Infrastructure Modeling DevBlog

Accessing Point File Format names and their extension using Civil 3D .NET API

By Partha Sarkar

Those of you tried to access the Point File Format names and their extension using Civil 3D .NET API earlier and found some issues in enumerating PointFileFormatCollection and extracting the name of the individual point file format in a DWG file, this is now resolved in Civil 3D 2015 release.

We can now iterate the PointFileFormatCollection object and extract the name as well as other associated properties like file extension etc.

 

 

 

Here is the C# code snippet :

 

Editor ed = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor;

Database db = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Database; 

PointFileFormatCollection ptFileFormatColls = PointFileFormatCollection.GetPointFileFormats(db);

String ptFileFormatstring = "";

 

//start a transaction

using (Transaction trans = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())

{

  foreach (PointFileFormat pointFileFormat in ptFileFormatColls)

  {          

 

    ptFileFormatstring = ptFileFormatstring + "\nPoint File Format Name : "

      + pointFileFormat.Name.ToString() + "   "

      + "File Extension :  "

      + pointFileFormat.FileExtension.ToString();    

 

  }

 

  ed.WriteMessage(ptFileFormatstring);

  trans.Commit();

}

 

Hope this is useful to you.

Visual Studio .NET settings for Civil 3D 2015

By Augusto Goncalves

Now that we have released Civil 3D 2015, you might be wondering what is required to create a .NET addin project for this new release. First, let me point out that if you have a Civil 3D 2014 .NET addin, it should just work on 2015 in compatibility mode (.NET supports older versions).

Platform changes for Civil 3D 2015

There are some major changes you need to consider when creating a new addin. As mentioned, 2014 addins should work in compatibility mode. Here are the main points:

• Visual Studio 2012
• .NET 4.5
• 64 bit only – since 2014
• No Windows XP support

Configurable AutoCAD & Civil 3D

Now an interesting point: there is no Civil 3D 2015 install folder, it’s actually installed at the same folder as plain AutoCAD and there is a subfolder with Civil 3D specific files: [\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2015\C3D]. Actually this change started back on 2014, see more details at this post.

This also means the Civil 3D will actually start AutoCAD with a few parameters. For instance, this is the default icon target for Metric profile: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2015\acad.exe" /ld "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2015\\AecBase.dbx" /p "<<C3D_Metric>>" /product "C3D"

This change will affect our project settings… let’s see.

Required .NET references

First, as usual, we need to add reference to AutoCAD .NET references. Those are required as Civil 3D was build on top of AutoCAD. You may choose to download the ObjectARX SDK and get the references from [\ObjectARX 2015\inc] folder or simply get them from [\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2015] folder. As Civil 3D 2015 is 64 bit only, there is no relevant difference between them. Here are the AutoCAD references required:

1. AcMgd.dll – AutoCAD interface objects
2. AcCoreMgd.dll – Core objects, used on both AutoCAD and Console
3. AcDbMgd.dll – Database objects, required to access the drawing data

Now, Civil 3D will require its reference. As there is no SDK for Civil 3D, the reference is located [\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2015\C3D] folder:

1. AeccDbMgd.dll – Civil 3D main objects

When you start writing code, it will complain that another reference is missing. Actually our AEC products share some objects, therefore Civil 3D also needs reference to this common DLL located under AutoCAD [\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2015] folder:

1. AecBaseMgd.dll – AEC common objects, not directly used, but required

There are some other references, but those 5 are required, all others are optional and only used on specific features;

By default, Visual Studio will assume the  references are required to run this code and then make a copy of the under the [\bin\] output folder of your .NET project. But, as this addin will load and run inside AutoCAD Civil 3D, the references are already there. So we need to specify the references as ‘Copy Local’ equals false. This is extremely important, otherwise Civil 3D will get confused and start crashing randomly.

Finally it’s time to build, but you’ll see a warning saying: “there was a mismatch between the processor architecture of the project being built”. This is somehow expected as the AutoCAD and Civil 3D references are 64 bit and the .NET project is Any CPU. You can simply ignore this warning or go to project settings and change the ‘Platform target’ to ‘x64’ (64 bit).

Setting up Debug options

Now we’re ready to debug the project. As Civil 3D is running as a configurable AutoCAD, you need to specify a few command line arguments. Actually, the same used on the icon. Below is a sample assuming the default install folder with Metric profile.

That’s it! You should be able to start developing for AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015 with these settings. Next topic, let’s talk about Interop settings.

Snoop Civil 3D 2015 Database (.bundle format)

The Civil 3D 2015 release is available, you can already download from our website and check the new APIs here. Now it’s time for our snoop database tool to be ready, actually I’m glad that the code base is the same, mainly because it’s based on reflection and automatically ‘understand’ changes on methods and properties.

Starting from the code posted here, the new version is ready to download at the link below. Note it still using .NET 4.0 so it can remain compatible with previous release.

Download

Like previous release, just extract the .zip under C:\Users\<your login>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins folder and it will autoload on Civil 3D 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Please note that if you extract under C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins it will not load on 2012 version.

AutoCAD Map 3D 2015 ObjectARX SDK

Those of you, looking for AutoCAD Map 3D 2015 ObjectARX SDK to migrate your custom application, here is the link to download it now - 

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=868205

Thanks!

Infraworks 360 Public Pilot

By Augusto Goncalves

By now, you’re aware and have started using the Infraworks 360, the Autodesk solution to manage larger-scale infrastructure models created from existing data sources and generate proposals and early design concepts more effectively in the context of the built environment.

The main approach is that we can rapidly generate data-rich proposals to better predict how design alternatives may perform in the existing environment. Even more than that, it leverages the power of the cloud to transform the way infrastructure professionals manage big data, create 3D models and collaborate on infrastructure projects.

Collaboration on the cloud

Autodesk InfraWorks 360 Pro’s cloud-based technology provides nearly anywhere, anytime access via desktop or mobile devices for stakeholders to view and/or collaborate on project models.

Taking advantage of this collaboration feature, we’ll start a project to design a full magic and legendary world, using the big data approach, crowdsourcing and all well-known APIs designed by Autodesk and used by the community for years.

About the pilot

As expected, this pilot design project will start with a region that contain all major objects treated by Infraworks 360, including caves, stone trolls and talking forests. The first region will include the black land of Mordor.

Like any project of this nature, it will start by the entry point, the black gate. The servers are already and in place and the first draft ready, as you can see on image below.

(Initial gate model downloaded from here)

Count me in!

I’m sure that by now you are eager to join the Fellowship, indeed the quest is noble and all those with good heart are welcome to try. But first, as usual, there is a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Please be fast to join, the Council of Elrond will meet and select one member of each of the Free People.

More information - FAQ

If you have any questions, please check the following links:

• About the team
• Furniture used – Keep it secret. Keep it safe.
• Details about timing