Web App

Hi All,

Has anyone successfully created an App that drives Acad
from the Web?

I have read some posts lately stating that it is not possible?

I have an VBA app I'm working on that I would like to test as a web page. I
purchased .Net compatible web space...Learning ASP...

App now allows user to sketch a floorplan in excel(using a chart..cool), add
all info, gables,wall lengths...widths, gables, windows,ect...

Then draws full set of plans for users in accounting dept that know
nothing about Acad..

Have the recent rants of this not being possible true??:{

Clinton...Please stay out if you just want to complain on this one...
Some of us take this seriously...

TFYT

Paul

 

Paul,

"I have read some posts lately stating that it is not possible?"

For those that are unable to see over "the wall of aptitude", or listen to others like lemmings over a cliff, they would say it can't be done. Those that laugh at those that say these things will...laugh.

Ever see a website fire off a Word Doc and expose it to you via your browser?

What your asking is an issue, and licensing, of using CreateObject on or via your IIS server, code behind, trusted domain, yada yada.

For those that STILL don't believe...

A large manufacturer of electrical transformers in the east did it this way:

Based on the job order a specific manufacturing station needs to see the drawing, spec, and other docs regarding their floor traveler for the manufaturing stage they are presently focusing. The user selects the proper menu item via a touch screen, this makes a request via COM to the resource. The data generates a dxf file, AutoCAD starts at the manufaturing station making the request and displays the proper documentation allowing the user to do his job.

Simple...yes...also complicated while being simple....yes. Can't be done? Dead wrong!!

Licensing is your issue not the container object used to expose the AutoCAD session...thus, intranet works, internet not a good idea....people are listening...shhhhh.

Would I do what your asking the way you put it...No. I'd generate the file, pass it to a viewer for the accounting department to look at. Licensing is expensive and thus your idea has a high $ investment requirement while a viewer is minimal.

Kudos to you Paul. You think out of the box...excellent, this is the thinking that allowed AutoDesk to take wish list items and continue to enhance their software.

Regards and the best of luck living out of the box...often, you have no company.

Good luck,

Bob Coward
CADS, Inc

800-366-0946

 

Dead wrong!!

....just wanted to second Bob's post. I've fooled with much simpler ideas
and I believe it quite possible.

From what I was thinking the solution wouldn't be terribly elegant, but if
it works, it works. Good luck, Paul.

 

"I have read some posts lately stating that it is not possible?"

If I read this right, I guess I laugh all the time. Is possible, can be
done with AutoCAD and Inventor and, as Bob states, licensing is the biggest
issue.


-- Mike
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's CAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies
___________________________
the trick is to realize that there is no spoon...

 

Thank You Gentlemen..

Your vote of confidence is welcome and needed... Believe me just because
someone else quit trying I wouldn't..Unless the consensus of this group was
that it is not possible..That might slow me down a bit...ha

My final goal is to make this service available to all their satellite
offices nation wide. Takes over a week to get a client an estimate now..Data
must be email to main office, cad operators take over...and then plans are
mailed off. Lot of time wasted on customers just browsing..

This will be on the spot..Reseller enters data into the page and... 2dplans,
cultist, and 3D elevations are returned by piggybacking off my current vb
app which creates said data...from existing 2d plans. This will drive the 2d
plans also..If client accepts bid, cad operators can now use these plans as
the basis for the final product..Don't have to start from scratch..

Going to package it in a nice .exe slideshow that they can burn and give to
customer on the spot....Stick disc it in a "cedar" scented sleeve and they
got em...ha. Hope to have it ready for Janurary HomeShow..

My Plan...Based on your replys..

1. Create ASP.Net(some Net form) page with sketch tool and dialog for
entering complete data...Data is stored and transferred as dxf to main
office. I have a program which will create vanilla dxf files...will need to
update for ADT.

2. Will I have a license issue with the webpage firing AutoCAD automatically
in the main office and creating my plans. They have multiple licenses..but
need a few more anyway. Could an extra license be added just for this?

Thanks a Bunch...Looks like I jumped into the deep end as usual. Going to
need to start sending you guys royalties...

Paul

 

I take this seriously too Paul, probably too seriously. After having
just re-read my reply to you that illicited your request that I not turn
this reply into a complaint all I can say is that I want to apologize
for those harsh comments when attempting to explain that ADT2004
has been subversively sabotaged by Autodesk corporate.

It was wrong of me to extrapolate what I know to be true of
ADT2004 to other releases of AutoCAD too.

I was trying to get around to explaining that attempting to use
hyperlinks in the ADT2004 drawing editor results in a crude
out-of-the-box hack that opens a back door through which
Autodesk walk anytime they like.

That to me means while the 'feature' is functional it would be
insane to even use it. Is that a complaint?

I've posted a long reply to Fräulein Brown who insisted after
reading my comments picking on those nasty Autodesk corporate
slimesters as I've felt compelled to refer to them. If she allows it to
be posted it will be my reply to her in this newsgroup seen below this
discussion entry.

SEE: 8/23/2004
Re: VB? VBA? Visual Studio (.net) (2005) Waht App should I use?

 

It was wrong of me to extrapolate what I know to be true of

What can we infer from this fact ??

Who is the slimester now??

And I wonder, why would the "corporate slimesters" go and 'sabotage'
ClintonGs ADT2004 ??
Could this be a personal "corporate" vendetta ??

 

How do you find time to do anything constructive?

 

Hi Nathan,

He's associated with Architects. They don't need to.


--

Regards


Laurie Comerford
www.cadapps.com.au

 

You know 'we' don't need to infer anything as it is quite clear I
accepted the responsibility for my comments and Autodesk has
yet to do so which is the crux of the matter.

Are you suggesting that a hyperlink in your instance of ADT2004
does not malfunction the way my instance does?

--
<%= Clinton Gallagher, "Twice the Results -- Half the Cost"
Architectural & e-Business Consulting -- Software Development
NET
URL http://www.metromilwaukee.com/clintongallagher/

 

I pay smart@sses like Laurie to do my work for me ;-)

 

Hi,

You're wrong there. Ethical people wouldn't associate with you.

--


Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

 

C'mon quit the cursing man.!!
I'm not suggesting anything here.
There is no malfunction in my ADT2004.
Hyperlink works correctly and I checked port activity with TCPView
No strange or malicious activity was detected while the hyperlink opened a
web site.

Are you using an original and licensed copy of ADT2004 ??

 

How 'bout those Braves....!!

Now the ice is broken and the quagmire settles to the silt below.

 

Yes, my software is licensed and activated.
As if I would say otherwise %-)

Before posting to the newsgroups -- regarding the current
focus of this specific issue -- I sent 'feedback' via autodesk.com
which was ignored. I replicated the behavior on two different
platforms -- a Windows 2003 Server which I know is not officially
supported but does run ADT2004 with the only conflict I have
been able to observe being a skipping mouse cursor.

I also replicated the hack on an new instance of XP Pro. I can
ramble on about how fastidious I am about applying all updates
and how locked down my machines and network are and
blah blah blah which is the point I am concerned about because
I am fastidious about security.

Checking the ports? Good idea but have you considered a hijacked
HTTP request need not phone home each time an event is raised?

When you clicked the hyperlink have you noticed the
ADT2004 editor being minimized to the taskbar and/or the
new instance of the browser that is launched being maximized
when loading the document?

 

Yes, my software is licensed and activated.

That wisecrack says alot about you !

I believe no one in this NG doubts that.

None of the above !

You remind me of a guy who posted here once, saying that his drawings were
causing a fatal error.
I took the time to help the poor soul !!! and tested one of his drawings.
After I replied stating that I had found nothing wrong, he had the nerve to
ask me if I had really tested it.

Go fly a kite !!

 

Is it safe to assume that you didn't install SP2 for XP?

As for the weird occurances you are mentioning, it sounds more like an
adware trojan I had. IMAGINiT has numerous ADT2004/2005 clients using
customized environments involving the hyperlinks and none are exhibiting
your system's symptoms.

Does't matter to me, but if I were you I'd step back and go through your
checklist again. Being a installer/programmer as it sounds, you should know
that things do slip through the cracks no matter how fastideous you are. It
could be something as silly as AutoCAD seeing a internet connection and
trying to go look for updates - if you forgot to disable it.

-- Mike
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's CAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies
___________________________
the trick is to realize that there is no spoon...

 

No I haven't installed any release of XP SP2. I'm trusting the
several responses of persons such as yourself who can not
confirm the same behaviors I have observed. Thank you.

I've run PestPatrol, Ad-Aware, Spybot and SpySweeper on
the 2003 machine as I was running Kazaa and BearShare on a
W2000 Pro machine on the same network but 2003 always
turned up clean -- I was paranoid about spyware apps ability
to access network shares.

I have run none of those apps on the XP machine -- yet -- as it
only has several applications installed from 'trusted' vendors. I
also destroyed the W2000 Pro configuration and reinstalled a
fresh instance of W2000 Pro after reformatting 'before' I set up
the XP machine. This was not planned in response to the hyperlink
issue but just happened that way. Yes, I should scan the XP
machine anyway.

I apologize for ragging on you earlier. I have plenty to say about
the implementation which I still contend is subversive but I'll
leave it at that.

Your last statement infers AutoCAD goes out to look for updates.
Can you tell me how to disable that? I'll look at that option too.

 

Go Red Sox!!

*cough* Yankees suck *cough*

--
Matt W

The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

| How 'bout those Braves....!!
|
| Now the ice is broken and the quagmire settles to the silt below.

 

I apologize for ragging on you earlier.
No problem, I've had those days

In the status bar is the Communications Center. Right click then select
Settings. This is just a guess because mine has been disabled from day one,
but it is my understanding that it works like the defunct BigFix or
whatever that app was adesk shipped around 2000-2000i-2002 days. We had
lots of customer installs going haywire because it kept trying to establish
a connectionn to check for updates.

-- Mike
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's CAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies
___________________________
the trick is to realize that there is no spoon...