Add-ons for NavisWorks?

[david.kingham]

There seems to be a lot of potential for taking advantage of the API in NavisWorks to build external applications as mentioned here https://customer.navisworks.com/slxweb/portal/portalResourcesAPI.php
But does anyone know of anything that has already been developed?
I haven't been able to find anything.

[dgorsman]

Nothing offhand; as CAD Admin, I genernally don't have the hours to put into that sort of thing which is a shame. Theres a few things I'd really like to do.

Something that I *have* done is create a little stand-alone DOS-box application in VB.NET that keeps an eye on a network folder so when certain file types are copied in, it calls Roamer via the command line with arguments to convert the file to NWD format. Another thing I've looked into is using a Navisworks control in a Word document as a "JPEG on crack" image replacement. Worked well, but hasn't gotten beyond just figuring it out.

[dtownsend]

I built an application using the ActiveX control. Basically just embedded into an application and duplicated most of the navisworks navigation tools and was able to make it select certain items based off layer name and was able to get the layer name of an object that was selected.

It has some potential...just needs better documentation

[spadaro]

hi,
together with a friends in England (he is developing sw) we sell an API application , called Surveyor, able to gengerate Materil Take OFf from navisworks writing all information (properties) directly into an excel sheet.
Further we have a script able to generate the NWD and NWF in a batch mode

bye
mauro

[steve.perkio]

Wouldn't your software be better utilized in Autocad?

Revit seems to do all of this on its own.

Cad is the lacking creature here.

Perk

[Aaron.Wright]

A "surveyor" or report generated from the Find Items Search would be extremely important. Or at least know a certain number of items found or contained during a search or selection. Does anyone know if something close to this exists now?

[mitch.cornelius]

The properties tab will show the number of items selected in a search.

[Aaron.Wright]

Yes? Cool. But would you be able to report on that, i.e. "Send to Excel"? Thanks, Mitch.

[mitch.cornelius]

Not that I know of, but I could see the benefit. Maybe a "report number of items in each search set" function?

[rick.hall]

I built an application using the ActiveX control. Basically just embedded into an application and duplicated most of the navisworks navigation tools and was able to make it select certain items based off layer name and was able to get the layer name of an object that was selected.

It has some potential...just needs better documentation

My company (see www.arkitectonix.com) has been recently established specifically to develop add-ons for NavisWorks. We have detailed knowledge of NavisWorks API functionality and the first 'product' we have developed is called Surveyor. This enables the user to produce Excel reports based on object properties associated with Search and Selection Sets. We are also developing other add-ons and would welcome enquiries from users with needs or just ideas for add-ons.

[rick.hall]

My company (see www.arkitectonix.com) has been recently established specifically to develop add-ons for NavisWorks. We have detailed knowledge of NavisWorks API functionality and the first 'product' we have developed is called Surveyor (see Spadaro in thread). This enables the user to produce Excel reports based on object properties associated with Search and Selection Sets. We are also developing other add-ons and would welcome enquiries from users with needs or just ideas for add-ons.

[madebr]

Rick,

This is really what we need as an EPCm contractor, but also as plant owner.
Some cases:
You get a SPR file from a turn key contractor: You can view this in Navisworks, incl. PDS data, but now you can also create complete MTO yourself of your as-built model, without having to implement PDS.

A constructor can just make a selection of his daily workload, so he can run an MTO for the work of the day, and he can go to the ware house with a list of materials he needs that day.

You can run a material list of all lines that need periodic inspections, e.g. for corrosion.

You can make as a plant owner a list of all bronze valves in your cooling water system you want to replace by decent Frost-proof valves...

So yes Rick, after the wheel and the combustion engine, this is next one on my list! :-))

Marc

[harrymckinney]

I'm not sure if this is what you are asking, but ArtrA Archiver is built around the Navisworks Freedom Viewer and is used to attach documents and design data to model objects for use as a Facility Maintenance software. It is distributed by AEC Design Group.

[ian.205287]

I'm not sure if this is what you are asking, but ArtrA Archiver is built around the Navisworks Freedom Viewer and is used to attach documents and design data to model objects for use as a Facility Maintenance software. It is distributed by AEC Design Group.
Just to clear up a couple of things.

When you install Freedom, you accept as part of the license that you will not attempt to use the NavisWorks Freedom activeX control yourself. The same applies to the full Roamer control, whatever name it may now be marketed under.

Artra has used the licensed activeX control since version 1.4 (I think), so for around 5 or 6 years now. Although you can get this from our website, Artra is a data and asset management solution based around NavisWorks models, in use in the construction and petro-chemical industries. It has produced lists of materials for 5 years.

Ian

[ndar]

Hi Aaron,

Arkitectonix (.com) have just released Surveyor v2 for NaviWorks. It runs under NW v5.x, v2009.x and v2010. It is localised in various languages (we handled the French).

We work with NW in various industries and countries and I welcome all correspondence on this and related subjects.

cheers

nick



A "surveyor" or report generated from the Find Items Search would be extremely important. Or at least know a certain number of items found or contained during a search or selection. Does anyone know if something close to this exists now?

[ndar]

Madebr,

you may or may not know that Surveyor v2 for N v5.x, v2009.x and v2010 has been released.

Surveyor has been localised in various languages (we did the French).

Be happy to take your order or point you towards a clooeague - what do you do and where are you ?

Thanks,

nick

www.ndar.com, France




Rick,

This is really what we need as an EPCm contractor, but also as plant owner.
Some cases:
You get a SPR file from a turn key contractor: You can view this in Navisworks, incl. PDS data, but now you can also create complete MTO yourself of your as-built model, without having to implement PDS.

A constructor can just make a selection of his daily workload, so he can run an MTO for the work of the day, and he can go to the ware house with a list of materials he needs that day.

You can run a material list of all lines that need periodic inspections, e.g. for corrosion.

You can make as a plant owner a list of all bronze valves in your cooling water system you want to replace by decent Frost-proof valves...

So yes Rick, after the wheel and the combustion engine, this is next one on my list! :-))

Marc

[jeglet]

The same applies to the full Roamer control, whatever name it may now be marketed under.
Ian

I don't think that sounds quite right, since you can distribute an ActiveX control for use through a website and stream your NWD files through that. But it is limited to Freedom type functionality, perhaps that was your point?

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=12268784&linkID=10382102 refers to a fix of a problem in doing this, so looks like it's all ok and legal!

I did a bit of a hunt to see if anyone was actually using this, but couldn't find any examples.

[ndar]

jeglet, ian.205287 :

we started reselling NW in 2000, and the activeX has always supplied for free to anyone wishing to use it, no restrictions. In fact, customers with programming skills and resources are encouraged to use it. Autodesk continue to endorse this policy.

[rick.hall]

There seems to be a lot of potential for taking advantage of the API in NavisWorks to build external applications as mentioned here https://customer.navisworks.com/slxweb/portal/portalResourcesAPI.php
But does anyone know of anything that has already been developed?
I haven't been able to find anything.

My company specialises in developing API plug-ins to NavisWorks. We have just released Surveyor v2 plug-in for NavisWorks. This allows users to create Excel reports based on Property data from elements contained in Search and Selection Sets. Please refer to www.arkitectonix.com where an evaluation version of Surveyor can be downloaded.

[ian.205287]

jeglet, ian.205287 :

we started reselling NW in 2000, and the activeX has always supplied for free to anyone wishing to use it, no restrictions. In fact, customers with programming skills and resources are encouraged to use it. Autodesk continue to endorse this policy.

As a matter of interest, which ActiveX? There are 3, the "Roamer", "Freedom" and "3rd Party", We pay Autodesk a lot of money for each installation of the "3rd Party" ActiveX, which has to be licensed separately, so I should probably object if others are allowed to distribute it free.

[itssoftmech]

Is lite ActiveX control not available in Navisworks 2012?

A.G

[lawson]

We have been developing specialized Navisworks add-ons for the mining industry here in Australia for several years with a lot of success in assisting at the design, construction and facilities management levels. We commercialized it into a product called 'iConstruct' about 2 years ago and have had good success on site and much interest from the industry here.

The product allows reports to be extracted from the Navisworks models, colour-coded schedules, custom view reports with properties, audit tools as well as tools to ensure models from several disciplines match the same 'BIM model specification' which we have found is critical to working on large projects.

For further info please see www.iconstruct.com - the website does need updating though as iConstruct 2011 was released a couple of weeks ago with many new features.

Later in the year we expect to release a 'Center of Gravity' module as well as an 'automated BOM on view report' module which is currently in the final stages of development.

Regards,

Rob Lawson

[aroberts415908]

Just to clear up a couple of things.

When you install Freedom, you accept as part of the license that you will not attempt to use the NavisWorks Freedom activeX control yourself. The same applies to the full Roamer control, whatever name it may now be marketed under.

Artra has used the licensed activeX control since version 1.4 (I think), so for around 5 or 6 years now. Although you can get this from our website, Artra is a data and asset management solution based around NavisWorks models, in use in the construction and petro-chemical industries. It has produced lists of materials for 5 years.

Ian


As a matter of interest, which ActiveX? There are 3, the "Roamer", "Freedom" and "3rd Party", We pay Autodesk a lot of money for each installation of the "3rd Party" ActiveX, which has to be licensed separately, so I should probably object if others are allowed to distribute it free.

I have been told that the OEM Version is currently not commercially available for NW Manage 2012 and 2011.
Also, the Distributable ActiveX Viewer has limited functionality, so you don't get the Find/Search functions.

I really need to get hold of a licensed ActiveX control like Artra and ian.205287 have, and don't mind if I pay a lot of money to AutoDesk for each client install.
I have been emailing AutoDesk back and forth for months and have got nowhere in finding out how I can achieve this task.

How do I go about this? Do I need to purchase NW 2007 or something?
I have had months of frustration getting nowhere. I hope that someone on this forum can help me..