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Big problem with InfraWorks 360 2017

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Message 1 of 19
Boxer666
1964 Views, 18 Replies

Big problem with InfraWorks 360 2017

Hello,

 

We are using several Autodesk products and a month ago we started trying Autodesk Infraworks 360 2017 (LT version).

 

We are doing a visualisations with Infraworks for our autocad civil 3d models.

 

Test visualisation is ready and looks really good, however now we seem to have a problem.

 

Do I understand correctly, that currently we can show this to our customer when we share this project over the autodesk cloud (collaboration group etc) so that the customer could view it with Infraworks viewer? The problem with that however is that once we finish the visualisation project, we would like to hand over the end product (visualisation + other project related items) to the customer, so that they could view it whenever they need - be that half a year or 2 years later. As we were able to find out, we have limited space in the Autodesk cloud, meaning we would have to remove the project from there, once the project ends. Also our customer would like to use the Infraworks project with infraworks viewer without being attached to our shared project..

 

Currently it seems that the viewer can only open projects that have been shared over the Autodesk Cloud (collaboration group) (ie no way to open the Infraworks file locally)

 

We were considering to purchase the Infraworks 360 2017 license, but in case there is no solution to the above problem (the customer cannot view the project whenever they need, as the project files etc cannot be handed over physically and cannot be opened locally ), our customer would not agree to such solution.

 

Is there any way that our customer could open the infraworks project locally without being dependent of the shared project in the Autodesk cloud?

 

Best Regards,

 

Kristjan

 

 

 

 

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18 REPLIES 18
Message 2 of 19
Nicola_Ianeselli
in reply to: Boxer666

Hi @Boxer666,

 

if I understand correctly, at the end, your final request is how to share the model you have twice a year to give them the possibility to check the progress and the status, correct?

 

First, there is no an official Infraworks viewer, as @elliott.rosenfeld and @Karsten.Saenger mentioned in one of the previous articles but there are workarounds: http://autodesk.typepad.com/bimagination/2016/04/download-and-use-infraworks-360-in-presenter-mode-f...

 

The other way you can share the model with them is to create a package for the project and share it with them.

 

Infraworks uses a .sqlite format.

 

If you go here: 

 

\Users\xXxXxXx\Documents\Autodesk InfraWorks Models\Autodesk 360

 

you will find a lot of folders containing all your projects, locally. If you make a package of your project, you can share it with anybody (this package won't be connected to the cloud but it will represent the snapshot of the latest work you did)

 

At your disposal for any other clarification.

 

 

Nicola Ianeselli
BIM Manager

Twitter | LinkedIn

Infraworks Ambassador

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Message 3 of 19
Boxer666
in reply to: Nicola_Ianeselli

Dear Nicola,

 

Thank you for your answer, however i think it was not exactly what I had in mind.

 

We understood that if the trial version of infraworks expires it will switch into "viewer mode" i believe that this is the presenter mode you mentioned.

 

The question was that as our customer only orders few projects from us and they will not buy themselves a infraworks license therefor they would need a way to open the infraworks model in presenter mode.

 

As we tried it with the infraworks model in a so called "viewer mode / presenter mode" (the evaluation of infraworks had expired) it was not possible to open local infraworks model there (as customer has no infraworks license they only have the infraworks in presenter mode and therefor can only open models that are shared via the autodesk cloud).

 

So the question would be is there any way to open infraworks model locally if you do not have infraworks license. (infraworks is in presentere mode)

 

Best Regards,

 

Kristjan

Message 4 of 19
Nicola_Ianeselli
in reply to: Boxer666

Hi Kristjan,

 

yes! now i got it! I am sorry!

Well the possibility is there if you can share the package with the client.

They do not need to buy a subscription and still can see the model.

 

You need to create a .rar / .zip file (or any other compressing tool) in order to unify all the file from one project. 

Basically to put the .sqlite file together with all the rest of the project and send it (or share it) in any way you find yourself comfortable with.

 

See attached image. All of them has to be together and shared with the client

 

Nicola Ianeselli
BIM Manager

Twitter | LinkedIn

Infraworks Ambassador

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Message 5 of 19
Boxer666
in reply to: Nicola_Ianeselli

Heya Nicola,

 

unless I am mistaken we tried it this way:

 

one of our employees had infraworks evaluation version that wad expired (presentation mode i believe)

after that I gave that user a package with project.files and project.sqlite

The user then tried to open the project via double clicking on project.sqlite, the infraworks program opened, but the model did not open (only infraworks example projects were visible)

After that we tried to find open button to some way open the project.sqlite file through the program, but it seems that this option does not exist ie the local project cannot be opened.

 

There for we are puzzled as of how the project can be opened in case you do not have the license for infraworks, or are we doing something wrong

 

Best Regards,

 

Kristjan 

Message 6 of 19
Nicola_Ianeselli
in reply to: Boxer666

Hey Kristjan,

 

so you do not have anything like the image attached?

 

Not even the plus symbol, correct? The other thing that you may do is to open Infraworks in presentation/view mode and drag&drop the file .sqlite.

 

I will look into that.

 

Nicola Ianeselli
BIM Manager

Twitter | LinkedIn

Infraworks Ambassador

Was this answer helpful? If so, please click the ACCEPT AS SOLUTION or the KUDO button

 

Message 7 of 19

@Boxer666 you are correct. The "viewer mode" version of InfraWorks 360 can only open projects that are shared via the InfraWorks 360 cloud services. There is no way for the "viewer mode" version to open locally stored InfraWorks 360 models.

 

You could always turn over the model files to your client and if they need to access the files in the future, they could sign up for a 1-month subscription of InfraWorks 360 fairly inexpensively.

 

Or, perhaps you could export your InfraWorks 360 model to more universal format such as FBX so that they could open it with a number of products.

 



Eric Chappell
Message 8 of 19
Boxer666
in reply to: Eric_Chappell

Dear Eric,

 

Thank you for your reply.

 

We will try the FBX format.

 

I am afraid form the customers perspective, purchasing monthly subscription will be out of question for several reasons:

 

Larger projects may take several years, therefor they would have to use the model quite frequently and would have to subscribe quite often then, and they will not accept any extra costs.

 

Some customers are not even happy with the need to download a viewer, but at least they can be convinced to do that eventually, but they also will not buy a subscription.

 

We know also other companies that have wondered about the same problem.

 

All in all we really like the Infraworks and features it offers, but the lack of official infraworks viewer is a big problem for us, so it would be really great if autodesk could perhaps add such functionality to the infraworks (either separate viewer for infraworks models, or possibility to also open local infraworks models when the infraworks is in presentation mode.)

 

Best Regards,

 

Kristjan

 

 

Message 9 of 19
Nicola_Ianeselli
in reply to: Boxer666

Hey Kristjan,

 

Eric is correct. If I were you I would export the portion of the model in FBX.

 

I will load it into Navisworks, and then save or publish an .Nwd file, which can be sent to the client.

 

And the client can have Navisworks Freedom for free:

http://www.autodesk.com/products/navisworks/autodesk-navisworks-freedom and convince the client to install the product again.

 

Nicola Ianeselli
BIM Manager

Twitter | LinkedIn

Infraworks Ambassador

Was this answer helpful? If so, please click the ACCEPT AS SOLUTION or the KUDO button

 

 

Message 10 of 19
Boxer666
in reply to: Nicola_Ianeselli

Thank you Nicola and also Eric for the help,

 

We will give it a try.

 

It is just very unfortunate that such easy yet needed functionality is being restricted in such a way.

 

Best Regards,

 

Kristjan

Message 11 of 19
Nicola_Ianeselli
in reply to: Boxer666

I agree with you Kristjan,

 

based on your suggestion I put an Idea on the Idea station. I put your name onto it.

 

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/infraworks-360-ideas/presenter-mode-to-be-enabled/idi-p/6787609

 

If we receive enough support they will implement it.

 

Thank you very much @Boxer666.

 

Best regards

Nicola

Message 12 of 19
Boxer666
in reply to: Nicola_Ianeselli

Much appreciated Nicola, let us hope this idea takes flight.

 

And also big thanks for the advice @Nicola_Ianeselli

 

Best Regards,

 

Kristjan

Message 13 of 19
Boxer666
in reply to: Nicola_Ianeselli

Dear @Nicola_Ianeselli

 

We tried to export the model from IW360 to .FBX format, but as the model we have is quite large, the IW360 crashed.

 

Then we tried to export parts of the model to .FBX, it worked, but when i open them in Navisworks (append) then they are not in the correct coordinate system ie they are all lapping each other and not in the position they should be.

 

Any ideas what could be done about it?

 

Best Regards,

 

Kristjan 

Message 14 of 19
Nicola_Ianeselli
in reply to: Boxer666

Good morning @Boxer666,

 

unluckily the .FBX export is something huge. When I do that, and I have pretty big models, the output is something gigantic.

 

I have .FBX models that are more than 1.5 GB.

You did good at dividing the model into parts. Another suggestion may be to save the coordinates you are dividing the model into, so that you will have the exact matching between all of your parts.

 

Back to business:

 

The big difference between the two programs (InfraWorks and NavisWorks) is that InfraWorks is a GIS based software, while Navisworks isn't.

It basically works in "global" coordinates (and with "global" I mean the fact that they work on their own, but you are just measuring feet or meters from 0,0,0)

 

I can go deeper into this if needed, tell me if it is clear up to this point.

 

At your disposal

Happy week

 

 

 

Nicola Ianeselli
BIM Manager

Twitter | LinkedIn

Infraworks Ambassador

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Message 15 of 19
Nicola_Ianeselli
in reply to: Boxer666

Hi @Boxer666,

 

maybe this will help you and the people working with you:

 

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/infraworks-360/learn-explore/caas/screencast/Main/Details/6ec...

 

Nicola Ianeselli
BIM Manager

Twitter | LinkedIn

Infraworks Ambassador

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Message 16 of 19
Boxer666
in reply to: Nicola_Ianeselli

Much appreciated @Nicola_Ianeselli

 

We discovered the coordinates issue as well.

 

Now second questions has risen:

 

We have done some animations onto the IW model (moving cars on the motorway - created in 3D Studio max and imported to IW), is it in any way possible to export also those to Navisworks?


Best Regards,

 

Kristjan

Message 17 of 19
Nicola_Ianeselli
in reply to: Boxer666

My friend @Boxer666,

 

you can export the animation to an .Avi file or other video format.

 

You can export the storyboard for the interaction with other programs. Unluckily Navisworks is not one of this.

 

You can post is in the Idea station, since i saw that you are becoming familiar with that (and I can provide support doing that if needed)

 

At your disposal

 

Nicola Ianeselli
BIM Manager

Twitter | LinkedIn

Infraworks Ambassador

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Message 18 of 19

And maybe you should start another thread regarding this issue, @Boxer666.

 

So that people can follow up with that, since the previous was covered.

 

Nicola Ianeselli
BIM Manager

Twitter | LinkedIn

Infraworks Ambassador

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Message 19 of 19
Carrillof
in reply to: Boxer666

Did you try .obj format? That format can try.

Within Infraworks also allows you to use .obj and .dae everything goes according to the format you require

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