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 6.2.0-beta 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

Autodesk Platform Services App
- Register an app
- Select Data Management and Data Exchange APIs
- Note your Client ID, Client Secret, and Auth Callback
Development Environment
- Visual Studio 2019 or later
- .NET Framework 4.8
- Basic knowledge of C#
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:

Creates a new exchange
Adds multiple geometry types (BREP, IFC, Mesh, Primitives)
Adds instance and type parameters
Syncs to Version 1
Deletes some parameters
Adds more geometries and parameters
Syncs to Version 2
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

Create a new command class inheriting from Command
Implement required methods (Execute, Clone, ValidateOptions)
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

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

🔄 Migration Guide: SDK 6.2.0-beta Upgrade

This section documents the migration from previous SDK versions to Autodesk Data Exchange SDK 6.2.0-beta.

📋 Overview of Changes

This upgrade includes significant improvements and API enhancements:

SDK Version: Upgraded to Autodesk.DataExchange 6.2.0-beta
Enhanced API Methods: Improved method signatures and functionality
Dependency Updates: Updated Microsoft.Extensions packages and testing frameworks
New Utilities: Added MoreLinq utilities for improved data processing

🚀 Key Dependency Updates

Package	Previous Version	New Version	Impact
`Autodesk.DataExchange`	< 6.2.0	`6.2.0-beta`	Major - Core SDK upgrade
`MSTest.TestFramework`	< 3.9.3	`3.9.3`	Testing framework improvements
`Microsoft.Extensions.*`	Various	`6.0.0`	Dependency injection and configuration
`MoreLinq.Source.MoreEnumerable.Batch`	-	`1.0.2`	New - Enhanced LINQ operations

⚠️ Breaking Changes

1. GenerateViewableAsync Method Signature

Before:

await Client.GenerateViewableAsync(displayName, exchangeId, collectionId, fileUrn);

After:

await Client.GenerateViewableAsync(exchangeId, collectionId);

Migration Action: Remove displayName and fileUrn parameters from GenerateViewableAsync calls.

2. Enhanced Response Handling

All async methods now return improved IResponse<T> types
Better error handling and status checking
Enhanced logging capabilities through updated ILogger interface

3. Updated Project Types

Enhanced support for ACC (Autodesk Construction Cloud) projects
Improved project type detection and handling
Better regional hosting support

🔧 Migration Steps

Step 1: Update Package References

Update your packages.config or project file:

<package id="Autodesk.DataExchange" version="6.2.0-beta" targetFramework="net48" />
<package id="MoreLinq.Source.MoreEnumerable.Batch" version="1.0.2" targetFramework="net48" />
<package id="MSTest.TestFramework" version="3.9.3" targetFramework="net48" />

Step 2: Update API Method Calls

Search and replace the following patterns in your code:

// OLD: GenerateViewableAsync with 4 parameters
await Client.GenerateViewableAsync(displayName, exchangeId, collectionId, fileUrn);

// NEW: GenerateViewableAsync with 2 parameters
await Client.GenerateViewableAsync(exchangeId, collectionId);

Step 3: Update Test Framework (If Applicable)

For projects using MSTest, update test attributes and methods to use the latest MSTest 3.9.3 features.

Step 4: Leverage New Features

Take advantage of new utilities:

// Use MoreLinq for enhanced batch processing
using MoreLinq;

// Batch process elements efficiently
var batches = elements.Batch(50); // Process in batches of 50

🎯 New Features & Improvements

Enhanced Exchange Management

Improved exchange creation with better project type detection
Enhanced synchronization capabilities
Better error handling and retry mechanisms

Performance Improvements

Optimized geometry processing
Improved batch operations with MoreLinq
Enhanced memory management

Better Logging & Diagnostics

Enhanced logging capabilities
Improved error messages and stack traces
Better debugging experience

🧪 Testing Your Migration

After migration, 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

⚡ Performance Considerations

Batch Processing: Use the new MoreLinq utilities for processing large datasets
Async/Await: Ensure all async methods are properly awaited
Memory Management: The new SDK includes improved memory handling
Connection Pooling: Enhanced HTTP client configuration for better performance

🐛 Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue: GenerateViewableAsync Error

Error: ArgumentException: Too many parameters Solution: Remove displayName and fileUrn parameters from the method call.

Issue: Package Conflicts

Error: Assembly binding conflicts Solution: Clean and rebuild solution, ensure all packages are updated consistently.

Issue: Authentication Problems

Error: Authentication failures after upgrade Solution: Verify your App.config credentials are correct and your app has proper Data Exchange API permissions.

📞 Support & Resources

Breaking Changes: See above migration steps
New Features: Explore the enhanced API documentation
Performance: Review the optimization guidelines
Issues: Report SDK-specific issues through official channels

Migration Checklist:

Updated all package references to 6.2.0-beta
Fixed GenerateViewableAsync method calls
Updated test framework (if applicable)
Tested core workflows with WorkFlowTest
Verified authentication and permissions
Reviewed and updated error handling

📖 Documentation

🤝 Contributing

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

Fork the repository for your own modifications
Report issues or suggestions
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.

✍️ Author

Dhiraj Lotake - Autodesk

🆘 Support

For SDK-related questions and support:

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

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 62 Commits
images		images
src		src
test/ConsoleConnector_Test		test/ConsoleConnector_Test
.gitignore		.gitignore
BuildSolution.bat		BuildSolution.bat
ConsoleConnector.sln		ConsoleConnector.sln
README.md		README.md

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Autodesk Data Exchange Console Connector

📋 Overview

🔗 Quick Navigation

🎯 Key Features

Core Functionality

Developer Experience

🛠️ Prerequisites

🚀 Quick Start

1. Clone and Setup

2. Install Dependencies

3. Configuration

4. Run the Application

💻 Usage Examples

Basic Commands

Complete Workflow Test

📚 Command Reference

🏗️ Architecture

Key Components

🔧 Extending the Application

Adding New Commands

Adding Command Options

🔄 Migration Guide: SDK 6.2.0-beta Upgrade

📋 Overview of Changes

🚀 Key Dependency Updates

⚠️ Breaking Changes

1. GenerateViewableAsync Method Signature

2. Enhanced Response Handling

3. Updated Project Types

🔧 Migration Steps

Step 1: Update Package References

Step 2: Update API Method Calls

Step 3: Update Test Framework (If Applicable)

Step 4: Leverage New Features

🎯 New Features & Improvements

Enhanced Exchange Management

Performance Improvements

Better Logging & Diagnostics

🧪 Testing Your Migration

⚡ Performance Considerations

🐛 Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue: GenerateViewableAsync Error

Issue: Package Conflicts

Issue: Authentication Problems

📞 Support & Resources

📖 Documentation

🤝 Contributing

📄 License

✍️ Author

🆘 Support

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