Allplan Forum: We need your feedback!

bmarciniec

22.12.2022 - 12:20

Dear Allplan users,
Allplan is working constantly on extending the functionality of the Python API. We see a great potential in enabling our customers to do their own developments that would meet their specific needs. Then as we know, those can differ essentially throughout the whole AEC industry. The possibilities Python offers are almost unlimited, therefore we want to focus our efforts on what is most important. To meet that goal, we are asking you to share your feedback.
As you are/were developing your functionalities using Python API (regardless if using Visual Scripting or directly scripting a .py file), what were the biggest difficulties you were confronted with? Were you missing documentation or examples, or did you find it incomplete?
Which functionalities of Allplan are you missing in Python-API/Visual Editor most?
Please feel free to write your feedback in this topic or write me a private message. We appreciate all your feedback and will consider it. Yet, of course, we cannot guarantee, that all requests are going to be implemented quickly. For the moment the goal is to get an overview, and therefore your feedback is so important.

Best Regards
Your Allplan Team

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Antoli

30.12.2022 - 07:24

The most important thing, I think, is the lack of information. There are some user manuals, but based on impractical examples, like: write this, modify the other... but without explaining why. A "reference manual" type manual that contains many examples of use of each function would be very necessary.
Thank you very much for your effort!

Antolí

bmarciniec

02.01.2023 - 13:36

Quote by Antoli

Thank you very much for your effort!
Antolí

Hello Antolí
we are currently working on the documentation for API and it is one of our highest priorities. As soon, as you install Allplan it can be found here:

...\Etc\PythonPartsFramework\PythonPartsDoc\index.html

Please make sure you have the newest Version of Allplan installed, as the documentation is being updated, as new features are being implemented in API. In some topics there is not only the description provided but also a reference to a specific example script (ex. preview symbols). Please check it out and give us feedback, if that is what you mean under "reference manual". Bare in mind, that it's under developement. There might be some information missing but it's also wide opened for your feedback.

Mkovac

02.01.2023 - 14:20 *

I agree with Antoli.. Documentation is crucial for regular work. I checked documentation in ETC and it look way better then online "https://pythonparts.allplan.com/"

In visual scripting I am missing limits for input values - eg. if you create box and make some value =0 then python dissapear without any warning. So with handles you can easily make python wich with inproper values disapear. You can only use sliders with min max values.

Another function what I am missing but hopefuly will be in visual scripting, is sweep bar along path - now only accesible in diretly scripting python *.py

I didnt find any loop function ("for index in ....") in visual script.

There is no 2d functions in visual script - dimension lines, text, 2d line

No point placement for reinforcement.

In python I tried to make my own sweep bar along path. But because I am beginner in python I got stuck because of @staticmethod which is used in example and there is no documentation for it.

Martin Kovač
Produktový specialista
Support

cmaignan35

03.01.2023 - 08:22

Hi,

First of all I wish you all the best wishes for 2023.

I took over the development of PythonParts in September which allowed us to solve many problems.

As you indicated, there is full documentation in the installation folders, however in my opinion, more concrete examples and use cases are needed .

Also, I'll try to (re)provide a development method (in French) with a presentation of what I was able to do with this API.

There are also some Allto videos (link below) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfj5u89rp2s&list=PLbL14ANqX49WN0QKeqIr97LyL6TW0VRC3

Best

bmarciniec

03.01.2023 - 09:12

Quote by cmaignan35

... however in my opinion, more concrete examples and use cases are needed...

Thank you for your feedback! We also find good documentation the key to the effective work with an API. Can you be more specify, what kind of examples or use cases are you missing? Are you referring to the complete documentation or just specific topics (classes/methods etc.)? Let's take as an example the documentation for of BaseElementAdapter provided here

Etc/PythonPartsFramework/PythonPartsDoc/DocFiles/ModelAccess/General/BaseElementAdapter.html

Can you specify, what do you miss or find not sufficient and on the other hand what do you find well describe, what we can implement in other parts of the documentation. The BaseElementAdapter is just an example, but if you have another one that would describe your needs better, feel free to point it out.

cmaignan35

03.01.2023 - 09:48

For example when I was still in the field of reinforced concrete (in another life ;)), knowing how to develop a column from the creation of the volume to the reinforcement would have been good.

Today, I'm in the field of insulating sandwich panels and I have developed layout tools but I still have some shortcomings, in particular the rotation of elements but overall I managed to do what I wanted.

I haven't looked too much at visual scripting because we specifically need a different representation in 2D than in 3D (currently not possible in VS)

When I will start (very soon) our openings, points are to be improved in particular the recognition of contours with the same ease as in smartpart.

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cmaignan35

03.01.2023 - 10:13

Please know that your documentation efforts are appreciated and very useful

bmarciniec

03.01.2023 - 11:11

Quote by cmaignan35

I haven't looked too much at visual scripting because we specifically need a different representation in 2D than in 3D (currently not possible in VS)

That is partially true, however we have already implemented some of the 2D elements in VisualScripting like 2DHatching or 2DText (see screenshot attached). But still there are things missing, like dimension lines or 2D polygons.

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DutchAllpl…

04.01.2023 - 11:43

Quote by Antoli

Thank you very much for your effort!
Antolí

I Agree. I have some programming experience but never could find good information, references or examples. Even now I struggle to find the ETC folder in all the folders and locations allplan uses.

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