- The workstation running ATC must be able to ping the Autodesk Data Management Server (ADMS). In other words, the workstation must be same sub-network as the ADMS.
- The user must have a valid ADMS account with necessary permissions. This can be accomplished either with a Vault Account log-in or with Microsoft Windows Authentication.
- The workstation must have one of the supported web browsers. I have tested four, three of which do not show DWF visualization files directly. More on this later.
- The workstation running ATC must have a copy of the free Autodesk viewer Design Review (ADR) installed.
The Autodesk Thin Client offers a view into the Vault content non-CAD users in your company. These users can view which files are released and their revision status, properties of files and if your company is using Vault Professional, they can view bill of materials of assemblies. There are many other tasks that ATC offers non-CAD users. This article is not trying to cover the uses of the Vault but will try and concentrate on the one task of viewing the CAD files contained in the Vault by using the generated DWF or DWFx visualization file created by the Vault during the CAD application check-in process.
Autodesk is dependent on the web browser and its ability to handle the necessary ADR add-in or extension to show the DWF file in full screen mode. Currently Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) is the only current web browser that can accomplish this. I am currently using IE version 11. It must be configured according to the specifications shown on this Autodesk website. If you are using an older version of Chrome or Firefox, they too can be configured to display the DWF file in full screen mode.
If your company uses a current version of Chrome or Firefox, you can use the ATC to its full potential if you modify the workflow for viewing DWF files in full screen mode. The process to do this starts with your Vault administrator configuring the ATC to "Restrict download of file with visualization attachment" by placing a check mark in the ATC Settings dialog.
The Setting dialog box can be found from the ATC webpage at the following location.
When you log into ATC you will navigate to and open the folder containing the files you wish to view. The modified workflow requires you to open the file and bypass selecting the "Preview" icon beside each file in the folder. If you select this command a blank window will open in your browser stating that you are missing the ADR add-in. Once you have opened the file left click on the "Actions" icon on any thumbnail image and then select "Download Visualization".
The next step it to decide how you want to save and open the DWF visualization file. I will demonstrate how to make them open by default allowing you to go directly into ADR. In Chrome you will need to save the first file you download and then right click on the Chrome download icon in the lower left of the browser window. Select "Always open files of this type" from the context menu.
Then next time you select "Download Visualization" in ATC, it will open up ADR automatically and display the DWF file. The only downside is that each time you do this the process will open up a new instance of ADR.
The process is the same in Firefox up to the Opening dialog box. In the Opening dialog box verify that the radio button "Open with Autodesk DWF Application (default) is selected and place a check mark in front of "Do this automatically for files like this from now on." Once you select "OK" it will automatically open up ADR and display the DWF file.
If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer you can left click on the any available "Preview" icon to open up the DWF file inside the web browser.
If you would like to open up the file inside the ADR application from this view, simply right click and the image and select "Open in DWF Application" from the context menu.
In Microsoft Edge, the newest web browser option in Windows 10, the process is also the same as in Chrome and Firefox except a message box will open at the bottom of the browser asking you the operation you would like to use with the DWF file. I could not find a way to make this the default operation.
Of course all these methods will not work if the Vault does not contain DWF or DWFx files for all checked in CAD files. There is a "Update Visualization" icon on the file viewing page in the ATC which can be used to update or create a missing visualization file in the Vault. Its use is dependent on the Autodesk Job Processor availability. Check with your Vault administrator before attempting to use this function.
If a DWF or DWFx file does not exist in the Vault for the file you are attempting to view, the "Actions" icon will show the option to download the actual file itself. This is not normally a desirable action and Autodesk is currently working on a fix to the situation.
Then next time you select "Download Visualization" in ATC, it will open up ADR automatically and display the DWF file. The only downside is that each time you do this the process will open up a new instance of ADR.
The process is the same in Firefox up to the Opening dialog box. In the Opening dialog box verify that the radio button "Open with Autodesk DWF Application (default) is selected and place a check mark in front of "Do this automatically for files like this from now on." Once you select "OK" it will automatically open up ADR and display the DWF file.
If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer you can left click on the any available "Preview" icon to open up the DWF file inside the web browser.
In Microsoft Edge, the newest web browser option in Windows 10, the process is also the same as in Chrome and Firefox except a message box will open at the bottom of the browser asking you the operation you would like to use with the DWF file. I could not find a way to make this the default operation.
Of course all these methods will not work if the Vault does not contain DWF or DWFx files for all checked in CAD files. There is a "Update Visualization" icon on the file viewing page in the ATC which can be used to update or create a missing visualization file in the Vault. Its use is dependent on the Autodesk Job Processor availability. Check with your Vault administrator before attempting to use this function.
If a DWF or DWFx file does not exist in the Vault for the file you are attempting to view, the "Actions" icon will show the option to download the actual file itself. This is not normally a desirable action and Autodesk is currently working on a fix to the situation.
"The workstation running ATC must be able to ping the Autodesk Data Management Server (ADMS). In other words, the workstation must be same sub-network as the ADMS."
ReplyDeleteSecond sentence is definitely not true. Ping/IMCP is commonly allowed to pass through firewalls/layer 3 switches in medium size networks. We do this on our network and have no problems with ATC connectivity.