# 3.8.1: Export Model to DStV 🔷

Communication between Karamba3D and RStab or Robot works via “DStV”-file which is a “STEP”- derivative.

In order to create an exchange file place a **“Export Model to DStV”**-component on you definition and feed it with a model via the **“Model”**-plug. The **“Path”**-plug lets you chose a name for the exchange-file. RStab names cross sections and materials depending on the selected language. Therefore set RStab to “English” before importing Karamba3D DStV-files. The output-plug **“DStV”** returns the export-file as a list of strings which can be viewed with a **“Panel”**- component. Check the output of the **“Info”**-plug to see whether Karamba3D encountered problems during export.

The different versions of RStab and Robot interpret some aspects of DStV data differently. For example distributed, projected loads will not be imported correctly in all versions of RStab. Therefore you should always compare the structural response calculated with the exported model in RStab or Robot to that obtained with Karamba3D. In DStV-files the export of standard cross sections works via their name. RStab and Robot show slight differences in naming them: for example a “HEAA100” in Karamba3D is the same as a “HE100AA” in Robot and a “HE100A” in RStab. In order to get the standard cross sections right one needs to convert their names in the exported file. Karamba3D applies the conversion tables “CrossSection NameAliases\_Robot.csv” and “CrossSectionNameAliases\_RStab.csv” for Robot and RStab respectively.

{% hint style="info" %}
These can be found in the Karamba3D installation folder (see section[ ](../../appendix/bibliography)[1.1](../../../1-introduction/a.2-installation#standard-installation)). Double-click on the Karamba3D desktop icon to get there.
{% endhint %}

One can open them with either a text editor or a spreadsheet program. In case the first row contains a “#” the rest is a remark. The second row contains the cross section name as used in Karamba3D, the third the alias, the fourth a user defined name or nothing. Currently the name conversion tables which come with Karamba3D do cover many but not all cross section names. In case there is no alias for a cross section name it gets exported as a non-standard cross section.



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