CATIA V4 is producing and reading directly files know as .model

.model correspond to one or several models and drawings. It seems that a tendency is to use them either for a drawing or for 3D but not for both although it is possible.

CATIA can load several .model in the same time like 3D layers. Only one of the models is active at a time.

CATIA Files starts and ends with a set of @@@@@. This makes it easy to veryfy that a file is really a CATIA File.

.exp or .dlv are export files. They are produced from several .model using CATIMP and CATEXP Utility. Our translators don't need this step and can read CATIA Exp directly.

Also from time to time customers receive .001, .002, .003 files. They are usually zipped together. This is GALIA files a standard used in the Fench CAR industry as the name tells it. The first file .001 is an asci file and indicates whcih files are .exp files. The considered file should be renamed to .exp prior to be loaded.

Chrysler and other car manufacturers also store a parameter page in some text area of the file. This an be viewed with our products.

Q: How large can be a .exp file

R: We see files up to 85 Megs. You will need the version after September 2003 to handle the largest files.

Remember when you submit files to zip them first. Zipping CadFiles is usually very efficienet due to the representation of double on 8 octets and the number of zeros.