Running the Downward Compatibility Batch

This task shows you how to use the Downward Compatibility batch. This batch provides downward compatibility between the most recent release (including service packs) down to V5R6, which means that Version 5 data can be reused from one release to another.

You can process file documents, CATIA-type documents stored in ENOVIA LCA and, only when working on UNIX, CATIA-type documents stored in ENOVIAVPM.
However, b
ear in mind that appropriate licenses are required to be able to access documents in ENOVIA LCA and ENOVIAVPM. For instance, if you do not have the license required for using VPM Navigator, you will not be able to select the ENOVIA LCA type.

  This scenario explains how to:
Bear in mind that downward compatibility is relevant for .CATPart documents only.
  • If you select a CATPart document, the PartBody is copied and pasted AsResultWithLink to the target document. Note that only the first PartBody in the specification tree is processed because the Downward Compatibility batch is not appropriate for CATParts with multiple bodies. In case of a CATPart with multiple bodies, each body must be copied into a single CATPart: these CATParts will be processed as separate documents. For other solutions, contact your on-site administrator.
    Open Bodies are not converted as a whole. Only the feature defined as an external view in the Generative Shape Design workbench is copied and pasted AsResultWithLink to the target document. This also means that even if a Generative Shape Design feature is created directly under a part body, the feature will not be converted.
  • When working with a document generated with the Downward Compatibility batch, it is recommended to deactivate Folder of the pointing document in the Linked Document Localization area of the Tools > Options > General > Document tab to avoid conflicts with the original document.
 

Accessing the Downward Compatibility interface from the command line

  1. Open an MS-DOS Window.

  2. Change to the default folder in which you installed the product.

    The default folder is:

    C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\Bn\intel_a\code\bin  (on Windows)

    or
     

    /usr/DassaultSystemes/Bn/OS_a/code/command/  (on UNIX)

    (where n is the current release number)

    Before running the batch, make sure that your environment is correctly set up:

    • On Windows, the batch environment is installed during Version 5 installation.
    • On UNIX, you have to set up this environment before running a session. For more information, refer to Starting a Session on UNIX.
  3. Enter the following command:

    CNEXT -batch -e CATUIDownwardCompatibility

    The CATIA V5 Downward Compatibility Batch window opens:

 

Accessing the batch interface from the Batch Monitor

  You can also access the print batch interface using the Batch Monitor in a Version 5 session. In that case, some additional options are available to you.
  1. Access the Batch Monitor interface, either from the command line, or from a Version 5 session.

    The Batch Monitor opens:

  2. Double-click DownwardCompatibility from the list.

    The DownwardCompatibility window opens (click the thumbnail to enlarge the picture):
    When running the DownwardCompatibility batch from the Batch Monitor, some additional options are available:

    Remote mode

    You can choose to run the batch locally, or on a remote computer by selecting the appropriate option:

    • Run Local: default option. When selected, the batch is run in local on your local computer.

    • Run Remote: select this option then indicate the name of the remote computer on which the batch will be run. The remote computer uses the printers set up on your local computer. Note that:

      • When using Windows printers, you can run the batch in remote mode on Windows computers only

      • When using 3D PLM printers, you can run the batch in remote mode either on UNIX or on Windows computers.

    For more information, refer to Running Batches in Remote Mode.

    Licensing

    You also have the ability to select a license by clicking Licensing Setup....

    Getting contextual help

    The batch-specific online documentation can be accessed directly from the batch interface by clicking in the top-right corner (on Windows) or Help (on UNIX).

 

 

Defining the batch parameters

  In this scenario, we assume that the Downward Compatibility Batch interface has been accessed from the command line.
 

Selected Operation

 
  1. Select the action to be performed from the list (where you see "Convert" right now):

    Convert

    Converts a document into a format which can be read on the target release.
    For each selected document, the Report informs you about the process (i.e. converted or not) and the result (i.e. success or failure). 

    Note that there are particular cases when selecting the documents to be converted:

    Case 1

    The document to be converted is already a conversion of another document. In that case, it is recommended to select rather the father document than the converted document to avoid the conversion of a converted document:

    • If the father document is accessible and readable, the selection of the child document cannot be performed. A pop-up warning is displayed to prompt you to select the father document instead.

    You cannot force the conversion of the child document, unless the father document is removed or renamed.

    • If the father document can be neither accessed nor read (release posterior to the execution release), a pop-up warning informs you that the document is already a converted document.

    However, the selection is accepted and the document will be considered as any other document. The converted document will then point to the father document and not to the original document.
    In the Report window, you will be informed that the document is already a converted document and the status of the father document (name, availability and minimum release to be read) will be indicated.

    Case 2
     
    • If the pointed document cannot be found (or has been removed), it is displayed as being selected. 
      The Report window informs you that the document cannot be accessed.
    • If a selected or pointed document is not readable in the execution release, it is selected. The Report window informs you that the document is unreadable and gives you the minimum release to read the document.
    In case a selected document cannot be converted, a pop-up warning is displayed to explain why the conversion cannot be performed. You just have to re-select the document in the Document Selection area then click . The selected document and all its related files will be removed from the list, provided that these related files are not linked to another document.
    Synchronize

    Synchronizes a document. This action is relevant for converted documents whose original documents have been modified.
    Selecting this option deactivates the incompatible fields which are Target Directory (since documents are written in the same location after synchronization) and the field indicating the target version.
    For each selected document, the Report window gives you information about the process (i.e. synchronized or not) and the result (i.e. success or failure). 

    Note that there are particular cases when selecting documents to be synchronized:

    Case 1

    The document to be synchronized is not a converted image of another document: in that case, a pop-up warning is displayed to indicate that the selection cannot be performed.

    Case 2

    The document to be converted is already a converted image:

    • If the father document is accessible and readable, the selection can be performed. The father document is not displayed in the list of pointed documents.
    • If the father document is not accessible, the selection cannot be performed and a pop-up
      warning is displayed.

    All pointed documents (except the father document) are displayed in the list of documents to be synchronized, whether they are converted images, accessible, readable in the execution release or not. The Report window indicates the status of each document.

    Info

    Provides general information about the document.
    Selecting this option deactivates the incompatible boxes which are Target Directory (no document is written when the Info check box is selected) and the box indicating the target version.

    For each document to be converted, the report indicates
    • The minimum release version enabling the document to be read without any conversion
    • If the document is already a converted image:
      • The name of the father document along with its availability
      • The minimum release version for reading the father document without conversion.
    When swapping from one action to another, do not forget that the selected documents must comply to the selection rules of the new action.
  2. Select the CATIA V5 release to which the documents will be converted: CATIAV5R6, CATIAV5R7, CATIAV5R8, and so on.

    This list can be accessed in Convert action only, otherwise it is grayed out.

    Document Selection

  3. Use the Document Location list to select the type of documents to be processed: either File, ENOVIAVPM or ENOVIA LCA.

  4. Still in the Document Selection area, click to select the documents to be converted. Each document type is associated to a specific search interface (click the thumbnails to enlarge the pictures):

    File

    When searching for File documents with the Convert or Synchronize action selected, the search is performed via the File Selection dialog box:

    If the Info action is selected, the File Selection dialog box slightly differs because this action does not require as many data as the Convert action:
    For detailed information on this dialog box, refer to Searching for File Documents.
    ENOVIA V5 VPM

    When searching for ENOVIA V5 VPM documents, the search is performed via the Search Documents in ENOVIA V5 VPM dialog box:

    For detailed information on this dialog box, refer to Searching for Documents in ENOVIA V5 VPM.
    ENOVIAVPM (UNIX only)

    When searching for ENOVIAVPM documents, the search is performed via the Search Documents in ENOVIAVPM dialog box:

    For detailed information on this dialog box, refer to Searching for Documents in ENOVIAVPM.
    This scenario takes the File document location as an example.
  5. Enter your search criteria in the search dialog box.

    When the documents are selected, their names are displayed in the Name list as shown below:

    When working with File documents, note that the former Pointed document option allowing to convert all the documents pointed to by the document to be converted has been replaced by the Select pointed documents option available in the File Selection dialog box.

    If you change your mind afterwards and decide not to process one or several documents displayed in the Name list, select them (you can use the multi-selection) then click to remove the documents from the list.
    As long as no document is selected, the button is grayed out.

    Output

  6. In the Target Directory box, key in the output directory or DLName or, click to navigate through the file tree to the desired directory.

    This box is mandatory and is initialized with the current or temporary directory by default.
    If you set the DLName environment as "Current" in Tools > Options > General > Document tab, the usual File Selection dialog box is replaced by the following one:
    The DLName document environment lets you restrict the access to specific folders referenced by logical names referred to as "DLNames" (each folder is assigned a logical name).
    In this mode, the different file opening and saving commands only allow end users to access documents in directories referenced by DLNames.

    DLNames are identified by the string CATDLN://, for instance "CATDLN://DLNAME3".

    Use the Look in: list to select the root DLName in which you want to navigate. The sub-folders (if any) stored in the selected root DLName are then displayed in the DLName list below and you can choose a DLName in list: the selected DLName is displayed in the "Selected DLName" field and will be set as the target directory.
    Note that once you are in a sub-folder, you can re-access the upper level by clicking .

    You can also click to access the Search Results dialog box which lets you search for DLNames using a specific interface.

    Once you have found the desired DLName, click OK to validate.

  7. Enter the name of report in the Report Name box.

    By default, the report is named "GlobalResults":
    For each processed document, the batch creates a document report in the target directory. By default, the name of the report is the name of the document suffixed with ".htm". You can change this default name by suffixing the document report name with the string of your choice. To do so, enter the string to be added at the end of the name in the Append String to Document Report box.
  8. Click Execute to run the batch.

    If of the above boxes is not correctly filled, the command is grayed out.
    The completion is indicated by the progress bar at the bottom of the dialog box (when no batch is running, the progress bar is identified as "Inactive"):
    Note that when you access the Downward Compatibility Batch interface via the Batch Monitor, there is no progress bar.

    Once the conversion is over, the Report window opens. 

    The report indicates if each of the selected documents has been processed or not along with the result (success or failure).
    The report contains only text and cannot reference images, URL links, etc.

    At the end of the report, one of the following return codes will be displayed:

    • ReturnCode = 0     the batch ended successfully
    • ReturnCode = 4     at least one document could not be processed
    • ReturnCode = 8     the batch aborted.

    To save the report, click the Save As Text button.

    In case you want to modify your conversion parameters, you must close the Report window first then run the batch once again.

  9. Exit the Report window by clicking the cross in the top right corner or OK.

  10. To display an HTML version of the report, click Open HTML Report . This button is activated only once a report has been generated, otherwise it is grayed out.

    However, you can still use the former method to visualize the report, i.e. open the HTML file from the directory in which it has been saved.
 

 

Running the batch from the command line

 
 

Using CATDownwardCompatibility

  This scenario shows you how to run the Downward Compatibility batch without accessing the batch interface through the CATDownwardCompatibility command.
  1. Open an MS-DOS Window.

  2. Change to the default folder in which you installed the product.

    The default folder is:

    C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\Bn\intel_a\code\bin  (on Windows)

    or
     

    /usr/DassaultSystemes/Bn/OS_a/code/command/  (on UNIX)

    (where "n" is the current release number)

    Before running the batch, make sure that your environment is correctly set up:

    • On Windows, the batch environment is installed during Version 5 installation
    • On UNIX, you have to set up this environment before running a session. For more information, refer to Starting a Session on UNIX.
  3. Enter the following command:

    CATDownwardCompatibility -arg

    CATDownwardCompatibility [-h / -id inputDirectory [-if inputfile/-il inputlist] -od outputDirectory -action [Convert/Synchro/Info] -version CATIAV5Rn -report reportFile.txt]

    Authorized arguments are detailed below:

    Argument Description
    -h Online help
      Writes in the standard output the list of valid arguments.

    CATDownwardCompatibility [-h / -id inputDirectory [-if inputfile /
    -il inputlist] -od outputDirectory -report reportFile
     

    • -h: help
    • -id: input directory or DLNAME
    • -if: input file containing a list of documents to process
    • -il: input list of documents to process. (-if or -il argument is mandatory
    • -action: this argument is mandatory. Requests an action such as
      • "Convert": converts a document to a document readable in the version defined in -version argument
      • Synchro": synchronizes a converted document with the original file
      • Info": gives information on the selected members.
    • -version: targeted Version 5 version is mandatory for "Convert" action (not used in "Synchro" and "Info" action modes)
    • -od: output directory or DLNAME is mandatory for "Convert" action (not used in "Synchro" and "Info" action modes)
    • -report: report file name.
    -id Input Directory
      Defines the path name or the DLNAME containing the documents to process.

    This argument is optional. It is useful if all the documents are extracted from the same directory.

    -if Selection Criterion
      Input file containing a list of documents to process with the appropriate file name extension.
    If a document is a concatenation of path (or DLNAME) and name, the input directory is ignored.

    At least one of the (-id/-if) arguments is mandatory, (-id/-if) arguments can be defined several times.

    The batch aborts if no selection criterion is defined.

    -il Selection Criterion
      Input list of documents to process with the appropriate file name extension.
    If a document is a concatenation of path (or DLNAME) and name, the input directory is ignored.

    At least one of the (-id/-if) arguments is mandatory, (-id/-if) arguments can be defined several times.

    The batch aborts if no selection criterion is defined.

    -od Output Directory
      Defines the pathname or the DLNAME where the converted documents are written.

    This argument is mandatory for "Convert" action. The batch aborts if no output directory is defined.

    -action Requested Action
      The action can be:
    • "Convert": Converts a document into a format which can be read on the target release
    • "Synchro": Synchronizes a converted document with the original file
    • "Info": Gives information on the selected members.

    This argument is mandatory. The batch aborts if no action is defined.

    -version Targeted CATIA version for the "Convert" action
      This argument is mandatory for "Convert" action. The batch aborts if no version is defined.
    -report Report Filename
      Lets you save the "report" in the desired file and directory. This report provides the following information on the processed documents:
    • Name of the processed document
    • Corresponding return code:
      • ReturnCode = 0    the batch ended successfully
      • ReturnCode = 4    at least one document could not be processed
      • ReturnCode = 8    the batch aborted.

    The report file can be a concatenation of path (or DLNAME) and name. It is automatically suffixed with ".txt".

    This argument is optional. If no report file is defined, the report is written in the standard output.