Author Topic: Web app? Is it possible for AutoCAD?  (Read 3498 times)

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waterharbin

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Web app? Is it possible for AutoCAD?
« on: February 26, 2012, 08:01:46 AM »
Hi,everyone.
The .NET codes are very easy to be decompiled. Even you obfuscate your .NET code, you just make your codes a little diffcult to be decompiled. So, the most safe way is the "Web app". You put your app on your own server, not your cilents' machines. So, how to develop web app for AutoCAD?

It's Alive!

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  • AKA Daniel
Re: Web app? Is it possible for AutoCAD?
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2012, 07:08:39 PM »
Don't know about web apps.

You can get an obfuscator or write the parts you wish to protect in C++, then create wrappers.

n.yuan

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Re: Web app? Is it possible for AutoCAD?
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2012, 10:23:26 AM »
depending on what you call it a web app, the answer could be different. But if what you meant is in the most common sense, then the wep app would refer to the situation that user uses a web browser to sent request (entering Url in address bar or click links on the web page), and then a web server in the world somewhere sent a stream of data back to the BROWER, then the browser translate the data stream into viewable web page for the user.

As you can see, from user point of view, everything runs inside a browser, in which AutoCAD cannot run. So, no, in this sense, you cannot develop a web app.

On the other hand, AutoCAD can run on a computer, even it is mainly used as web server (well, if security is not of concern). So, technically, you can automate AutoCAD on server side, and have a web server receive user request as input and pass it to automated Acad session, do something, such as process a drawing, and then returned the process result back to web user, such as letting user to download processed drawing. However, it is very likely the Acad lisence does not aloow this type of use of Acad. Also, Acad is designed as desktop app and heavily it heavily relies on user interaction and is a resource hog. Running it on server side with user watching it is hardly a dependable operation.

There is other way to do Acad drawing replated web app, such as using RealDwg to process drawing on the server side without using AutoCAD. But if your goal is to develop Acad add-in with .NET API and secure your code from being decompiled, the looking at web app would be wrong direction, IMO.

SGP2012

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Re: Web app? Is it possible for AutoCAD?
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2012, 07:42:10 PM »
See the videos on www.autodesk.com/developcloud for a quick overview of writing an AutoCAD plug-in that communicates with a web app. We'll be extending that page with more info in the future, but the stuff there now should get you started.
 

waterharbin

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Re: Web app? Is it possible for AutoCAD?
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2012, 02:19:11 AM »
Hi, Stephen. yuan has got my goal. It's seem thar your Cloud Computing is the right direction, isn't it? I just want it to be sure.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2012, 02:22:29 AM by 闻仲 »

vegbruiser

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Re: Web app? Is it possible for AutoCAD?
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2012, 03:58:52 AM »
This post (yesterday as luck would have it) on Kean's blog might give you a possible route:

http://through-the-interface.typepad.com/through_the_interface/2012/02/the-autocad-2013-core-console.html

Admittedly it's for AutoCAD 2013 - which isn't likely to be released until about April/May, but it gives some foresight of what could be possible in the future.

Xander

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Re: Web app? Is it possible for AutoCAD?
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2012, 06:43:57 AM »
I don't see why not. I have a basic .NET server which manages the plotting of DWGs (to hard copy and PDF) and image previews through an intranet.  It's accessed by users using:
  • AutoCAD (custom commands using ActiveX Sockets, and .NET palette).
  • Windows Explorer (Right-click context menu runs a batch file to send socket messages).
  • Intranet which prompts an internal file browser then uses the PHP socket library to manage the message.

In saying this, the .NET server simply invokes lisp functions.

Hope it helps.

TheMaster

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Re: Web app? Is it possible for AutoCAD?
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2012, 07:27:16 AM »
Hi,everyone.
The .NET codes are very easy to be decompiled. Even you obfuscate your .NET code, you just make your codes a little diffcult to be decompiled. So, the most safe way is the "Web app". You put your app on your own server, not your cilents' machines. So, how to develop web app for AutoCAD?

Visit www.spoon.net, to see one way to securely deploy apps.

huangc

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Re: Web app? Is it possible for AutoCAD?
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2012, 02:39:54 AM »
In 2013 it will become very simple