Icon-FileOpen

File menu > Open

File toolbar > Open

You can open the file-types that are listed below if you use the 'File of type:' in the 'Open' dialog.

Top-Tip: How to Restore window size of the 'Save' and 'Open' dialogs

File-types:

tog_minus        CXL

CXL is the default MechDesigner file-type.

The MTD file-type, with the same file-name, should be in the same path as the CXL file. The MTD file-type has the motions that are needed for the model.

See also Why so many CXL files?

tog_minus        LXL

LXL file-type is the Library file-type.

Before you open the Library file-type, you must pre-select the Plane onto which you want to add the Library File.

See Also Open LXL File

See also Save As... LXL file-type

tog_minus        ZXL

A ZXL file is a ZIP file-type.

File > open > ZXL extracts the files CXL and MTD file-types.

If the ZIP file includes STL, SLDPRT and DXF files, then these are also extracted from the ZXL file.

Notes:

Use Application Settings | General | ZXL Output file location to specify the path for the files that are extracted.

◉'Create sub-directory automatically'... a sub-directory of the ZXL file.
◉'Specify ZXL output directory'. [I recommend this option, I usually specify the same path as the ZXL file itself].

See also : File menu > Save as.. ZXL file-type.

tog_minus        DXF

File > Open > DXF file-type adds a DXF element to the Assembly-Tree. The DXF element is the 'container' for a DXF drawing file.

To show the DXF drawing, you must link the DXF-element to a CAD-Line.

See also CAD-Line dialog-box > DXF tab

tog_minus        MEC [Camlinks]

MEC is a Camlinks file-type.

Notes: The MEC file-type is available to open only when a Mechanism-Editor is active.

See also Open MEC files for more details.

Why so many .CXL and .MTD files?

If you explore to the path for the model files, you will see many files with the same file name but different file-extensions. Why is this?

They are files that MechDesigner creates automatically:

•Auto-save option : check-box
•Number-of-Backup files ≥ 0

These are set in Application Settings > General tab > File Options Separator

When the 'Number of Backup-Files' is set to three(3), and you open a MechDesigner file:

•If *.CXL.2 is found, we rename it to *.CXL.3
•If *.CXL.1 is found, we rename it to *.CXL.2
•We copy *.CXL to *.CXL.1
•MechDesigner opens the *.CXL file.

Similarly, backup files are made of the MotionDesigner *.MTD file:

To open a file with .1, .2 or .3 in the file-extension

Rename, to delete the .1, .2, or .3 from the file-extension.

 

Tutorial and Reference Help Files for MechDesigner and MotionDesigner 13.2 + © Machine, Mechanism, Motion and Cam Design Software by PSMotion Ltd