AEC DevBlog

Missing object enabler for application

By Xiaodong Liang

Issue
I created an ObjectDBX for a custom object. When the DWG is opened in Navisworks, the custom geometry is not shown and  [View]-->[Scene Statistics] reports an error:

   Missing object enabler for application "MyCustomerObjectApp……”

How can I make my OE to work with Navisworks?

Solution:
Basically, Navisworks uses RealDWG to read DWG files.  The same mechanism for AutoCAD or RealDWG applaications’ demand loading works for Navisworks. Please take a look at [Demand Loading on Detection of Custom Objects] section of “ObjectARX Developer Guide” about how to register your OE for demand loading.

Assuming that your custom Object Enabler (OE) is correctly registered, there are a few points that you may want to be aware of:

· Navisworks cach (.nwc) file - when a dwg file is opened, Navisworks creates a cached file with the same file name with the extension .nwc by default.  If you try to open a dwg file that has nwc is present in the same folder and nwc is younger than dwg file, navisworks will go straight to nwc.  If you set the demand load after nwc is created, you will need to delete the nwc file to make sure navisworks will open the dwg again.

· Missing dependency - Another possibility of causing the failure of demand load is missing dlls that dbx is depending on.  You can check it using a tool like depends or Dependency Walker.

· [Scene Statistics] – [View] >> [Scene Statistic] dialog shows you if there is missing dll or proxy objects in the dwg file. You may want to check here if the demand loading is really failing or not.

· Rendering – Navisworks uses RealDWG to open the drawings. However, they then convert it to their own proprietary format which they then render themselves. Resulting render appearance may not be exactly the same as AutoCAD. e.g. ObjectARX SDK sample polysamp defines an entity using shell geometry. In AutoCAD, the entity is not rendered, while in Navisworks, it renders it.

Here is more detailed description of how to define your OE.

1. Some of the built-in OEs used by Navisworks locate in <Navisworks Installation path>\lcdbx****, where **** means the corresponding version of DBX. e.g. AutoCAD 2010 DBX is put into <Navisworks Installation path>\lcdbx2010 (Fig. 1). Once your OE is available, you could put your OE under this path.

                                         Figure 1: OE path

2. Registry: some options to let Navisworks know your OE

1) HKLM (or HKCU)\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\ObjectDBX\R18.0\Applications (Fig. 2)

The OE under this registry will be used for all Autodesk products.

             Figure 2: registry of HKCU/HKLM ObjectDBX section

2) HKLM (or HKCU)\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\NavisWorks Manage\7.0\ObjectDBX\R***. Where *** means the corresponding version of DBX. e.g. AutoCAD 2010 corresponds to R18.0.

The OE under this registry is only used for Navisworks.

The key name must be the argument “APP” in ACRX_DXF_DEFINE_MEMBERS where the Custom Entity is defined. This name may not be the same as the DBX dll name. e.g. in the attached sample, The APP name is NWOEDBXAPP, while the DBX name is NWOEDBX. As shown in Fig. 3.

          Figure 3: registry of HKCU/HKLM Host Application section

Location and order of search for demand loading setting is as follows:

· HKCU Host Application section

· HKLM Host Application section

· HKCU ObjectDBX section

· HKLM ObjectDBX section

3) HKLM (or HKCU)\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage\7.0\ObjectDBX Modules (Fig. 4)

The OE under this registry is only used for Navisworks, too. You can just create a string to specify the OE path. It forces to load all the time (as oppose to demand loading). This may be a tip while troubleshooting.

                    Figure 4: Registry of ObjectDBX Modules

If any of them contains the correct OE, it will successfully identify your custom entity. Otherwise, it will fail to know it and pop out the error: “Missing object enabler for application.”

3. In [Tools] >> [Global Options…] >> [File Readers] >> [DWG/DXF/SAT] >> [DWG Loader Version], please ensure your [DWG Loader Version] is set to 2010 if you are opening a DWG of AutoCAD 2010. (Figure 5)

                       Figure 5: DWG Loader Version

Display Custom Properties of DWG in Navisworks - 2

By Xiaodong Liang

(continued with Display Custom Properties of DWG in Navisworks – 1)

7. To Create a COM Wrapper for the custom entity, you can either place the COM implementation in an ARX project or in the same ObjectDBX project where your custom entity exists. Here we are going to see how to place the COM wrapper along with the custom entity itself. If you are interested to create a separate ARX, you can follow the same step explained to create a custom entity where instead of selecting a Project type as “ObjecDBX” , select the Application Type as “ObjectARX” (as mentioned in Step1 – Application Type Dialog) and the continue with the following steps.

8. Input the wrapper name as “NW_DBX_Curve_Wrapper”. In the COM wrapper tab, put the name of your DBX without the .dbx extension as "AdskDemoCurve" in the “DBX Classname” textbox . Select Ok to finish, and build to test for errors. Take a look NW_DBX_Curve_Wrapper.cpp and .h to see what the wizard has added for us.

 

9. Add necessary code for the custom entity

   9.1 AsdkDemoCurve.h

public:

    // assign the CLSID of the wrapper to

    //be returned by the subGetClassID

     // method of our custom entity

    virtual Acad::ErrorStatus subGetClassID(CLSID * pClsid) const;

    //set the member variable - long

    Acad::ErrorStatus setPropertyLong(long val) ;

    //get the member variable - long

    long getPropertyLong()const;

    //set the member variable - double

    Acad::ErrorStatus setPropertyDouble(double val) ;

    //get the member variable - double

    long getPropertyDouble()const;

    private:

    // member variable - long

    long m_propertylong;

    //member variable - double

    double m_propertydouble;

9.2 AsdkDemoCurve.cpp

// include the COM wrapper

#include "NW_AutoCAD_OE_Sample_i.c"

//initialize the member variables

AsdkDemoCurve::AsdkDemoCurve () : AcDbCurve ()

{

    m_propertylong = 2;

    m_propertydouble = 10;

}

//draw some custom geometires.

//To similfy the sample, the code draws a

 

//fixed circle and text.

Adesk::Boolean AsdkDemoCurve::

    subWorldDraw (AcGiWorldDraw *mode)

{

    assertReadEnabled () ;

    mode->geometry().circle(

        AcGePoint3d(m_propertydouble,0,0),

        10,

        AcGeVector3d(0,0,1));

    mode->geometry().text(

        AcGePoint3d(m_propertydouble,0,0),

        AcGeVector3d(0,0,1),

        AcGeVector3d(1,0,0),

        m_propertylong,1,

        0,

        _T("MyCurve"));

    return (AcDbCurve::subWorldDraw (mode)) ;

}

// return the COM wrapper ID

Acad::ErrorStatus AsdkDemoCurve::subGetClassID(CLSID * pClsid) const

{

    //locate the file ' NW_AutoCAD_OE_Sample_i.c ',

    // and open it in VS (this //file may not already be

    // included in the VC project).

    // Look for and copy

 

    //the CLSID definition name (eg CLSID_NW_DBX_Curve_Wraper)

    assertReadEnabled();

    *pClsid=CLSID_NW_DBX_Curve_Wraper;

    return Acad::eOk;

}

//set the member variable - long

Acad::ErrorStatus AsdkDemoCurve::setPropertyLong(long val)

{

    assertWriteEnabled();

    m_propertylong = val;

    return Acad::eOk ;

}

//get the member variable - long

long AsdkDemoCurve::getPropertyLong()const

{

    assertReadEnabled();

    return m_propertylong;

}

//set the member variable - double

Acad::ErrorStatus AsdkDemoCurve::setPropertyDouble (double val)

{

    assertWriteEnabled();

    m_propertydouble = val;

    return Acad::eOk ;

}

//get the member variable - double

long AsdkDemoCurve::getPropertyDouble()const

{

    assertReadEnabled();

    return m_propertydouble;

}

10. Now we provide the interface methods to communicate with those two custom properties of this entity, a long and a double. Switch to Class View, select INW_DBX_Curve_Wrapper and Add Property. Select the property type Long and provide the name “PropertyLong”. Then finish. Repeat the operation to provide a double property.

 

 

10.1 NW_DBX_Curve_Wraper.h

//configure in which category

//(of AutoCAD) the properties would be displayed.

//    In this sample, we put them in Data category.

 

//IOPMPropertyExtension

BEGIN_OPMPROP_MAP()

    //----- Use the OPMPROP_ENTRY/OPMPROP_CAT_ENTRY macros for each of your properties

    OPMPROP_ENTRY(0, 0x00000001,

        PROPCAT_Data, 0, 0, 0,

        _T(""), 0, 1,

        IID_NULL,

        IID_NULL, "")

    OPMPROP_ENTRY(0, 0x00000002,

        PROPCAT_Data, 0, 0, 0,

        _T(""), 0, 1,

        IID_NULL,

        IID_NULL, "")

END_OPMPROP_MAP()

//IOPMPropertyExtensionImpl

// It is a pity VS does not generate the properties

//Set/Get methods codes

//automatically. We need to write as below:

public:

//INW_DBX_Curve_Wraper

STDMETHOD(get_PropertyLong)(/*[out, retval]*/ LONG *pVal);

STDMETHOD(put_PropertyLong)(/*[in]*/ LONG newVal);

STDMETHOD(get_PropertyDouble)(/*[out, retval]*/ DOUBLE *pVal);

STDMETHOD(put_PropertyDouble)(/*[in]*/ DOUBLE newVal);

 

10.2 NW_DBX_Curve_Wraper.cpp

//get property - long

STDMETHODIMP CNW_DBX_Curve_Wraper::

    get_PropertyLong(LONG *pVal)

{

    try

    {

        Acad::ErrorStatus es;

        AcAxObjectRefPtr<AsdkDemoCurve>

            pLine(&m_objRef,AcDb::kForRead,

            Adesk::kTrue);

        if((es=pLine.openStatus()) != Acad::eOk)

        throw es;

        *pVal = pLine->getPropertyLong();

    }

    catch(const Acad::ErrorStatus)

    {

    return Error(L"Failed to open object.",

        IID_INW_DBX_Curve_Wraper,E_FAIL);

    }

    catch(const HRESULT hr)

    {

    return Error(L"Invalid argument.",

        IID_INW_DBX_Curve_Wraper,hr);

    }

    return S_OK;

}

//set property - long

STDMETHODIMP CNW_DBX_Curve_Wraper::

    put_PropertyLong(LONG newVal)

{

    try

    {

        Acad::ErrorStatus es;

        AcAxObjectRefPtr<AsdkDemoCurve>

            pLine(&m_objRef,AcDb::kForWrite,Adesk::kTrue);

        if((es=pLine.openStatus()) != Acad::eOk)

        throw es;

        pLine->setPropertyLong(newVal);

    }

    catch(const Acad::ErrorStatus)

    {

        return Error(L"Failed to set PropertyLong.",

            IID_INW_DBX_Curve_Wraper,E_FAIL);

    }

    catch(const HRESULT hr)

    {

        return Error(L"Invalid argument.",

            IID_INW_DBX_Curve_Wraper,hr);

    }

    return S_OK;

}

//get property - double

STDMETHODIMP CNW_DBX_Curve_Wraper::

    get_PropertyDouble(DOUBLE *pVal)

{

    try

    {

        Acad::ErrorStatus es;

        AcAxObjectRefPtr<AsdkDemoCurve>

            pLine(&m_objRef,AcDb::kForRead,

            Adesk::kTrue);

        if((es=pLine.openStatus()) != Acad::eOk)

        throw es;

        *pVal = pLine->getPropertyDouble();

    }

    catch(const Acad::ErrorStatus)

    {

    return Error(L"Failed to open object.",

        IID_INW_DBX_Curve_Wraper,E_FAIL);

    }

    catch(const HRESULT hr)

    {

    return Error(L"Invalid argument.",

        IID_INW_DBX_Curve_Wraper,hr);

    }

    return S_OK;

}

//set property - double

STDMETHODIMP CNW_DBX_Curve_Wraper::

    put_PropertyDouble(DOUBLE newVal)

{

    try

    {

        Acad::ErrorStatus es;

        AcAxObjectRefPtr<AsdkDemoCurve> pLine(

            &m_objRef,AcDb::kForWrite,

            Adesk::kTrue);

        if((es=pLine.openStatus()) != Acad::eOk)

        throw es;

        pLine->setPropertyDouble(newVal);

    }

    catch(const Acad::ErrorStatus)

    {

    return Error(L"Failed to set PropertyLong.",

        IID_INW_DBX_Curve_Wraper,E_FAIL);

    }

    catch(const HRESULT hr)

    {

    return Error(L"Invalid argument.",

        IID_INW_DBX_Curve_Wraper,hr);

    }

    return S_OK;

}

11. Now build the DBX to see if there is error.
12. Run AutoCAD, and load our DBX. This will register the COM server automatically.
13. Optional: We should now verify that the ObjectDBX registry entries have been made properly. Run RegEdit.exe to access the Windows registry, and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Autodesk>ObjectDBX>R18.1>ActiveXCLSID. Look for a key called AsdkDemoCurve. The CLSID string value within it should be the same as the CLSID found in the IDL file for your custom wrapper, under INW_DBX_Curve_Wraper. Example:

 

We can now create a simple COM client to create and manipulate our custom line.. This will allow us to use objects defined by this TLB, namely, our custom wrapper. Create a VB.NET project, add the tlb and add the following code:

<CommandMethod("addEnt")> _
   Public Sub addEnt()
      Dim oAcadApp As AcadApplication = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.AcadApplication
      Dim myDemo As NW_DBX_Curve_Wraper
      myDemo = oAcadApp.ModelSpace.AddCustomObject("AsdkDemoCurve")
   End Sub

Load the .NET dll and run command addEnt.

 

 

Setting the Leader Arrowhead for a Structural Framing Tag using Revit API

By Saikat Bhattacharya

When a Structural Framing Tag is placed as an instance, by default, it does not have the Leader Arrowhead set. How can we use the Revit API to set the leader arrowhead.

The Leader Arrowhead parameter is, in fact, part of the Structural Framing Tag's Symbol object. And so when we access the Family Symbol of the Structural Framing Tag, we will be able to access the Built-in Parameter called LEADER_ARROWHEAD. This parameter is what needs to be set in order to set the arrow head for the tag. Here is an example showing list of arrowheads available in a structural template for a Structural Column Tag instance.

 
Now the value that we wish to set for this type parameter can be obtained by filtering for the Arrowheads that are available in the model/template. This can be done by filtering for elements which are of ElementType  and which have the built-in parameter called ALL_MODEL_FAMILY_NAME set to the value 'Arrowhead'. Once we have access to the Arrowhead element that we wish to use, you can set the ID of the Arrowhead element to the LEADER_ARROWHEAD built-in parameter. The following code snippet illustrates this approach for the Structural Column Tag instance shown in the screenshot above.

using System;

using System.Collections.Generic;

using System.Text;

using System.Linq;

 

using Autodesk.Revit.Attributes;

using Autodesk.Revit.DB;

using Autodesk.Revit.UI;

 

namespace Revit.SDK.Samples.HelloRevit.CS

{

 

  [Transaction(TransactionMode.Manual)]

  public class Command : IExternalCommand

  {

    public Result Execute(ExternalCommandData commandData,

      ref string message,

      ElementSet elements)

    {

      UIApplication uiApp = commandData.Application;

      Document doc = uiApp.ActiveUIDocument.Document;

 

      // Access all elements in the model which represent Arrowheads

      // This is being done by filtering all elements which

      // are of ElementType and have the ALL_MODEL_FAMILY_NAME

      // builtIn Parameter set to 'Arrowhead'

      ElementId id = new ElementId(

        BuiltInParameter.ALL_MODEL_FAMILY_NAME);

      ParameterValueProvider provider =

        new ParameterValueProvider(id);

      FilterStringRuleEvaluator evaluator =

        new FilterStringEquals();

      FilterRule rule =

        new FilterStringRule(provider, evaluator, "Arrowhead", false);

      ElementParameterFilter filter =

        new ElementParameterFilter(rule);

 

      FilteredElementCollector collector =

        new FilteredElementCollector(doc)

        .OfClass(typeof(ElementType))

        .WherePasses(filter);

 

      using (Transaction trans = new Transaction(doc, "Arrowhead"))

      {

        trans.Start();

        // For simplicity, assuming that the

        // Structural Component Tag is selected

        foreach (Element selectedElement in

          uiApp.ActiveUIDocument.Selection.Elements)

        {

          IndependentTag tag = selectedElement as IndependentTag;

          if (null != tag)

          {

            // Access the Symbol of the IndependentTag element

            FamilySymbol tagSymbol =

              doc.GetElement(tag.GetTypeId()) as FamilySymbol;

 

            // Set the LEADER_ARROWHEAD parameter of the

            // Symbol with one of the arrowheads that was filtered

            tagSymbol.get_Parameter(BuiltInParameter.LEADER_ARROWHEAD)

              .Set(collector.ToElementIds()

              .ElementAt<ElementId>(0));

          }

          trans.Commit();

        }

      }

      return Result.Succeeded;

    }

  }

}

After executing this code, in which for simplicity sake, we are just setting the first extracted arrowhead to the tag – we can see that the leader had a arrowhead set to it.

Viewing a Navisworks File on Your iPad

By Mikako Harada

Many of you probably heard about BIM 360 Glue by now. It has an iPad application. Being able to view and manipulate a model with your finger tips on your mobile device is truly break through. One tip that I learned from my colleague in Japan is that if you have BIM 360 Glue iPad application installed, you can open a Navisworks nwd file attached to your e-mail in your iPad. (I must confess that our Navisworks API liaisons did told me about this viewer capability, but I wasn't simply getting it.) 

After you install BIM 360 Glue mobile app for iPad, if you tap nwd file, you will see an icon to open it in BIM 360 Glue (image below):

You can then view it in the Glue app, and use your fingers to scale, rotate and zoom in/out. You can also view properties and use the measuring tool. Below show a sample image of using measure tool:  

The app is free!  If you haven't experienced BIM 360 Glue mobile app, please try it. And don't forget to try out Immersive View (one of little round buttons at 12 o'clock around lower left corner). For more information, I refer to an article on the Beyond Design blog.

Building Performance Analysis Blog

By Mikako Harada

Recently, Emile Kfouri and John Kennedy have started a new blog site called "Building Performance Analysis". The blog focuses on the area of building performance and diagnostics. This week, Barry Tsai, Software Development Manager who works with Autodesk Green Building Studio (GBS) and our API liaison, has posted an article about GBS REST API. Please book mark this new blog site and visit there occasionally.

delete or remove an appended model

By Xiaodong Liang

Issue
Is it posible to delete or remove an appended model? I cant find any obvious was through the .NET api.

Solution

Suppose we have one document in which there is only one modal from one file. We can run Append or Merge to add more files. So we would have “several files” in one document.Currently, only COM API provides the ability to remove the models.  It can delete any files like you select the files in UI and press delete. The whole contents of the deleted file will be removed. The code is as below,  assume we want to delete the 3rd file in the document.

public override int Execute(params string[] parameters)

{ 

    Nw.Document doc =
          Nw.Application.ActiveDocument; 

    doc.CurrentSelection.CopyFrom(doc.Models[2].
            RootItem.AncestorsAndSelf); 

    ComApi.InwOpState10 state =
           ComApiBridge.ComApiBridge.State; 

    state.DeleteSelectedFiles(); 

    return 0;

}

 

Timestamp information on Revit objects via the API

By Saikat Bhattacharya

Here is quick short question that has come up couple of times from the API users in the Revit API community:

Is there timestamp information available for Revit elements, accessible using the API – which tells us when elements have been

Unfortunately, Revit itself does not provide the ability to track the timestamp on elements (to track when they were last edited, etc) and so the API does not have any access to such data natively. The workaround that could be suggested for this workflow would be to use Dynamic Update to update parameters on creation and modification of elements. Data could stored as shared parameters or as extensible storage. Though this would not help with files coming from any other firm/organizations, but it would help a single firm wanting to track their own elements.

Display Custom Properties of DWG in Navisworks - 1

By Xiaodong Liang

Navisworks will convert some properties from original format of CAD file such as DWG. But for a custom entity, it requires some additional work to expose the properties.

The basic principle anyone adding properties to AutoCAD entities should follow is that if they can get it to appear in vanilla AutoCAD Property Manager via the usual routes of object enablers (OE), then it should work in Navisworks. In another word, if we want to see the properties in multiple DWG readers such as Navisworks, the corresponding OE exists and the properties are packaged by a COM wrapper.  For custom entities, it is fine because the OE is designed by yourself. For native AutoCAD entities or any 3rd parties’ OE, we cannot do anything with them. So, although you can use Dynamic Properties to add additional properties to native AutoCAD entity in AutoCAD context, there is no way if you want to see the additional properties in Navisworks.

When the DWG reader launches, it will load the available COM wrapper in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Autodesk>ObjectDBX>R**>ActiveXCLSID

** is the version number. e.g. AutoCAD 2011 will load from the key R18.1.

 

From the COM wrapper, the DWG reader knows the properties which can be loaded.
Following are the steps to create the custom entity and COM wrapper for the custom entity. The sample is introduced with VS2008 + SP1 and tested with AutoCAD 2011. We also provide a sample project of VS2010 which can work with AutoCAD 2013. The steps are similar to the project of VS 2008 + SP1.

Download Nw_autocad_oe_sample_VS2008SP1_AutoCAD2011

Download NW_CAD_OE_Sample-VS2010-CAD2013

1. First, create the custom entity project using the ObjectARX Wizard

2. Select 'ObjectDBX (custom object definition)' as the Project Type. Better select the MFC support.

3. In the COM options, tick COM Server. Make sure 'Use ATL' and 'Use ATL Extensions for Custom Objects' boxes are checked, and press Finish.

4. Add necessary head file folder and library file folder of Object ARX. Build to make sure there are no errors.
5. Use the wizard to create the custom entity. Right click the project „NW_AutoCAD_OE_Sample‟ from the solution explorer and select Add Class button. Then select “ObjectDBX Object Wizard” from the available list.

6. Input the custom entity name and select OK to accept the entries, and return to the ARX ClassWizard.

(to be continued)

Modifying Deck Profile Type in Floor Type Compound Structure

By Mikako Harada

Issue

I want to assign a different deck profile to a floor type. In UI, you can do this by simply selecting a deck profile:

However, if we try to achieve the same thing using the API, only the deck profile is updated. The thickness remains with the previous value. What am I missing to make this work?  I used the following call to do this:

  Dim compStr As CompoundStructure = myFloorType.GetCompoundStructure

  compStr.SetDeckProfileId(0, myProfileType.Id)

  myFloorType.SetCompoundStructure(compStr)

Solution

Unfortunately, as of January, 2013, this is a known issue and needs to be addressed by the product team.

Happy New Year!

By Mikako Harada

Happy new year from AEC workgroup, Developer Technical Services team. I hope you all had a good rest over the holidays. (Personally, I certainly did. After rather hectic traveling and lots of talking, I lost my voice toward the end of the trip and I needed to put myself in the recovery mode.)  

Last two months had been quite busy with Developer Days tours. Traveling to the cities near equator and in southern hemisphere in November was enjoyable in terms of weather. My second stretch to Korea and Japan in December, on the other hand, turned out to be another memorable experience with a little different kind of reasons; it made me re-think of the power of mother nature. On the day to fly from Seoul to Tokyo, snow started to fall. Our flight was delayed by five hours due to the snow. I ended up being stuck in the airplane for the whole time. 

While we were in Tokyo, another relatively big earth quake (magnitude 7.3, I hear) hit Touhoku area and we felt a big, long shake while sitting in Autodesk Tokyo office. The Tokyo office is in a high-rise building built on a man-made island off the Tokyo bay.  We were on the 24th floor. The duration felt like 10 min, although some said 5 min. I could hear the building making some noise. It was quite scary even for me who used to live in Tokyo. 

What's interesting to me at that time is the role of internet and mobile devices in the situation like this. When the quake is coming, people gets notification to their mobile devices. My colleagues around me all seems to get a message to their phone. (I had a my phone roaming, but it did not help.) One of my colleague was on bullet train when the quake hit.  He said he got the notification to his phone.  So he knew what is going to happen next, he said. My sister, who is further away from epicenter, also sent me a text to make sure I was okay and not in a trouble or anything. There was a sequence of checking all the employees' safety shortly after that, including our director and myself who were visitors on that day.  

I'm now back in Manchester, admiring beautiful icicles and snows from the windows - gentle side of mother nature.  

Wishing you peace and happiness in 2013.

January 1st, 2013. Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S.