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File menu > Open File toolbar > Open |
See also File toolbar > Import Library Files
File-types:
You can open these file-types:
CXL - the file-type for a MechDesigner model. important: The MTD file-type (for the motions in MotionDesigner) is also saved automatically to the same path as the CXL file-type when you save a model. To open a model, the file-name.CXL and file-name.MTD file must be in the same path. OLD MODELS: MechDesigner may find a sketch-element that is over-constrained. A pop-up will ask if MechDesigner can delete the constraint to allow the sketch to be solved. Click YES if you want to open the file. You should check the important sketches in the model. See also: Why so many CXL files? |
LXL - the file-type for a MechDesigner Library file. There are three different options when you open a Library File. •Preselect a Plane - the Library file is opened onto a new Mechanism-Editor. The model of the Library file is a child to the Mechanism-Editor. •Preselect a Part - the Library file is opened onto the Part. The Library model is a child to the Part. •Preselect nothing - the Library fie is opened and merged with the active Mechanism-Editor. See more: Open LXL File See also: Save As... LXL file-type |
ZXL is a file-type for a MechDesigner ZIP file. Extract all file-types to one path. The files include: •CXL and MTD file-types •STL, SLDPRT, SLDASM and DXF file-types that you have linked to CAD-Lines. The STL, SLDPRT, SLDASM file-types become linked to the path in which you extract the ZXL files. Note: You can choose to specify the path into which you want to extract ZXL file-types: Application Settings | General tab | File Options > Extract ZXL files to: ◉Create sub-directory automatically - the files are extracted into a sub-directory to the path location of the ZXL file ◉Specify ZXL output directory - you can specify the path for the files. I recommend you select Specify ZXL Output Directory. And, I usually specify the same path as that of the ZXL file itself. You can also select or create a new path. See more: File menu > Save as... ZXL file-type. |
When you open a DXF file-type, you add a DXF element to the Assembly-Tree as a child to the Model. The DXF element is the container for the DXF drawing. You must link the DXF Element to a CAD-Line to show the DXF Drawing in the graphic-area. Thus, to show a DXF drawing, do: 1.File > Open DXF file-type 2.Edit a CAD-Line to open its dialog-box 3.With the Cad-Line dialog-box > DXF tab, select the DXF Element and DXF Drawing The DXF-drawing shows in the graphic-area. See more: CAD-Line dialog-box > DXF tab |
MEC is a Camlinks file-type. See more: Open MEC files |
Why so many .CXL and .MTD files?
If you explore to your model files, you will see many file-types. Why so many files? They are different backup files. DEFAULT-FILE-TYPES: •CXL & MTD file-types: the standard default MechDesigner and MotionDesigner file-types. •ZXL file-type is equivalent to a ZIP file-type for MechDesigner BACKUP FILE-TYPES When you open a model the CXL and MTD files exist. The: In general: 1.CXL.n and MTD.n are copied to CXL.n+1 and MTD.n+1 Thus if: 1.CXL.2 and MTD.2 exist already, they are copied to CXL.3 and MTD.3 2.CXL.1 and MTD.1 are copied to CXL.2 and MTD.2 3.CXL and MTD are copied to CXL.1 and MTD.1 4.A copy of CXL and MTD are saved to RAM AUTO-SAVE After every # commands: 1.The copy of CXL and MTD in RAM are saved to ~CXL and ~MTD on disk 2.A new copy of CXL and MTD are saved to RAM WARNING : You overwrite the original model each Auto-Save See Application Settings > General tab > File Options to edit: •Number-of-Back-up copies : n •Number-of-Commands between each Auto-Save : # •Do you want to use Auto-Save? •Do you want to save model to ZXL on exit? |