3D Annotations from Inventor DWF Assembly, Not Visible with Autodesk Web Viewer

[petestrycharske]

All,

Good afternoon!  I've run into a bit of a snag with a customer project and I'm not sure what the issue is.  Instead of typing out a long, drawn out explanation, I've included a video below, to explain my situation.  Basically we want the 3D annotations to display with the online viewer and be controlled similarly to Design Review.  Please let me know if you have any questions or any solutions.  Thanks for the help and have a most blessed day!

Peace,
Pete

[petestrycharske]

All,

Good afternoon!  I've run into a bit of a snag with a customer project and I'm not sure what the issue is.  Instead of typing out a long, drawn out explanation, I've included a video below, to explain my situation.  Basically we want the 3D annotations to display with the online viewer and be controlled similarly to Design Review.  Please let me know if you have any questions or any solutions.  Thanks for the help and have a most blessed day!

Peace,
Pete

[steveh3]

Pete...I think we ran into same issue. I have a note that it was fixed in 2023 ADMS. You also have to toggle on a couple of settings in the viewer. They are off by default....

Now...keep in mind...I pretty sure if you clear your cache in your browser, it will go back to default.

May have to change your background too.  Symbols text look a little more greyish than I remember.

Here's what we are seeing.....

Here's a running list of wishes on Idea station...please vote up!!!

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/vault-ideas/autodesk-viewer-requests-from-production-floor/idc-p/1179...

HTH,

SteveH.

[steveh3]

Pete...I think we ran into same issue. I have a note that it was fixed in 2023 ADMS. You also have to toggle on a couple of settings in the viewer. They are off by default....

Now...keep in mind...I pretty sure if you clear your cache in your browser, it will go back to default.

May have to change your background too.  Symbols text look a little more greyish than I remember.

Here's what we are seeing.....

Here's a running list of wishes on Idea station...please vote up!!!

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/vault-ideas/autodesk-viewer-requests-from-production-floor/idc-p/1179...

HTH,

SteveH.

[petestrycharske]

@steveh3, thanks for the tip!  I see that you are using 3D weld symbols, can you verify if 3D dimensions display?  I could not view those on my side, even with the settings adjustments that you suggested, along with changing the background.  

Also, they're not using Vault currently, just exporting the models as DWFx files directly from Inventor.  Would that make any difference?  Appreciate the help and have a most blessed day!

Peace,

Pete

[petestrycharske]

@steveh3, thanks for the tip!  I see that you are using 3D weld symbols, can you verify if 3D dimensions display?  I could not view those on my side, even with the settings adjustments that you suggested, along with changing the background.  

Also, they're not using Vault currently, just exporting the models as DWFx files directly from Inventor.  Would that make any difference?  Appreciate the help and have a most blessed day!

Peace,

Pete

[steveh3]

Pete..

As for dimensions...Yes...

So...you are emailing the dwfx and just opening in a browser? I haven't played with that in awhile. From my memory, I struggled with that emailing concept. It's like printing....as soon as you print it, it's a copy and potentially old. 

As for you comment about 3D welds....we are toying around with 3D welds and dimensions as a proof of concept. Not active in production!!!! Doing that would be a culture change for all. It' like us moving from 2D to 3D CAD. Making that same switch in production where go from reading a 2D print to putting all data in 3D is a major shift.

Does it make sense to not have a 2D print, YES!

Is it do-able? It's close...

Will production allow us to make the switch.....Eventually it will happen.

Best,

Steve H.

[steveh3]

Pete..

As for dimensions...Yes...

So...you are emailing the dwfx and just opening in a browser? I haven't played with that in awhile. From my memory, I struggled with that emailing concept. It's like printing....as soon as you print it, it's a copy and potentially old. 

As for you comment about 3D welds....we are toying around with 3D welds and dimensions as a proof of concept. Not active in production!!!! Doing that would be a culture change for all. It' like us moving from 2D to 3D CAD. Making that same switch in production where go from reading a 2D print to putting all data in 3D is a major shift.

Does it make sense to not have a 2D print, YES!

Is it do-able? It's close...

Will production allow us to make the switch.....Eventually it will happen.

Best,

Steve H.

[petestrycharske]

@steveh3, you are correct about the copy, but we cannot supply the model, in order to ensure some iLogic stuff doesn't get spread around.  We are planning on sending the DWFx file to customer with each submission / revision, so they will remain in sync (enough anyway).  

Did you generate that DWFx from Vault?  I can't seem to see anything from the DWFx I generated in Inventor 2022...  Also below is a short video with my settings for the online viewer.  Please let me know if I've missed anything, from your perspective. 

Appreciate the advice and have a most blessed day!

Peace,
Pete

[petestrycharske]

@steveh3, you are correct about the copy, but we cannot supply the model, in order to ensure some iLogic stuff doesn't get spread around.  We are planning on sending the DWFx file to customer with each submission / revision, so they will remain in sync (enough anyway).  

Did you generate that DWFx from Vault?  I can't seem to see anything from the DWFx I generated in Inventor 2022...  Also below is a short video with my settings for the online viewer.  Please let me know if I've missed anything, from your perspective. 

Appreciate the advice and have a most blessed day!

Peace,
Pete

[steveh3]

Pete...

Yes...it appears you have the settings correct.

The settings are all on the Configuration tab. I know the controls are less than desirable and NOT intuitive at all. In some cases, I feel there should be a setting to turn off all notation.

Anyway... I just created a dwfx from the model of the image I sent earlier.

I view that dwfx in Design Review it's there.

If you open your file in Design Review does it show?

If it does....guessing it's a limitation with online viewer.

FYI...my screen shots were from Vault and a dwf (not dwfx) and is generated on check in from the inventor workstation using Inventor 2023.2.1. I did NOT use online viewer.

Curious to what you find out,

Steve H.

[steveh3]

Pete...

Yes...it appears you have the settings correct.

The settings are all on the Configuration tab. I know the controls are less than desirable and NOT intuitive at all. In some cases, I feel there should be a setting to turn off all notation.

Anyway... I just created a dwfx from the model of the image I sent earlier.

I view that dwfx in Design Review it's there.

If you open your file in Design Review does it show?

If it does....guessing it's a limitation with online viewer.

FYI...my screen shots were from Vault and a dwf (not dwfx) and is generated on check in from the inventor workstation using Inventor 2023.2.1. I did NOT use online viewer.

Curious to what you find out,

Steve H.

[steveh3]

As mentioned earlier...not all annotations were showing with 2023 ADMS until they fixed it in 2023.1 or 2023.2. So, I'm leaning towards that it's a limitation with the browser extension or something like that. 

[steveh3]

As mentioned earlier...not all annotations were showing with 2023 ADMS until they fixed it in 2023.1 or 2023.2. So, I'm leaning towards that it's a limitation with the browser extension or something like that. 

[CGBenner]

@johnsonshiue @ihayesjr 

Do you guys know if the Viewer supports Inventor's 3D annotations?

[CGBenner]

@johnsonshiue @ihayesjr 

Do you guys know if the Viewer supports Inventor's 3D annotations?

[ihayesjr]

@CGBenner 

You are correct. The Online Viewer has a translation issue with 3D annotations in a DWF file. 

[ihayesjr]

@CGBenner 

You are correct. The Online Viewer has a translation issue with 3D annotations in a DWF file. 

[petestrycharske]

@ihayesjr, thanks for confirming!  Are there any plans to address this?  The reason I ask is that we're finding that the DWF is a nice file transfer file for files that can be used on the manufacturing or the AEC side.  Unfortunately, one of the holdups is that the 3D annotations were not visible with the online viewer.  Thanks for your consideration, hope all is well and have a most blessed day!

Peace,
Pete

[petestrycharske]

@ihayesjr, thanks for confirming!  Are there any plans to address this?  The reason I ask is that we're finding that the DWF is a nice file transfer file for files that can be used on the manufacturing or the AEC side.  Unfortunately, one of the holdups is that the 3D annotations were not visible with the online viewer.  Thanks for your consideration, hope all is well and have a most blessed day!

Peace,
Pete

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Pete and Steve,

I assume this issue applies to 3D Annotation in a DWF file. Before a fix becomes available, actually you may consider exporting to a JT file. It is also very compact and viewable. I did a quick test it seemed to work well in the Autodesk Viewer (and JT2GO by Siemens).

Many thanks!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Pete and Steve,

I assume this issue applies to 3D Annotation in a DWF file. Before a fix becomes available, actually you may consider exporting to a JT file. It is also very compact and viewable. I did a quick test it seemed to work well in the Autodesk Viewer (and JT2GO by Siemens).

Many thanks!

[petestrycharske]

Thanks @johnsonshiue for that idea!  It does bring along the 3D annotations, so that worked great, but unfortunately, it did not bring along any of the BOM data.  For example, I can export the DWF with either or both of the BOM formats and those properties are displayed in Design Review and the web viewer.

I used the "Monolithic" export option for the JT file.  Is there a setting that will bring along the BOM data?  I'll try to do some more exploring and you got me wondering what other formats could be useful.  Thanks for getting me out of my DWF rut... 🤣

Thanks for the help and have a most blessed day!

Peace,
Pete

[petestrycharske]

Thanks @johnsonshiue for that idea!  It does bring along the 3D annotations, so that worked great, but unfortunately, it did not bring along any of the BOM data.  For example, I can export the DWF with either or both of the BOM formats and those properties are displayed in Design Review and the web viewer.

I used the "Monolithic" export option for the JT file.  Is there a setting that will bring along the BOM data?  I'll try to do some more exploring and you got me wondering what other formats could be useful.  Thanks for getting me out of my DWF rut... 🤣

Thanks for the help and have a most blessed day!

Peace,
Pete

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Pete,

Unfortunately no. I don't think the Inventor BOM is exported to JT. I guess you may still need to use DWF for the BOM and JT for the PMI. I am sorry.

Many thanks!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Pete,

Unfortunately no. I don't think the Inventor BOM is exported to JT. I guess you may still need to use DWF for the BOM and JT for the PMI. I am sorry.

Many thanks!