Autodesk Data Exchange Console Connector

📋 Overview

This is a sample console connector that demonstrates how to use the Autodesk Data Exchange SDK without the UI component. It serves as a reference implementation for developers building their own Data Exchange integrations and provides a comprehensive example of SDK capabilities through a professional command-line interface.

Perfect for:

• Service-based integrations
• Custom UI development
• Learning Data Exchange SDK patterns
• Automated workflow testing
• Headless data processing

🔗 Quick Navigation

• 🚀 Quick Start - Get up and running quickly
• 💻 Usage Examples - See the console connector in action
• 📚 Command Reference - Complete command documentation
• 🔄 Migration Guide - SDK 7.2.0 Upgrade Guide
• 🏗️ Architecture - Understand the codebase structure
• 🔧 Extending the Application - Add custom functionality

🎯 Key Features

Core Functionality

• ✅ Exchange Management - Create, update, and retrieve exchanges
• ✅ Multi-Format Geometry Processing - BREP, IFC, Mesh, and Primitive geometries
• ✅ Parameter Operations - Add, modify, and delete instance/type parameters
• ✅ Version Control - Exchange synchronization and versioning
• ✅ Data Export - Download exchanges as STEP or OBJ files
• ✅ Folder Management - Set and manage working directories

Developer Experience

• 🚀 Professional Console Interface - Clean, categorized output messages
• 📋 Comprehensive Workflow Testing - Complete end-to-end validation
• 💻 Command-Based Architecture - Extensible command pattern
• 🔧 Error Handling - Robust error management and user feedback
• 📖 Built-in Help System - Detailed command documentation

🛠️ Prerequisites

1. Autodesk Platform Services App

   • Register an app
   • Select Data Management and Data Exchange APIs
   • Note your Client ID, Client Secret, and Auth Callback

2. Development Environment

   • Visual Studio 2019 or later
   • .NET Framework 4.8
   • Basic knowledge of C#

3. Access Requirements

   • Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) access
   • Valid Autodesk account with appropriate permissions

🚀 Quick Start

1. Clone and Setup

git clone https://github.com/your-repo/aps-dataexchange-console.git
cd aps-dataexchange-console

2. Install Dependencies

Follow the Data Exchange .NET SDK installation guide:

Option A: Visual Studio

• Open ConsoleConnector.sln
• Build the solution (packages restore automatically)

Option B: Command Line

# Run from project root
BuildSolution.bat

3. Configuration

Update src/ConsoleConnector/App.config with your app credentials:

<appSettings>
    <add key="APS_CLIENT_ID" value="your_client_id" />
    <add key="APS_CLIENT_SECRET" value="your_client_secret" />
    <add key="APS_CALLBACK_URL" value="your_callback_url" />
</appSettings>

4. Run the Application

• Build and run the console application
• Complete OAuth authentication in the browser
• Start using commands in the console interface

💻 Usage Examples

Basic Commands

# Get help
>> help

# Set working folder (using folder URL)
>> SetFolder [FolderUrl]
# OR set working folder (using individual parameters)
>> SetFolder [HubId] [Region] [ProjectUrn] [FolderUrn]

# Create a new exchange
>> CreateExchange [ExchangeTitle]

# Add BREP geometry
>> AddBrep [ExchangeTitle]

# Add instance parameters
>> AddInstanceParameter [ExchangeTitle] [ElementId] [ParameterName] [ParameterSchema] [ParameterValue] [ParameterValueDataType]

# Sync changes
>> SyncExchange [ExchangeTitle]

# Download exchange
>> GetExchange [ExchangeId] [CollectionId] [HubId] [ExchangeFileFormat]

Complete Workflow Test

# Run comprehensive end-to-end test
>> WorkFlowTest

This command executes a complete workflow that:

1. Creates a new exchange
2. Adds multiple geometry types (BREP, IFC, Mesh, Primitives)
3. Adds instance and type parameters
4. Syncs to Version 1
5. Deletes some parameters
6. Adds more geometries and parameters
7. Syncs to Version 2
8. Downloads the final exchange

📚 Command Reference

Command	Description	Example
help	Display all commands	help
help [command]	Get command details	help CreateExchange
CreateExchange	Create new exchange	CreateExchange [ExchangeTitle]
AddBrep	Add BREP geometry	AddBrep [ExchangeTitle]
AddIFC	Add IFC geometry	AddIFC [ExchangeTitle]
AddMesh	Add mesh geometry	AddMesh [ExchangeTitle]
AddPrimitive	Add primitives	AddPrimitive [ExchangeTitle] [PrimitiveGeometry]
AddInstanceParameter	Add instance parameter	AddInstanceParameter [ExchangeTitle] [ElementId] [ParameterName] [ParameterSchema] [ParameterValue] [ParameterValueDataType]
AddTypeParameter	Add type parameter	AddTypeParameter [ExchangeTitle] [ElementId] [ParameterName] [ParameterSchema] [ParameterValue] [ParameterValueDataType]
DeleteInstanceParam	Remove instance parameter	DeleteInstanceParam [ExchangeTitle] [ElementId] [ParameterName]
DeleteTypeParam	Remove type parameter	DeleteTypeParam [ExchangeTitle] [ElementId] [ParameterName]
SyncExchange	Sync exchange	SyncExchange [ExchangeTitle]
GetExchange	Download exchange	GetExchange [ExchangeId] [CollectionId] [HubId] [ExchangeFileFormat]
SetFolder	Set working folder	SetFolder [FolderUrl] or SetFolder [HubId] [Region] [ProjectUrn] [FolderUrn]
WorkFlowTest	Run complete test	WorkFlowTest
Exit	Close application	Exit

🏗️ Architecture

ConsoleConnector/
├── Commands/           # Command implementations
│   ├── CreateExchangeCommand.cs
│   ├── CreateBrepCommand.cs
│   ├── WorkFlowTestCommand.cs
│   └── ...
├── Helper/            # Utility classes
│   ├── ConsoleAppHelper.cs
│   ├── GeometryHelper.cs
│   └── ParameterHelper.cs
├── Interfaces/        # Abstractions
└── Assets/           # Sample geometry files

Key Components

• Command Pattern: Each operation is implemented as a separate command class
• Helper Classes: Reusable utilities for geometry, parameters, and console operations
• Interface Abstractions: Clean separation of concerns
• Asset Management: Sample files for testing and demonstration

🔧 Extending the Application

Adding New Commands

1. Create a new command class inheriting from Command
2. Implement required methods (Execute, Clone, ValidateOptions)
3. Register the command in ConsoleAppHelper

public class MyCustomCommand : Command
{
    public override async Task<bool> Execute()
    {
        Console.WriteLine("[CUSTOM] Executing my command");
        // Implementation here
        return true;
    }
    
    public override Command Clone()
    {
        return new MyCustomCommand(this);
    }
}

Adding Command Options

1. Create option class in Commands/Options/
2. Add to command's Options list
3. Use GetOption<T>() to access values

🔄 Migration Guide: SDK 7.2.0 Upgrade

This section documents the migration from SDK 7.1.0 to Autodesk Data Exchange SDK 7.2.0.

📋 Overview of Changes

This is a non-breaking upgrade focused on bug fixes and minor improvements:

• SDK Version: Upgraded to Autodesk.DataExchange 7.2.0
• No Breaking Changes: All existing APIs remain fully compatible
• Bug Fixes: Various stability and reliability improvements
• Minor Improvements: Internal enhancements to SDK performance

🚀 Key Dependency Updates

Package	Previous Version	New Version	Impact
Autodesk.DataExchange	7.1.0	7.2.0	Minor - Bug fixes and improvements, no breaking changes

🔧 Migration Steps

Step 1: Update Package References

Update your packages.config:

<package id="Autodesk.DataExchange" version="7.2.0" targetFramework="net48" />

Or if using a .csproj PackageReference:

<PackageReference Include="Autodesk.DataExchange" Version="7.2.0" />

Step 2: Restore and Rebuild

Visual Studio:

• Open ConsoleConnector.sln
• Rebuild the solution (packages restore automatically)

Command Line:

BuildSolution.bat

Step 3: Verify

Run the comprehensive workflow test to confirm everything works as expected:

>> WorkFlowTest

🎯 Summary of Changes

Aspect	SDK 7.1.0	SDK 7.2.0
API surface	Stable	No changes
Breaking changes	-	None
Upgrade effort	-	Version bump only
Key focus	API simplification	Bug fixes & improvements

🧪 Testing Your Migration

After upgrading, run the comprehensive workflow test:

>> WorkFlowTest

This command validates:

• ✅ Exchange creation and management
• ✅ Geometry processing (BREP, IFC, Mesh, Primitives)
• ✅ Parameter operations
• ✅ Synchronization workflows
• ✅ File download capabilities

---

Migration Checklist:

• Updated all package references to 7.2.0
• Restored NuGet packages and rebuilt the solution
• Tested core workflows with WorkFlowTest
• Verified all geometry types render correctly

---

📜 Historical: SDK 6.3.0 → 7.1.0 Migration Guide

This section documents the previous migration from SDK 6.3.0 to Autodesk Data Exchange SDK 7.1.0 and is preserved here for reference.

Overview of Changes

This upgrade included significant API changes:

• SDK Version: Upgraded to Autodesk.DataExchange 7.1.0
• API Simplification: Removed GeometryProperties wrapper class
• Explicit Format Specification: Geometry format now required as explicit parameter

Key Dependency Updates

Package	Previous Version	New Version	Impact
Autodesk.DataExchange	6.3.0	7.1.0	Major - Breaking changes to geometry creation APIs

Breaking Changes

1. GeometryProperties Class Removed

The GeometryProperties class that was previously used to wrap geometry parameters was removed entirely. All methods that accepted GeometryProperties now take individual parameters directly.

2. CreateFileGeometry API Change

Before (SDK 6.3.0):

var geometry = ElementDataModel.CreateFileGeometry(
    new GeometryProperties(filePath, renderStyle));

After (SDK 7.1.0):

var geometry = ElementDataModel.CreateFileGeometry(
    filePath, 
    GeometryFormat.Step,
    renderStyle,
    units);

Key differences:

• No GeometryProperties wrapper
• GeometryFormat enum is required as the second parameter
• RenderStyle and Units are optional parameters

3. CreatePrimitiveGeometry API Change

Before (SDK 6.3.0):

var geometry = ElementDataModel.CreatePrimitiveGeometry(
    new GeometryProperties(geomContainer, renderStyle));

After (SDK 7.1.0):

var geometry = ElementDataModel.CreatePrimitiveGeometry(
    geomContainer,
    renderStyle,
    units);

Key differences:

• No GeometryProperties wrapper
• Pass the geometry object (GeometryContainer, DesignPoint, etc.) directly
• RenderStyle and Units are optional parameters

Migration Steps (6.3.0 → 7.1.0)

1. Update package references to 7.1.0
2. Add using Autodesk.DataExchange.Core.Enums; where needed
3. Update all CreateFileGeometry calls to use direct parameters with GeometryFormat
4. Update all CreatePrimitiveGeometry calls to pass geometry objects directly
5. Remove all references to GeometryProperties class

GeometryFormat Enum Values

Value	Description	File Extensions
GeometryFormat.Unknown	Unknown format	-
GeometryFormat.Step	STEP file format	.stp, .step
GeometryFormat.Obj	OBJ mesh format	.obj
GeometryFormat.Ifc	IFC file format	.ifc
GeometryFormat.Bimdex	Bimdex geometry format	-
GeometryFormat.LargePrimitive	Large primitive format	-

Method Signatures Reference

public static FileGeometry CreateFileGeometry(
    string filePath, 
    GeometryFormat format, 
    RenderStyle renderStyle = null, 
    Units units = null)

public static FileGeometry CreateFileGeometry(
    MemoryStream geometryStream, 
    GeometryFormat format, 
    RenderStyle renderStyle = null, 
    Units units = null)

public static PrimitiveGeometry CreatePrimitiveGeometry(
    Autodesk.GeometryPrimitives.Data.Geometry geometry, 
    RenderStyle renderStyle = null, 
    Units units = null)

public static MeshGeometry CreateMeshGeometry(
    Autodesk.GeometryUtilities.MeshAPI.Mesh mesh, 
    string meshName, 
    Units units = null)

Summary (6.3.0 → 7.1.0)

Aspect	SDK 6.3.0	SDK 7.1.0
Geometry wrapper	GeometryProperties class	Direct parameters
File format	Inferred from file	Explicit GeometryFormat enum
API style	Wrapper object pattern	Direct parameter pattern
Required namespace	-	Autodesk.DataExchange.Core.Enums

📖 Documentation

• Autodesk Data Exchange SDK
• SDK Without UI Tutorial
• Authentication Guide

🤝 Contributing

This is a sample project for reference purposes. While direct contributions may not be accepted, you're encouraged to:

1. Fork the repository for your own modifications
2. Report issues or suggestions
3. Share improvements with the community

📄 License

This sample code is part of the Autodesk Data Exchange .NET SDK (Software Development Kit) beta. It is subject to the license covering the Autodesk Data Exchange .NET SDK (Software Development Kit) beta.

✍️ Authors

Dhiraj Lotake - Autodesk
Hariom Sharma - Autodesk

---

🆘 Support

For SDK-related questions and support:

• Autodesk Platform Services Documentation
• Community Forums
• SDK Issues

---

This sample demonstrates the power and flexibility of the Autodesk Data Exchange SDK for building custom integrations and automating design data workflows.