Dat files contain information related to overhead line design. That includes design standards, customisations, assembly definitions and more. File also includes model created during the design phase, that is information about structure locations, wire runs and similar.

There are 4 dat files, 3 of which is shipped as part of the workspace and 1 is per active project.

Dat File	Explanation	Location
Common.dat	Root level	Workspace
Customer.dat	Customer Level	Workspace
Project.dat	Project Level	Workspace
[Dgn].dat	Active Project, same name as the project dgn file	Same folder as the dgn file

Default workspace location for Overheadline files: C:\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenRail Overhead Line Designer CE\Configuration\Organization-Civil\_Civil Default Standards - Metric\Overheadline

Active project, [DGN].dat, file is created when a catanery tool is first used in the program. A new dat file with the same name as the dgn file will be created in the same folder as the dgn file. Note that as the dat file contains all the information from workspace dat files when it is created, its has a greater initial file size.

 

Each dat file inherits the information from the higher level. As active project dat file is the lowest level, it includes all the information coming from the other dat files. That enables working with the project regardless of having the workspace level dat files or not. Active project dat files includes all the information needed to work on current project. Other 3 dat files are used as library files for new projects.

Hierarchy of dat files means a change in higher level affects all the lower levels. For example, a change made in the active project dat file will only affect that active model, but not other projects, on the other hand a change done in Common dat file will affect all new projects.