Importing Files into STK

STK users can create external files of data that can be imported into STK and used to provide reference data for an object. These objects must conform to the appropriate file format.

The format of most custom files includes:

• File version number
• Keyword group

Not all custom files use this format. For example, the Central Body Rotation file format does not have a file version number. See the Help and examples for a specific file type for more information.

File Version Number

The first line of each file contains the file version number:

stk.v.<major release number>.<minor release number>

Examples of file version numbers are stk.v.7.0, stk.v.8.0, and stk.v.9.0.

The file version number indicates the earliest software version that will accept the file as a valid file. For example, a file with a file version number of stk.v.7.0 can be imported into STK version 7 through the current version; however, a file with a file version number of stk.v.9.0 cannot be imported into STK 8 or earlier version.

For new files, unless otherwise noted as an exception, you can use the current software version for the file version. The exceptions have file formats that were not updated for the current release. For example, the last update for the Ephemeris (*.e) and Attitude (*.a) file formats in the STK 9 release was STK 8, so stk.v.8.0 must be used instead of stk.v.9.0 as the file version number for new Ephemeris and Attitude files.

Keyword Group

The data that defines the object is arranged in a block, called a keyword group. A keyword group starts with BEGIN <group name> and ends with END <group name>. The information contained in the block consists of keywords and associated values that are called keyword phrases. An example of a keyword group that contains three keyword phrases is:

BEGIN Attitude

NumberOfAttitudePoints 11
BlockingFactor 20
InterpolationOrder 1

END Attitude

Keywords are not case sensitive. Keywords and associated values can be separated by a single or several spaces or tabs.

Unless noted otherwise, all angles are specified in degrees, and all times in seconds relative to the scenario epoch defined within the file.

The sample files shown are for illustrative purposes only. It is not the purpose of the sample files to indicate the full range of choices or possibilities for a given object.