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Please Help:I want to write files in a format that Solidworks can read.

Hi,

I thought that this would be much easier than this has turned out to be. Solidworks will import graphics files in many formats, such as ASIC (SAT) , STEP (AP203, AP214), Parasolid, to name a few. I have been searching for the specifications for these standards so that I may write files for a parser that I am building. However, I have found it very difficult to find the specifications for the above standards.

For example, STEP is a family of standards under ISO 10303 with many parts. Now the standard has been taken over by TC184/SC4. Just trying to find out which part of STEP relates to is a nightmare and then one has to purchase the correct spec, etc. Is AP 203 a spec by itself or is it covered under

10303-11 (part 11)? Who knows. Many of the links on the TC184/SC4 page are either empty or dead.

Then there is ACIS and the SAT file format. I found that it is derived from another standard called HOOPS, and where that comes from, I can't seem to find out.

Why is it so difficult to find information concerning the above mentioned file formats?

Thank You Tom tom_cip snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

Reply to
Teece
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It is hard to find because you are not an insider and neither am I. You almost have to be on the committees that make the standards.

HOOPS I think comes from ADesk.

It isn't enough to know how the standard works either. You then have to figure out how your target software utilizes the standard. IGES is a good example.

Reply to
P.

Teece,

Hoops is an OpenGL toolkit, from Tech Soft America, used to program graphics displays. It's used (not owned) by Autodesk, Solidworks, PTC, and most other

3D CAD systems. It doesn't have anything to do with any geometry engine, (ACIS, parasolid, Granite) other than the tesselation for shading.

As far as the other standards, good luck. You'll probably find it easier to get ACIS and Parasolid info than STEP, (too many cooks in the kitchen).

Regards

Mark

Reply to
MM

IMHO, if SolidWorks is the only application you're trying to target, then it may make sense to implement your translation bridge such that it works if SolidWorks is installed alongside. Then you can use the SolidWorks APIs to build up a model right inside SolidWorks rather than going via an intermediate file format.

However, if files you must create, my first choices would be :

- For 3D BREP: SAT / PS (it may be worthwhile to license the file i/o portions of the kernels from ACIS or UGS rather than writing a parser from scratch). STEP : check out steptools.com or prostep.com - they have STEP SDKs which will take the pain out of having to understand the ISO-10303 schemas and application protocols (APs) - trust me.

- For 3D visualization data : STL/VRML

- For 2D vector data DXF/DWG

HTH, Vajrang.

Reply to
vajrang

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