Navisworks API : CommandHandlerPlugin

Welcome to the tenth tutorial of Navisworks® API series, this post is to cover a different type of Plugin called “CommandHandlerPlugin”, which can be used to add commands to the Navisworks GUI system. In this tutorial, we will create a custom RibbonTab layout for RibbonButton & SplitButton commands.

Custom RibbonTab Demo

Let this start by firing up Visual Studio (me using VS17 & Navisworks 2020), when you are ready, create a new project > choose Class Library (.Net Framework) and name it “CustomTabSample” (figure 1.1).

In the Solution Explorer panel, right-click on References > Add Reference > Browse and add AdWindows, Navisworks GUI Roamer, Navisworks API library and WindowForms too (figure 1.2).

In the Solution Explorer you should be seeing the References as below figure 1.3a , make sure local copy values set to false. And create a Folder name it “Images” for icon/images as shown in figure 1.3b (get images from GitHub repo).

Add a new WPF User Control (XAML file) , the Ribbon Interface file to configure RibbonTab layout (figure 1.4).

Remove all the preset tags from our xaml file and delete CustomTabSample.xaml.cs file too. In RibbonControl tag, we’ll give x:Uid as the project name “CustomTabSample” and also need to add AdWindows, Naviswork GUI Roamer as assembly references. (figure 1.5a)

RibbonTab defines a tab on the ribbon, set Id and Title attributes values as shown in figure 1.5b. RibbonPanel provides a distinct panel in the ribbon tab for a group of buttons and set x:Uid attribute value as “RibbonPanel_1”. RibbonPanelSource defines the content and properties of the parent RibbonPanel and NWRibbonButton indicates a button in the ribbon. We have two buttons: “ButtonOne” and “ButtonTwo” in the “RibbonPanel_1”. (figure 1.5b)

In “RibbonPanel_2” we will add a Split Button, NWRibbonSplitButton, which holds “ButtonThree” and “ButtonFour” (figure 1.5c). Now, we are done with our xaml file.

In MainClass.cs , we need to add a list of class attributes : Plugin attribute is to defines PluginID, DeveloperID. RibbonLayout attribute is to identify our “CustomTabSample.xaml” XAML file. RibbonTab attribute must provide the same RibbonTab’s Id from our xaml file. We have a Command attribute for each Button and Command Id links to Button Id. (figure 1.6)

CommandHandlerPlugin the derivative class has ExecuteCommand method to override. Method execute when a button in the Ribbon is pressed. (figure 1.7)

*figure 1.7 – CommandHandlerPlugin Class*

In ExecuteCommand method, we have a simple switch case statement for Button’s Id to determine which Button is pressed and a quote message box will display. (figure 1.8)

Lastly, to make our Plugins’ folder structure, as shown in figure 1.9, we’ll add a few Post-build Event Command Lines to copy Folder & Files.

In Build Events tab, edit Post-build event. (figure 1.10)

The first line : xcopy /Y "$(TargetDir)." "D:\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2020\Plugins\$(Target Name)\" – to copy the output dll file.

Second line : xcopy /Y "$(ProjectDir)CustomTabSample.xaml" "D:\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2020\Plugins\$(TargetName)\" – to copy xaml file.

Third line : mkdir "D:\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2020\Plugins\$(TargetName)\en-US" – to create a new folder “en-Us”.

*figure 1.10 – Post Build Event Command Lines*

Fourth line : xcopy /Y "$(ProjectDir)CustomTabSample.xaml" "D:\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2020\Plugins\$(TargetName)\en-US" – copy xaml file to “en-US” folder.

Fifth line : mkdir "D:\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2020\Plugins\$(TargetName)\Images" – create a new folder “Images”.

Sixth line : xcopy /Y "$(ProjectDir)Images" "D:\Autodesk\Navisworks Manage 2020\Plugins\$(TargetName)\Images" – copy imported images to “Images” folder.

Finally, change the platform solution to x64, add external program to Navisworks’ Roamer.exe and click Start.