Exporting Viewpoints into a Powerpoint File

VCollab Pro users can export viewpoints of a CAX file into a Powerpoint file in batch mode. The input is given through an XML file which consists of all the information to export viewpoints into a PPT file. Powerpoint file using viewpoint.

Syntax:

Prompt :VCollabPro.exe file folder> VCollabPro.exe -b <input xml file path>

Example:

C:Program FilesVCollabVCollabPro64> VCollabPro.exe -b “C:testbatch.xml”

Sample Batch File - Basic

File Name: VCollabProBatch_ViewPt2PPT_Basic.xml

Location: “..SamplesBatchMode Inputs"

<?xml version=”1.0” encoding=”utf-8” ?>

<!– BatchVersion 1.0 –>

<!– VCollab Pro : Allows batch mode execution using -b option from command line. –>

<!– Sample Usage : C:VCollabAppPath>VCollabPro.exe -b this.xml –>

<!– This xml format is alpha and it can be improved or changed by VCollab at the time of release VCollab Pro –>

<!– Purpose: This sample explains, How to generate MS-PowerPoint PPT files from VCollab Pro application in batch mode –>

<!– Here, each viewpoints in cax file are exported as PowerPoint slide –>

<VCollabBatch fVersion = “0.1”

sInputFile = “..SamplesBatchMode Inputscylinder.cax” >

<!– sPPtTemplatePath is PowerPoint template (.pot) file path. If there is no PowerPoint template input then set bUsePptTemplate=”FALSE” –>

<ViewPoint2PPT ENABLE = “TRUE”

sOutputPPTPath = “C:output.ppt”

bUsePptTemplate = “TRUE”

sPPtTemplatePath = “..SamplesBatchMode Inputstemplate.pot” />

<!– For more options, See VCollabProBatch_ViewPt2PPT_Advanced.xml –>

</VCollabBatch>

Dynamic Arguments

Arguments for exporting viewpoints into a powerpoint file can also be set dynamically in batch mode. This feature is useful for repeated operations without having to edit values in the input XML file.

The XML file is thus used as a template and its values are set externally through command line arguments.

E.g.

C:Program FilesVCollabVCollabPro64> VCollabPro.exe -b “C:testbatch.xml” “..SamplesBatchMode Inputscylinder.cax” “..SamplesBatchMode Inputstemplate.pot” “C:output.ppt”

In this example, the input CAX file, powerpoint template path, and output powerpoint file have been provided dynamically.

The arguments are denoted as @arg#N where N is the index of the argument in the command line. Dynamic arguments can be used in any field and in any order, but @arg#N has to match with the command line input index.

In this example,

@arg#0 = VCollabPro.exe

@arg#1 = -b

@arg#2 = C:/test/batch.xml

@arg#3 = ..SamplesBatchMode Inputscylinder.cax which is assigned to sInputFile

@arg#4 = ..SamplesBatchMode Inputstemplate.pot which is assigned to sPPtTemplatePath

@arg#5 = C:output.ppt which is assigned to sOutputPPTPath

Modified xml

Fields that take values from command line arguments are highlighted.

<?xml version=”1.0” encoding=”utf-8” ?>

<!– BatchVersion 1.0 –>

<!– VCollab Pro : Allows batch mode execution using -b option from command line. –>

<!– Sample Usage : C:VCollabAppPath>VCollabPro.exe -b this.xml –>

<!– This xml format is alpha and it can be improved or changed by VCollab at the time of release VCollab Pro –>

<!– Purpose: This sample explains, How to generate MS-PowerPoint PPT files from VCollab Pro application in batch mode –>

<!– Here, each viewpoints in cax file are exported as PowerPoint slide –>

<VCollabBatch fVersion = “0.1”

sInputFile = “@arg#3” >

<!– sPPtTemplatePath is PowerPoint template (.pot) file path. If there is no PowerPoint template input then set bUsePptTemplate=”FALSE” –>

<ViewPoint2PPT ENABLE = “TRUE”

sOutputPPTPath = “@arg#5”

bUsePptTemplate = “TRUE”

sPPtTemplatePath = “@arg#4” />

<!– For more options, See VCollabProBatch_ViewPt2PPT_Advanced.xml –>

</VCollabBatch>

Sample Batch File - Advanced

File Name: VCollabProBatch_ViewPt2PPT_Advanced.xml

Location: “..SamplesBatchMode Inputs"

It can be used with dynamic arguments also.

<?xml version=”1.0” encoding=”utf-8” ?>

<!– BatchVersion 1.0 –>

<!– VCollab Pro : Allows batch mode execution using -b option from command line. –>

<!– Sample Usage : C:VCollabAppPath>VCollabPro.exe -b this.xml –>

<!– This xml format is alpha and it can be improved or changed by VCollab at the time of release VCollab Pro –>

<!– Purpose: This sample explains, How to generate MS-PowerPoint PPT files from VCollab Pro application in batch mode –>

<!– Here, each viewpoints in cax file are exported as PowerPoint slide –>

<VCollabBatch fVersion = “0.1”

sInputFile = “..SamplesBatchMode InputsAirBag_Displacement.cax” >

<!– sPPtTemplatePath is PowerPoint template (.pot) file path. If there is no PowerPoint template input then set bUsePptTemplate=”FALSE” –>

<ViewPoint2PPT ENABLE = “TRUE”

sOutputPPTPath = “C:AirBagDisplacement.ppt”

bUsePptTemplate = “TRUE”

sPPtTemplatePath = “..SamplesBatchMode InputsVCollabTemplate.pot” />

<!– On all these Optional blocks, Set ENABLE as “FALSE” if that block need to be skipped –>

<!– Optional Block; Used to import viewpoint from external cax/vpt file –>

<!– ImportViewpoint block is used if it is needed to import viewpoint from external file. or Set ENABLE as FALSE –>

<!– ImportViewpoint : sInputViewPointFile is either viewpoints only .vpt file or .cax that has viewpoints –>

<!– To skip state of the viewpoint then Set bImportViewPointState as “FALSE”. So that only camera position imported –>

<ImportViewpoint ENABLE = “TRUE”

sInputViewPointFile = “..SamplesBatchMode InputsAirBag_ViewPoints.vpt”

bImportViewPointState = “TRUE” />

<!– The above sample bImportViewPointState is set to FALSE, means the view state is skipped and only camera positions will be applied–>

<!– try the other sample to import viewpoint state. sInputViewPointFile=”..SamplesBatchMode InputsAirBag_AllResults.cax” and bImportViewPointState=”TRUE” />

<!– Optional Select Viewpoint Block –>

<!– SelectViewPoint block is used if there exists more than one viewpath. Select a viewpath that has to be exported as ppt slides or First path will be exported–>

<SelectViewPoint ENABLE = “TRUE” sViewPathName = “ViewPath1” />

</VCollabBatch>