Default Text Sizes in CATIA V5

How do you change the default tree text size in CATIA?

To change the default size of the text in the specification tree in CATIA V5, click on the tree. This will allow you to first set the size of the tree text to how you want it by zooming in or out. Once satisfied, instead of clicking on the tree again click on the axis system in the lower right hand corner of the screen. This should change the default size of the specification tree, even if you should close CATIA and open it again the text size should remain the same. 

How do you change the compass size in CATIA V5?

 

Another common question is how to change the size of the compass. I recently just switched over my PC to Windows 7 OS and the compass is smaller now than it was while I was running Windows XP. In addition to this, when I right click on so geometry in the spec tree and open the Parents and Children window in CATIA the default text size is so small I can't easily read it. Thus, I have to zoom in on it every single time which is really annoying and wastes valuable time (I'm a CAD engineer and am always striving for the most efficient way to do things). There does not appear to be an option under Tools > Options to change this setting. The best answer I could find involves editing the CATIA Environment file (env.txt) as so:

CATWidthMMOfScreen= 340 which is the screen width value in millimeters => measured on your screen.
CATHeightMMOfScreen= 200, the screen height value in millimeters => measured on your screen.
CATWidthPixelOfScreen= 1920, the horizontal screen resolution set in your computer display properties panel.
CATHeightPixelOfScreen=1200 is the vertical screen resolution set in your computer display properties panel.

The location of the CATIA environment file depends on how you or your administrator have set it up. Listed below are the default CATEnv file locations: 

Windows XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\CATEnv
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\DassaultSystemes\CATEnv

Windows 7:

C:\ProgramData\DassaultSystemes\CATEnv
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\DassaultSystemes\CATEnv

CATIA Error: Generic Naming Graph Treatment

CATIA V5 is full of many wonderful surprises in the form of weird error messages. One of my favorite is "Click OK to terminate: Yes or No" but it doesn't matter which option you choose, CATIA still crashes and closes unexpectedly. I recently had the pleasure of discovering a new problem that I had never encountered or even heard of before. I was in the process of updating a CATPart when an update error popped up displaying: "An error occurred in Generic Naming graph treatment." The update cycle was stopped and would not continue. The issue occurred every time I tried to update the part file. Better yet, I couldn't find any information about this particular error anywhere on the internet. Has anyone else experienced this problem or have any idea what the exact cause could be? I have to admit I'm at a bit of a loss here. Fortunately, I was able to eventually work around the issue but I would still like to know what the error means. 

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Dealing with Different Versions of CATIA

Only one version of CATIA V5 can be registered with Windows at a given time. If you have R16, R17, and R18SP2 installed on your PC, only one of these is currently registered. You can find which one is registered by looking at the directory when you register. To automate a specific version of CATIA you first have t register that version with Windows. Here are the steps to un-register or re-register a CATIA V5 version:
 
1.        Reboot your pc
2.        Open a command prompt
3.        CD to the unload directory of the version of CATIA you want to un-register (i.e. “c\program files\dassault systemes\B15\intel_a\code\bin”)
4.        Run the command “cnext-unregserver”
5.        Open up the task manager and wait until the “cnext” process stops running (which may take a few minutes)
6.        CD to the unload directory of the version of CATIA you want to register (i.e. “c\program files\dassault systems\B16\intel_a\code\bin”)
7.        Run the command “cnext-regserver”
8.        In the task manager again, wait until the “cnext” process stops
9.        Open up VB and check that the correct version is registered
10.        Please note this only needs to be done between full releases and not service packs!

How can I obtain my CATIA target ID?

What is a target ID? A target ID is a code calculated on your computer which identifies your computer which is then used to generate the license key for your software. This target ID is something Dassault Systems products use to license the software to your machine or to the specific server that will be running the purchased licenses from. 

How do you obtain the target ID number? There are two basic procedures to go about getting the target ID.  You can download a free TargetID.zip utility from the internet which will tell you directly what the TargetID number is.

The second method for obtaining CATIA's target ID is to follow these steps. Please note that the LUM server should preferably be a server that will remain on at all times so that all users can access the licenses at any time.

1. If LUM is not already installed, please download and install the correct version of LUM for the operating system that you are working with. 
   
2. For Windows users, double click on arkwin468.exe from the folder where you downloaded LUM.  Take the defaults and complete the installation.
   
3. Select Start -> Run and type in cmd.  At the command prompt, please type the following:   i4target –O  (Note that the O must be capitalized.)  The highlighted information listed under the LUM Target ID section is the target ID.
   

What if I do not plan to license my software on a Windows Environment?

• AIX/IBM Workstations open up a Terminal Window and type in the following;
  
  • For V5"i4target -O" (minus the quotes)for V4 type in"uname–m" (minus the quotes) and remove the zeros in the front and in the rear.
    
• HPUX/HP Workstations open up a Terminal Window and type in the following;
  
  • "i4target" (minus the quotes)
    
• IRIX - SGI Workstations open up a Terminal Window and type in the  following;
  
  • "sysinfo"(minus the quotes)
    
• SunOS/Solaris - Sun Workstations open up a Terminal Window and type in the following;
  
  • "hostid" (minus the quotes)
    

Please note that Virtual Machines CAN NOT be setup as license servers.

CATSettings Pointers for CATIA Users

I'm starting to realize deleting the CATSettings fixes a whole bunch of strange issue in CATIA.

 

Recently had this problem in CATIA NC workbench:  cannot pick the start/stop points in Multi-Axis Curve Machining.  This only happens with his log-in on his computer; using his log-in on another computer works fine.  The points, in the machining operation window (where you pick other driving geometry) are shown as solid black dots.  Is this a Tools -> Options issue?  Un/Re-installing CATIA doesn't fix this either. V5R18SP7.  Everything else (as far as we can see) works fine.  Any ideas?

CATSetttings is probably the biggest quirk in CATIA V5. I made a screenshot of all my Tools/Options and anytime we go to another revision I recreate my CATSettings. Like many other people, I learned the hard way. Anytime something is acting strangely it usually ends up being the CATSettings.

A few other CATSettings pointers on this. Do not use the same settings folder for multiple versions (R18/R19), keep a back up copy of a clean start - they will get corrupt from time to time. When unpredictable things happen - example your picking issue, replace your settings with clean set. Re-installing Catia does not clean up your setttings directory. You can find your directory in C:\Documents and Settings\USER NAME\Application Data\DassaultSystemes.
In there I would create CATSettingsR18 and CATSettingsR19, to do this you need to modify in the Environment Editor the path in variable CATUserSettingsPath.