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Navisworks Active-X / Web-Plugin

6 REPLIES 6
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Message 1 of 7
cyoung
6666 Views, 6 Replies

Navisworks Active-X / Web-Plugin

I know there was an active-x controle released in 2009 that enabled viewing navisworks models in an embeded web-page viewer, however it is my understanding that this plug-in was quickly abandoned and no longer supported. Has there been any talk with the new 2012 suite of a newer version or anything similar in the works? This tool would be an outstanding resource for our clients (some of them have no idea how to download and install freedom viewer and walking them through it is beyond painful...) and in-house as well (similar issues with some of our less techonologically inclined personnel...) if we could get something fully operational and significantly more user friendly than the original. i've worked with it to an extent and was able to get it functioning for a short while, but to see that the previous release was a bit buggy is an understatement. also had tons of problems trying to use relative paths - a nightmare. if anyone knows of anything out there already or in the works it would be much appreciated!

 

thanks!

--

cyoung

6 REPLIES 6
Message 2 of 7
adam.nagy
in reply to: cyoung

Hi there,

 

Before 2012 there were two redistributable controls: Lite (lcodieS.dll) and Full (lcodieDX.dll)

Since 2012 there is a single redistributable control: Redistributable (lcodieDX.dll )

 

They can be used inside a web page as well and you can find a sample about that in the api folder:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2011\api\COM\examples\ACTX_01\ACTX_01.html

 

Please have a look at it.

 

Cheers,

Adam Nagy

Autodesk Developer Network

 

 



Adam Nagy
Autodesk Platform Services
Message 3 of 7
bbrown
in reply to: adam.nagy

What are the limitations of the ActiveX api? Are all the functions in the "Navisworks 9.0 COM API Reference" available to the Active-X control? Is there a list of what is and isn't supported?

Message 4 of 7
xiaodong_liang
in reply to: bbrown

Hi,

 

In 2012, we provide two types of ActiveX controls:

 

Navisworks Integrated API Library 9

This is the version known as ‘Dynamic control’ before 2012. It relies on the main product installation. No 32-bit is supported on 64-bit OS. It has two sub-types of controls:
• "Navisworks Integrated Control 9 SDI" : single instance use only
• "Navisworks Integrated Control 9 MDI" : multiple instance support, no plug-ins or textures

 

Navisworks Redistributable API Library 9
This is the version known as the ‘Full Control’before 2012. By default, this control is installed with product. A standalone installer (Navisworks ActiveX Redistributable Setup.exe) is also provided in \api\COM\bin. Similar to the integrated API library, it has two sub-types of controls:
• "Navisworks Redistributable Control 9 SDI" : single instance use only
• "Navisworks Redistributable Control 9 MDI" : multiple instance support, no plug-ins or textures

 

With Integrated control, you can have all supported COM API. With Redistributable control, not all COM API are supported. It has only some basic abilities of viewer.

 

Please refer to <NW Installation Path>\api\COM\Documentation\NavisworksCOM.pdf.

 

 

Best regards,

 
autodesk_logo_signature.png

Xiaodong Liang

Developer Consultant

Autodesk Developer Technical Services

Message 5 of 7
cyoung
in reply to: adam.nagy

alright, so ive been trying to get this thing to work for a while now and im having no luck.

I can code all of the elements in the webpage just fine, i see from your example how you guys were getting it work.

however the problem i am having now is that i cant get the active-x redistributable to install properly. it wont even run the example html that you listen in your comments. i just get a tiny white box in the middle of the screen.

ive verified the location of all the files involved within your file structure and the html code, all check out.

ive run the install over and over again, tried uninstalling, reinstalling, installing as admin (which is definitely not the preferred method here, my clients are completely computer illiterate) and i cant seem to ever get the active x to run.

 

what do you suggest? is there an updated version of the redistributable install floating around somewhere?

 

i followed your instructions exactly, found everything right where you said it would be, but i just cannot get the thing to ever work.

 

help?

Message 6 of 7
cyoung
in reply to: xiaodong_liang

alright, so ive been trying to get this thing to work for a while now and im having no luck.

I can code all of the elements in the webpage just fine, i see from your example how you guys were getting it work.

however the problem i am having now is that i cant get the active-x redistributable to install properly. it wont even run the example html that you listen in your comments. i just get a tiny white box in the middle of the screen.

ive verified the location of all the files involved within your file structure and the html code, all check out.

ive run the install over and over again, tried uninstalling, reinstalling, installing as admin (which is definitely not the preferred method here, my clients are completely computer illiterate) and i cant seem to ever get the active x to run.

 

what do you suggest? is there an updated version of the redistributable install floating around somewhere?

 

i followed your instructions exactly, found everything right where you said it would be, but i just cannot get the thing to ever work.

 

help?

 

--

 

Does anyone have any suggestions at all???

Message 7 of 7
mdesksmartin
in reply to: cyoung

i was having a similar problem running the NavisWorks 2012 COM API example that demonstrates embedding the ActiveX in an HTML page (path in the API files "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2012\api\COM\examples\ACTX_01").

 

my machine is Win7, 64-bit and i have NavisWorks 2012 64-bit installed.

 

when i would open the HTML page in IE 8, the following would happen:

  • information bar shows up saying that ActiveX was blocked, would i like to continue
  • after telling it to continue, it would run the "Navisworks ActiveX Redistributable Setup.exe" indicated in the CODEBASE attribute in the HTML source
  • after the installation compeleted, if i hit CTRL+F5 to reload the page, the same exact process would repeat

the way i got it to work on my machine was to run IE 8 64-bit (shows up in the start menu as "Internet Explorer (64-bit)").  when i did that, the ActiveX showed up on the page and the little gatehouse was displayed.

 

a few observations in general:

  • the HTML file example (ACTX_01) references what they're calling the "integrated API library" or "integrated control".  what is means is that it doesn't rely on the redistributable being installed so you should be able to open the HTML file in IE (64 bit if you have a 64 bit OS) WITHOUT running the redistributable EXE on your machine (provided that you have NavisWorks installed).  this is a bit misleading if you're trying to test the features of the redistributable version of the control.
  • also, if you copy the ACTX_01.html file, the "gatehouse.nwd" file, and the "Navisworks ActiveX Redistributable Setup.exe"  to a "clean" machine" (no navisworks installed) the sample won't run.  why?  because the html page references the "integrated" activex which is only installed with full navisworks.  if you want to use the sample on a clean machine, you need to go into the HTML source and change the CLASSID attribute to "CLASSID="CLSID:C95D02DF-BFEE-4F17-9AC6-150451A0B141".

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