Utilizing the Fabrication API

Transcription

1 Utilizing the Fabrication API Matt Potts Fabrication Team Manager, Senior Software Engineer

2 Class summary The class will cover creating extension applications with the Autodesk Fabrication API to help improve your organization s workflows.

3 Key learning objectives At the end of this class, you will: Understand what the Autodesk Fabrication API is. Understand how to create Addin applications for CADmep, ESTmep & CAMduct. Understand the core functionality that exists in the Autodesk Fabrication API (2016 & 2017 versions). Understand the potential to create Addin applications that connect to third party systems such as external Databases & Web Services.

4 About Me Matt Potts Team manager and Senior Software Engineer for Autodesk Fabrication in Blackpool UK. Main technical focus is API, Cloud and Web. Worked at Autodesk for 4 years and MAP Software for 5 years (Pre Acquisition).

5 Notes This class is not intended to teach you how to write code, but there will be some code examples! Example code is shown in C# Demos are run in CADmep & ESTmep Terminology Addins/Plugins/Extension Applications mean the same. New features in 2017 Release marked as (2017)

6 Schedule 1. Introduction to the Autodesk Fabrication API 2. Creating a Fabrication Addin Application and using the SDK 3. Fabrication API Fundamentals 4. Working with Connected Systems 5. Hints, Tips & Tricks 6. Q&A

7 Introduction to the Autodesk Fabrication API

8 Introduction What is it? Application Programming Interface Enables 3 rd party developers to extend Autodesk Fabrication applications Allows addin applications to be built on top of the core Fabrication products CADmep, ESTmep & CAMduct. Addin applications can access data within the currently loaded Fabrication Configuration, for example: Manufacturing Information Connectors, Materials, Seams etc Costing Information Price Lists, Fabrication & Installation Times Tables Setup Information - Services, Service Templates, Sections Content Information Items and associated dimensions, options and setup data

9 Introduction What is it? Addin applications can access data from the current Job/Drawing in the session that is being run in all core Fabrication products. Addin applications can be created in any.net language i.e. C#, VB.NET and C++/cli. Allows you to create applications that can then connect up to external systems to flow data in and out of Fabrication Models and Job files.

10 Introduction Scripting vs API Feature Scripting API Read & Update Item Properties Read, Add, Edit & Delete Database Entries Create Item Content (Template & Product List) Partial Load Item Content from disk Add/Remove Items from Jobs Visual Studio support.net support

11 Introduction What do you need? A working knowledge of a.net language i.e. C#, VB.NET or C++/cli. Visual Studio 2012 or above to create the code A working knowledge of the Fabrication Products.

12 Creating a Fabrication Addin Application and using the SDK

13 Creating Fabrication Addins ESTmep & CAMduct Create an Entry Point for the application that implements the IExternalApplication Interface (Autodesk.Fabrication.UI Namespace) IExternalApplication requires that the class implements the following methods: Execute Run when the Addin is loaded, use to run setup code e.g. showing dialog windows Terminate Run when the Addin is unloaded, use to clean up any resources used e.g. close database connections etc

14 Creating Fabrication Addins ESTmep & CAMduct Implement IExternalApplication Interface Execute method runs code on Addin load Terminate method runs code on Addin unload

15 Creating Fabrication Addins ESTmep & CAMduct Create an addin manifest file containing instructions on the location of the addin dll, entry point, uniqueid <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="no"?> <FabricationAddIns> <AddIn Type="Application"> <Name>Hello Fabrication CSharp</Name> <FullClassName>HelloFabricationCSharp.Command</FullClassName> <Assembly>HelloFabricationCSharp.dll</Assembly> <AddInId>B2E6C4DB-9CED-422F-BF5C-D9FADC677B65</AddInId> <VendorId>Fabrication</VendorId> <VendorDescription>Autodesk, Inc, </AddIn> </FabricationAddIns>

16 Creating Fabrication Addins CADmep Use the existing AutoCAD addin framework Create a class that implements the IExtensionApplication Interface (very similar to the IExternalApplication mentioned earlier) Initialize Run when the Addin is loaded, use to run setup code e.g. showing dialog windows Terminate Run when the Addin is unloaded, use to clean up any resources used e.g. close database connections etc Create addins that will run both in CADmep and ESTmep & CAMduct by implementing both the Fabrication and AutoCAD entry points in the same file.

17 SDK - Introduction Software Development Kit Installed with all core Fabrication products. Contains sample Addins that can be run within CADmep, ESTmep & CAMduct. Contains a help file with a reference to all the classes, methods & namespaces available in the API. Help file has code samples and getting started guides.

18 SDK - Samples Fabrication Sample Addin application where all new functionality is added and tested.

19 SDK - Demo

20 Fabrication API Fundamentals

21 Job & Items

22 Job Feature Notes Properties Methods Autodesk.Fabrication.Job Static class representing the current Job in the currently loaded Fabrication Configuration Items Collection of Fabrication Items in the current Job (MAJ, ESJ or DWG) Info - Job Information Save SaveAs (2017) AddItem (2017) RemoveItem (2017) GetACADHandleFromItem GetFabricationItemFromACADHandle

23 Job - Demo

24 Item Full Class Name Notes Properties Methods Autodesk.Fabrication.Item Class representing an instance of an Item in the current Job or on Disk Dimensions, Options, Name, ProductList, Connectors, Material, Gauge, Section, Custom Data, Specification, Rates & many others AddCustomData, ChangeConnectors, ChangeSpecification, Update, GetConnectorEndPoint, SetImage (2017) & many others

25 Item Example Code Change item dimensions through Item.Dimensions Collection

26 Item - Options Change item options through Item.Options Collection

27 Item Manufacturing Properties Change connectors through Item.Connectors Collection

28 Item - Demo

29 Database & Product Database

30 Database Full Class Name Notes Properties Autodesk.Fabrication.DB.Database Static class representing the current Database in the currently loaded Fabrication Configuration Manufacturing: Connectors, Materials, Airturns, Seams Costing: Price Lists, Fabrication & Installation Tables Drawing/Modelling: Services, Service Templates Data: Custom Data, Item Statuses, Service Types Methods Add, edit and delete methods for Services & Service Templates (2017) Add and edit Price List, Installation & Fabrication Times Tables (2017)

31 Database - Demo

32 Product Database Full Class Name Autodesk.Fabrication.DB.ProductDatabase Notes Static class representing the current Product Database in the currently loaded Fabrication Configuration (MapProd). Properties Product Definitions (2017) Product Groups (2017) Suppliers Methods Methods to Add and Edit all data available in the ProductDatabase (2017) LookUpSupplierId

33 Product Database - Demo

34 Services & Service Templates

35 Service Full Class Name Notes Properties Methods Autodesk.Fabrication.DB.Service Class representing a Service in the currently loaded Fabrication Configuration Name ServiceEntries (2017) Layering, ServiceType information ServiceTemplate - Current Template associated LoadServiceItem Loads the Item behind a service button (2017)

36 Service Template Full Class Name Notes Properties Methods Autodesk.Fabrication.DB.ServiceTemplate Class representing a Service Template in the currently loaded Fabrication Configuration Name Group ServiceTabs ServiceTab holds collection of ServiceButtons Conditions - Conditions applied to the ServiceButtons AddServiceTab, DeleteServiceTab, AddServiceTemplateCondition, DeleteServiceTemplateCondition ServiceTab class has methods to add, edit and delete buttons (All new in 2017)

37 Services - Example

38 Working with Content

39 ContentManager Full Class Name Autodesk.Fabrication.Content.ContentManager Notes Static class with methods for working Content (2017) Methods CreateItem New Item from CID CreateProductItem Add product list data to item LoadItem Load Item from disk SaveItem Save Item to disk SaveItemAs Save Item to disk at specified path

40 ContentManager - Demo

41 Application

42 Application Full Class Name Notes Properties Autodesk.Fabrication.ApplicationServices.Application Static class with properties containing information about the current application CurrentConfiguration CurrentProfile DatabasePath ExecutableName ExecutablePath ItemContentPath ProductVersion VersionNumber VersionName WorkingDirectory

43 Application - Demo

44 Working with Connected Systems

45 Connected Systems Data in/out Data in/out Data in/out Autodesk Fabrication Data in/out Fabrication Addins External Systems Databases, Web Services Fabrication Database Fabrication Job/Model

46 Connected Systems The ability to work with data in the Fabrication environment opens up new possibilities of new workflows Connecting to external databases Connecting to Web Services Connecting to other Autodesk Services BIM360 Field & Glue Connecting data to the Job Site All provide the possibility to push and pull data to and from the Fabrication environment for Drawing/Modelling, Estimating, Manufacturing and Project Setup workflows. The.NET Framework provides rich feature support for cloud, web services and database access

47 Connected Systems - Demo

48 Hints, Tips & Tricks

49 LINQ.NET Feature that allows data to be queried using expressions Very useful in Fabrication API when working with collections of data

50 LINQ

51 Operation Results ItemOperationResult & DBOperationResult Use to determine to status of an operation Many API methods return OperationResults 3 Properties: Status Succeeded or Failed Message Information on the success or failure of the operation ReturnObject Methods that create new objects will store it in this property (2017)

52 Addin Design and Code Structure Use a design pattern to keep code well structured. Google Gang of Four Design Patterns, 23 foundational patterns for software design. Separate UI from data logic promotes code reuse Create unit tests to easily detect bugs and problems Keep it simple

53 Q & A

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