2 .. _importing_exporting_meshes_page:
4 ******************************
5 Importing and exporting meshes
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8 In MESH there is a functionality allowing import/export of meshes in the following formats:
11 * **UNV** (I-DEAS 10),
12 * **DAT** (simple ascii format),
14 * **GMF** (internal format of DISTENE products from the MeshGems suite),
17 You can also export a group as a whole mesh.
21 #. From the **File** menu choose the **Import** item, from its sub-menu select the corresponding format (MED, UNV, STL, GMF and CGNS) of the file containing your mesh.
22 #. In the standard **Search File** dialog box find the file for import. It is possible to select multiple files to be imported all at once.
23 #. Click the **OK** button.
25 .. image:: ../images/meshimportmesh.png
28 *To export a mesh or a group:*
30 #. Select the object you wish to export.
31 #. From the **File** menu choose the **Export** item, from its sub-menu select the format (MED, UNV, DAT, STL, GMF and CGNS) of the file which will contain your exported mesh.
32 #. In the standard **Search File** select a location for the exported file and enter its name.
33 #. Click the **OK** button.
35 .. image:: ../images/meshexportmesh.png
38 If you try to export a group, the warning will be shown:
40 .. image:: ../images/meshexportgroupwarning.png
43 * **Don't show this warning anymore** check-box allows to switch off the warning. You can re-activate the warning in :ref:`Preferences <group_export_warning_pref>`.
45 There are additional parameters available at export to MED and SAUV format files.
47 .. _export_auto_groups:
49 * **Automatically create groups** check-box specifies whether to create groups of all mesh entities of available dimensions or not. The created groups have names like "Group_On_All_Nodes", "Group_On_All_Faces", etc. A default state of this check-box can be set in :ref:`Preferences <export_auto_groups_pref>`.
50 * **Automatically define space dimension** check-box specifies whether to define space dimension for export by mesh configuration or not. Usually the mesh is exported as a mesh in 3D space, just as it is in Mesh module. The mesh can be exported as a mesh of a lower dimension in the following cases, provided that this check-box is checked:
52 * **1D**: if all mesh nodes lie on OX coordinate axis.
53 * **2D**: if all mesh nodes lie in XOY coordinate plane.
55 **See Also** a sample TUI Script of an :ref:`Export Mesh <tui_export_mesh>` operation.