Wireframes

On the File tab, in the Export group: Select Export | Wireframes to export a wireframe (or a wireframe set) to a third-party file format. You can also export to a Micromine.DAT file format.

Input (Wireframe)

To process a single wireframe, select the Single option, select the Type of the wireframe, and then the Name of a wireframe of that type.

To process multiple wireframes, expressions, wildcards and partial names may be used in the Name field to select multiple wireframes as an adhoc wireframe set. A right-click Preview option will perform a check of an expression before using that expression to generate an updated list of wireframes. Alternatively, you can click the Expression icon and use the Expression Editor to create, modify and validate the expression. When a name or wildcard is entered in the Name field, and the Expression button is selected, the name/wildcard will automatically be converted to a valid expression when opened in the editor.

To process the wireframes in a predefined wireframe set, select the Set option.

It is recommended that you Validate wireframes prior to using them in any process.

Output

Type

Choose an Output file type from the Type list and then enter (or click on the ellipsis to select) the name of the Output file.

Option Description File Ext.

DWG

A binary drawing file format native to several CAD packages.

.dwg
DXF An AutoCAD DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) file. .dxf

DXB

A binary version of the DXF file format, used for exchanging CAD drawings between different software applications.

.dxb

DGN

CAD file format used in construction projects as an alternative to DWG.

.dgn
VULCAN A third-party triangulation file. .00t
ASCII A space delimited text file. .txt
MICROMINE Two data files for the triangles and points. .DAT
SURPAC Two files for the triangles and points. .dtm, .str
SURPAC BINARY A single binary file. .dtm
DATAMINE A binary triangulation file and corresponding points file. *-tr.dm, *_pt.dm
OMF An Open Mining Format project file (binary). omf
OBJ A 3D printer format. 3D objects are stored as a list of vertices joined by edges. Polygonal faces are supported which allow for a closer representation of the original geometry. .obj
STL BINARY The binary version of the STL (STereoLithography) 3D printer file format. 3D objects are stored as sets of vertices joined by edges to make triangular faces. .stl

STL ASCII

The ASCII version of the STL 3D printer file format.

.stl

If you select an Output file and the file extension of that file is known, the file extension is stripped from the file name and a new file extension is added (depending on the Output type you have chosen). If the file extension is unknown, the new file extension is appended to the existing file name.

Export to Microsoft Access Database (.mdb) format is no longer supported.

Export one file

Select this option to export the wireframe or wireframe set to a single file of the selected format.

Export one file per wireframe

Select this option to export the wireframe sets to an individual file for each wireframe to the folder designated in the Directory field.

Note: Wireframe sets cannot be exported to one file if the Output Type is set to:

  • DATAMINE

  • VULCAN 

  • SURPAC or SURPAC BINARY

  • ASCII

  • OBJ

  • STL BINARY or STL ASCII

The other supported data file types do not have any such restriction.

Directory

When Export one file per wireframe is selected, use the Directory field to select the folder to which the output files will be saved.

Triangles and Points file

If you selected Micromineas the output file type, specify the types and the names of the (Triangles and Points) files that will contain the wireframe triangle definitions. Each record in the Triangles file represents a triangle by listing the Point IDs (as defined in the Points file) for the three vertices.

Export triangle attributes

If you selected Micromineas the output file type, select this check box to write triangle attributes to the Output file.

Export vertex attributes

If you selected Micromineas the output file type, select this check box to write per-vertex attributes to the Output file. Per-vertex wireframe attributes may be calculated by other functions, such as Wireframe | Calculations | Compare, or be manually calculated and imported.

Export to single layer

If you selected DXF as the output file type and are exporting a wireframe set, select this option to write all the wireframes in the set to the same layer in the DXF file, effectively combining them into a single wireframe. (By default, each wireframe is written to a separate layer in the DXF output file).

Enter the Name of the layer in the input box provided.

The Export to single layer option will be disabled if you are exporting a single wireframe.