More About the Downward Compatibility Batch

This section provides background information about the Downward Compatibility batch.

Report Name

Some restrictions apply when defining the report name.


  • A string (or the value of a ${VARIABLE}) cannot contain the following characters: * : ? < > | , \\ / ". These characters are ignored when defined in a string.
  • A list of "." characters is automatically replaced by a simple ".". A name cannot contain the string "..".
  • The global report name defined in the startup XML file has priority. For instance, if you use this command line:

    set CATDWC_GlobalReportName=CATDWC_GlobalResults_Variable

    and if the CATDWC.xml file contains the tag <ReportName>CATDWC_GlobalResults_Xml</ReportName>

    then, the global report will be named CATDWC_GlobalResults_Xml.htm in the report directory.

  • If $VARIABLE is not exported or contains invalid characters, it is partially or totally ignored. Below are three examples:

    1) unset TOTO GlobalReport=Myreport.${TOTO} means that the text editor displays Myreport.

    2) set TOTO=":><|\/" GlobalReport=Myreport.${TOTO} means that the text editor displays Myreport.

    3) set TOTO="a?f" GlobalReport=Myreport.${TOTO} means that the text editor displays Myreport.af.

Suffix for Object Report

The downward compatibility suffix is composed of two parts: a private part and a public part.


  • The private part is .dwc_convert_traces.htm.
  • The public part can be changed by entering the string of your choice in the Suffix for object report box.

For instance, if you enter .MyString, then the Suffix for object report box automatically displays dwc_convert_traces.Mystring.htm.

You can change the private string by exporting the CATDWC_ObjectReportName_Convert environment variable to the new default private suffix.

You can define your own default public string and the "public versus private string" position by exporting the CATDWC_ObjectReportNameAttachment environment variable which allows you to:

  • Define the position of the public_string versus the private_string.
  • Define if the string exported through the CATDWC_ObjectReportName_Convert variable works as a public_string or a private_string (default). For instance:

    set CATDWC_ObjectReportNameAttachment=[iLock,iPosition]

Default values are [1,1]. Exported variables are private_string, positioned as a prefix, i.e. private_stringpublic_string.htm. Possible values are:

  • iLock=0,1 (default=1 - CATDWC_ObjectReportName_action is a private_string)
  • iPosition=0,1 (default=0 - private_string.public_string)

You can use ${VARIABLE} to valuate the object report's suffix.

Environment Variables

You can export environment variables when running the DownwardCompatiblity batch.

Below is the exhaustive list of environment variables that can be exported:

Variable Use
PLMBATCH_DownwardCompatibility_Startup When the batch has been run at least once, lets you prevaluate parameters by specifying the path of the XML file to be used
PLMBATCH_Default_ReportDir Lets you change the default report directory by specifying a valid directory (i.e. an existing directory with write access)
CATDWC_GlobalReportName Lets you change the default Global Report name by specifying a new default name
CATDWC_ObjectReportName_Convert Lets you change the default private extension of the object report name (".dwc_convert_traces.") by specifying a new default private suffix
CATDWC_ObjectReportNameAttachment Lets you define your own default public string and the "public versus private string" position. You can:
  • Define the position of the public_string versus the private_string
  • Define if the string exported through CATDWC_ObjectReportName_Convert is a public or a private string (default). For instance:

    set CATDWC_ObjectReportNameAttachment=[iLock,iPosition]

Default values are [1,1]. Exported variables are private_string, positioned as a prefix, i.e. private_stringpublic_string.htm. Possible values are:

  • iLock=0,1 (default=1 - CATDWC_ObjectReportName_Convert is a private_string)
  • iPosition=0,1 (default=0 - private_string.public_string)

In addition to this, you can use ${VARIABLE} to valuate any DownwardCompatibility environment variable.

Object Conversion

The DownwardCompatibility batch creates .CATProduct and .CATPart new objects including the minimum requested data to support downstream applications.

Mainly:

  • Product structure instance/reference positioning is kept.
  • Result geometry (only visible geometry) is kept.
  • Colors, layers, structures (part bodies, geometrical sets, etc.) in the CATPart are kept.

If you select a shape representation and apply a migration command, a new .CATPart object is created with the targeted version, and data will be copied and pasted to the target object.

If you select a reference object, the product structure including the reference and all the underlying instances and representations is converted into another new one by keeping the product structure of the input data. Specifically, several instances of a single CATPart remain several instances of the same new CATPart. Ports and connections are not in the conversion scope.

The lower target release is restricted to V5R15.

Only "Representations to CATPart data conversion" and "Reference to CATProduct data conversion" can be performed using the Downward Compatibility batch.

The Downward Compatibility batch is available only in batch mode and not in interactive mode.


Data Selection

The DownwardCompatibility user interface lets you select representations and references.


  • Representations (CATIA Shape documents, i.e. CATParts).
  • References (product reference): if you convert a reference object, the product structure including the reference and all the underlying instances and representations is converted into a new one by keeping the product structure of the input data. It is not possible to select a partial structure under this reference.

Representations - Conversion of CATParts

If the representation reference is migrated without its associated reference product, the product contained in the CATPart will not carry the reference attributes: it will carry the representation attributes (PLM_ExternalID converted into PartNumber, other attributes being converted into added properties).

Part Data

Part data are converted by the DownwardCompatibility batch.


  • Part attributes:
    • PLM_ExternalID of the representation or the reference is converted into PartNumber of the CATPart product.
    • The attributes of the representation or the reference are converted into user attributes of the CATPart product (Added properties).
    • The attributes are converted into properties of type "string".
  • Visible bodies kept:
    • Part bodies, hybrid bodies, geometrical sets, ordered geometrical sets (see details below).
  • Structure of bodies kept:
    • Geometrical sets inside part bodies or geometrical sets.
    • Ordered geometrical sets inside hybrid bodies or ordered geometrical sets.
    • Hybrid bodies inside ordered geometrical sets.
  • Layers: the layer's value for part data is kept.
  • Layer lists are kept.
  • Filter lists are kept.
  • Selection sets pointing to at least one element to be kept are kept.
  • Visible axis systems are kept.
  • Publications linked to geometry are kept:
    • Publications must belong to a terminal reference (i.e. representation reference), or a representation.
    • The geometry Show/No Show status is kept.
    • The linked geometry must belong to the resulting geometry of the representation reference (intermediate nodes are not supported).
    • The sub-elements of the resulting geometry can be published (e.g. vertex, edge, or face of a body).
    • Publications of reference planes and axis systems are taken into account.
    • Publications of points, curves, and surfaces belonging to a geometrical set are taken into account.
  • Others elements are not kept. Below is a non-exhaustive list:
    • Bodies in No Show, and Bodies containing elements which are all in No Show.
    • Knowledgeware elements.
    • Selection sets containing only elements in No Show.
    • Publications:
      • Publications linked to other publications.
      • Publications which are not linked to geometry (e.g. parameters).
      • Properties associated to publications, except the publication name.
      • Extensions associated to V6 publications.
  • Any other data.
  • V6 3D shape representation is well transferred to CATIA part in V5 but the V6 publication is renamed in V5 by adding a suffix equal to its V6 representation name.

Part Body

Part bodies are converted by the DownwardCompatibility batch.


  • Name is kept
  • Graphic attributes: the attributes of the result are taken into account but not the attributes applied to features.
    • Body color is kept.
    • Layer is kept.
  • Visible sketches are kept.
  • Visible solids as result are kept .
    • Only the last solid result is kept. It is imported as a datum which contains only geometry and this why the result is not editable.
    • The In work object is not taken into account: if the In work object is not the last created feature of the body, the geometry that is kept is the result of the last feature
    • The name of the result datum is "Solid.1".
  • Visible sub-bodies (geometrical sets) are kept.
  • User attributes on faces.
  • Other elements such as No Show elements and construction history (features) are not kept.

Hybrid Body

Most elements of hybrid bodies are converted by the DownwardCompatibility batch.


  • Name is kept
  • Graphic attributes: the attributes of the result are taken into account but not the attributes applied to features.
    • Body color is kept
    • Layer is kept.
  • Visible sketches are kept
  • Visible solids as result are kept
    • The In work object is not taken into account: if the In work object is not the last created feature of the body, the geometry that is kept is the result of the last feature
    • The name of the result datum is "Solid.1".
  • Visible sub-bodies (ordered geometrical sets) are kept
  • Rules applied to part bodies and ordered geometrical sets also apply to hybrid bodies.
  • User attributes on faces are kept
  • Other elements such as No Show elements and construction history (features) are not kept.

Geometrical Set

Most elements of geometrical sets are converted by the DownwardCompatibility batch.


  • Name is kept
  • Graphic attributes are kept
  • Visible sketches are kept
  • Visible geometric elements
    • Visible surfaces, curves and points with their names are kept
    • Graphic attributes (colors, layers) are kept .
  • Visible sub-bodies (geometrical sets) are kept
  • User attributes on faces are kept
  • Other elements such as No Show elements and construction history (features) are not kept.

Ordered Geometrical Set

Most elements of ordered geometrical sets are converted by the DownwardCompatibility batch.


  • Name is kept
  • Graphic attributes are kept
  • Visible sketches are kept
  • Visible geometry as result is kept
    • Graphic attributes (colors, layers) are kept
    • After an absorption, the absorbed feature is not imported and the absorbing feature is imported as a datum. This is why it is not editable.
  • Visible sub-bodies (hybrid bodies, ordered geometrical sets) are kept
  • User attributes on faces are kept
  • Other elements such as No Show elements and construction history (features) are not kept.

References - Conversion of CATProducts

When selecting a reference, the product structure including the reference and all the underlying instances, references and representations is converted into a new one by keeping the product structure of the input data.

When a reference has a 3D shape representation, then a CATPart is created and the product contained in the CATPart will carry the reference attributes (PLM_ExternalID converted into PartNumber, other attributes being converted into added properties): the product will not carry the representation attributes.

Product Structure

The whole product structure is converted by the DownwardCompatibility batch.


  • All shape instances are kept with their positions.
    • Instances in the No Show area are also transferred.
  • Document organization is kept:
    • For non-terminal nodes: a CATProduct is created for each node.
    • For node with 3D shape representations: a CATPart is created for each shape representation.

Multirepresentations

Multirepresentations are converted by the DownwardCompatibility batch.

For detailed information, see Multirepresentation.

Intermediate Representations

Intermediate representations are converted by the DownwardCompatibility batch.

If an intermediate reference node contains 3D shape representations, an isolated CATPart is created for each representation and saved in the target directory without any link to the product structure.

Product Attributes

Product attributes are converted by the DownwardCompatibility batch.

General attributes are kept:


  • PLM_ExternalID is converted into PartNumber. For PLM Express, combination of V_Name, PLM_ExternalID is converted into PartNumber.
  • Other attributes are converted into user attributes (Added properties). The converted properties are of type "string".

Instance Attributes

Some instance attributes can be converted by the DownwardCompatibility batch.


  • PLM_ExternalID is converted into InstanceName. For PLM Express, combination of V_Name, PLM_ExternalID is converted into InstanceName
  • Other attributes are lost
  • Others entities are not kept, such as:
    • Representations other than shape representations: V4 model, cgr, etc.
    • FTA texts and annotations
    • Publications
    • Knowledgeware
    • Flexibility of assemblies: in that case, the position is not kept.
    • Any other assembly data.

Error Management During Conversion

Each selected reference generates an HTML report pointed by GlobalResults.htm.

If an error occurs during the conversion of a product structure, the process is not interrupted: all the CATParts and CATProducts that can be converted without error will be converted.

In that case the result may contain CATParts that are not referenced by a CATProduct, or CATProducts that reference an empty CATPart. In the first release, the report file may contain only information about the global conversion but not the detail of the structure (therefore, an error during the conversion of one part may be ignored by the error log).

Resulting Documents

All the resulting documents are saved in the same target directory defined in the main DownwardCompatibility user interface. However, no conflict management is done: for instance, the two PLM_ExternalIDs A/B/C and A//BC result in the same document: ABC.CATxxx.

When the converted object contains specific characters in its PLM_ExternalID, the resulting document is renamed for file system compliance. These specific characters are: * : ? < > | \\ / " (and the blank character on UNIX).

If you select a shape representation and apply a migration command, a new CATPart or CATDrawing is created with the targeted version, and data is copied and pasted to the target document.

If you select a reference document, the product structure including the reference and all the underlying instances and representations is converted into another new one by keeping the product structure of the input data. Specifically, several instances of a single CATPart remain several instances of the same new CATPart.

Conversion of a Single Representation

Converting a s ingle representation creates a CATPart with the name of the representation.

Conversion of a Single Reference

Converting a single reference creates a CATProduct with the name of the reference.

Conversion of a Reference with Representations Only

Converting a reference with representations only does not create any CATProduct but only as many CATParts as there are representations.

Conversion of a Reference with Multiple References and Representations

Converting a reference with multiple references and representations creates multiple CATProducts and CATParts.

Conversion of Specific Objects

There is a specific behavior for CATDrawing object, Layout representations and FTA objects.

Regarding:


  • CATDrawing objects, see Interactive Drafting User's Guide: Running the Downward Compatibility Batch on a Drawing Representation.
  • Layout representations, see 2D Layout for 3D Design User's Guide: Running the Downward Compatibility Batch on a Drawing Representation.
  • FTA objects, see Functional Tolerancing and Annotation User's Guide: Functional Tolerancing and Annotation Downward Compatibility Batch.