Creating a Solid Model

can read an ACIS 4.0 file. You must be aware when saving an ACIS file to be read by another application. You can determine the version of ACIS that TracePro is based on by reading the Help|About TracePro dialog box.

Note: You can determine the ACIS version of an SAT file by viewing the file in any text editor or word processor. The first line starts with a three-digit number that contains the version number. The first digit is the major version and the second and third are the minor version. Thus an ACIS 2.0 file would contain 200 and an ACIS 1.6 file would contain 160.

Importing an ACIS File

To import an ACIS (*.SAT) file into TracePro, you must first save it from an ACISbased application. In most other ACIS-based applications, you create a SAT file by exporting the solid model you are working on as an ACIS file, or by performing a File|Save As command. When you save the file, be sure that it is of a version that is supported by TracePro.

After you have saved the file as an SAT file from an ACIS-based application, you can open it in TracePro. Select File|Open. In the Files of type: drop-down list at the bottom of the dialog box, select ACIS Files (*.sat), then highlight the file you wish to open, and press OK.

Once the file is imported, you can apply Material, Surface, and Source Properties in the usual way, just as if the model had been created in TracePro.

TABLE 2.2. ACIS Version for recent TracePro releases.

TracePro Release	ACIS Version
4.1	R17
4.0	R16
3.3	R14
3.2	R12
3.1	R10
3.0	7.0
2.4	6.3

Note that the individual release of TracePro version X.Y.Z (e.g., 4.1.2) may use an updated version of ACIS (e.g., for TracePro 4.1.2, ACIS R17.0.2 is used). To verify the actual version of ACIS used, select Help|About TracePro....

Exporting an ACIS File

To export an SAT file, you simply save it as an SAT file, making sure that you save it in a version of the ACIS kernel that is compatible with the application that you want to read the file. Do this by selecting File|Save As. In the Save as type: drop-down list at the bottom of the dialog box, select ACIS (*.sat), and then select the ACIS Version number, then type the name of the file you wish to export, with extension SAT, and press OK.

Stereo Lithography (*.STL) Files

STL (Stereo Lithography Interface Specification) is a common format for stereo lithography and rapid prototypes. This is a tessellated surface model composed of triangular facets. STL files may be stored in either an ASCII or binary file format.

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Importing and Exporting Files

TracePro reads both formats and will determine the format upon opening the file. STL files can be imported, combined, and used for ray tracing.

Additional CAD Translators (Option)

The following CAD translators are now accessible from the File|Open and File|Save As dialogs, by selecting the corresponding “Files of Type” or “Save As Type”: As of the date of this manual the following formats and versions are

TABLE 2.3. Translator versions and file extensions

FIle Type	Read Versions	Write Versions
CATIA V5*	V5 R2 to R16	V5 R6 to R16
	*.CATPart, *.CATProduct, *.cgr	*.catpart, *.cgr
CATIA V4	V4.1.9 and 4.2.4	V4.1.9 and 4.2.4
	*.exp, *.model,*.session	*.model
IGES	up to 5.3	5.3
	*.igs, *.iges	*.igs
Inventor	Versions 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10
	*.ipt
Hoops		*.hsf
Stream**
Pro/E	Pro/E 16 to Wildfire2
	*.prt, *.prt.*, *.asm, *.asm.*, *xpr
	*.xas
STEP	AP203, AP214	AP203, AP214
	*.stp, *.step	*.stp, *.step
VDA-FS	1.0 and 2.0	2.0
	*.vda	*.vda

supported.

* Catia V5 translators need additional setup which is performed during the installation. The TracePro environment must be set prior to running TracePro to enable the Catia V5 translators to function. Please see the Enabling Catia V5 section in the Installation Guide for details.

** The Hoops Stream Format (HSF) is included in TracePro and is supported by many software vendors for geometry visualization. See http://www.openhsf.org/ for additional information.

Plot formats for model files

A picture of the model window can be saved into bitmap (BMP) and Windows Metafile (EMF) formats. Use the File|Save As dialog and the corresponding “Save As Type”.

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