Autodesk DWF Viewer

[#1]

I'm looking to create an app that would prompt a user to enter floor and desk number and then display the correct floorplan with the matching desk highlighted and zoom in on it.

My only real requirement is that it doesn't require the purchase of any additional software (ie. I could easily do this with AutoCAD and VBA, but every user would require a AutoCAD license).

I'm considering using VB with EV Active-X control, I have 2 yrs experience with AutoCAD and VBA, tying it to excel and access, I think this would be the easiest for me. Although I like the idea ofdoing it with IE, it would be so much more accessible with the corp. intranet, however my html experience is limited to frontpage.

Obviously the users of this forum are vastly more experienced than me, I was curious what your opinions might be. I would think what I'm trying to do would be common. I just wanted to reach out and see if I'm on the right track.

I'm just starting to research the Express Viewer application program interface by my plan is as follows:

Using Acad and VBA modify each flooplan dwg so that each desk number has a rectangle surrounding it and the desk ( I would use the rect. to "highlight"). That rectangle would be on a layer whose name matches the desk number.

Then export the dwg's to dwf

Create a VB form with Bldg #, Floor #, and desk # fields, and the viewer control. Based on the Bldg and Floor #'s I would know what dwf file to load. Based on the desk # input I would turn the corresponding layer. Then have the viewer zoom in on the desk number (this part not sure how to do yet)

AM I on the right track?

I have some floorplans with 700 desks #'s, is there a limit to the number of layers?

When I create the rectangles, could I also save a view with the desk #'s name a later use that to zoom in on the appropriate desk? That could mean as many as 700 named views.

My thanks to anyone who has taken the time to read my long post.

When the user enters the floor number, I would know which d

[#2]

Great, all my carriage returns disappeared in the above post, sorry everyone :{

[#3]

In AutoCAD, you could create a named view for each
desk, then you could specify the view in an URL parameter when opening the
drawing, thereby zooming directly to the desk you wanted.  i.e.
http://myserver.com/mydrawing.dwf?view=joesdesk

style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">

"TimL" <tim_lehotsky> wrote in message
href="news:f153fe0.-1@WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:f153fe0.-1@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...

I'm
looking to create an app that would prompt a user to enter floor and desk
number and then display the correct floorplan with the matching desk
highlighted and zoom in on it.

My only real requirement is that it doesn't require the purchase of any
additional software (ie. I could easily do this with AutoCAD and VBA, but
every user would require a AutoCAD license).

I'm considering using VB with EV Active-X control, I have 2 yrs experience
with AutoCAD and VBA, tying it to excel and access, I think this would be the
easiest for me. Although I like the idea ofdoing it with IE, it would be so
much more accessible with the corp. intranet, however my html experience is
limited to frontpage.

Obviously the users of this forum are vastly more experienced than me, I
was curious what your opinions might be. I would think what I'm trying to do
would be common. I just wanted to reach out and see if I'm on the right track.

I'm just starting to research the Express Viewer application program
interface by my plan is as follows:

Using Acad and VBA modify each flooplan dwg so that each desk number has a
rectangle surrounding it and the desk ( I would use the rect. to "highlight").
That rectangle would be on a layer whose name matches the desk number.

Then export the dwg's to dwf

Create a VB form with Bldg #, Floor #, and desk # fields, and the viewer
control. Based on the Bldg and Floor #'s I would know what dwf file to load.
Based on the desk # input I would turn the corresponding layer. Then have the
viewer zoom in on the desk number (this part not sure how to do yet)

AM I on the right track?

I have some floorplans with 700 desks #'s, is there a limit to the number
of layers?

When I create the rectangles, could I also save a view with the desk #'s
name a later use that to zoom in on the appropriate desk? That could mean as
many as 700 named views.

My thanks to anyone who has taken the time to read my long post.

When the user enters the floor number, I would know which
d

[#4]

Tim -

Unfortunately the HTTP web side of the newsgroups is not allowing
carriage returns to show properly. Messages there show as one
long line that just keeps wrapping. This is a known problem and
scheduled for repair.

If you are able to use the NNTP newsgroup reader side of the
newsgroups, carriage returns show properly.

A user posted this tip on properly spaced lines/paragraphs from
the HTTP side:

Place your text or code between a pair of PRE /PRE html tags:

Line 1

Line 2

Line 3

or

However, if you're faced with one of those posts and want to get
a clearer picture, a quick solution is to view the HTML source.
If you're using another browser the commands might be slightly
different, but for Internet Explorer right-click somewhere on the
message in question and from the popup menu select View Source.
Notepad will open up with the HTML source in it. Press F3 and
search for something unique in the post. You will then see the
message as the originator posted it in plain text.

---
Anne Brown
Manager, Moderator
Autodesk Product Support discussion groups
Discussion Q&A: http://www.autodesk.com/discussion

TimL wrote:
>
> Great, all my carriage returns disappeared in the above post,
> sorry everyone :{