Upload → Translate → View Workflow Recipe

Complete recipe for the most common APS workflow: upload a CAD file, translate it to web-viewable format, and display in browser

Goal

Transform a CAD file (.dwg, .rvt, .ipt, etc.) into a 3D model viewable in any web browser.

What you’ll achieve:

• Upload CAD files to cloud storage
• Convert files to web-optimized 3D format (SVF2)
• Display interactive 3D models in browser
• Extract model properties and metadata

Prerequisites

Required Tools

• ✅ RAPS CLI v4.2.0+ installed
• ✅ Autodesk Developer Account with app credentials
• ✅ CAD file to test with (.dwg, .rvt, .ipt, .f3d, etc.)
• ✅ Modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

Required Scopes

# Authentication scopes needed for this workflow
data:read bucket:read bucket:create viewables:read

Files Used in This Recipe

• model.rvt - Sample Revit file (replace with your CAD file)
• my-bucket - Bucket name (replace with your unique bucket name)

The Manual Way (50+ Lines of Code)

To appreciate what RAPS does, here’s the manual approach:

The RAPS Way (5 Commands)

Step 1: Authenticate

# One-time setup: login with required scopes
raps auth login --scopes bucket:read,bucket:create,data:read,viewables:read

What happens:

• Opens browser for OAuth flow
• Saves credentials securely to system keyring
• Validates scopes work correctly

Step 2: Create Storage Bucket

# Create a bucket for your files (bucket names must be globally unique)
raps bucket create my-bucket-$(date +%s)

What happens:

• Creates a new Object Storage Service (OSS) bucket
• Handles naming conflicts automatically
• Sets appropriate retention policies

Step 3: Upload Your CAD File

# Upload file to bucket
raps oss upload model.rvt my-bucket-$(date +%s)

What happens:

• Uploads file with progress indicator
• Validates file integrity
• Returns the file’s URN for translation

Step 4: Translate to Web Format

# Start translation job (using SVF2 for best performance)
raps translate $(raps urn encode "urn:adsk.objects:os.object:my-bucket-1234567890:model.rvt") --formats svf2 --wait

What happens:

• Encodes URN correctly (handles base64 URL-safe encoding)
• Submits translation job to Model Derivative service
• Polls for completion automatically with --wait flag
• Shows progress updates during translation

Step 5: View in Browser

# Generate and open viewer
raps view $(raps urn encode "urn:adsk.objects:os.object:my-bucket-1234567890:model.rvt")

What happens:

• Generates HTML viewer with embedded 3D model
• Handles authentication token injection
• Opens browser automatically
• Provides interactive 3D navigation

Complete One-Liner Workflow

Once authenticated, the entire workflow can be done in one command:

# Upload, translate, and view in one command
raps workflow upload-translate-view model.rvt --bucket my-project-bucket

What this does:

1. Creates bucket if needed
2. Uploads the file
3. Starts translation to SVF2
4. Waits for completion
5. Opens browser viewer

Workflow Variations

Batch Processing Multiple Files

# Upload and translate multiple files
raps workflow batch-translate *.dwg --bucket cad-drawings --formats svf2,pdf --parallel 3

Extract Properties Only

# Get model metadata without viewing
raps translate <urn> --formats properties --output metadata.json

Custom Translation Formats

# Translate to multiple formats for different uses
raps translate <urn> --formats svf2,stl,obj,pdf --wait

Webhook Integration

# Set up webhook to get notified when translations complete
raps webhook create --event extraction.finished --callback https://your-app.com/webhook

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: “Bucket already exists” Error

Problem: Bucket name conflicts
Solution: Use timestamps or UUIDs in bucket names

# Add timestamp to ensure uniqueness
BUCKET_NAME="my-project-$(date +%s)"
raps bucket create $BUCKET_NAME

Issue 2: Translation Fails

Problem: Unsupported file format or corrupted file
Solution: Check file and format support

# Check translation status with details
raps translate status <urn> --verbose

# Retry with different format
raps translate <urn> --formats svf --retry

Issue 3: Viewer Shows “Loading…” Forever

Problem: Translation not complete or token expired
Solution: Check translation status and refresh auth

# Verify translation completed successfully
raps translate status <urn>

# Refresh authentication if needed
raps auth refresh

Issue 4: File Upload Fails

Problem: File too large or network issues
Solution: Check file size and use resumable upload

# Check file size (max 100MB for standard upload)
ls -lh model.rvt

# Use chunked upload for large files
raps oss upload model.rvt my-bucket --chunked --chunk-size 10MB

Issue 5: Permission Denied

Problem: Missing required scopes
Solution: Re-authenticate with correct scopes

# Check current scopes
raps auth status --scopes

# Re-login with required scopes
raps auth login --scopes bucket:read,bucket:create,data:read,viewables:read

Performance Tips

1. Use SVF2 Format

SVF2 loads 50% faster than legacy SVF format:

# Always prefer SVF2 for new projects
raps translate <urn> --formats svf2

2. Pre-create Buckets

Create buckets once, reuse many times:

# Create project bucket
raps bucket create my-project-models

# Upload multiple files to same bucket
raps oss upload model1.rvt my-project-models
raps oss upload model2.dwg my-project-models

3. Batch Operations

Process multiple files efficiently:

# Parallel uploads (faster than sequential)
raps oss upload-batch *.rvt --bucket my-models --parallel 5

# Batch translation with progress
raps translate-batch --bucket my-models --formats svf2 --parallel 3

4. Monitor Translation Queue

Large files can take time to translate:

# Start translation without waiting
raps translate <urn> --formats svf2

# Check status later
raps translate status <urn>

# Get notified when done (if webhooks set up)
raps translate <urn> --notify-webhook https://your-app.com/done

Advanced Scenarios

Scenario 1: Assembly Files with Dependencies

For CAD assemblies with multiple linked files:

# Upload all related files to same bucket
raps oss upload main-assembly.iam my-project
raps oss upload part1.ipt my-project  
raps oss upload part2.ipt my-project

# Translate main assembly (will find dependencies automatically)
raps translate $(raps urn encode "urn:adsk.objects:os.object:my-project:main-assembly.iam") --formats svf2

Scenario 2: Password-Protected Files

For encrypted/password-protected CAD files:

# Include password in translation request
raps translate <urn> --formats svf2 --password "your-file-password"

Scenario 3: Custom Viewer Integration

Generate embeddable viewer code for your website:

# Generate viewer HTML with custom options
raps view <urn> --generate-embed --width 800 --height 600 --toolbar minimal > embed.html

Scenario 4: Region-Specific Deployment

For EMEA data residency requirements:

# Configure for European data centers
raps config set region emea

# All subsequent operations use EMEA endpoints
raps bucket create eu-project-models --region emea

Cost Optimization

Understanding APS Pricing

Cost-Saving Tips

# Enable automatic cleanup of old translations
raps config set cleanup.auto-delete-derivatives true
raps config set cleanup.retention-days 30

# Use transient buckets for temporary files
raps bucket create temp-bucket --policy transient

# Monitor usage
raps usage report --period last-month

Integration Examples

Web Application Integration

// In your Node.js app
const { exec } = require('child_process');

// Upload and translate via RAPS
function processCADFile(filePath, bucketName) {
  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    const cmd = `raps workflow upload-translate-view "${filePath}" --bucket ${bucketName} --output-urn`;
    
    exec(cmd, (error, stdout, stderr) => {
      if (error) reject(error);
      else resolve(stdout.trim()); // Returns URN for viewer
    });
  });
}

// Use in your route
app.post('/upload-model', async (req, res) => {
  try {
    const urn = await processCADFile(req.file.path, 'user-models');
    res.json({ urn, viewerUrl: `/viewer?urn=${urn}` });
  } catch (error) {
    res.status(500).json({ error: error.message });
  }
});

CI/CD Pipeline Integration

# GitHub Actions example
name: Process CAD Models
on:
  push:
    paths: ['models/**']

jobs:
  translate:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      
      - name: Install RAPS
        run: curl -sSL https://rapscli.xyz/install.sh | sh
        
      - name: Authenticate
        run: raps auth login --client-id $ --client-secret $
        
      - name: Process changed models
        run: |
          for file in $(git diff --name-only HEAD~1 | grep '\.rvt$'); do
            echo "Processing $file..."
            raps workflow upload-translate-view "$file" --bucket ci-models
          done

Next Steps

Once you’ve mastered this workflow:

1. 🎯 Try other recipes:
   • Extract Properties Recipe
   • Batch Processing Recipe
   • Webhook Integration Recipe
2. 📚 Learn advanced features:
   • Custom viewer extensions
   • Property filtering and search
   • Real-time collaboration
3. 🚀 Scale your application:
   • Load balancing translation jobs
   • Caching strategies
   • Error recovery patterns

Resources

• RAPS Documentation: rapscli.xyz/docs
• APS Viewer SDK: aps.autodesk.com/developer/documentation
• Community Support: discord.gg/raps-community

💡 Pro Tip: Save time by creating aliases for common workflows:

# Add to your .bashrc or .zshrc
alias translate-view='raps workflow upload-translate-view'
alias quick-upload='raps oss upload'

# Then use like:
translate-view my-model.rvt --bucket project-alpha

Last verified: January 2026 | RAPS v4.2.1 | APS APIs: OSS v2, Model Derivative v2, Viewer v7
This recipe works with all major CAD formats. For format-specific notes, see the APS Format Support Guide.