2. FIF Translator allows you to select multiple FIF files for translation. Each of the FIF files may have multiple parts. For example, if you selected three FIF files for translation, and each of them contained 100 blocks or parts, then FIF Translator will create a total of 300 new files during translation.
We've tested FIF Translator with FIF files that contain hundreds of parts. Translating a file this size takes some time, but FIF Translator can handle it! We've taken great pains to enable this kind of batch technology. It makes the translation process of large FIF databases much easier.
The top of the menu shows the six different operator controls.
The Translation Status line is the first line designed to report information about the translation process. This part of the screen is not controlled by the operator. All screen information below that line reports the translation status in more detail.
Feedback during the process is important, because the FIF Translator allows you to create hundreds, or even thousands of non-FIF files from a single FIF file.
to browse for a folder
A folder is not a filename. Filenames are automatically created based upon each BLOCK name inside an FIF file. The filename extension is automatically set to the standard used for each of the non-FIF file types.
Each FIF file can contain multiple parts that can be converted into multiple separate ATT files. The FIF File Info page allows you to count the number of BLOCKS (or parts), and each of their names, in an FIF file before translating that file.
The FIF Translator allows you to calculate data from YBC (bender) data to XYZ centerline data, or XYZ centerline data to YBC data. We allowed this because some FIF files only contain YBC (bender) data. If XYZ coordinates are available, then we recommend that you use them as a basis for your part shape data rather than the YBC data. (XYZ coordinates contain an intrinsic orientation in 3D space. YBC data does not.)
Use the Calc Direction tab page to set this option.
Bend angles equal to or greater than 180 degrees in bender data create XYZ intersection points that approach infinity in space, then split appart into two disctinct bends in XYZ coordinates.
Tubes with 180 degree bends are very common in the bending industry, so it is necessary to allow these sharp bends to be broken into two smaller bends when calculating XYZ intersection points.
The default value for the Enable Sharp Angle Checking for Incoming YBC Data is ON or checked. If your tube shapes have angles that approach 180 degrees in the FIF bender data, this option should be switched ON to prevent non-existent tube shapes from being constructed.
The default value for Split Angle Degrees is 178 degrees. This means that if the FIF Translator encounters an angle equal to or greater than 178 degrees, it will automatically split this angle. It is important that this value is never greater than 180 since this would allow the translator to create a non-existent tube shape.
Press this button to begin the automatic translation process. It will automatically progress through all the FIF files until every FIF block is translated.
If the FIF Translator encounters errors, then it will pause to report the message before continuing.