1

I would like to generate Revit files via DesignAutomation API, prefilled with Types and Layers that come from an external data source.

The source can contain +10k types, and i would like to know what is the best approach to feed this data to the Work Item. Can i run into limitations regarding processing time or size? How can i estimate cloud credit cost of such a process?

If i upload it to a Bucket can the addin code access it? Are there any examples for using Bucket this way?

I could also build it into the plugin code if necessary, but would like to avoid this.

Any hints appreciated.

update: So i could not find a way to include the lengthy json file itself in the initial work item request, i had to create a web service that provides an endpoint from which Forge can download the json file(s).

bitwise
  • 170
  • 12

2 Answers2

1

Can i run into limitations regarding processing time or size? How can i estimate cloud credit cost of such a process?

What you're looking for may be here - service limits. You may run into limits regarding processing time, but since the limitProcessingTimeSec includes download and upload time for workitems you can change this value if you are running into issues.

The source can contain +10k types, and i would like to know what is the best approach to feed this data to the Work Item.

If you would like to download extra information for a WorkItem at the beginning of a job you are able to bundle it in a zip file which then gets unzipped by the service. If you're looking for specific quotas to make sure you are not going over, you can see the quota limit here.

If i upload it to a Bucket can the addin code access it? Are there any examples for using Bucket this way?

If you'd like to access an external file while the job is running, you can look at the onDemand input here.

Ashwin ShivaShankar
  • 81
  • 2
  • Thanks! Could you elaborate on this: "download extra information for a WorkItem at the beginning of a job you are able to bundle it in a zip file which then gets unzipped by the service"? Can i find an example of how this is done? How packaging is done and where can the plugin access it? My data is constant during the process and known at start, just need to iterate over it in the plugin. – bitwise Feb 22 '21 at 18:18
  • @bitwise, you can find the usage of zip at: [Body Structure](https://forge.autodesk.com/en/docs/design-automation/v3/reference/http/workitems-POST/#body-structure)->arguments->*->XrefTreeArgument->pathInZip. You need to give a local name and define `zip==true` for this input in the activity. Design Automation will unzip the zip file to the folder named as local name under current working folder where you can access in the addin – Emma Zhu Feb 22 '21 at 21:30
1

Fully concur with Ashwin.

In addition, here is a discussion of further aspects of DA4R Input and Output Files.

Jeremy Tammik
  • 7,333
  • 2
  • 12
  • 17
  • Thanks, i see it communicates the data as a POST parameter. Can i make use of the full 2GB theoretically available to a POST body, or what is the size limit here? I assume my data will be 10s of MBs in JSON format. – bitwise Feb 22 '21 at 18:35
  • There is a limit of 16 KB for payload. If the input of JSON file is big, you may want to save it at some Cloud storage first, and provide its URL as an input. Design Automation will download this json file – Emma Zhu Feb 22 '21 at 21:36