How to Set References with AutoCAD Files for View and Data API

By Shiya Luo

AutoCAD files are connected to each other as xref (short for external references). Files are linked like a graph. File A can reference file B, which can reference file A back. It’s a bit meta, like reference inception. What’s different however, is that you only have to set the parent children relationship once, if two files reference each other, you can stop as long as you have linked the two files together once. The translation service will go in and look for the particular reference inside your .dwg files. 

Again, the workflow is:

1. upload the individual files to your bucket

2. link the files together using reference API

3. register them individually for translation

 

Similar to set references for Revit files, the tiers are done in different levels.

 

Some useful resources before you start:
Use Postman or some other REST API tools, or this interactive guide that contains the workflow of View and Data APIs.
Read the documentation. 

I have a multi-tierd AutoCAD file drawn. It looks like this in AutoCAD: 

There are three different files here: 

 

Their relationship looks like this: 

 

 

If you'd like to test with my files, here they are: 

Download AutoCAD_Reference_Sample

 

First upload the files, then you can start setting references.

 

Each tier requires a different request, the first one looks like this:

POST /references/v1/setreference HTTP/1.1
Host: developer.api.autodesk.com
Authorization: Bearer <your-token>
Content-Type: application/json

{
    "master" : "urn:adsk.objects:os.object:shiyas-bucket-12345/Cylinder1.dwg",
    "dependencies" : [{ 
            "file" : "urn:adsk.objects:os.object:shiyas-bucket-12345/Cylinder2.dwg",
            "metadata" : {
                "childPath" : "Cylinder2.dwg",
                "parentPath" : "Cylinder1.dwg"
                }
        }
    ]
}

 The second one,

POST /references/v1/setreference HTTP/1.1
Host: developer.api.autodesk.com
Authorization: Bearer 
Content-Type: application/json
{
    "master" : "urn:adsk.objects:os.object:shiyas-bucket-12345/Box.dwg",
    "dependencies" : [{ 
            "file" : "urn:adsk.objects:os.object:shiyas-bucket-12345/Cylinder1.dwg",
            "metadata" : {
                "childPath" : "Cylinder1.dwg",
                "parentPath" : "Box.dwg"
                }
        }
    ]
}

After setting the reference, fire them off for translation. In the end you should get something that looks like this:

 

Ask questions here in the comments or on the forum if you have any additional questions.

Comments

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