CATIA can be opened in three different ways.
a) The first method is that you double click on the icon present on the desktop. This is perhaps the way you start all other programs too in Windows.
b) Second method which pertains to windows only is that you open the task manager by using the ctrl+alt+delete buttons simultaneously and start the process “cnext.exe”.
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| Using command to start Catia |
c) Third method is that you issue the "cnext.exe" command from the start menu using run. The third method also pertains to windows only. All three methods are essentially the same since each is starting the cnext.exe process in the background.
File types
The file types are nothing to be worried about, as these are created automatically by Catia. A thing to keep in mind is the version of Catia in which you are working since compatibility issues can arise if you try to open files created in one version of the software with another version.
Catia does not support backward compatibility i.e. a file saved/opened in V5R19 can be opened in R 19, R20 or higher version. However, you would not be able to open the file in any previous version like R18, R17 etc.
You can downgrade a file and open in previous Catia versions down to R6, however, specification tree would be lost and it would be solid without any history. Alternatively, you can save the file as STEP which would give the same result as downgrading. Saving the file as STEP is more straightforward than downgrading.
How to use mouse in Catia?
Left click can be used for selecting items like you do in case of Windows and other applications. With the left click, you can select tools, the 3D model, entities in the sketcher. So, left click can be used anywhere selection is required. You can also use it to change position of toolbars present on the screen and put them where you prefer. To move, you would need to keep the left button pressed while you move them to another position.
While you are moving the toolbar, you can also press the shift key to change its orientation from horizontal to vertical and vice-versa.
If Ctrl key is used with left click, you can select multiple items as you do in windows. Double click activates persistent command mode where the command does not end unless you press the escape key. For example, if you wish to be keep drawing circles, one after another, double click on the circle command as you do on desktop icons. To end the command, you can press Esc key.
Middle button while it is pressed can be used for panning the 3D model. Middle + Right buttons together can be used for rotating, when you do this the model will rotate about an arbitrary point. You can however change the center of rotation. To change the center of rotation, take the cursor to the point about which you wish to rotate and middle click on that and leave the button, you will see that, the point becomes the center of rotation and then you can use the middle click with right click to rotate the model about that point. To zoom in and out, you need to simply leave the right button while you are in rotating mode, that is while you have pressed the middle and right button, simply leave the right button and then you will be able to zoom in and out the model using the forward and backward mouse movements. A simple right click also reveals contextual menu as in the case of windows.
Left click = Selection
Left double click = Persistent command
Middle button (pressed) = Pan
Middle (pressed) + Right (pressed) = Rotation
Middle click = Change the centre of rotation
Middle (pressed) + Right click = zoom in / out
Right click = Contextual menu
What is GUI (Graphical User Interface)?
GUI refers to the Graphical user interface of the software. The interface is essentially a collection of windows, tools and working area which helps the user interact with the software. User is able to select different tools, apply commands, manipulate the model with the help of GUI. It comprises of menu bar, work area, specification tree, prompt zone, toolbars etc.
Application window - The GUI of the software consists of the application window, which is essentially the window screen within which the software operates. So basically it is the overall envelope on the screen that is occupied by the software.
Menu bar - Menu bar is also known as the main menu which is present on the top. It has the options "File", "Edit", "View" etc. all options that you generally see in other windows applications.
Toolbars - Every workbench has appropriate tools, suited for the needs of that workbench, these are organised under different toolbars. You can double click on them to send them back inside or bring them out. You can also drag them inside / outside along with using mouse left click. In case a toolbar is missing, you can bring it back from the main menu or right click on any of the toolbar and see the list of visible toolbars at any moment.
GUI refers to the Graphical user interface of the software. The interface is essentially a collection of windows, tools and working area which helps the user interact with the software. User is able to select different tools, apply commands, manipulate the model with the help of GUI. It comprises of menu bar, work area, specification tree, prompt zone, toolbars etc.
Application window - The GUI of the software consists of the application window, which is essentially the window screen within which the software operates. So basically it is the overall envelope on the screen that is occupied by the software.
Menu bar - Menu bar is also known as the main menu which is present on the top. It has the options "File", "Edit", "View" etc. all options that you generally see in other windows applications.
Toolbars - Every workbench has appropriate tools, suited for the needs of that workbench, these are organised under different toolbars. You can double click on them to send them back inside or bring them out. You can also drag them inside / outside along with using mouse left click. In case a toolbar is missing, you can bring it back from the main menu or right click on any of the toolbar and see the list of visible toolbars at any moment.
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| Graphical user interface |
Work area - Work area comprises of specification tree on the left, planes xy, yz and zx at the centre, compass at the top right and whatever geometric model or assembly that you create.
Specification tree - Present on the top left, you would find XY, YZ and ZX plane along with it, it documents all the features, sketches, planes, surfaces and geometries that you create in a part document, it will also let you know the relationship between the features. We will discuss this in more detail in future videos.
3D Compass - The 3D compass can be seen on the top right corner can it can be used to rotate as well as move parts. You simply need to use the left click to do this. This is an alternative way to move part if you are not comfortable using the mouse for navigation. The red dot on the top can be used to freely rotate the part with respect to mouse movements. All you need to do is left click and move the mouse. The 3d compass has some other advanced features too that we will discuss in future videos.
Prompt zone - The prompt zone is present on the bottom left area and this displays appropriate prompt pertaining to the command that you select. For example, if you press the Sketch button from the Sketcher toolbar, it would display the next logical thing to do i.e. to select a plane or planar surface on which you wish to make a sketch. This is handy and provides useful clues for people who are just starting to learn Catia.
Power input mode - Power input mode can be used to invoke commands that you may normally do using toolbars, for example I can enter c:pad command to open pad dialog box likewise c:sketch may be used to draw a sketch. I have seldom used it, but there are oddballs you know, so, I have mentioned it for their sake.
File types
There are many proprietary file types of Catia. These are:
.CATPart,
.CATProduct,
.CATProcess,
.CATMaterial,
.CATAnalysis
.CATDrawing etc.
A file type is associated with the workbench in which it is created. For example, whenever you create a file in any of the workbenches such as Sketcher, Part workbench, Generative Sheet-metal design, Wire-frame and Surface design, Generative surface design etc., it will have the .CATPart extension. Also, with the .CATPart file that you create, you are free to navigate in all the workbenches that are mentioned above and can use any tool present in these workbenches to work on your model. However, suppose, if you need to assemble parts to make a product or sub-assembly, you would need to work with an assembly workbench, and it would require a .CATProduct file. Which is the extension of all file generated in Assembly Design workbench. Likewise files created in drafting workbench of Catia have a .CATDrawing extension.
Likewise .CATAnalysis is the file extension of analysis done on parts to find stress and other value. .CATMaterial is the extension of various materials such as Iron, copper etc. or any material that you create yourself by specifying Young's modulus etc.
Compatibility
.CATProduct,
.CATProcess,
.CATMaterial,
.CATAnalysis
.CATDrawing etc.
A file type is associated with the workbench in which it is created. For example, whenever you create a file in any of the workbenches such as Sketcher, Part workbench, Generative Sheet-metal design, Wire-frame and Surface design, Generative surface design etc., it will have the .CATPart extension. Also, with the .CATPart file that you create, you are free to navigate in all the workbenches that are mentioned above and can use any tool present in these workbenches to work on your model. However, suppose, if you need to assemble parts to make a product or sub-assembly, you would need to work with an assembly workbench, and it would require a .CATProduct file. Which is the extension of all file generated in Assembly Design workbench. Likewise files created in drafting workbench of Catia have a .CATDrawing extension.
Likewise .CATAnalysis is the file extension of analysis done on parts to find stress and other value. .CATMaterial is the extension of various materials such as Iron, copper etc. or any material that you create yourself by specifying Young's modulus etc.
Compatibility
The file types are nothing to be worried about, as these are created automatically by Catia. A thing to keep in mind is the version of Catia in which you are working since compatibility issues can arise if you try to open files created in one version of the software with another version.
Catia does not support backward compatibility i.e. a file saved/opened in V5R19 can be opened in R 19, R20 or higher version. However, you would not be able to open the file in any previous version like R18, R17 etc.
You can downgrade a file and open in previous Catia versions down to R6, however, specification tree would be lost and it would be solid without any history. Alternatively, you can save the file as STEP which would give the same result as downgrading. Saving the file as STEP is more straightforward than downgrading.
Catia Workbench navigation
Catia offers different workbenches, which are essentially environments where tools required for a specific task are present. And we can navigate through them using the "Start" button, present on the top left. Each workbench serves a specific purpose and has tools suited for that kind of work. For example, Drafting workbench will offer tools related to drafting, assembly design will let you assemble parts, Sketcher workbench will let you sketch, which can subsequently be used to create a part in part design workbench, so on and so forth.
When you open CATIA first time, it will open in the "Assembly Design" workbench or the last product environment that you were working in. It would offer to work in the product document file i.e. .CATProduct file by default. The Product1 window that you see above is that file. You can close this smaller window since we have to first learn to create a sketch, which is CATPart file, so we would need to work with a CATPart file.
To create a CATPart file, you would need to navigate to the Sketcher workbench using Start>Mechanical design>Sketcher and give an appropriate name to the file. On pressing "OK", you would find yourself in the Sketcher workbench. All toolbars present or absent in a workbench can be found using a right click on any of the toolbar. In case you are not sure which workbench you are in, you can find this from the Workbench toolbar.
Note: You can move back and forth between Sketcher and Part environments using Exit workbench and Sketch buttons. When you exit Sketcher, you will find yourself in Part workbench. And anytime you wish to edit the old sketch, you would need to double click on the sketch from the specification tree, or select the Sketch option and then the old sketch from the specification tree. In case you find yourself in a workbench that is not familiar, you can navigate back to the Part design or Sketcher using the Start button.
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| CATProduct file |
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| Workbench toolbar and Sketcher toolbar |
Note: You can move back and forth between Sketcher and Part environments using Exit workbench and Sketch buttons. When you exit Sketcher, you will find yourself in Part workbench. And anytime you wish to edit the old sketch, you would need to double click on the sketch from the specification tree, or select the Sketch option and then the old sketch from the specification tree. In case you find yourself in a workbench that is not familiar, you can navigate back to the Part design or Sketcher using the Start button.
In Catia, mouse
can be used much like as in any other windows applications. However, in
Catia it achieves a special significance because it not only selects geometry, tools and commands, but
also performs other functions. A model present in the 3D space can be
manipulated using mouse without the need of keyboard. You can zoom,
rotate as well as pan the model by using the three mouse buttons in Catia.
Left click can be used for selecting items like you do in case of Windows and other applications. With the left click, you can select tools, the 3D model, entities in the sketcher. So, left click can be used anywhere selection is required. You can also use it to change position of toolbars present on the screen and put them where you prefer. To move, you would need to keep the left button pressed while you move them to another position.
While you are moving the toolbar, you can also press the shift key to change its orientation from horizontal to vertical and vice-versa.
If Ctrl key is used with left click, you can select multiple items as you do in windows. Double click activates persistent command mode where the command does not end unless you press the escape key. For example, if you wish to be keep drawing circles, one after another, double click on the circle command as you do on desktop icons. To end the command, you can press Esc key.
Middle button while it is pressed can be used for panning the 3D model. Middle + Right buttons together can be used for rotating, when you do this the model will rotate about an arbitrary point. You can however change the center of rotation. To change the center of rotation, take the cursor to the point about which you wish to rotate and middle click on that and leave the button, you will see that, the point becomes the center of rotation and then you can use the middle click with right click to rotate the model about that point. To zoom in and out, you need to simply leave the right button while you are in rotating mode, that is while you have pressed the middle and right button, simply leave the right button and then you will be able to zoom in and out the model using the forward and backward mouse movements. A simple right click also reveals contextual menu as in the case of windows.
Left click = Selection
Left double click = Persistent command
Middle button (pressed) = Pan
Middle (pressed) + Right (pressed) = Rotation
Middle click = Change the centre of rotation
Middle (pressed) + Right click = zoom in / out
Right click = Contextual menu