VTube-STEP

Software Updates

March 8, 2011	VTube-STEP v1.62	Improved Outer Diameter and Wall Thickness value detection, new User Guide and Help File
February 21, 2011	VTube-STEP v1.6	Improvements to VTube-LASER mainly
February 10, 2011	VTube-STEP v1.59	Change the linear units button
April 20, 2010	VTube v1.4	Added automatic 180-degree bend support
March 23, 2010	VTube-Step v1.31	Language fix in edit controls
March 22, 2010	VTube-Step v1.3	Support for export to CSM bender data files
March 19, 2010	VTube-Step v1.2	Projection tolerance decimal places increase to 5
March 18, 2010	VTube-Step v1.1
March 15, 2010	Original VTube-STEP released

March 2010 - NOW SUPPORTS CSM BENDERS

Import

VTube-STEP extracts tube data from a STEP or IGES solid model file - from any solid model CAD package.

Export

VTube-STEP can export files that can be loaded into other CAD packages. This is a STEP file that was created by VTube-STEP and loaded into Autodesk Inventor 2011.

Help Reference

Browse the online version of VTube-STEP help.

Multiple Language Support

VTube-STEP supports multiple languages - even East Asian. You can even translate the user interface to your own language.

Sample Screen Shots

This tutorial tube shape was designed in Alibre.

VTube-STEP Videos

Introduction to VTube-STEP v1 - This YouTube video demonstrates VTube-STEP importing data from a CAD file.

Extending End Points - This YouTube video demonstrates how to extend an end point to geometry with VTube-STEP.

Language Support

Multiple languages are supported through text files called VTL files. VTube Language files each contain one language. The name of the VTL file is named according to the language. For example, Chinese is given the name "chinese.vtl". Sub-groupings of the languages can be created by creating new VTL files with an extended name so that end-users can understand what the language is. For example the VTL files can be sub-divided into "chinese traditional.vtl" and "chinese simplified.vtl".
VTL files are text files that can be adjusted in a Unicode-supporting editor. They are stored in the c:\program files\VTube-STEP\config\language folder.
We use and recommend Notepad++ editor to edit your VTube-STEP language files. It is available for download from the net by searching for the name. Notepad++ allows you to show files side by side in parallel edit windows. To compare files this way, you right click on one of the tabs then press Move to Other View.
When VTube closes, it automatically generates a file called "current_language_setup.vtl" that is built from the latest user-interface elements. We've included this file so that you can easily find what user interface elements have been added between VTube-STEP versions. So when upgrading VTube-STEP, you will often find new additions in this file if they were added since the last version. If you are using a non-English VTL file, then any English labels in the generated file will indicate new words added since the last version.

Recommended CAD Tools

The STEP file format is universally supported by all solid model CAD packages. However, in some cases, you may not have access to STEP files. To convert from other CAD formats to STEP, we have tested and recommend the following programs:

3D-Tool

This Premium version of the software will import these formats for conversion to STEP. The program is also excellent for measuring any geometry available in the model.

FORMAT	FILE EXTENSIONS
CATIA V5 R2 - R19	(.CATPart, .CATProduct)
CATIA V4 4.1.9 - 4.2.4	(.model, .exp, *.session)
Pro/E 16 - Wildfire 4	(.prt, , .asm , .xpr, .xas)
Autodesk Inventor	6-2009 (.ipt), 11-2009 (.iam)
STEP files	(.stp, .step)
IGES files	(.igs, .iges)
VDA files	(*.vda)
SAT files	(*.sat)
PARASOLID files	(.x_t; .x_b)
VRML1, VRML2 files	(*.wrl)
Render files	(*.slp)
PLY files	(*.ply)
XGL files	(.xgl .zgl)
OBJ files	(*.obj)
3DS files	(.3ds prj *.pli)
ASC files	(*.asc)
DXF files 3D	(*.dxf , 3D-Faces)
Inventor files	(*.iv)
3D-Tool files	(*.ddd)
3D-Tool-EXE files	(*.exe)
DXF files (2D)	(*.dxf)
DWG files (2D)	(*.dwg)
HPGL (2D)	(.plt, .plo, *.hpg)