Enhancement Request | Ability to deal with layers in CAD data

[Shinichiro_Endo]

Dear all.
Currently, when we need to handle CAD data (such as STEP and JT) with layers, first we split CAD data by each layer, export them, and then import to Vuforia as separate files.
However splitting each CAD files into each layers takes a lot of effort, so we'd like to have ability to handle layers on Vuforia side.

To be specific, we'd like to have an ability to import CAD file with layer, and switch visibility of each individual layers.

Thanks in advance.

[JG_8568288]

Hi, 

I am not sure what is ment with layer, could you describe this further? Maybe using Creo Illustrate could help or the tree-widget: https://community.ptc.com/t5/Vuforia-Studio/CSS-Tree-widget-extension-implementation/m-p/846460

[RolandRaytchev]

Hi @Shinichiro_Endo ,

 you mentioned as format STEP or JT. These formats are  export/ tranfer formats. So means they are used when we work with different cad systems and then output the file for further work in a different CAD product or enviroment. So   the question form where we will get the data. What is the native CAD system? Whay I am asking this? So your data is comming form some source cad system. For example PTC Cad Creo Parametric. It could be NX ,Catia AutoCAD or else. but this are CAD Products where I do not have detailed knoledge how they handle the Layer data.  So far I know, the most of the CAD systems could handle the Layer data very well and could use the layer settings to filter the display, delete, export , etc operation. I used in the past (over 20 years ago Autocad and remember that there was a lot of things possible via AutoLisp, VB and C API - no idea how it works in the mean time) What I could say is that also Creo Parametric (PTC CAD system) provided the Toolkit dev enviroment (C , CPP API) , J-LInk VB and some scripts etc where you can use the Creo CAD api to perform some Layer operations , visibility , selection etc. In creo you can try to use also the interface options to filter the export.(need to be more detailed with Creo Parametic team if Creo is used) So means that when you want to use the layer informaiton to do some operation on the files - to prepare them for Vuforia Studio , in this case I think, the best option is to try this automatizaitons in the source system so to export the data in the desired shape. So possibly in the native CAD system you can possibly  set the export options on easy way and so have the desired results.

If  you have data form provider only in the formats STEP and JT. In this case the access in native cad system is not availible . We can not import JT directly in Vuforia Stduio. You need to change it first e.g. in step or else supported format . https://support.ptc.com/help/vuforia/studio/en/#page/Studio_Help_Center%2FSupportedCADFileFormats.html

As next - let say you have the file what you want to import in a step format. One possibly option then could be  to try  to customize the  step2pvz utility and the correspoinding step2pv_import3d_dt.rcp configuraiton file - as mentioend in the post https://community.ptc.com/t5/Vuforia-Studio/Enhancement-Request-quot-Show-PMI-exported-from-NX-CAD-into/td-p/949763  . In the mentioned  post the the goal is different - /receiving PMI/ but the prinicple is the same. You have to try to setup the import tool according to the availible  options reported in the Creo View Macad Adapters Gide  https://www.ptc.com/support/-/media/support/refdocs/Creo_View/6,-d-,0/CVMCADAdaptersInstallConfigGuide.pdf?sc_lang=en

The usage how to change the rcp import filter so to achieve your goal (if this is possible is not 100% sure)  is something what you could try to clarify with the Creo View Mcad adapter group in the community (Creo Parametric or Windchill community) or via opening PTC Macad Adapter for Creo View TS case where the question will be: How to import a Step  object to PVZ format via adapter so that filter for layer name shold be applied..

For example if you have installed the rcp editor  - rcpedit app - is part of the Creo View adapter package /not part of the Vuforia Studio Product/

Here is an example of rcp edit (here for PDF export) where we can specify a layer filter. So the principle for PVZ is the same but the correct filter should be applied. How to set this import filters - means the setting of the rcp options - this   needs to be clarifed with the TC Macad Adapter Tech Support Team.

Alternative you can use any others STEP applicaitons (step is common interface format and there a lot of tools and provider of services with step availbile) where you will have to  input step and then as outuput the result will go to step where  you will get a filtered step data . So possibly such thirdparty tool could use the layer to filter information and get the desired result. 

addtional reference https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS21380 (How to edit Client-side Recipe configuration used by Creo Parametric and the Workgroup Manager) , https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS35784(How to save a copy IGES, STEP or JT file without exporting the hidden layers in Creo Parametric) and https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS35784   Suggested Technique for Filtering Imported and Exported IGES Data with Layers

[Shinichiro_Endo]

Hi, @RolandRaytchev , sorry for the late reply.
We've assessed/tried workarounds you've offered.
However, unfortunately we couldn't fulfill our requirement by those workarounds.

1. Consider using some kind of automations in CAD software so that CAD files can be exported to separate files:
We are still checking if it's possible to automate the process of separating CAD data, but even if it's possible, we still need to import multiple files per projects.
That will take a lot of time when number of layers are many. Therefore it will be best for us if we can import those CAD data as single file.
(By the way, we are using JT adapters to convert JT into PVZ.)

2. Consider configuring step2pv_import3d_dt.rcp to include layer info into converted PVZ files
We've managed to import layer info to Creo Illustrate, but Vuforia Studio cannot recognize layer info no matter if we import directly into Vuforia, or via Creo/other adapters.
We've also asked PTC support for the solutions as you've suggested, but they also said that's not possible.

[Shinichiro_Endo]

Hi, @RolandRaytchev , do we have any updates on this request?
I'm looking forward to hear from you.

Please let me know if there's anything missing or needed to be clarified.

[RolandRaytchev]

Hi @Shinichiro_Endo ,

thanks for you feedback but I do not think that we can clarify this further more detailed  here because that is something what needs deep investigation and possibly need to be addressed  to PTC or PTC partners consulting team or to the PTC Technical support first to check and classify that issue.

The community is an area where customers could share experiences about an reported problem and usage of the software but I do not this that here we can handled some issue which requires deep investigation or project definitions. Ok when some customer has experience with similar issue then possibly we could achieve here some hints or  examples 

 The problems are:

-that issues required deep investigation based on customers data - required are several examples  - to see what is the structure / or let say typical structure of a customer data /example step and to decide what should be strategy of possible solution. What tools should be used

-In my previous point I only mentioned some touch points with PTC products where possibly you can try to use. But want to highlight that step data , extracting file to layer is something what has nothing to do with PTC products and is general CAD data handling. So possibly you can address also questions to CREO , Step any else CAD community where step handling is one of the mean subjects.

-so possibly you seems to have some approach where an specific item what you want to split them to separate components /parts which has specify layer names etc. So the question is when you split it ,what then. Are they alone or should be still used as components in the assembly? We need to analyse based on customer data and then we need to select the best tools , I doubt that Studio Community is the best place to post such question. 

-step format is over 40 year old the JT possibly over 30 years /i think/ and therefore I suppose that there are a loot of tools. I remember the time   where cad system are not able directly to read native cad  data from foreign cad systems - so the formats STEP, IGES, JT are used mostly for transferring of data between different cad systems and there are a lot of companies who provided solutions for analysing such data (e.g. step data). – so, I  believe/ hope  that in the mean time should be a lot of tools available - possibly you can find the one tools  what is mostly appropriate for your case. The result such be then a structure what should be read from Studio. Studio native format is pvz. Therefor the best option for that will be have a tool which could export to pvz format.

I can speak only from the PTC side , that what PTC product could provide of functionality. Example : loading the data to Creo Parametric and then using tools like ProToolkit to split it. But as I mentioned we need server datasets to analyse the typical structure and then check if :

1. solution is possible and
2. what should be the best workflow