This sample shows how you can use the Model Derivative API and what you can do with it and also uses Autodesk Viewer for showing models. The front-end will look like:
See it live at https://derivatives.autodesk.io
- BIM 360 or other Autodesk storage account: if you want to use it with files from BIM 360 Docs then you must be an Account Admin to add the app integration. Learn about provisioning.
- Forge Account: Learn how to create a Forge Account, activate subscription and create an app at this tutorial.
- Visual Studio Code: other text editors could be used too, but Visual Studio Code is a widely used editor, see https://code.visualstudio.com/
- Node.js: basic knowledge of Node.js, see https://nodejs.org/en/
- JavaScript: basic knowledge
Install NodeJS.
Clone this project or download it. It's recommended to install GitHub desktop. To clone it via command line, use the following (Terminal on MacOSX/Linux, Git Shell on Windows):
git clone https://github.com/autodesk-forge/model.derivative-nodejs-sample
To run it, install the required packages, set the enviroment variables with your client ID & secret and finally start it. Via command line, navigate to the folder where this repository was cloned and use the following:
Mac OSX/Linux (Terminal)
npm install
export FORGE_CLIENT_ID=<<YOUR CLIENT ID FROM FORGE DEVELOPER PORTAL>>
export FORGE_CLIENT_SECRET=<<YOUR FORGE CLIENT SECRET>>
npm run dev
Windows (use Node.js command line from Start menu)
npm install
set FORGE_CLIENT_ID=<<YOUR CLIENT ID FROM FORGE DEVELOPER PORTAL>>
set FORGE_CLIENT_SECRET=<<YOUR FORGE CLIENT SECRET>>
npm run dev
Open the browser: http://localhost:3000.
Important: do not use npm start locally, this is intended for PRODUCTION only with HTTPS (SSL) secure cookies.
To deploy this application to Heroku, the Callback URL for Forge must use your .herokuapp.com address. After clicking on the button below, at the Heroku Create New App page, set your Client ID, Secret and Callback URL for Forge.
Watch this video on how deploy samples to Heroku.
Documentation:
Tutorials:
Blogs:
- Forge Blog
- Field of View, a BIM focused blog
For local development/testing, consider use nodemon package, which auto restart your node application after any modification on your code. To install it, use:
sudo npm install -g nodemon
Then, instead of npm run dev, use the following:
npm run nodemon
Which executes nodemon server.js --ignore www/, where the --ignore parameter indicates that the app should not restart if files under www folder are modified.
After installing Github desktop for Windows, on the Git Shell, if you see a error setting certificate verify locations error, use the following:
git config --global http.sslverify "false"
This sample is licensed under the terms of the MIT License. Please see the LICENSE file for full details.
Adam Nagy (Forge Partner Development)
http://forge.autodesk.com