Checkbot BIM Link Example for an FEA Application.

Intro

Here we provied two simple examples on how to create a link with IDEA StatiCa Checkbot and either a FEA or CAD Application using our BimApiLink Framework.

There are typically some requirements to ensure a connection can be completed successfully with Checkbot. In these examples we provide Fake/Mock/Simulation API's for both the CAD and FEA applications, which should be replaced by your application API.

You can read more about this here.

Before creating your own link we always encourage you to get in-touch with us to discuss co-operation.

Example

Example requirements

• Visual Studio 2022 or Greater

Architecture

The Below relates to the FEA example, however the CAD example follows the exact same logic.

There are two main projects in each example:

1. BimApiLinkFEAExample - The primary Class Library project which provides linking and conversion with the Checkbot application.

Look First

Look at TestPlugin.cs to get started. The Run() method is the primary method which will be called from your application.

Dependency Injection

Our BimLinkFramework relys on automatic dependency injection. We use Autofac for this. Within the BuildContainer() method we define the instances used in the plugin.

2. FeaExampleApi* - A class library project which provides some dumby structural geometry and other inputs to the BimApiLinkFEAExample. It emulates a typical API of an FEA software and provides some dumby structural information.

*When creating your own link only the BimApiLinkExample would be required. The BimApiExample should be replaced by a command interface or other small app which allows your program to host and run the link. FeaExampleApi should be replaced with the third party API object.

3. BimLinkExampleRunner* - Simple windows form app for running and testing the BimApiLinkFEAExample or BimApiLineCadExample. Implements the Run() command provided from the TestPlugin.

*This is only used for demonstrating in the test enviroment. This will be replaced by on the third-party developers side with either another simple app runner or a command interface.

Look First

Navigate to the folder ViewModels > MainWindowViewModel.cs. The MainWindowViewModel class provides a method called OnRunCheckbot() which implements the TestPlugin.Run() method. The FEAExampleApi is provide to the TestPlugin.

Building the example

1. Clone the idea-statica/public repository. Some typical instructions here.
2. In windows explorer navigate to the repository location /src folder and open the solution IdeaStatiCa.Public.sln in visual studio.
3. Build the entire solution, which may take a minute or two. There should be no errors.
4. Navigate to the example location and right click on the BimLinkExampleRunner and select set as start-up project.

Running the example

This simple example will run Checkbot and allow you to import some simple Member and Node objects which we have defined in the FakeFEAApi.

1. Run the BimLinkExampleRunner project. A form should appear.
2. We need to provide the link to the Checkbot executable. This allows you to select which version of IDEA StatiCa you would like to run. For example:

C:\Program Files\IDEA StatiCa\StatiCa 25.1\IdeaCheckbot.exe

3. Now we can Run IDEA StatiCa Checkbot. This triggers the TestPlug.Run() command.
4. [info] A new Checkbot project folder will automatically be created (if one has not already been created) in the the /bin folder.
5. The new project screen will appear. You will be prompted to select a Country Code (Select EU for this example) and Create the Checkbot project. Checkbot should now open to a black screen.

On creating the Checkbot project, a project file IdeaStatiCa.proj is saved into the checkbot folder. Next time checkbot is run it will detect this file and the project will be opened automatically wher you left off. To reset the test, simply delete the created Checkbot folder.

6. In the top left hand corner of the ribbon, click 'Connections'. This triggers the GetUserSelection() method in the 'Model' class of Model.cs. Here we provide the indentifiers of the objects that we want to import.
7. One column (M7) and one beam (M13) should be imported, with three connections (C 9, C 15, C 16).
8. END OF EXAMPLE

Copying the example to create a new Link

To start work on a link of your own, you can copy the BimApiLinkFeaExample or BimApiLinkCadExample project and rename it. You will need to bulk rename the namespace in the example. A typical naming structure is [AppName]Link.

You can use the BimApiExample to test your duplicated plugin by changing the project reference from the BimApiLinkFEAExample to your created project.

When creating your own link only the BimApiLinkExample would be required, BimLinkExampleRunner should be replaced by a command interface or other small app which allows your program to host and run the link. FeaExampleApi should be replaced with the third party API Model object.

References

As you will eventually deploy your plugin outside of the test environment, it is best to reference required modules via Nuget and remove current project dependencies.

Simply double click on your project in the solution explorer and modify the xml as below. We also highly reccommend that you update to the latest NuGet packages at this point.

	<ItemGroup>
		<PackageReference Include="Autofac" Version="6.4.0" />
		<PackageReference Include="Autofac.Extensions.DependencyInjection" Version="8.0.0" />

		<PackageReference Include="IdeaStatiCa.BimApiLink" Version="22.1.0.3519" />
		<PackageReference Include="IdeaStatiCa.BimImporter" Version="22.1.0.3519" />
		<PackageReference Include="IdeaStatiCa.Plugin" Version="22.1.0.3519" />
	</ItemGroup>

You should also remove the current reference to the FeaExampleApi and inject your own applications Api DLLs.

Creating BIM Link by IDEA StatiCa project templates

Since the IDEA StatiCa v24 BIM links projects can be created by project dotnet templates. Templates help users to create a IDEA StatiCa BIM link projects. It requires to install IdeaStatiCa.Dotnet.Templates. Open CMD terminal (or Powershell) and run :

dotnet new install IdeaStatiCa.Dotnet.Templates

To create a new BIM Fea plugin do following :

1. Open CMD terminal (or Powershell) and create a directory for your project. Make sure template is intalled by running the command

dotnet new list

If templates are correctly these templates should be in the list

IDEA StatiCa Checkbot Client CAD App          bimapicadapp                [C#]        ideastatica/checkbot/cad
IDEA StatiCa Checkbot Client FEA App          bimapifeaapp                [C#]        ideastatica/checkbot/fea
IDEA StatiCa RCS Rest API client console App  rcsclientconsole            [C#]        ideastatica/rcs/api

2. create a new solution in the project directory (in this case MyRcsClientApp.sln) for .NET Framework 4.8

dotnet new bimapifeaapp -n MyFeaBIMApp -F net48

for .NET 6.0 windows

dotnet new bimapifeaapp -n MyFeaBIMApp -F net6.0-windows

4. Open it in Visual studio or build and run it by dotnet CLI

dotnet restore .\MyFeaBIMApp.sln
dotnet build .\MyFeaBIMApp.sln -c Release
MyFeaBIMApp\bin\Release\net6.0-windows\MyFeaBIMApp.exe

Creating BIM Link in Visual Studio

Further Information

In a fully functioning link, there are typically a number of different importers and further conversion utilities which are outside the scope of this example. We will continue to improve on this example where required.

Please comment in the discussion forums if you require further clarification or information.