User Guide

CCTech Data Exchange Connector for Creo

Overview

CCTech's Data Exchange Creo Connector allows you to create and share Data Exchanges and consume Data Exchanges that are created and shared by other Autodesk and non-Autodesk applications including custom enterprise applications, such as Grasshopper, Inventor, Revit, and Power Automate. You can share a granular level of your design data in a neutral format with different stakeholders, projects, and applications to create interoperable and collaborative workflows.

What is a Data Exchange?

A Data Exchange represents a subset of your design stored in a neutral format in the cloud. It allows you to access the relevant geometry and properties of your model, either as a whole or at a granular level, so that you can create custom workflows. You can use a Data Exchange to build interoperable workflows spanning across organizations, applications, and systems to share the right data with the right stakeholders in the right context. Data Exchanges provide control over the accessibility of data without exposing your source model files. Data Exchanges can also facilitate continuous validation and version control of model objects.

In a sample business scenario, let us consider two customers who are using Revit and Creo applications. These customers need to align important geometry that is being designed in those applications. This task of coordinating the location of important geometries can be completed by using a Data Exchange. When the author of the Creo model changes the design, they share the latest updates via a Data Exchange. The latest cloud-based data exchange can then be used downstream so that customers using Revit can efficiently receive updates to just the objects that changed. Receiving these delta updates reduces latency compared to the traditional file-based reference workflows, where the entire file is transferred between cloud and desktop systems.

System Requirements

Install

Right-click on DataExchangeCreoConnector.msi and select Open, or double-click to launch the installer.

Click "I accept the terms in the License Agreement" and click Install.

Installation of the CCTech's Creo Data Exchange Connector will begin.

After successful installation, click Finish to exit.

Uninstall

In the Windows search bar, search and select Settings.

Select Apps > Installed Apps.

Find Data Exchange Creo Connector from the list and click Uninstall.

A dialog box appears requesting your confirmation, click Yes.

After successful uninstallation, click Finish.

Create and Update Data Exchanges

This topic details how to create a Data Exchange of your Creo model using the Creo Connector and save it to Autodesk Docs. After the Data Exchange is created successfully, it will be listed in Creo to view or update later.

Create an Exchange

In the Creo software, make sure you have saved all the changes to your Creo model.

Click Data Exchange under the Data Exchange tab.

Sign in to Forma using your Autodesk credentials, then return to the Creo software.

To create an exchange, click Create exchange.

Exchange Details

Name	Enter a name for the Data Exchange.
Description (optional)	Add any description for the Data Exchange.
Save to	Select a folder in Autodesk Docs to save your Data Exchange to.
Up Axis	Select preferred axis as up axis. Available options are Z and Y axis.
Export scope	"All solids in the model" (default), or "Selected components only". For "Selected components only", pre-select components in the model before launching the connector.

If an exchange contains more than 1000 elements, a warning is displayed that this is a large exchange. Exchange size may affect performance. Do not close Creo while the exchange is being processed.

Export Preference

Click Create Data Exchange. The Export Preference dialog appears with the following options. Hover over the information icon (ⓘ) beside an option to view its details.

Export as Facets (default)	Lightweight faceted geometry. Faster creation, supports part level colors, and suited to visual and clash detection workflows.
Export as BREP	High-fidelity geometry. Supports part level colors and richer downstream interaction.

Select the geometry preference and click Next. If the model contains any unsupported or failed objects, they are automatically captured in a detailed HTML report, with a clickable link shown on the interface once the workflow completes. Upon successful creation, the new Exchange is listed in the Connector interface with its name, version, date, and time.

Update a Data Exchange

Make your changes to the Creo model.

Save the changes in Creo.

Click Data Exchange under the Data Exchange tab.

Select the Data Exchange from the Connector interface.

Click the Update button on the right side of the Data Exchange interface.

The Data Exchange updates with the latest changes and its version number increases (for example, V1 to V2).

Load a Data Exchange

The load feature allows you to view and load a Data Exchange from Autodesk Docs to your Creo Connector.

Click Data Exchange under the Data Exchange tab.

Click Load Data Exchanges.

View the list of Data Exchanges you can access in Autodesk Docs, and switch between projects using the project drop-down list.

Select your project and choose the desired Exchange from the list. You can preview the Data Exchange before loading with the Continue button.

Advanced Load Options

Load Exchange at Assembly Origin (default)	Loads the Exchange at the origin point (0, 0, 0).
Load Exchange at Specific Coordinates	Allows you to manually enter X, Y, and Z coordinates for placement.

Import Preference

Click Load. The Import Preference dialog appears with the following options. Hover over the information icon (ⓘ) beside an option to view its details.

Import as Facets (default)	Lightweight faceted model.
Apply Colors and Hierarchy (default)	Retains part level colors and maintains component hierarchy. Clear it to load a flat model with no colors or hierarchy, which loads fastest.
Import as ASM Model	High-fidelity BREP geometry with assembly structure.
Preserve Detailed Hierarchy (default)	Retains the detailed assembly tree and individual components, and supports referencing workflows. Clear it to load a single complete model reference, which loads faster.

Select the import preference and click Next. The Data Exchange is listed in the connector interface once loading completes.

Load the Latest Version of a Data Exchange

Click the refresh icon; a blue dot appears on the version icon if a newer version is available in Autodesk Docs.

Select the relevant Data Exchange to update from the list.

Click the Load latest button on the right side of the Data Exchange interface.

The Data Exchange updates to the latest version with the latest changes (for example, V1 to V2).

Unload a Data Exchange

You can unload one or more selected Data Exchanges to remove them from the connector interface and delete their associated data from the Creo model. This action does not remove the exchanges from Autodesk Docs (Forma); unloaded exchanges remain available there.

In the connector interface list, select one or multiple Data Exchanges.

Click the More menu and select Unload Exchange from the drop-down list.

Click Confirm, or Cancel if you don't want to unload.

After confirmation, the exchange and related data are removed from Creo and a message is shown on the UI.

Delete a Data Exchange

You can delete exchanges that you created directly from the Creo connector interface. This removes the exchange from Autodesk Docs (Forma), while the model data remains intact in Creo.

Click Data Exchange under the Data Exchange tab.

Select the relevant Data Exchange in the Data Exchange Connector interface.

Click the More menu and select Delete from the drop-down list.

Click Confirm, or Cancel if you don't want to delete.

View Data Exchanges on the Web

View a selected Data Exchange from the created or loaded list on Autodesk Docs. Selecting it opens the Data Exchange in a new web browser window.

Select the relevant Data Exchange from the Connector interface.

Click the More menu and select View on Web from the drop-down list.

A new browser window opens where you can view the Data Exchange in Autodesk Docs.

Select the Elements of a Data Exchange

Select and highlight components from one or more Data Exchanges in your Creo file, to quickly identify the elements belonging to the selected Data Exchange(s).

In the connector interface, select one or multiple Data Exchanges.

Click the More menu and choose Select Elements from the drop-down list.

The elements from the selected Data Exchange(s) are highlighted in Creo.

View Log Files

Log files contain information about operations that have taken place and can be used to diagnose various problems. You can view log files to diagnose failures or errors while using the Creo Connector and share them with the support team for further analysis.

Current Limitations