topic Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ? in Navisworks API Forum

How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

glib.vedmedenkoTNJYP — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 10:14:48 GMT

Hi, I tried to save a screenshot from each saved viewpoint, so my workflow is as follows:
1. Iterate all saved viewpoints.
2. By reflection, I get the Viewpoint object in the SavedItem
3. Then I call CopyViewpointFrom() on my ActiveView.
4. Now I can call GenerateImage() from ActiveView to save a screenshot of my saved viewpoint.

So here I have a problem, I got my screenshot, but without the redlines. ActiveView.GetRedLines() function returns empty data and I found that SavedItem got LcOpRedlineList and here I got my redlines, but I can't convert it to string because the single function to set the redlines ActiveView.SetRedlines(string data) has string field in the argument. Is there a way to set red lines for an ActiveView that has been changed ? Thank you in advance

Here is my code:

PropertyInfo viewProperty = savedItem.GetType().GetProperty("Viewpoint"); PropertyInfo red = savedItem.GetType().GetProperty("Redlines"); object view = viewProperty.GetValue(savedItem, null); object reds = red.GetValue(savedItem, null); Viewpoint iteratedSavedViewPoint = (Viewpoint)view; LcOpRedlineList rr = (LcOpRedlineList)reds; // How to use it ? Application.ActiveDocument.ActiveView.CopyViewpointFrom(iteratedSavedViewPoint, ViewChange.JumpCut); Autodesk.Navisworks.Api.View currentView = Application.ActiveDocument.ActiveView; string redLines = currentView.GetRedlines(); // I got empty data here Bitmap bmp = Application.ActiveDocument.ActiveView.GenerateImage(ImageGenerationStyle.ScenePlusOverlay, currentView.Width, currentView.Height);

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

naveen.kumar.t — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 07:47:23 GMT

Hi @glib.vedmedenkoTNJYP ,

Are you able to reproduce the same issue in Navisworks UI manually (Without using API)?

By following the above-mentioned steps, can you reproduce the issue in Navisworks UI?

As far as I know, If the Navisworks UI doesn't support this functionality, then API probably won't support it either.

If you are able to achieve the functionality you want in Navisworks UI but not via API, then please let me know.

I am waiting for your response.

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

glib.vedmedenkoTNJYP — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 09:30:42 GMT

Hi @naveen.kumar.t
Yes, I can reproduce it with "Export Viewpoints Report ".

It will export each viewpoint screenshot with Redlines.

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

naveen.kumar.t — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 08:37:26 GMT

Hi @glib.vedmedenkoTNJYP ,

I have already raised your issue to the Navisworks Engineering team but I haven't received any response from them yet. I will let you know as soon as I receive a response from them.

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

naveen.kumar.t — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 10:40:35 GMT

Hi @glib.vedmedenkoTNJYP ,

The Engineering team said that they are not sure why it didn't work.

The Engineering team added that there might be newer APIs in NW 2022 and NW 2023 that let you do this.

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

glib.vedmedenkoTNJYP — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 12:40:38 GMT

Hi @naveen.kumar.t, thanks for the reply
I am currently using NW 2022, what features can help me with this ?

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

naveen.kumar.t — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 09:32:21 GMT

Hi @glib.vedmedenkoTNJYP ,

I used these 2 sample codes. These 2 sample codes are working fine for me in NW 2022. I am able to export the images with redlines.

private void ExportViewPointAsImage(Document doc) { string pngFilepath = @".....\ImagePng.png"; SavedItem viewPt = doc.SavedViewpoints.CurrentSavedViewpoint; string currentViewPtName = viewPt.DisplayName; //Get COM STATE InwOpState10 state = ComApiBridge.State; //Get Image Export Plugin InwOaPropertyVec options = state.GetIOPluginOptions("lcodpimage"); //Set PNG Image Format foreach(InwOaProperty property in options.Properties()) { if(property.name=="export.image.format") { property.value = "lcodpexpng"; } } state.DriveIOPlugin("lcodpimage", pngFilepath, options); }

public void ExportViewPointAsImage() { string path = @"....\ImageJpg.jpg"; Autodesk.Navisworks.Api.View currentView = Application.ActiveDocument.ActiveView; Bitmap bmp = Application.ActiveDocument.ActiveView.GenerateImage(ImageGenerationStyle.ScenePlusOverlay, currentView.Width, currentView.Height); bmp.Save(path); }

Could you please try and let me know.

When I first try the GenerateImage(), the images are exported without the redlines. Now I tested it again, GenerateImage() is working fine for me.

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

glib.vedmedenkoTNJYP — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 16:31:44 GMT

Hi @naveen.kumar.t

Thanks, I tried your samples and the first one takes a screenshot much faster than mine.

The problem is that it only gets Redlines once and if they are contained in your ActiveView.

But if you want to take all saved viewpoints that won't work, the function will always export the same image.
So for this I use: Application.ActiveDocument.ActiveView.CopyViewpointFrom(iteratedSavedViewPoint,ViewChange.JumpCut) .
This feature allows me to move the camera to the next viewpoint and take a screenshot after that, but it doesn't capture the red lines.

I noticed that Redlines only activates if you click on a viewpoint in the "Saved Viewpoints Window".
Like in the screenshots below: 1. Clicked and selected. 2. Same camera position but deselected

Clicked and SelectedSame camera position but deselected

So the question is how to invoke the selection to display Redlines for each saved viewpoint ?

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

naveen.kumar.t — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 09:53:29 GMT

As far as I understood, let's say you have a redline in ViewPoint A. When you export ViewPoint A, redlines are visible.

Now you are trying to move your viewpoint(i.e)Camera from one place to another, Redlines will disappear and now when you try to export viewpoint, redlines won't be visible in the exported viewpoint.

Your question is how to invoke the selection to display Redlines for each saved viewpoint?

RedLines are created in a view and the view with the redlines is saved as a viewpoint. The viewpoints are snapshots(2D image of a 3D drawing) taken of the model as it is displayed in the Scene View. The scene view is the area where you view and interact with the 3D model. Since the RedLines are created in the Viewpoint(2D image), when you move your camera to the next viewpoint, the red lines will not be visible in the new viewpoint.

Also, Redlines are associated with a Viewpoint. Once you deselect that Viewpoint, all data associated with it also goes (e.g. comments, redlines, etc.)

We just keep the camera where it is because there isn't anything else sensible to do. So that's just how NW works.

Also, FYI, GenerateImage is preferred to export views with redlines. NW Engineering team said they wouldn't recommend using the old COM approach.

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

glib.vedmedenkoTNJYP — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 11:08:24 GMT

Hi @naveen.kumar.t,
Thank you for your answer.

Yes, that's right, I have a redline in my ActiveView if a viewpoint is selected.
So GenerateImage works and exports a screenshot with redlines.

But when I change the ActiveView using the CopyViewpointFrom API function, the new viewpoint does not contain redlines, and so the GenerateImage function takes a screenshot of the current camera position without redlines.

So in this way, I'm looking for API functions that will allow me to find overlays for an ActiveView that has been changed programmatically.

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

glib.vedmedenkoTNJYP — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 23:40:51 GMT

@naveen.kumar.t

I found the solution! Instead of changing ActiveView, I should use Application.ActiveDocument.SavedViewpoints.CurrentSavedViewpoint. So this code allows you to jump to the saved viewpoint and display the Redline.

SavedViewpoint iteratedView = savedItem as SavedViewpoint; SavedViewpoint current = Application.ActiveDocument.SavedViewpoints.CurrentSavedViewpoint as SavedViewpoint; Application.ActiveDocument.SavedViewpoints.CurrentSavedViewpoint = iteratedView;

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

alexisDVJML — Thu, 04 May 2023 12:15:14 GMT

Quick question:
When this View.GenerateImage was added to the API?
Can't find it in NW2020 😉

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

naveen.kumar.t — Thu, 04 May 2023 12:34:03 GMT

Hi @alexisDVJML ,

There is no GenerateImage in NW 2020. This method is available from NW 2021.

Please take a look at this below link

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/navisworks-api/export-viewpoint-image/td-p/9539353

Re: How to define Redlines for an ActiveView that has been changed ?

alexisDVJML — Fri, 05 May 2023 15:43:27 GMT

Thanks!