Although Smart Interop Publisher can translate native Navisworks .nwd files, we highly recommend that you translate the original source files used to generate the Navisworks file. The original source files could be formats such as .rvm/.att, .dwg, .dgn, and .ifc. Translating the original source files with Smart Interop Publisher instead of .nwd files provides better graphics quality and a more extensive, richer mapped property data.
Requirements and Considerations
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You must have Autodesk Navisworks Manage or Autodesk Navisworks Simulate loaded and activated on your system with Smart Interop Publisher to translate the .nwd and .nwf files. See Supported 3D Model Formats: What source files can I use?.
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To support the translation of DataTools properties, you must have Navisworks Simulate 2018 installed on your system. You must also copy the IngrDataToolsProp folder and the NavisPlugInAutomation.exe file from your Smart Interop Publisher installation location to the Navisworks Simulate 2018 Installation location.
Example:
Copy the C:\Program Files\SmartPlant\Interop Publisher\IngrDataToolsProp folder to the C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Navisworks Simulate 2018\Plugins folder.
and
Copy the C:\Program Files\SmartPlant\Interop Publisher\NavisPlugInAutomation.exe file to C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Navisworks Simulate 2018 folder.
Custom Mapping (Optional)
Because Navisworks supports third-party design packages, we recommend that you be familiar with the original authoring package and file data if you are going to do custom mapping. You can include new classes and properties, map any unmapped properties that you have added, and define unit of measure strings for property values using the CustomNavisworksToR3DMapping.xls mapping template file. This custom mapping template file is based on class and property mapping for PDMS and IFC formats.
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Review the NavisworksToR3DMapping.xls default mapping file to see the classes and properties that are currently mapped.
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In the CustomMappingFiles folder, make a copy of the CustomNavisworksToR3DMapping.xls file and place it in another location.
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Edit the custom mapping file to either modify property labels or add classes and properties. For Navisworks exported source files from originating software other than IFC or PDMS-based formats, all elements in the source file are mapped as Generic Elements. In this case, you can review the other available custom mapping files. You can copy the class and property mapping provided in those files and insert them in your CustomNavisworksToR3DMapping.xls file.
For example, if the originating software is MicroStation or AutoCAD, you can look in the default and custom MicroStation and AutoCAD mapping files to copy any required mapping rows, paste them into the CustomNavisworksToR3DMapping.xls file, and then modify them as required.
Smart Interop Publisher removes any colons placed inside a property name during translation. For example,
if you enter Net:Area for the property name, the resulting translation displays NetArea.
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Save the edited mapping spreadsheet file in the Microsoft Excel 97-2003 Workbook (.xlsx) format.
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To display unit strings such as 'meters' or 'inches' with specific property values in the translated model, you can define the Units G column in the custom mapping file. See Set the units of measure (UoM) in custom mapping.
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To set up custom mapping for a third-party format target such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), you must also create Hexagon schema (R3D)-to-IFC mapping. See Use custom mapping for third-party format targets.
Translation
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Click the Smart Interop Publisher icon on your desktop
.
-OR-
Click Start > All Programs > Intergraph Smart Interop Publisher. -
If you are not in the Projects View, click Projects.
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Select or create a project to use in the grid.
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Right-click the project, and then select Settings Menu > Project Settings Command.
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Use the default settings, or make any required changes.
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For Target Applications, select the Hexagon Asset Lifecycle Intelligence applications and third-party format to use. If you select a third-party format, verify that you have the required license. For example, you must have an IFC license to use the Industry Foundation Classes target.
Selecting only the target applications you require can produce a faster translation
time. Smart Interop Publisher only generates files required for the selected target.
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Click Save to save your changes and close the Project Settings Dialog.
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(Optional) Right-click the project, and then select the Translation Settings Command.
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Click New in the Select or Create Settings Group list, and type the name to use.
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Edit the Default translation settings group.
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Go to the Navisworks Options page.
See Navisworks options for a description of each option.
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Use the Navisworks Options to set the working units and scaling.
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Select Smooth object surfaces to create a higher quality model display.
-OR-
Clear this option to produce a normal quality image with a faster load time in the selected target application. -
Select Translate DataTools Properties if you have them in your source files. This option is activated when Navisworks is installed on your system. This option can adversely affect performance, so make sure DataTools properties are in the source files being translated.
Make sure you copy the IngrDataToolsProp folder and the NavisPlugInAutomation.exe
file provided in the Smart Interop Publisher installation location to your Navisworks Simulate 2018 installation location.
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Click Save when you have finished defining translation settings.
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Click Models to go back to the Models View.
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On the Source Files Grid, click Add
, and then select the Navisworks .nwf or .nwd files to translate.
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Select each source file to use in creating the Smart Model, and then click Translate
.
Use SHIFT+ or CTRL+ key combinations to select multiple source files.
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On the Translate Source File Dialog, type a name and location for the Smart Model.
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Select the Settings Group you defined earlier, or use the Default group.
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If you used custom mapping, set the Mapping Options to Custom and select the Mapping Files Location of the CustomNavisworksToR3DMapping.xls you edited.
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Click Translate.
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To schedule the translation for a later time, click Schedule to open the Schedule Translate Dialog. -
Open the Smart Models you created in the Intergraph target applications:
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If you selected a non-Intergraph format target, open the model format file using your preferred third-party reader. For example, if you selected the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) format target, use your own IFC reader to review the resulting Smart Model .ifc file.