What is the Navisworks API? What types does it include, and what content does it cover? Navisworks is a commercial software widely used by professionals in engineering, construction, and related fields. It enables users to manage detailed engineering project processes, including tasks such as project scheduling and clash detection. By leveraging visualized 3D BIM models, Navisworks helps stakeholders address engineering challenges effectively, enhancing overall project efficiency, communication, and planning analysis. The software’s API offerings are comprehensive and currently divided into three main categories: .NET API, COM API, and NWCreate API. Below is a brief overview of each.
.NET API
The .NET API has been available since Navisworks 2011 and is designed following Microsoft’s .NET Framework standards. The .NET Framework provides a vast Base Class Library that includes user interface components, file access, database connections, numerical algorithms, and more. This foundation allows developers to create applications without directly managing memory. Using the .NET API, developers can build Navisworks plugins, control Navisworks through external programs, or embed programs that interface directly with Navisworks.
The .NET API enables existing Navisworks functions to be presented within a developer-designed user interface. However, for advanced control over the model or functionalities not natively supported by Navisworks, developers must use the COM API. Currently, COM API integration requires embedding within a .NET Framework-compliant program.
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COM API
The COM API adheres to the Component Object Model (COM) standards, an older framework primarily used for low-level operating system interactions through standardized interfaces. COM uses a set of functions grouped as methods to define custom interfaces. However, it has limitations, such as requiring binary executable code and strict memory management.
The COM API allows for more advanced control of Navisworks models. For example, it can manipulate the displacement of all beams and columns within a model, manage clash detection results, control scheduling, and modify model colors. These advanced features are only achievable through the COM API.
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NWCreate API
Navisworks does not allow direct modification of model files it reads. To alter Navisworks model files and synchronize changes within Navisworks itself, the NWCreate API must be used. This API supports creating spatial geometric relationships, attributes, text, viewpoints, materials, textures, and lighting.
Spatial geometry is mainly constructed using triangular meshes and boundary representation (B-rep). Additionally, NWCreate supports basic model operations such as concatenation, intersection, extension, and rotation. Through this API, developers can enable third-party software to output NWC files or create the capability to read custom file formats and integrate them into Navisworks. For example, to develop an NWC file output from Revit, the NWCreate API is the appropriate tool.
That concludes our overview of What is the Navisworks API? What types are included? What content? We hope this article has been helpful!
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