Topic Title

Can one convert *sm6 symbols to be used in DataCAD 11 without having DataCAD Plus?

Regards, Eugene Barnard

Yeah. An easy way to do it is to use this handy little program to change the extensions to sm3 files, then set Datacad's ini file to match:

Code: Select all[SymbolBrowser]
ConvSM3ToDSF=TRUE

Then in Datacad, use the symbol browser to browse each folder where you have the newley converted sm3 files. Datacad will convert them to the dsf format and you'll be all set. Don't forget to delete the old sm3 files once your done.

Regarding symbol files, for converting .sm3 files to .dsf - is this the only difference between the two the filename extension?

-rd

I would say no. Seeing how DataCAD 11 handles files much differently then all previous versions.

I think the entity data is pretty much the same, but the dsf file format allows for future features. I think it was also kind of a way to move away from the Datacad of old. That's just what I've got from reading different things.

The reason I ask is that we're getting ready to update/clean up our symbol libraries (hundreds of symbols dating back to DCADv5...).

Currently they are split about 50/50% between old .sm3 and .dsf files (created since v11 came out) and I'm wondering if it its worth the time to go thru hundreds of older .sm3 and re-define them into the new format. Is there a macro or utility that could make this easy?

-rd

Yeah. An easy way to do it is to use this is set Datacad's ini file to match:

Code: Select all[SymbolBrowser]
ConvSM3ToDSF=TRUE

Then in Datacad, use the symbol browser to browse each folder where you have the sm3 files. Datacad will convert them to the dsf format and you'll be all set. Don't forget to delete the old sm3 files once your done.