The 3D Web Coder

Put, Post, Delete and Curl Testing a REST API

I continued the cloud-based FireRating project by equipping my node.js mongoose-driven mongoDB database web server with a REST API. Let's discuss and test the PUT, POST and DELETE implementation. For the sake of future-proofing, I also added a version prefix to the routing URLs: Add version prefix to routing URLs. Test REST API using browser and cURL. Put – update a record. Post – add a record. Delete – delete a record. Wrapping up for today. So far, we already... Read more →

Starting to Implement the FireRating REST API

Let's equip our node.js mongoose-driven mongoDB database web server with a REST API. To be precise, I will: Define a URL route schema to map requests to application actions. Implement controllers to handle each action. Add interfaces to store, access and modify data. I already discussed the over-all goal and what to store, namely building project models, door instances living in those models, and each door's fire rating value. Next, we looked at how to identify projects and maintain the... Read more →

Implementing Mongo Database Relationships

Let's look at how to implement relationships in a mongo database. Yesterday, I made my very first steps exploring mongoDB to implement a mongoose based node.js database web server. The example I am using is a hopefully simple project to implement a cloud-based multi-project version of the Revit SDK FireRating sample. The relationships we are dealing with here are as trivial as they get: we are looking at doors in a building, represented by door family instances in a Revit... Read more →

My First Mongo Database

Allow me to present a partial log of my very first experiments with mongoDB. My ultimate (short-term) goal is to convert a very simple Revit SDK sample called FireRating to a cloud-based multi-project implementation. The existing sample is a Revit add-in implemented in C# .NET that exports the following data for all door instances in a building model to an Excel spreadsheet, enables the user to edit the external fire rating values, and reimports the modified data to the corresponding... Read more →

WebGL Workshop, Jobs, Anchors and Functional JavaScript

I returned happily from the successful fourth and last day of the Milano WebGL workshop, which we concluded with a group session guiding through the View and Data API tutorial. Here is a short report on that and a few other current topics: WebGL workshop report Working at Autodesk Resolving the link offset error caused by the Snap responsive design menu bar Functional JavaScript workshop I took a break in the middle of the train trip from Milano back home... Read more →

The Responsive 3D Web Coder

Nowadays, web pages should be based on a responsive web design, or their Google search ranking will suffer. Today, I finally got around to converting my other blog, launching The Responsive Building Coder, followed by this. I was prompted by Kean Walmsley's explanation of growing usage of mobile devices, leading to his own recent responsive blog redesign. The new look is based on the Typepad Snap template. To complete the switch, I had to fix the banner image and translation... Read more →

Node.js REST API Workshop Part One

As mentioned, I am preparing a Node.js REST API class for the Milano WebGL workshop end of this month. I will also need this material – and much more – for my RTC Europe and AU classes, assuming my proposal for the latter is accepted. Let's finally get going with it. My plan is to create a node server using Express, implement a REST API for it, and drive a simple mongodb database. I covered lots of preliminary explorations for... Read more →

Vrok-It, WebGL Workshop and Cloud Accelerator

Back from a very relaxing workshop in the beautiful Swiss Emmental region, I am now faced with various interesting news items and tasks: Vrok-It using collaborative VR! WebGL workshop report – day one EMEA Autodesk cloud accelerator extension Vrok-It Using Collaborative VR! Would you like to have a quick play around with collaborative stereoscopic 3D VR using the simple, fun, and affordable Google cardboard? Check out vrok.it! 'Vrok' is a combination of 'Virtual Reality Online Collaboration' and the verb to... Read more →

Leaving the Athens AngelHack Hackathon

I talked yesterday about the Athens AngelHack hackathon. Unfortunately, I have to hurry back home before it ends. Check out my new AngelHack Athens Hackathon photo album featuring a 360 view from the hotel roof, some hackathon participants snapshots and lots of cool street art in the immediate vicinity of The Cube: I am at the airport now, getting ready to fly home and take a week of vacation in the beautiful Swiss Emmental region. Yay! Have fun, and take... Read more →

Athens AngelHack Hackathon

I am in the middle of the Athens AngelHack Hackathon, after the View and Data workshop we held last night: Angel workshop I♥3D Athens AngelHack Hackathon Project pitches Angel Workshop I♥3D We held the second I love 3D – Athens meetup yesterday in The Cube, with 19 enthusiastic participants: Here are some of the main links for further exploration: Main entry point: developer.autodesk.com Play with it live Documentation, sample code, step-by-step guide, API reference Forum, community, discussion group Blog Live... Read more →

Athens AngelHack Hackathon, Node.js REST Workshop

I am in the middle of the preparations for a couple of events in June: AngelHack and I♥3D in Athens Node.js REST Workshop AngelHack and I♥3D in Athens I am already on my way to the second I love 3D – Athens meetup on June 5th in The Cube, Greece's biggest coworking space, followed by the AngelHack hackathon coming weekend. I am travelling there via a detour sleeping out on the beaches of Euboea Island, on which I already visited... Read more →

Node.js REST API Enhancement and VR Party

Let's get back to looking at node.js, a REST API implementation, and a recent San Francisco virtual reality hackathon project: Node.js REST API enhancement Top ten nodejs mistakes Kean's VR party Node.js REST API enhancement My colleagues Cyrille and Philippe were not very impressed with one aspect of my previous node WebGL viewer server REST API implementation. Both suggested that each API module implement and export its own router instead of just defining and exporting individual functions. The main reason... Read more →

50 Ways to View Your Model

Well, actually just one way, and a very simple one at that, but over fifty different model file formats... (thanks anyway, Paul)... Instantly view your designs online – no software required. I pointed out repeatedly how easy the Autodesk View and Data API makes it to interactively view and explore a 3D model in the browser without any further software whatsoever. Now the new A360 Viewer Widget simplifies it further still, using a widget that can be embedded in web... Read more →

Web Fest, Hackathons, AU and WebGL Workshops

It is high time for me to get back here to explore new web related areas after the excursions looking at the journey to the cloud for a desktop oriented development team and the recent Dubai hackathon. I've been overly busy with the The Building Coder, the Revit API community and the new release of Revit since then. Here are my topics for today, both backward-looking to an exciting event held last week and forward-looking regarding my own plans for... Read more →

Journey to the Cloud – Development Team Transitioning

Today, let me pass on to you some observations on how to transition a desktop oriented development team to the cloud. Today is Ascension Day and a holiday in Neuchâtel, giving me a bit of time to clear some of my todo list items, and this article was one of them. Before getting to that, I'll just briefly mention that I returned safe and sound from the Dubai hackathon and have been pretty busy with Revit stuff since, e.g., how... Read more →

Dubai Hackathon Project Presentation Notes

As I mentioned yesterday, I am in Dubai attending the AngelHack Dubai Hackathon. Here are the relevant links: Hackathons Dubai hackathon Projects Prizes We just attended and were amazed by the awesome final project presentations. Project presentations are judged based on: solution technical aspects execution design Tips: less presentation, more demo make answers short so you can take more questions 3 minute demo, 2 minute Q&A Projects: virtual view boardhunt air intelligent eat my fridge job auditor wrappup urServed planbear... Read more →

Dubai, Hackathon Preparation and Viewer Workshop

I am in Dubai for the AngelHack Hackathon. We held a pre-hackathon workshop on using the View and Data API last night, and we've scheduled another one here at the hackathon itself at four o'clock this afternoon. I'll jot down my notes and the most up-to-date sexy links here to prepare. Here are some other important upcoming events and tips for getting prepared: 3D Web Festival in San Francisco AngelHack in Dubai AngelHack in Athens Autodesk University proposals Preparing for... Read more →

Radical Node Server View and Heroku Push Cleanup

Two days ago, I implemented an enhancement to the node server REST API of my WebGL viewer and its interactive testing framework suggested by my colleague Cyrille Fauvel. He also suggested applying a whole host of other best practices to separate content, styles and logic. I am quite impressed that I succeeded in breaking so many rules implementing such a small project. I am very happy and find it extremely important to get them corrected early on. Many thanks to... Read more →

Cleaner Node Server REST API Implementation

My colleague Cyrille Fauvel provided some suggestions for me to apply various best practices to my Node.js WebGL viewer server implementation and its interactive testing framework: Criteria to choose the rendering engine? Eliminate explicit request method checking Complete node.js server implementation Download Criteria to choose the rendering engine Question: You listed a couple of different rendering engines, then picked Swig, not EJS. Can you explain why? I use EJS myself. Answer: I picked the ones that looked smallest and easiest... Read more →

Node Server Rendering with either Swig or Handlebars

My previous step towards implementing a minimal WebGL viewer node server showed how to render 3D geometric POST data using Swig. Due to various self-created difficulties, I switched the rendering engine to Swig after struggling with initial attempts using Express Handlebars. Now that those difficulties have been solved, I thought I would show how to switch back to the handlebars support and prove that I use either one. They cannot be used in parallel, though, since the rendering engine is... Read more →