About the InVision Printer API

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About the InVision Printer API

NOTE: This topic gives you an overview of InVision Printer API functions and software components. However, to actually implement the API, technical information and instructions beyond the scope of this Help system are required. For assistance integrating the InVision Printer API with your specific CAD package, contact 3D Systems.

InVision Printer API Functions

With the InVision Printer API, you can send print jobs to an InVision 3-D printer directly from your CAD application instead of using the InVision Client to do so. This eliminates the need to manually save your CAD file to disk, run the InVision Client, select your CAD disk file, and arrange the parts on the platform before submitting the print job. The InVision Printer API does these tasks automatically when invoked from your CAD package.

After the API completes the 3-D print preparation tasks, it opens the InVision Preview window and displays your CAD parts or assemblies on the platform. At this point, all you have to do is click Submit to add your 3-D print job to the queue. After submitting one or more jobs, you can monitor their status through the InVision Printer API.

InVision Printer API Software

The InVision Printer API consists of the following software:

Two executable programs; InVisionBatch.exe and InVisionStatus.exe. (Both were installed along with your InVision Client software.)

Windows-standard .ini text file(s) to define 3-D print job properties and record job status parameters. Your CAD application plug in must create the job .ini file(s) following 3D Systems' specifications in the InVision 3-D Printer API User's Guide. Each print job requires a separate .ini file.

As mentioned above, the InVision Printer API software needs a CAD application-specific plug-in (script or macro program) to invoke it. Once that exists, here are the basic steps the software performs when you run the plug-in (by selecting a menu command in your CAD application, for example):

The plug-in prompts you for print job properties and stores your responses in the job .ini file.

The plug-in calls InVisionBatch.exe. This API program reads your job properties from the .ini file and uses them to prepare your CAD file for 3-D printing.

After you submit your print job from the InVision Client Preview window, the CAD plug-in optionally invokes InVisionStatus.exe to periodically write updated job status information to the job .ini file. It also optionally reads and displays the job status information stored in the .ini file.