UX BIM view

How do you configure the BIM service? To set up the BIM service with the UX Framework, you must prepare the following:

• Prepare Autodesk Forge Viewer.
• Prepare BIM model files.
• Associate BIM models with IBM TRIRIGA buildings.

A. Prepare Autodesk Forge Viewer

The Autodesk Forge Viewer is a WebGL-based, JavaScript library for 3D and 2D model rendering. The 3D and 2D model data may come from a wide array of applications, such as AutoCAD, Revit, and others.

1. Create an Autodesk Forge application for IBM TRIRIGA as follows:
   • To use the Forge Viewer, a subscription to the Autodesk Forge Service is required. A 90-day free trial is available.
   • After you sign up, go to the My Apps screen at https://developer.autodesk.com/myapps.
   • Select the Create App button to create a Forge application (and receive a Client ID and Client Secret).
   • Select Data Management API and Model Derivative API. (The BIM 360 API is optional.)
   • The Callback URL is not used. You can enter anything with a valid URL format.
   • You will receive your Client ID and Client Secret. These values will be used for IBM TRIRIGA later.
   Note: IBM TRIRIGA requires its own Forge application, not access to BIM 360. This Forge application may be shared with other products, such as Maximo, which accept a Client ID and Client Secret.
2. Verify the UX Model Access Permissions for the Autodesk Forge Service as follows:
   • The security group "TRIRIGA BIM User" is preconfigured for full access to the Forge service.
   • The permission access to individual Forge functions is controlled by the UX model "Autodesk Forge Service". The permission actions are mapped directly to the Autodesk Forge OAuth scopes.
   • The viewer::scope::read action controls access to the Forge Viewer and UX model thumbnail image. All users of the viewer must have this access.
   Note: You can also apply security to the triBIMModelLink (BIM Model Link) BO to control the display of the thumbnail image and display of the link to launch the Forge Viewer. But this only restricts the display of the link to launch a BIM model in the viewer, not the direct access to open or edit the BIM model itself.

B. Prepare BIM Model Files

The IBM TRIRIGA Connector for BIM allows you to link Autodesk Revit model data with IBM TRIRIGA records, synchronize the linked data, and publish graphic representations of Revit floor plans for use in IBM TRIRIGA applications. IBM TRIRIGA users can view Revit project elements, such as floor plans, in the Graphics sections of the IBM TRIRIGA applications.

Meanwhile, Autodesk Navisworks combines design data created in AutoCAD and Revit-based products with models created by other design tools. Then you can view these design files with Navisworks, and create compressed more-secure NWD files.

1. Use the BIM Connector to integrate, link, and synchronize your Revit model data with your IBM TRIRIGA records.
   • For more information, see Integrating, publishing, and synchronizing BIM information.
   • To take advantage of the Forge Viewer in the UX Framework, continue to the next step.
2. Export your model files from Revit to Navisworks format as follows:
   • Navisworks (NWD) files can be used with the Forge Viewer. Due to the lack of rooms in translated Revit models, the linkage of TRIRIGA spaces to the model works with Navisworks files only. Therefore, the Revit file must be converted or exported to Navisworks format.
   • Revit models can be opened directly in Navisworks, but the Navisworks Export Utility plugin for Revit produces models with better visual representation and customization.
   • Download the Navisworks Export Utility at https://www.autodesk.com/products/navisworks/3d-viewers.
   Note: Navisworks files have several advantages over Revit files:

   • Navisworks has a visual representation of room and space objects, which Revit does not have.
   • It is easy to customize the visual representation of a Navisworks file, such as color coding objects by type.
   • It might be possible to import file formats into Navisworks that are not normally usable by the Forge Viewer, and display them in the Forge Viewer.
3. Configure your default model view in Navisworks as follows:
   • The default Navisworks view is the view that is initially displayed when the model is opened in Navisworks. This view is significant because the Forge translation process also uses this default view as the initial view when the model is opened in Forge Viewer.
   • You can merge multiple models in Navisworks to provide a single model for the Forge Viewer.
   • You can configure many elements of the default view, including position, orientation, color-coded elements, and hidden elements.
4. Configure the rooms that you want to make visible in Navisworks as follows:
   • By default, the rooms are almost invisible. Use the Properties browser in Navisworks to find and select the rooms that you want to make visible. Display the popup menu for the selection and select Override Color or Override Transparency to create the desired visual effect. To make one or more rooms invisible again, select the rooms and select Hide.
   • If necessary, continue to configure the default view that you want in the Forge Viewer. This might include hiding additional objects or overriding colors. You can use the Category tree in the Properties browser to color-code elements by category.
   • Save the finished model and default view as a Navisworks NWD file. This default view is the initial view when the model is opened in Forge Viewer.

C. Associate BIM Models with IBM TRIRIGA Buildings

1. Add your Autodesk Forge credentials to IBM TRIRIGA as follows:
   • Sign into IBM TRIRIGA as an application administrator, and select Tools > Utilities > BIM Model Management to open the Autodesk Forge administration console.
   • Click the "hamburger" icon on the upper-right corner of the console, and select Set Key: System Wide to store the Forge application credentials (Client ID and Client Secret that you received earlier) in the IBM TRIRIGA database which provides Forge Viewer access to all authorized users.
   • Enter your Client ID and Client Secret. Click OK.
   Note: You can also click the "hamburger" icon and select Set Key: This Session to work with other Client IDs in your local session without affecting other users.
2. Add your Autodesk Forge "buckets" to store your Navisworks models as follows:
   • In the Buckets tab, click the orange "plus" (+) button on the lower-right corner of the console to add a new bucket.
   • The bucket Key must be unique across all users of the Forge service. Autodesk recommends including your Client ID in your bucket Key. If the Append app key? option is selected, the Forge service manages this automatically.
   • The bucket Policy refers to the data retention policy. The Persistent option keeps your data until you delete it. Temporary keeps your data for 30 days. Transient keeps your data for 24 hours.
   • The bucket Region is the geographic location where your data is physically stored.
   • Enter your Key, Policy, and Region. Click OK.
   Note: If a Navisworks model was already translated by Forge into a viewable "bubble" and that model is subsequently deleted, either deliberately or because its data retention policy expired, the viewable file set is not deleted. However, Autodesk does not provide a way to list viewable file sets, so the uniform resource name (URN) must be known. IBM TRIRIGA only tracks the URN when it is associated with a building.
3. Upload your Navisworks models to the Autodesk Forge service as follows:
   • In the Buckets tab, make sure that your buckets are listed. If you don't see your buckets, click the "looking glass" (search) icon on the upper-right corner of the console.
   • Select the Model Files tab. Your buckets are listed in the left panel. Click the orange "upload" button on the lower-right corner of the console to upload a new model.
   • Choose your Model File, such as a single NWD model file. Otherwise, upload your multiple-part model as a ZIP file. If the Also translate to viewable? option is selected, the Forge translation process starts automatically when the upload is completed.
   • If you chose a single Model File above, leave the Root File Name empty. But if you chose a multiple-part ZIP file above, enter the unqualified file name of the root model file. Click OK.
4. Associate (or link) your Autodesk Forge models to your IBM TRIRIGA buildings as follows:
   • In the Model Files tab, make sure that your models are listed. If you don't see your models, click the "looking glass" (search) icon on the upper-right corner of the console.
   • Select the Buildings tab. To see your buildings, click the "looking glass" (search) icon on the upper-right corner of the console.
   • Search for the name or address of your IBM TRIRIGA building. In the building card, click the "looking glass" (search) icon to search for the model that you want to associate. Select the model. Click OK.
5. If you prefer, define additional views for your Autodesk Forge models as follows:
   • In the Model Files tab, make sure that your models are listed. If you don't see your models, click the "looking glass" (search) icon on the upper-right corner of the console.
   • Select the Viewer tab. Your models are listed in the left panel. Select the model.
   • Configure or manipulate the view by using the toolbars at the bottom of the console viewer.
   • When you're ready, click the "TRIRIGA" icon on the far-right end of the last toolbar, and select Save View to save the current view, or select Apply Saved View to open a previously saved view.

How do you configure the UX components? Within the UX Framework, you can also configure the following UX components:

• Configure "forge-viewer" component.
• Configure "triplat-bim" components.
• Configure BIM Model Management UI.

A. Configure "forge-viewer" Component

The forge-viewer component is the raw viewer layer underneath the triplat-bim components.

This component is a Polymer wrapper around the BIM viewer plug-in API. The default viewer is the Autodesk Forge Viewer, but other viewers may replace the Forge Viewer. This component manages an iframe that encapsulates the actual viewer. The iframe dynamically loads a JavaScript file named {viewer}ViewerWrapper.js, where {viewer} is the value of the viewer property and should generally be the name of the viewer implementation. For example, {viewer} = "Forge" is used for the Autodesk Forge Viewer. The ViewerWrapper.js file must expose the viewer wrapper interface defined here. All viewer functions are delegated to the viewer wrapper.

For more information, see the forge-viewer component in your UX component documentation.

B. Configure "triplat-bim" Components

The triplat-bim components form the primary integration point for the BIM viewer. These components include the following:

• triplat-bim-model: This component queries the BIM model linked to a building. If a selector is provided indicating that a model exists, and if a model does exist, then the record is required by the viewer to display the model.
• triplat-bim-thumbnail: This component displays a thumbnail image for a BIM model. If a model is not associated with the building or the model doesn't have a thumbnail, then nothing is displayed and the control has zero size.
• triplat-bim-viewer: This component displays the Autodesk Forge Viewer. The viewer is linked to TRIRIGA data and provides bi-directional in-context navigation between model elements and TRIRIGA records. Typically, the TRIRIGA records must be created via the IBM TRIRIGA Connector for BIM (Autodesk Revit) to link to a model displayed in the Forge Viewer. There is a viewer plug-in API, so it is possible for this component to use additional or other viewers.
• triplat-bim-viewer-popup: This component displays the BIM viewer in a triblock-popup.
• triplat-bim-message-box: This component is a popup that displays viewer error messages. This is used by triplat-bim-viewer.

For more information, see the triplat-bim components in your UX component documentation.

C. Configure BIM Model Management UI

The BIM Model Management user interface (UI) appears when you log in to IBM TRIRIGA as an application administrator, and select Tools > Utilities > BIM Model Management to open the Autodesk Forge administration console. This console is used to associate BIM models with IBM TRIRIGA buildings as described above.

For more information, see the Forge Management UI.