From desktop to the cloud with forge

Fernando Malard

CTO – ofcdesk, llc

From desktop to the cloud with Forge

• Introduction

• From Desktop to the Cloud

• Cloud resources

• Autodesk Forge

• View&Data and AutoCAD I/O

• Conclusion

Agenda

Introduction

This class will introduce the Forge platform starting withbusiness aspects, paradigm shift, cloud concepts andthe future of Autodesk cloud platform strategy. We willintroduce and present technical challenges with webprogramming, how to overcome them and take fulladvantage of cloud resources leveraging yourbusiness. We will then present some simple yetrepresentative code samples helping you to get startedwith the Forge platform through View & Data andAutoCAD I/O services.

Class summary

From Desktop to the Cloud

“It’s clear now that while organizations may

have come to the cloud to reduce costs, it’s not

why they stay. The true potential of cloud lies

in an organization’s ability to leverage this agile

delivery model to transform the business.”

Rick Wright, Principal and Global Cloud Enablement Leader

at KPMG

From Desktop to the Cloud – Agile delivery

From Desktop to the Cloud - Usage

*KPMG: 2014 Cloud Survey Report

From Desktop to the Cloud – Improvements / Challenges

*KPMG: 2014 Cloud Survey Report

From Desktop to the Cloud – Facts

Desktop• Download & install

• High resource demand

• Security and setup time

• High initial investment

• Poor file/data sharing

• Vulnerable information

• Per user license

• Complex backups

Cloud• Fast disaster recovery

• Centralized maintenance

• Low initial investment

• Enhances teamwork

• Centralized file storage

• Accessible to small

businesses

From Desktop to the Cloud – Development

• New languages and paradigms

• Libraries and packages

• Client-server architecture

From Desktop to the Cloud – Data security

• Access control

• Token based authentication

• Encrypted user data storage

From Desktop to the Cloud – Debugging / testing

• Desktop debugging

• Web debugging

• Browser cache…Refresh!

Cloud resources

Cloud computing isn’t a new thing.

Project SETI@home was launched in 1999.

Cloud resources - Computing

• Amazon AWS

• Microsoft Azure

Cloud resources - Servers

• Overall cost reduction

• T.C.O. – The IT guy?

Cloud resources – Storage, CPU, costs

• New storage technologies – Project Natick

Cloud resources – Storage, CPU, costs

Autodesk Forge

• Powerful core engines

• Consumed via web services

• Zero-client installs

• Web based interfaces

• Major Browsers supported

• WebGL for viewing

• JavaScript for client programming

Autodesk Forge

• http://forge.autodesk.com

• Design (AutoCAD I/O)

• Visualize (View&Data)

• Collaborate

• Use

• Make

Autodesk Forge

• REST = Representational State Transfer

• Based on resources

• Used for cloud solutions through web services

• Web services calls: GET, PUT, POST and DELETE

• Work with HTTP responses

• Uniform Resource Identifier (URI)

• Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

• Uniform Resource Name (URN)

Autodesk Forge - Technologies

• OData = Open Data Protocol

• Simplifies business logic

• Easy access to data and services from any client


• OAuth = Open Standard for Authorization

• Based on access tokens issued

• Uses an authorization

server

• Three-legged workflow*

• Scoping*


The challenge:

• Product specification tool

• Accessible and easy to use

• Avoid desktop installation

• Rich zero-client 3D viewer

• Integrated with custom data

Autodesk Forge – Use case / ofcdesk Connect

The solution: Autodesk Forge

• Simple web interface

• No desktop software

• No installation

• WebGL 3D viewer

• Dedicated servers



View&Data and AutoCAD I/O

• New name: Design Automation API

• Create, edit or query DWG files

• Save DWG files to other formats

• Run AutoCAD native commands (non-UI)

• Simplify the DWG manipulation process

• Scalable resources (run at Autodesk cloud)

• Extensible with apps (CRX, DBX, LSP and DLL)

Autodesk Forge – AutoCAD I/O

Abstractions:

• AppPackage: Extensions in DBX, CRX, LSP or DLL

modules, written in AutoLISP, C++ or .NET

• Activity: Pre-configured action, in AutoCAD script

language, that can refer to one or more AppPackages

• WorkItem: Represents each execution of your Activities

(actions) providing input and output parameter values



AutoCAD I/O

Your

Cloud

AppPackage 1

AppPackage 2

AppPackage 3

Activity A

Activity B

Activity C

WorkItem A

WorkItem B

WorkItem C

• New name: Viewer API

• Upload models via REST API

• Return a viewing stream

• Access to model data using JavaScript

• Rich 2D and 3D models into the web browser

• No plug-in, runs in Chrome, Safari, IE11, Firefox

• More than 60 design file formats

Autodesk Forge – View&Data

Abstractions and concepts:

• Bucket: It is a storage folder where you upload the

input files. Can be Transient, Temporary or Persistent

• OSS: Object Storage Service is responsible for storing

and maintaining, secured by OAuth 2.0, uploaded files

• Viewing Services: Translation service with the input

URN then return other URN to stream the resulting

model



View & Data

Your

Cloud

Bucket

Viewing ServicesWebGL

Viewer

File Upload

URN result

Workflow:

• Upload empty DWG to AWS and receive URL

• Collect user input data from a web page

• Submit URL and script to AutoCAD I/O service

• Receive processed DWG

• Submit DWG to View&Data service

• Receive URN for viewing

Autodesk Forge – Sample

Amazon

S3

Autodesk Forge - SampleAutoCAD I/O

Your

Cloud

View & Data

forgedevcon2016

Viewing Services

Upload processed DWG

WebGL

Viewer

forge2016CreateCloset

PlotToPNG

Bla

nkIs

o.d

wg

UR

Lprocessed DWG

PNG image

Download URN

DW

G

PN

G

GIT:

https://github.com/Developer-Autodesk/

/design.automation-workflow-winform-sample

/workflow-aspdotnet-autocad.io

/library-dotnet-autocad.io

Autodesk Forge – Sample

Conclusion

• Cloud is a business evolution

• Scalable, ubiquitous, reliable

• Hide complexity from users

• Reduce cost of ownership and maintenance

• Forge APIs available as web services

• Bring the power of desktop apps to the cloud

• Enrich cloud solutions

Conclusion

Get Started!

Developer.Autodesk.com

Forge.Autodesk.com

@AutodeskForge

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Software

From desktop to the cloud with forge