CATIA Reader

Supported Entities

Entities supported the CATIA readers.
CATIA v4 Reader
Supported entities.
  • Point (type 1)
  • Line segment (type 2)
  • Parametric curve (type 3)
  • Conics (types 20-23)
  • Composite curve (type 24)
  • Parametric surface (type 5)
  • Face (type 6)
  • Volume (type 7)
  • Coordinate system (type 8)
  • Skin (type 13)
  • Mock-up solids (type 17-1)
  • Exact solids (type 17-2)
  • Ditto (type 28)
CATIA v5 Reader
Supported entities.
  • Free points
  • Free curves
  • Surfaces
  • Skin bodies
  • Solid bodies
  • Facets/triangles
  • Infinite planes
  • Coordinate systems
  • Publications
  • Composite data
  • Parts (.CatPart)
  • Assemblies (.CatProduct)
Entities that are part of other entities are not created as independent entities.
Entities with non-Latin characters in their names are supported.
CATIA v6 Reader
Supported entities.
  • Free points
  • Free curves
  • Surfaces
  • Skin bodies
  • Solid bodies
  • Facets/triangles
  • Infinite planes
  • Coordinate systems
  • Publications
  • Composite data
  • Parts (.3dxml, .3DRep)
  • Assemblies (.3dxml)
Entities that are part of other entities are not created as independent entities.
Entities with non-Latin characters in their names are supported.

Import Options

The CATIA v5 and CATIA v4 readers use the ct_reader.ini file.
@AttributesAsMetadata
Value Description
on

Import all generic attributes (global and related to single entities) as metadata.
off Do not import attributes related to single entities. Only import global attributes.
%attribute1%attribute2%attribute3

Import specified generic attributes as metadata.

The attribute names are listed, separated by a character that you choose, and inserted as the first element of the string. The example uses '%' as a separator. You can choose another character as a separator, in case one of the listed attribute names contains '%'. HyperMesh will recognize it as it is the first character of the string.
@AvoidThirdPartyConversion
Value Description
on Avoid using the conversion functions provided by third-party (default).
off Use the conversion functions provided by third-party.
@BodyIdAsMetadata
Value Description
on Assign body identifier as metadata.

BODY_ID
off Do not assign body identifier as metadata (default).
@CleanupTol
Value Description
double A negative value (default) indicates to use the auto cleanup tolerance. A value greater than the calculated auto cleanup tolerance indicates to use that specific tolerance. Refer to the CAD Cleanup Tolerance.
@ColorsAsMetadata
Value Description
integer

Read color attributes of geometric entities as metadata with integer values.

COLOR_RGB
on

Same as integer.
off Do not read color attributes (default).
@CreationType
Value Description
Parts Generate a full part-based hierarchy.
BOMOnly Generate an empty part-based hierarchy.
TreeOfComponents Generate an assemblies/components based hierarchy.
PackIntoSinglePart Consolidate hierarchy into a single part.
@DensityAsMetadata
Value Description
on

Read density value as metadata (default).

DENSITY
off Do not read density value.
@DisableSurfaceRelimination
Value Description
on Disable the third party algorithm for performing base surface trimming during import. This option should be used in conjunction with @ShrinkSurfaces.
off Do not disable the third party algorithm (default).
@DoNotMergeEdges
Value Description
on Preserve the original geometry edges, instead of merging them together during the import cleanup phase.
off Merge edges together during the import cleanup phase (default).
@FullNameAsMetadata
Value Description
on

Generate the full CAD name, as retrieved from the CAD part, as metadata. This consists of assembly name/part name/feature name/entity name.

FULL_IDENTIFIER
off Do not generate full name metadata (default).
@ImportBlanked
Value Description
on

Enable the import of invisible (blanked/NO SHOW) components.

This option, when used, takes priority over any other similar options/settings.
off

Disable the import of invisible (blanked/NO SHOW) components (default).

This option, when used, takes priority over any other similar options/settings.
@ImportCoordinateSystems
Value Description
on Import CAD coordinate systems as system collectors (default).
off Do not import CAD coordinate systems.
@ImportForVisualizationOnly
Value Description
on

Import the model for visualization purposes only.

This skips many of the import steps (cleanup, stitching, solid creation, and so on) to provide a faster import. The resulting model may not be suitable for other uses.
off Import the model in the normal fashion (default).
@ImportFreeCurves
Value Description
on Import free curves (wireframe entities) into the model (default).
off Do not import free curves.
@ImportFreePoints
Value Description
on Import free points into the model (default).
off Do not import free points.
@ImportPublicationData
Value Description
on Create regions from the geometry referenced in publications.
off Do not create regions from the geometry referenced in publications (default).
@InfinitePlaneSizeFactor
Value Description
double A factor > 0 for sizing of infinite planes. The factor is a percentage of the modal size.

The defaault is 0.5.
@LayerAsMetadata
Value Description
on Read layer value as metadata.

LAYER
off Do not read layer value (default).
@LegacyHierarchyAsMetadata
Value Description
on Generate metadata with the original CAD hierarchy within the part.

LEGACY_HIERARCHY
off Do not generate metadata with the original CAD hierarchy within the part (default).
@MaterialName
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM material name info of the current part.

Default is "Material".
@MetadataPrefix
Value Description
string The string is prefixed to all metadata names. No prefix is used by default.

See CAD Metadata Naming for more details.
@MeshFlag
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM mesh flag name info of the current part.

Default is "MeshFlag".
@MID
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM material ID info of the current part.

Default is "MID".
@OriginalIdAsMetadata
Value Description
on Import original CAD entity IDs as metadata.

ORIGINAL_ID
off Do not import original CAD entity IDs as metadata (default).
@PartNumber
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM part number info of the current part.

Default is "PartNumber”.
@PID
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing PDM property ID info of the current part.

Default is "PID”.
@PlyContourGapTolerance
Value Description
double Acceptable gap between curves of a ply contour (default 0.3). Meaningful if @ReadCompositeData is enabled.
@ReadCompositeData
Value Description
on Import CATIAV5 composite data.
off Do not import CATIAV5 composite data (default).
@ReadHiddenPlyBaseSurfaces
Value Description
on Read hidden ply base surfaces. Meaningful if @ReadCompositeData is enabled.
off Do not read hidden ply base surfaces (default).
@RemoveTinySegInCompositeCurves
Value Description
on Remove small segments present in composite curves and closes the gap by modifying the adjacent segments, while minimizing the distortion.
off Do not remove small segments present in composite curves.
@Revision
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing PDM major revision info of the current part.

Default is "Revision”.
@ScaleFactor
Value Description
double Define the model scaling factor during import.

Default is 1.0.
@ShrinkSurfaces
Value Description
on For trimmed surfaces, shrink the corresponding base surfaces to only enclose the extents of the external trimming contour, plus a narrow frame.
off Do not modify the base surfaces (default).
@SkipCreationOfSolid
Value Description
on Read surfaces, but do not create solid entities.
off Create solid entities (default).
@SplitComponents
Value Description
Body Generate body-based component (default if CreationType=Parts).
Layer Generate layer-based component.
Part Generate part-based component.
General Keep component as in CAD (default if CreationType=TreeOfComponents).
@StitchingAcrossBodies
Value Description
on Stitch surfaces belonging to different components.
off Do not stitch surfaces belonging to different components (default).
@TagsAsMetadata
Value Description
on

Create entity name as metadata (default).

TAG
FromBody

Take entity from its parent body and create as metadata.

TAG
off Do not read tags.
@TargetUnits
Value Description
CAD units Keep the units of the CAD files (default for GUI).
MKS [m kg N s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MMKS [mm kg N s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MPA [mm t N s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
CGS [cm g dyn s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MMKNMS [mm kg kN ms] Convert to the corresponding units system.
MMGNMS [mm g N ms] Convert to the corresponding units system.
IPS Std [in pounds lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
IPS Grav [in slinch lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
FPS Std [ft pounds lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
FPS Grav [ft slug lbf s] Convert to the corresponding units system.
Scale factor Apply the corresponding scale factor (default for no GUI to allow supporting legacy scripts).
@ThicknessName
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM thickness info of the current part.

Default is "Thickness".
@TrimPlySurfaces
Value Description
on Trim ply surfaces when a ply points to one surface only. Meaningful if @ReadCompositeData is enabled.
off Do not trim ply surfaces (default).
@UID
Value Description
string Name of the CAD attribute containing the PDM UID info of the current part.

Default is "UID".

There is also the possibility to specify a default search path for files referenced by assemblies via the CT_DefaultPartPath environment variable.

By default, the referenced files will be read from the locations referenced in the assembly files.

If a referenced file cannot be found:
  • If the CT_DefaultPartPath environment variable is not defined, an attempt will be made to locate the file in the directory where the assembly exists.
  • If the CT_DefaultPartPath environment variable is defined, an attempt will be made to locate the file in the directories defined by the environment variable, following the order the directories are given (directories separated by semi-colons).

Supported Metadata

Metadata generated from the CATIA reader.
BODY_ID
Type Entities Description
string
  • points
  • lines
  • surfs
 Identifier of the CAD body containing the entity.

Generated when @BodyIDAsMetadata=on
COLOR_RGB
Type Entities Description
string

points

lines

surfs

solids

Three RGB values, ranging from 0 to 255, indicating the color of the entity in the CAD model.

Generated when @ColorsAsMetadata = on
COMMENT_BLOCK
Type Entities Description
string assems The command block text for a CATIA v4 file. This is only attached to the root assembly.
COORDINATE_SYSTEM_<name>
Type Entities Description
string assems The <name> field is the name of the local coordinate system and the value is the local coordinate system information.
DENSITY
Type Entities Description
double solids

The value of the density of a solid.

Generated when @DensityAsMetadata = on
FULL_IDENTIFIER
Type Entities Description
string

points

lines

surfs

solids

comps

assems

A string indicating the name in the following format:

"part_name/name"

Generated when @FullNameAsMetadata = on
LAYER
Type Entities Description
integer
  • points
  • lines
  • surfs
  • solids
 Value of the layer of an entity.

Generated when @LayerAsMetadata=on
LEGACY_HIERARCHY
Type Entities Description
string
  • points
  • lines
  • surfs
 Hierarchy of an entity within a part.

Generated when @LegacyHierarchyAsMetadata=on
MODELUNIT
Type Entities Description
integer
  • comps
  • parts
 Model units specified in the CAD file.
  • 1 = inches
  • 2 = millimeters
  • 4 = feet
  • 5 = miles
  • 6 = meters
  • 7 = kilometers
  • 8 = mils
  • 9 = microns
  • 10 = centimeters
  • 11 = microinches
  • 12 = decimeters
  • 13 = yards

This is always generated.
ORIGINAL_ID
Type Entities Description
string

points

lines

surfs

solids

parts

The original CAD entity ID.

Generated when @OriginalIdAsMetadata = on
TAG
Type Entities Description
string

points

lines

surfs

solids

The tag (name) of the entity as read from the CAD model, if one exists.

Generated when @TagsAsMetadata = on