Viewing calibz files

[Rich_Winsor]

So, over time I have accumulated a sizable

folder of calibz files that I mainly downloaded 

here on the forum. I never actually imported

them into my User Catalog because that's 

already bloated. How the heck can I preview

these files to determine if I want to import

them or not? As you can see from the image

there is no preview available in the Import

Library Data DBX.  

[lbuttery]

Rich:

 

I have never heard of such a utility ?

 

Lew

[glennw]

Rich,

I can view the files in a .calibz file on a mac - but only to see the .jpeg's or .png's in the file - not the 3d data.

I am not sure that you can do the same on a pc. 

On a mac:

Rename the file (better to use a copy of the file to experiment with) to a .zip extension (delete the .calibz) - calibz are zipped files.

Double click the .zip file and it will extract the contained files to a folder with the name of the .zip file.

You can then view the .jpegs, .png's, etc, and there will also be the .calib file which contains the 3D data or symbol. 

[Ridge_Runner]

No preview available on my Win10 Pro machine either.

[Rich_Winsor]

Hey Eric. Thanks for taking a look at this.

I couldn't get the viewer to work. When I

drag in a calibz file nothing happens.

 

I don't think this approach (or Glenn's

which I also tried) is going to accomplish 

what I need because I don't get an image

of the item itself. I want to see a preview

like what is displayed in the Library Browser.

 

[Renerabbitt]

@Rich_Winsor

Another approach-

1. Make a folder in your User Library named "Main" (for example).
2. Relocated all of your existing User Library items into this main folder within your User Library. So now the only thing you see in your User Library is the "Main" folder with all of your old library items under that folder: Main/old items
3. Close your Chief Architect 
4. With the program closed, make a backup of your User_Library.calib file and save it somewhere safe.
5. Now, relocated the original User_Library.calib file to the location of your Manufacturer Libraries.(yes actually drag your original Library that you just created a Main within to the Manufacturer Library Folder)
6. Fire up chief. Because you removed the User_Library folder it will now create a new User_Library.calib.
7. When you look at your library you will see the "Main" folder that you created if you did steps 1-6 correctly.
8. Install ALL calibz files that you have saved over time.
9. Any files that are now populated in your User Library are now contained in the new User_Library.calib that was auto generated. 
10. Any files that you would ultimately like to save to your original User Library simply need to be dropped into the "Main" folder.
11. When you are done dropping all items that you would like to save from your downloaded calibz files, close Chief Architect.
12. Go to your new User_Library.calib file and delete it. This erases all of the items that you chose not to keep.
13. Go back to your manufacturer library folder location, grab your User_Library.calib file and bring it back to the default location.

If you did this correctly, you should see all of the new items you brough into your main folder and none of the items you did not want to keep.

These steps only take a total of 5 minutes to complete.(except for sorting through items) Please don't be intimidated by the number of steps involved, they take a mere matter of seconds to perform.