheet body.
(2) Splits appear in surfaces that have internal discontinuities at the
discontinuities.
(3) Mapped as a Display Attribute of the mapped surface or shell.
(4) Layer name is not mapped.

Supported Alias NX entities for Alias import
NX Entity Objects

Alias Entity

BSurface

Surface

Bounded Plane

Surface

Cylindrical Surface

Surface

Conical Surface

Surface

Tabulated Cylinder

Surface

Rules Surface

Surface

Blended Face Surface

Surface

Surface of Revolution

Surface

Offset Surface

Surface

Sculptured Surface

Surface

BCurve

Curve

Line

Line (Curve)

NX | 31

NX Entity Objects

Alias Entity

Bcurve

Curve

Point

Point (Curve) (1)

Sheet Body

Shell (Open) (2)

Assembly

Groups/Instance (3)

Layer

Layer

Category

Category

Space points

Space points

annotation leaders (locators of type annpotate in
.wire files)

annotation leaders (locators of type annpotate in
.wire files)

Notes for Alias NX (object) entities
(1) An NX point converts to a degree 1 curve composed of two coincident
points. On export to NX, this construction converts back to an NX point.
(2) If the sheet body only points to one face, then Alias converts the face to
a trimmed surface.
(3) This is a one-way mapping. Assemblies cannot be exported.
(4 ) Added as blind data. Can be re-exported.

Types of data imported
We support the import of the following types of NX geometry, and attributes
such as name, color, layer, and visibility.
■ Point
■

Line

■

BCurve

■

Circle

■

Ellipse

32 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

■

Parabola

■

Hyperbola

■

Surface Parameter Curve

■

Trimmed Curve

■

Intersection Curve

■

BSurface

■

Planar Surface

■

Spherical Surface

■

Cylindrical Surface

■

Conical Surface

■

Surface of Revolution

■

Spun Surface

■

Offset Surface

■

Ruled Surface

■

Swept Surface

■

Toroidal Surface

■

Blended Edge Surface

■

Blended Bound Surface

■

Facet

■

Sheet Body

■

Solid Body

■

Part

■

Instance

■

Assembly

■

Category

■

Coordinate systems or locators

NX | 33

Open Inventor and Cosmo

Open Inventor™ is a 3D file format from Silicon Graphics Inc., with no relation
to Autodesk Inventor software.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the import of Open Inventor ASCII or binary
(*.iv) files, or Cosmo 3D™scene binary (*.csb) files into the Autodesk Alias,
Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Showcase, and Autodesk Opticore Studio software.
See installation information in Install Autodesk DirectConnect. (page 7).

Import Open Inventor or Cosmo files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Showcase

File > Import > Import Files

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

2 Browse to and select an Open Inventor (*.iv) or Cosmo (*.csb) file.
3 Click OK, or Open.
The translator launches and imports the file.

34 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

Type of data imported
The software imports polygons and NURBS for these file formats, and maintains
the following information on import:
■ Data organization (parent, child, and groups)
■

Units

■

Materials

■

Textures

■

Polygonal Shapes

■

Transformation nodes

NOTE To locate this data in your Autodesk software, see Locations of Imported
Data (page 47).

Limitations
When importing Open Inventor files, the system automatically excludes lines,
cameras, lights, manipulators, tolerances, and animation.

Open Inventor and Cosmo | 35

Pro/ENGINEER

Pro/ENGINEER® is a computer-aided design software application.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the import of Pro/ENGINEER (Wildfire® R5
or lower) and Creo (up to V2) part, assembly, or PTC® Granite® (Release 8 or
lower) files (*.prt, *.asm, *.g, *neu) into the Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya,
Autodesk Opticore Studio, and 3ds Max/3ds Max Design software. See
installation information in Install Autodesk DirectConnect. (page 7)
NOTE For information about additional software setup for Autodesk Alias, see the
Autodesk Alias Help.

Import Pro/ENGINEER files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Showcase

File > Import > Import Files

36 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

3ds Max/3dsMax Design

Application Menu > Import > Select File
to Import dialog

2 Select a Pro/ENGINEER part(*.prt), assembly (*.asm), Granite (*.g)), or
neutral (.neu) file.
3 Click OK, or Open to launch the translator and import the file.
NOTE To maintain the original positioning and orientation of part files in
your scene, import the assembly file. Importing part files before the assembly
file positions all of them at the origin (0,0,0) and removes the original
positioning.

Type of data imported
The software imports NURBS for this file format and maintains the following
data on import:
■ Precise geometric surface and topology information
■

Data organization

■

Tolerances and units

■

Layers and colors

NOTE
■ To locate this data in your Autodesk software, see Locations of Imported
Data (page 47).
■

For information about options in Alias for data importation, see the
Autodesk Alias Help.

Limitations
■

The software changes node names based on geometry, assembly, or part
names.

■

When importing a Pro/ENGINEER file, the software automatically excludes
construction history, lines, and animation.

■

Granite does not support layers or curves.

Pro/ENGINEER | 37

SolidWorks

SolidWorks® is a computer-aided design software application.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the import of SolidWorks part *.sldprt and
assembly *.sldasm files into the Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk
Showcase, Autodesk Opticore Studio, and 3ds Max/3ds Max Design software.
NOTE For information about additional software setup for Autodesk Alias, please
see the Autodesk Alias Data Transfer reference book and the Autodesk Alias Help.

Import SolidWorks files
NOTE
Before you can import SolidWorks files, purchase, install, and license
SolidWorks 2005 through 2014 on the same machine, and have it running.
See installation information in Install Autodesk DirectConnect. (page 7)
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Showcase

File > Import > Import Files

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

38 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

3ds Max/3dsMax Design

Application Menu > Import > Select File
to Import dialog

2 Select a SolidWorks part (*.sldprt) or assembly *.sldasm file. If you cannot
see the files, start the SolidWorks software, minimize its window, and
then try again to open the files.
3 Click OK, or Open to launch the translator and import the file into the
scene.
NOTE To maintain the original positioning and orientation of part files in
your scene, import the assembly file. Importing part files before the assembly
file positions all of them at the origin (0,0,0) and removes the original
positioning.

Type of data imported
The software imports NURBS for this file format and maintains the following
information on import:
■ Precise geometric surface and topology information
■

Data organization

■

Tolerances and unit

■

Colors

NOTE
■ To locate this data in your Autodesk software, see Locations of Imported
Data (page 47).
■

For information about Alias options for data importation, see the Autodesk
Alias Help.

Limitations
When importing SolidWorks files, the software automatically excludes
construction history, lines, and animation.

SolidWorks | 39

STEP

Standard for the Exchange of Product Data (STEP) is an ISO standard exchange
format that multiple programs can recognize. It is used for transferring graphics
data between CAD/CAM systems.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the import of STEP (*.stp or *.step) files into
the Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Showcase, Autodesk Opticore
Studio, and 3ds Max/3ds Max Design software. See installation information
in Install Autodesk DirectConnect (page 7).

Import STEP files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Showcase

File > Import > Import Files

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

40 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

3ds Max/3dsMax Design

Application Menu > Import > Select File
to Import dialog

2 In the browser, select a native STEP (*.stp or *.step) file.
3 Click OK, or Open to launch the translator and import the file into the
scene.

Types of data imported
The software imports NURBS for this file format and maintains the following
information on import:
■ Precise geometric surface and topology information (ISO 10303:42)
■

Data organization (layers)

■

Tolerances and units

■

Colors

NOTE
■ To locate this data in your Autodesk software, see Locations of Imported
Data (page 47).
■

For information about Alias options for data importation, see the Autodesk
Alias Help.

Export STEP files
To export STEP files from the CAD software, use AP203 or AP214 specifications.

STEP | 41

STL

STL is a file format native to the stereolithography CAD software created by
3D Systems. Multiple software packages support the STL file format.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the import of STL files into the Autodesk
Alias, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Showcase, and Autodesk Opticore Studio
software, and the export of STL files from the Autodesk Alias and Autodesk
Maya software. See installation information in Install Autodesk DirectConnect.
(page 7).

Import STL files
1 Choose the menu path in your installed Autodesk software product:
Autodesk Alias

File > Open or File > Import > File

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Open Scene or File > Import

Autodesk Showcase

File > Import > Import Files

Autodesk Opticore Studio

File > Import

2 In the browser, select a native .stl (Stereolithography) file.

42 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

3 Click OK, or Open to launch the translator and import the file into the
scene.

Type of files imported
We support ASCII and binary STL (color STL) files.
NOTE To locate this data in your Autodesk software, see Locations of Imported
Data (page 47).

Export STL files
1 In your Autodesk software, choose the appropriate menu item:
Autodesk Alias

File > Export > Rapid Prototype

Autodesk Maya (Windows version)

File > Export All

or File > Export Selection

2 In Maya, the file type is STL_DCE, and you can specify the file type as
either ASCII or binary.
Click OK.
In Alias, on the File Format menu, click STL. You can also specify
tolerance levels used in the export of the file.
3 Pick the meshes or shell to export, then click Accept.
4 Adjust settings, if necessary, and click Update.
5 Click Accept.
6 In the Object name box (Windows), or Save As box (Mac), enter a
name for the file, and click Save.

STL | 43

ZPR

ZPrint CAD format (ZPR™) is a proprietary file format developed by Z
Corporation® and used with ZPrint and ZEdit for printing on high definition
color 3D printers.
Autodesk DirectConnect supports the export of ZPR (*.zpr) files to use in the
Autodesk rapid prototyping solution in the Autodesk Alias, Autodesk Maya,
Autodesk Showcase, and Autodesk Opticore Studio software. See installation
information in Install Autodesk DirectConnect. (page 7)

Export ZPR files using the output command
1 Select a file to export as a ZPR file.
2 Choose File > Export > Rapid Prototype.
3 On the File Format menu, click ZPR (.zpr).

44 | Chapter 4 Translator Details

Depending on the entity selected for export, such as a shell, additional
setup can be required. For information about additional setup options,
see the Autodesk Alias Help.
4 Pick the meshes or shell to export, then click Accept.
5 Adjust settings, if necessary, and click Update.
6 Click Accept.

Types of data exported for ZPR
■

Triangle meshes with simple colors.

■

Textures for use with ZEdit and Zprint software for rapid prototyping.

ZPR | 45

46

Locations of Imported
Data

5

Autodesk Alias Data
Data Organization

Tolerances and Units

Colors (Shaders)

Parts and assembly information
displays in the Windows > Information > Layer Categories window.

View unit settings at Preferences > Construction Options.

Colors are visible in the Render >
Multi-lister > Shaders window.

For information about these settings, menu items, and options, see the
Autodesk® Alias® Help.

47

Autodesk Maya Data
Data Organization

Tolerances and Units

Colors (Shaders)

To view layer information, display the
Layer Editor: click Display > UI Elements > Channel Box/Layer Editor
or
display the Relationship Editor: click
Window > Relationship Editors >
Display Layers.
To view assembly definition and assembly reference nodes, see Window
> Outliner or the node Attribute
Editor.

View unit settings at Window >
Settings/Preferences > Preferences > Settings.
Change the Working Units and
Tolerance settings.

Colors are imported as shaders and
are visible at Window > Rendering Editors > Hypershade.

For more information about these settings and menu items, see the Autodesk®
Maya® Help.

Autodesk Showcase Data
Data Organization

Tolerances and Units

Colors (Shaders)

View Layers, parts, and assembly
hierarchies in the Organizer window
(Edit > Organizer).
This window shows the original file
hierarchy. You can create your own
arrangements of objects. You can
view and change the state of objects to visible, hidden, or deleted.

Change unit settings in the Import
Status window (File > Import >
Import Status Window). For
more information, see the Showcase
documentation.
Change tessellation quality in the
Import Status window. For more
information, see the Showcase documentation.
To adjust the Level of Detail (LOD)
for models imported into Showcase,
click File > Settings > Performance and Quality. To set Showcase to determine LOD, select
Automatic quality control.

Colors import as materials, and are
visible from Appearance > Material Properties.

48 | Chapter 5 Locations of Imported Data

Data Organization

Tolerances and Units

Colors (Shaders)

To have more control, select Lock
display quality to, and adjust the
slider for LOD.

For more information about these settings and menu items, see the Autodesk®
Showcase® Help.

Autodesk Opticore Studio Data
Data Organization

Tolerances and Units

Colors (Shaders)

View the node structure in the
Scene Graph Editor, in the Window > Scene Graph Editor
menu. It opens by default.

There are no units in Studio. All imported data is considered the same
unit. Set tolerances for tessellation
in the File > Preferences dialogbox, GeomX tab.

Colors can be shaders or appearances. In the Scene Graph Editor,
in scenegraph, all colors are visible
in the appearance field of a shape
node. Appearances are visible only
in the Scene Graph Editor. Shaders
are visible in both the Scene Graph
Editor and through the Windows
> Shader List dialog box.

NOTE GeomX is not available until
you load the GeomX module in the
Modules tab (in the same dialog
box) and restart Studio.
Set tessellation tolerances on the
GeomX tab, Import tessellation
section. To retessellate, use the
Window > GeomX > Tessellate
dialog box, and enter new settings.

For information about these settings, menu items, and options, see the
Autodesk® Opticore® Studio Help.

Autodesk Opticore Studio Data | 49

50

Glossary

Glossary terms
ASM (.asm)
A file format used by Pro/ENGINEER to represent an assembly.
assembly
An organizational file that fits together a collection of manufactured parts
into a complete model.
BSD license
The Berkeley Software Distribution license for redistribution and use of source
code.
CATIA ➤ V4
CATIA V4 is computer-aided design software from Dassault Systèmes. Autodesk
DirectConnect allows the exchange of 3D model data from CATIA V4, using
.model, .session, .exp, .dlv, and .dlv3 files.
CATIA ➤ V5
CATIA V5 is computer-aided design software from Dassault Systèmes. Autodesk
DirectConnect allows the exchange of 3D model data from CATIA V5, using
the native CATIA part (.CATPart), product (.CATProduct), and (.cgr) files.
CGR ➤ (.cgr)
CATIA Graphical Representation (.cgr) is the triangulated format used by
CATIA V5.

Glossary | 51

Cosmo™
A legacy 3D file format from Silicon Graphics Inc. using efficient binary
compression and *.csb (Cosmo scene binary) files.
CSB (.csb)
Cosmo 3D™scene binary (*.csb) files.
DLV (.dlv)
A file format used by CATIA V4 computer-aided design software from Dassault
Systèmes.
DRAW (DR)
A two-dimensional entity defined in the drafting and detailing world.
DWF™
Design Web Format, a file format developed by Autodesk for web viewing and
printing.
DWG™
AutoCAD drawing file) A file format used by Autodesk AutoCAD software that
contains lines, curves, and 3D data.
DXF™
(Drawing eXchange File) A file exchange format containing ASCII code and
binary representations of the objects in a DWG file.
G (.g)
A file format used by Pro/ENGINEER PTC Granite for import into the Autodesk
products that DirectConnect supports.
Granite ➤
A CAD technology platform for design collaboration using solid models.
IAM (.iam)
A file format in the Autodesk Inventor software represent an assembly.
IGES
(Initial Graphics Exchange Specification) A file format for transferring graphics
data between CAD/CAM systems. A neutral file format that can be imported
into any number of CAD or modeling packages.

52 | Glossary

IPT (.ipt)
A file format in the Autodesk Inventor software to represent a part.
IV (.iv)
A file format in the Open Inventor software.
JT
JT is a DirectModel file format that is developed and supported by the JT Open
Program for the visualization of 3D models.
NX ➤
NX is a solid modeling package based on the Parasolid kernel. The package
contains many (mostly optional) modules: for example, CAD, CAM, CAE,
sheet metal applications, knowledge bases, quality control, and rapid
prototyping. The files structure is binary.
Open Inventor™
Open Inventor is a legacy 3D file format from Silicon Graphics, Inc. Open
Inventor is not related to Autodesk Inventor software. Open Inventor is an
object-oriented 3D toolkit that describes complete 3D scenes, which can be
made interactive and that are optimized for OpenGL. It is an ASCII or binary
file format.
PCRE
The Perl-compatible regular expressions is a library of functions to support
regular expressions, with syntax and semantics as close as possible to the
syntax and semantics in the Perl 5 language.
Pro/ENGINEER ➤
A solid modeling CAD/CAM/CAE software product from Parametric Technology
Corporation that requires positional construction tolerances.
PRT (.prt)
A file format used by NX to represent a part or assembly file.
SLDASM (.sldasm)
A file format used by SolidWorks to represent an assembly file.
SLDPRT (.sldprt)
A file format used by SolidWorks to represent a part file.

Glossary | 53

SolidWorks ➤
A solid modeling CAD/CAM/CAE software product from SolidWorks
Corporation that requires positional construction tolerances.
SPACE (SP)
A three-dimensional entity defined in the 3D modeling world.
SPF
Alias SPF (Studio Packet File) is a native file format used by Autodesk Alias
software, with the extension .wire.
STEP (.step)
An international standard for the exchange of geometric product definitions.
STEP formats that are relevant to Autodesk products are AP203 (general
mechanical CAD) and AP214 (automotive CAD).
STL
An STL (StereoLithography) file is a triangular representation of 3D surface
geometry. The surface is tessellated, or broken down logically into a series of
small triangles (facets). A perpendicular direction and three points representing
the vertices (corners) of the triangle describe each facet.
STP (.stp)
A file format used in STEP (Standard for the Exchange of Product Data) for
transferring graphics data between CAD/CAM systems.
V3Rx
A file format generated by a version of CATIA that is older than V4.
ZPR
ZPrint CAD format (ZPR) is a proprietary file format developed by Z
Corporation. It is used with ZPrint and ZEdit for printing on high definition
color 3D printers. Autodesk Direct lets you export files in ZPR (*.zpr) format
to use in the Autodesk Rapid Prototyping solution.

54 | Glossary

Index
A
Autodesk Alias
locate imported data 47
view unit settings 47
visible colors 47
Autodesk AutoCAD drawing files
Autodesk DirectConnect 1
improvements 5
install 7
supported platforms 7
supported products 2
supported translators 2
Autodesk Inventor
file formats 10
translator 10
Autodesk Maya
imported colors 48
locate imported data 48
unit settings 48
Autodesk Opticore Studio
imported colors 49
locate imported data 49
tessellation tolerances 49
Autodesk Showcase
imported colors 48
locate imported data 48
unit settings 48

D

19

Design Web Format 17
Drawing eXchange File 19
DWF translator 17
DWG DXF translators 19

F
file formats
.cgr, .CATProduct, .CATPart 14
.dwf 17
.dwg, .dxf 19
.iam 10
.iges, .igs 21
.ipt 10
.iv, .csb 34
.jt 26
.model, .mdl, .session, .exp, .dlv 12
.prt 28
.prt, .asm, .g, .neu 36
.sldprt, .sldasm 38
.stl 42
.stp, .step 40
.zpr 44

I
C
CATIA V4
file types
translator
CATIA V5
file types
translator
Cosmo
file types
translator

12
12
14
14

IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Spec.)
Alias import options 21
file types 21
levels 21
log files 21
translator 21
improvements in Directconnect 5
install Autodesk DirectConnect 7

34
34

55 | Index

supported products and translators
system requirements 7

J
JT
file types
translator

26
26

N
NX
file types
translator

28
28

O
Open Inventor
file types 34
translator 34

P
Pro/ENGINEER
file types 36
translator 36

S
SolidWorks
file types 38
translator 38
STEP
file types 40
translator 40
STL
file types 42
translator 42
support platforms 7

56 | Index

T
trademarks
translators
Autodesk Inventor 10
CATIA V4 12
CATIA V5 14
Cosmo 34
DirectConnect 1
DWF 17
DWG DXF 19
IGES 21
JT 26
NX 28
Open Inventor 34
Pro/ENGINEER 36
SolidWorks 38
STEP 40
STL 42
ZPR 44

W
what's new in this release
Windows platform 7

Z
ZPR
file types 44
translator 44
ZPrint CAD format

44

5

2



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