OneView Lite:

OneView Lite is CAD Centric's light weight 3D viewer based on technology available in its OneView software application. OneView Lite supports the following formats:

• SDRC I-DEAS .IDI File (Models and Assemblies only)

OneView Professional:

OneView Professional additionally supports the following formats as well as others.

• SDRC I-DEAS drawing files:(.asc, .dwg and .mdf)
• SDRC I-DEAS 3D format .idi
• HPGL
• CGM
• STL
• TIFF G4
• CALS G4 raster

OneView Lite was designed to provide support for SDRC I-DEAS users via the IDI File format. While I-DEAS can be configured to automate the creation of IDI files at check-in (refer to your I-DEAS System Manager for more information or our see our recommendations below), manual creation of these files allow you to better control the data being exported.

The following documentation provides a glimpse of the configurability of IDI ouput along with some recommendations for OneView.

IDI Export Instructions (manual method):

1. To begin the IDI Export, ensure that your model or assembly is currently shaded then enter the following command in the I-DEAS prompt window
   
   /xto te gg go idi
   
   The following window will appear:
   
   
   
   Select the Options button. This options panel will allow you to choose a name for your IDI file.
   
   The Options panel as it appears in I-DEAS:
   
   
   
   The panel allows you to modify the output. We recommend that you only change the deviation parameter. Experimentation and part type will help you to identify the best setting. IDI File size will increase with a smaller tolerance and visualization performance will diminish. Choose a setting to best meet your needs - performance or higher quality.
   
   
2. Next, a series of pop-up modifiers will appear allowing you to change the type and method of geometry to be output for this IDI file. The majority of the options are irrelevant to OneView; however, turning off unneeded geometry can greatly reduce file size. Each pop up is shown below in the order in which it will appear with its default settings. CAD Centric specific notations on setting suggestions appear next to each panel.
   
   

   	Wire frame geometry is generally redundant to model edges and can usually be turned off. PMI and Model Views can be exported at the user's request. Note the default settings.
   	Points, constraints, sections and key dimensions can all be turned off as they generally produce a "busy" model if not managed properly. Curve Poly-lines should be left on. Note the default settings.
   	Edge poly-lines are needed for edge display. Face polygons are needed for surface display. The remaining switches can all be set to OFF to reduce file output size.
   	All of the Datum information can be suppressed to reduce file size.
   	Part and Assembly instances should remain ON, all other switches may be turned off to reduce output.
   	Coordinate systems poly-lines can be turned off to simplify display.
   	TriFans Allowed can be set to ON. In some cases this provides faster graphics on highly cylindrical parts.
   	These settings are all correct by default for OneView.
   	These settings are all correct by default for OneView.
   	This box repeats the very first dialog box and asks how you wish to name the part. If you filled in a part name in the first dialog, it will appear here.

   
   
   
   The remaining requested information appears in your I-DEAS prompt window with the defaults in parentheses. We recommend selecting all of these defaults.
   
   

3. Additional Settings for ASSEMBLIES:
   
   In addition to the setting panels shown above, assembly files will allow you to export multiple configurations and sequences.
   
   

   	We recommend all of these defaults.
   	We recommend selecting All Configurations.
   	We recommend "Config Cumulative" set to ON and "Config VG Solve" set to ON.

IDI Export Instructions (automatic method):

I-DEAS .idi files can be generated automatically during check-in for every part and assembly by making just a few minor changes to the I-DEAS Team installation setup file, ideas_param8.dat (or param9, etc). 

This file is located in the Team/master/config directory of the TDM installation and these changes are quite simple and outlined below: 

1. Look for the section labeled "Web Image Files" shown below:

!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
! 
! Web Image Files
!
! The following parameters allow you to control the generation and 
! content of image files that are associated with parts and assemblies 
! as you check them in. 
! 
! Parameters include... 
! File location and output control. 
! Control of the file types to be generated: 
! Thumbnail Solid,Thumbnail Wireframe, VRML, EAI and IDI. 
! For VRML and EAI you can specify the type of display data: 
! Shaded image, edges, wireframe, reference geometry, annotation 
! Three quality modifiers. 
! 
!----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

2. Add directory information identifying where these idi files should go -
   Team.AssociatedFileDirectory: d:\Team\AssociatedFiles
   
3. Tell TDM to generate idi's for assemblies - Team.AssociatedFileGenerateAssemblies: 1 
   
4. Tell TDM to generate idi's for parts -
   Team.AssociatedFileGenerateParts: 1 
   
5. Make sure the flag to automate generation is on -
    Team.AssociatedFileIdi: 1 
   
6. Tell TDM to output shading for Models and Assemblies -
   Team.AssociatedFileShaded: 1
   
7. Tell TDM to output edges as well (options, but desirable) -
   Team.AssociatedFileEdges: 1
   

You will notice in this section that there are also options to generate reference geometry and precise geometry. Neither of these are needed and tend to clutter the file and make it excessively large.