Exchange - FAQ Support

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Voucher System - Delcam's unique and easy to use pay-per-translation system.

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The first time you try to use Exchange, the Wizard will automatically direct you to the correct web site. Just answer a few simple questions, provide a password (you choose the password, so don't forget it) and you will automatically be registered.

Vouchers are generated automatically, and immediately (so there is no need to wait for a call-back e-mail). As soon as Exchange detects that you are trying to translate a new file, it connects to the voucher server on our website. The website will check your ID (using your password) and issue the voucher direct to Exchange.

Yes, although it is not automatic.

If Exchange cannot access the voucher server itself, it will ask you to connect to the server manually. It will provide you with the internet address (URL) and also the unique code for the file you are translating. You will then need to use a computer with internet access to connect to the website, and copy the code into the appropriate field. Exchange will then create a voucher which will look something like this -

MIGJAoGBAPCiJ1IdJTmB9skCYouUR1v97Wv1d+4VDqiFHSym9JauN1
J9KbBjTBdYTTjnXIiUIsK/ViD/EkwVr8qsTkiqlLDflnX7g1BDYtgRzq8DPH
PSrRLdAy69anjsbm/hUvjv8d/cnegXPEPufxiELeaeJ8aQ0Qx9timkw7cjmL
AgMBAAE=

Copy the voucher to your CAD computer exactly as it is and paste it into the Exchange window when requested.

When you cut and paste the text for your voucher, take take to only select the portion between the "-----cut here-----" markers.

If your voucher looks like this -

-----cut here-----
MIGJAoGBAPCiJ1IdJTmB9skCYouUR1v97Wv1d+4VDqiFHSym9JauN1
J9KbBjTBdYTTjnXIiUIsK/ViD/EkwVr8qsTkiqlLDflnX7g1BDYtgRzq8DPH
PSrRLdAy69anjsbm/hUvjv8d/cnegXPEPufxiELeaeJ8aQ0Qx9timkw7cjmL
AgMBAAE=
-----cut here-----

it's wrong.

It should look like this -

MIGJAoGBAPCiJ1IdJTmB9skCYouUR1v97Wv1d+4VDqiFHSym9JauN1
J9KbBjTBdYTTjnXIiUIsK/ViD/EkwVr8qsTkiqlLDflnX7g1BDYtgRzq8DPH
PSrRLdAy69anjsbm/hUvjv8d/cnegXPEPufxiELeaeJ8aQ0Qx9timkw7cjmL
AgMBAAE=

If you forget your password send an e-mail to ps-exchange@delcam.com stating your Unique user ID (e.g. PSX 123456) and the e-mail address you used when registering with the Delcam Voucher server. Your password will be sent to you by e-mail. Note that, for your security, it will be sent to the e-mail address you used when you registered Exchange.

Exchange stores details of all your transactions in a special folder on your computer. If this folder or any of its contents are removed or altered then Exchange will mark the database as corrupt. To restore the database, start Exchange and click on

Tools > Regenerate your Voucher Database

This will solve the problem.

No!

Each voucher is created individually, and is unique for each input file.

Yes!

Once you have a valid voucher for the input file, you may use Exchange as many times as you want, and translate the file into whatever output form(s) you require.

Yes!

Exchange will allow you to read in several files (of different types if you wish) and then export them all in one go. Note, however, that although Exchange does not generate vouchers until you press the 'Save' icon, it does keep track of all the files you have read. So, if you import 3 files and then click 'Save' you will be charged for 3 files!

Exchange can read the following non-Delcam file types -

AutoCAD
CATIA
Cimatron
IDEAS
IGES
Parasolid
Pro Engineer
SolidWorks
SolidEdge
STEP
Unigraphics
VDA

and write these

IGES
Parasolid
STL

Our development team is working hard to add other file types to the list.

Exchange will translate most 3D entities. These include

Solids
Surfaces
Arcs
Lines
Curves
Polylines

For a complete list of entity types, please see the on-line help.

No!

The STL export option will only give you a triangulated version of what is on your screen. It will not attempt to repair any geometry.

Exchange development always strive to make sure you have the most up-to-date translators available. However, it is not possible for us the always keep 100% up-to-date, as file versions from third party vendors can change with little or no notice. Exchanges' on-line help will tell you which file versions your copy supports.

If the file in question is a Unigraphics file, check that it is not an assembly file. If it is, then Exchange will not produce a sensible output. When Unigraphics produces an assembly, the saved file does not contain any geometry, but simply a set of links or pointers to other model files which contain the actual part data.

If the file is not an assembly file, please compress it (preferably using WinZip) and send it to ps-exchange@delcam.com and we will investigate the problem.

NOTE: If the zipped file is over 1Mb in size, please do not e-mail it. Instead, e-mail to ps-exchange@delcam.com and let us have a brief explanation of the problem. We will provide you with an address and password, so you can place the file(s) on our ftp site.

Start Exchange as usual, and click on the 'Tools' menu. From the pull-down, select 

'Extract Catia FIC(s) from EXPORT file'. 

Use the file selector to locate the export file to import. Next, select the output folder. (CATIA Export files can contain several part/model files so Exchange will write them all out into a single folder). Press 'Next' and Exchange will extract the part files.  

These are proprietary Delcam file types, and are therefore only of interest to users of PowerSHAPE, PowerMILL, CopyCAD, PowerInspect or ArtCAM.

DMT files are tesselated models prepared for machining.
DGK files are 3D model files, comprised of surfaces, solids, and wireframe.

Yes. The number of available output (and input) formats will be increased as development continues. If you have a specific output format you need, please let us know. Otherwise, re-visit the website every so often, to see what changes have been made.

Yes!

Start Exchange as usual, and click on 'Tools'. From the pull-down menu, select

'Decrypt Pro/E 2000i file'

Then, simply select the input and output files as usual.

You can also decrypt Pro/E 2000i2 and Pro/E 2001 files.

If you wish to continue using the same e-mail address as the one used when you first registered Exchange then we will need to delete your existing account from the Delcam voucher server. After deleting your account you will be able to register again successfully. Send an e-mail to ps-exchange@delcam.com explaining the situation and stating, if possible, your user ID (e.g. PSX 123456) and original e-mail address used when registering for the first time. You will be notified by e-mail when your account has been deleted from the server.

Selection is very simple, and is all achieved using the left hand mouse button, combined with the Shift and Control keys.

Clicking a single item will select just that item.
Dragging a box around a group of items will select all items even partially inside the box.
Clicking (or dragging) while Shift is held down will add to the current selection.
Clicking (or dragging) while Control is held down will toggle the current selection. I.e. items which are in the current selection will be de-selected, and items which are not in the selection will be added.

If you wish, you can select items according to the Level (or Layer) on which they appear. To select a single layer, locate the layer in the tree view, and click the right hand mouse button. From the pop-up list, highlight 'Select All'.

If you wish to select several Layers, select each one in turn, and Blank it (see question 21). When you have all the Levels you are interested in Blanked, use the Toggle button, and the proceed as normal.

At any stage you can tell at a glance what is currently selected, as it is highlighted in yellow.

When you click the 'Save' icon, only those items which are selected will be exported. If you have no items selected, Exchange will ask if you want to export the whole model.

By default, all items in the import file will be displayed. To remove an item from screen (but not from the database) use the Blank command. Select the item/items to Blank (see Question 20) and click the right hand mouse button. You may then -

Blank Selected - To undraw the currently selected items.
Blank Except - To undraw all items which are not selected
Blank Toggle - All Blanked items will be re-drawn, and all visible items will be Blanked.
Unblank - The entire model will be drawn

Yes!

Along the top of the Exchange window you will see a series of View icons. Clicking these icons will set the view to be along X, Y, Z, Isometric etc. In addition, by pressing the middle mouse button and holding it down you can dynamically rotate the view into any desired orientation. To Zoom, press and hold down the middle mouse button and the Ctrl key at the same time. Now move the cursor up the screen to zoom in (increase magnification) and down the screen to zoom out. To dynamically Pan the view, press and hold down the middle mouse button and the Shift key at the same time. Now move the cursor around the screen, and the image will follow. You may also zoom to a specific area of the screen, by pressing (and holding down) both the Shift and Ctrl keys at the same time. Now use the middle mouse button to drag a box around the area of interest

Either click one of the shading icons on the main toolbar, or press the F3 key. To return to a wireframe view press F2.

Surfaces (and solids) are shaded so that the inside and outside of the part are drawn in different colours, depending on the direction of the surface normals. If (as is often the case) you read a surface model where adjacent surfaces do not necessarily have consistent normals, you may see a model which appears as a checkerboard of red and orange patches. Clicking this icon will force Exchange to shade both sides of the surface in the same colour (orange). At present, you cannot change the colours.

Visit our Voucher Server Payment Security - FAQ for more details.