Maker of the Optical Design Software OpTaliX

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Optical Design File Conversion

OpTaliX offers comprehensive import and export routines to convert lens prescriptions from other optical design programs such as Code V, Oslo, ZEMAX, ASAP, Atmos, Modas Accos, Sigma2000 and WinLens. Conversion can be done in both ways, that is, from other programs (import) or to other programs (export). At present, WinLens files can only be imported.

The import/export capabilities of OpTaliX are comprehensive in a way that also advanced features like decenters, tilts, gradients, gratings, special apertures, etc are recognized and converted.

Note, however, that it is virtually impossible to convert ALL features offered by various optical design programs. Not only that features are implemented in a completely different manner because program philosophies are vastly divergent, the major problem is lack of documetation about the formats how design data are stored. To the extreme, some vendors are trying to obscure format details to the maximum possible extent. Quite often the only rescue out of this problem is by 'reverse engineering'. This is a tedious process. Another problem is that file formats are often changed without prior notice, for example if new features are added. This may lead to the situation that a feature that could be previously converted without problems now eventually leads to inappropriate conversion results. Despite all of these difficulties, OpTaliX attempts to recognize a maximum amount of commands and features stored in external lens design files.

Imported files can be viewed, analyzed and modified in all versions of OpTaliX, including OpTaliX-LT. Go to the download page to obtain your copy of OpTaliX-LT (30 days free, after this period registration is required).

OpTaliX-LT converts the following prescription items to/from Code V, Zemax, Oslo, Atmos, Modas, WinLens, Accos and Sigma PC/2000 :

Legend:    = fully converted
NA  = not applicable. This feature is not offered by the designated program.
blank cells denote features, which are not converted yet, but are on the wish list.

ACCOS and Sigma2000 are outdated and are no longer commercially available. Therefore, only import facilities will be provided for these programs. This allows you to convert old ACCOS and SIGMA-files to more recent optical design packages. Since the WinLens file format has undergone numerous modifications in the past, export to WinLens will only be offered when there is a stable format and a demand for it.

  Sigma-PC
  ZEMAX OSLO CODE-V MODAS ATMOS WinLens ACCOS Sigma2000
   imp.   exp.   imp.   exp.   imp.   exp.   imp.   exp.   imp.   exp.   imp.   exp.   imp.   exp.   imp.   exp. 
System Definition:
  System Aperture (F-number, num. aperture, ...)  6  6  6  6      
  Apodization         NA NA NA NA NA NA        
  Fields (angle, object / image height)  7  7  7  7      
  Field weights           NA NA NA NA NA NA        
  Wavelengths  9      
  Wavelength weight NA NA NA NA          
  Reference wavelength NA NA NA NA NA NA      
  System notes  1  1        
Surfaces
  Sphere      
  Asphere + Toric  8  8  8  8      
  Tilted  5 NA NA    
  Tilt order     NA NA     NA NA        
  Decentered  3  3 NA NA    
  Pickups (thickness, curv., glass, aperture)         NA NA NA NA NA NA      
  Grating     NA NA NA NA NA NA      
  Holograms (2-point)         NA NA NA NA NA NA        
  Comments, Notes       NA NA NA NA NA NA        
  Mirrors        
  Ideal lens       NA NA NA NA NA NA        
  Glass catalogue names        
Surface Apertures:
  circular      
  rectangular NA NA NA NA        
  elliptical NA NA NA NA NA NA        
  obstruction     NA NA     NA NA    
  multiple apertures       NA NA NA NA NA NA        
  aperture decenter       NA NA NA NA NA NA        
Gradient Index:
  LightPath Gradium NA NA NA NA NA NA      
  Selfoc     NA NA NA NA NA NA      
  GLC         NA NA NA NA NA NA      
  mixed gradient     NA NA NA NA NA NA      
Miscellaneous:
  Afocal  2  2 NA NA NA NA NA NA      
  Telecentric beams  4 NA NA NA NA NA NA        
  Solves     NA NA NA NA          
  Special Aperture Pickups           NA NA NA NA NA NA        
  Zoom / Multiconfiguration     NA NA NA NA  10          


Notes:
1   Only the lens system title is converted (TIT command).
2   Since ZEMAX does not offer an "afocal" mode, an ideal lens is added to the exported system. On import, the ideal lens is recognized and maintained.
3   Z-decenter are not supported by ZEMAX. A dummy surface is inserted to simulate Z-decenter.
4   Two additional surfaces are added on export to ZEMAX to approximate telecentric beams.
5   An additional "coordinate break" surface is added on export to ZEMAX to exactly model tilted surfaces.
6   ATMOS and MODAS only recognize entrance pupil diameter, as defined by the first surface.
7   ATMOS and MODAS only support a maximum field angle in object space.
8   Toric surfaces are not supported by ATMOS and MODAS.
9   WinLens accepts only 5 wavelengths.
10   WinLens accepts only 4 zoom positions.