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Download BIM model from mobile app

Discussion in 'Unity Reflect' started by DMurcia, Feb 18, 2021.

  1. DMurcia

    DMurcia

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    Feb 18, 2021
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    Hello everyone,
    I am creating an AR mobile app with Unity and I would need to download a BIM model hosted on BIM360.

    I have seen several Unity Reflect tutorials and documentation, and they always work with the editor or with ReflectViewer.This doesn't work for me, as I would need to access said model in real time while running the app on mobile.

    Could I do this with Unity Reflect? Would there be bidirectional communication?

    Thax!
     
    DMurcia, Feb 18, 2021
    #1

  2. DavidMenard

    DavidMenard

    Unity Technologies

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    Hi Dmurcia,
    Yes, you can absolutely do this! The mobile app works in the exact same way as the Desktop app. When you export the model from BIM360, you will see it appear in the project list on the mobile app.
    Here are a couple useful links on how to export from BIM360 (checkout the how-to video at the end) and to the iOS AppStore & Android Google Play page.

    Can you elaborate a bit more on what you mean by bi-directional communication?
     
    DavidMenard, Feb 18, 2021
    #2

  3. DMurcia

    DMurcia

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    Hi again! Thanks for your answer.

    Yes, I've already seen that video and it's not what I need. I would like to be able to access a pre-established concrete BIM360 project. I don't want the user can to see all the BIM360 projects, and i need to program that the BIM model to be loaded at a specific moment in the mobile app.

    I hope I've explained it better hehehe.

    Thank you so much, regards!
     
    DMurcia, Feb 18, 2021
    #3

  4. DavidMenard

    DavidMenard

    Unity Technologies

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    Hey Dmurcia,
    Just to make sure we understand each other: A user in the app will only be able to see the projects that were explicitly exported from the Reflect Dashboard. They won't have access to all BIM360 project.

    So if I export "Building1" from the Reflect dashboard and open the Reflect App on my phone, only the "Building1" Project will be visible there. Is that what you're looking for, or did I miss understand?
     
    DavidMenard, Feb 18, 2021
    #4

  5. DMurcia

    DMurcia

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    Hey David.

    This is exactly what I need, but I would like everything to be automatic, that the user does not have to interact with any list. I want that at a specific moment, while the application is running, the project previously exported in reflect begins to download via stream. I would need the instructions to do that. Can you recommend me any tutorial?

    Thank you so much for your patience
     
    DMurcia, Feb 19, 2021
    #5

  6. DavidMenard

    DavidMenard

    Unity Technologies

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    Got it!
    There's no automated way of doing that at the moment other than building your own custom Reflect app. SO you will need to download the source code from github, open it in the Unity Editor and change a bit of code to do it.
    To go down this route, you will have to know some Unity basics and some C# programming. There's no tutorial that show you how to do that specifically, but there is a "last modified" field attached to each project, so that could be used to open the correct one.

    Other than that, we're currently working on link sharing, meaning that you'll be able to share a link to a project directly, without haivng to interact with the project list. I think this is closer to what you're looking for! I don't know when this will eb available yet though, I can keep you posted!
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2021
    DavidMenard, Feb 19, 2021
    #6

  7. DMurcia

    DMurcia

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    Now we have understood each other well hehe
    Yes please, keep me posted on this, I am very interested.
    Thank you so much for the information :)
     
    DMurcia, Feb 20, 2021
    #7

  8. DMurcia

    DMurcia

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    Hi again! i have other question.

    Is there a method to load an exported reflect project that was already on my hard drive at runtime?

    Sorry to insist, I'm just looking for other ways to try to do what I need.

    Thanks!
     
    DMurcia, Feb 21, 2021
    #8

  9. Murray_Zutari

    Murray_Zutari

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    You can download the project in the Unity editor and then add it to the scene and build with the model already in the scene. Go to Window > Reflect and you'll open a window with a list (the same list you'll see at runtime) and you can then download the model there. Once it's complete you'll see it in the Assets > Reflect > *Project name* folder
     
    Murray_Zutari, Feb 23, 2021
    #9

  10. DavidMenard

    DavidMenard

    Unity Technologies

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    Hey DMurcia,
    As Murray mentioned, you can do this by using the Unity Editor, downloading the project there, and deploying a standalone executable, which ends up being an .exe. This is the best alternative while we work on the feature!
     
    DavidMenard, Feb 23, 2021
    #10