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Abstract

Following API calls handle any interactions within the building information model itself. In order to support multi tenancy in a proper way additional URL paths are to be used containing the team name and the project name.

The team name and the project name need to be specified and setup as so-called slugs to present a clean URL. Slugs are lowercase unique identifiers based on English characters and numbers.

The team slug will be used to know which tenant database to work on.

The project slug is necessary to verify the user's access rights on the project in an early stage of processing the API call – preferably before any business data will be touched and any business logic will be executed.

The JSON objects used for input and output will be based on the IFC standard in terms of structure and naming. First of all it's necessary to have a pure API bound object model and second using a standard based approach.

Representational State Transfer (REST)

Representational State Transfer (REST) is a style of software architecture for distributed systems such as the World Wide Web. REST has emerged as a predominant web API design model.

REST-style architectures consist of clients and servers. Clients initiate requests to servers; servers process requests and return appropriate responses. Requests and responses are built around the transfer of representations of resources. A resource can be essentially any coherent and meaningful concept that may be addressed. A representation of a resource is typically a document that captures the current or intended state of a resource.

The client begins sending requests when it is ready to make the transition to a new state. While one or more requests are outstanding, the client is considered in transition. The representation of each application state contains links that may be used the next time the client chooses to initiate a new state-transition.

Key goals of REST:

• Scalability of component interactions
• Generality of interfaces
• Independent deployment of components
• Intermediary components to reduce latency, enforce security and encapsulate legacy systems

RESTful architecture constraints

• Client-server separation: no data storage on the client, client and server can be developed independently;
• Stateless: no client context being stored on the server. Each request contains all necessary information to service the request;
• Cacheable: clients can cache responses;
• Layered system: a client doesn'n know if it is directly connected to the server;
• Uniform interface between clients and servers.
• Code on demand (optional): servers can change functionality of a client by the transfer of executable code.[1]

Database operations and HTTP calls

Bimplus Introduction 

• Bimplus is an open, “All-Connect” platform for connecting people, information and BIM models to build faster. Bimplus is Open BIM compliant.
• Bimplus provides universal access, sharing and connection of relevant building information; enabling seamless collaboration among all people in the project
• Bimplus is designed, using the latest Internet computing, cloud technologies, mobile devices and social communication.
• Bimplus is the future of the Internet based building Industry.
• You can find more information about Bimplus from our

  Newwindowlink
  title Bimplus website url https://www.bimplus.net/

• A bunch of video tutorials are available 

  Newwindowlink
  title here url https://www.bimplus.net/en/User-Guide/

• What is Bimplus ?
  
  

  Office Powerpoint
  name What is bimplus.pptx width 550 height 300

• Benefits of Bimplus
  
  

  Office Powerpoint
  name Introducing bimplus.pdf width 550 height 300

Bimplus API

Bimplus API provides RESTful services for accessing, creating, modifying and deleting different levels of information in a building model on our Bimplus platform. It connects the building project information to a vast number of developers providing innovative Apps / applications that can operate on the building models and information.There are four types of database operation defined for manipulating the building content. i.e Create, Read, Update, Delete (CRUD) can be performed against the resources(URI, which are building information in our case) which are essentially the building blocks of REST.

The following HTTP methods implement these operations in the persistent level Wiki MarkupFull use of HTTP methods considered as RESTful. There are four types of the database operation defined for content manipulation: *Create, Read, Update, Delete (CRUD)*. Following HTTP methods implement these operations on persistent level\[2\]:

...

All necessary information for resource manipulation will be sent within a HTTP request. It includes

• Resource identificator (URL)
• Data type / format (HTTP header)
• Authentication information (HTTP header)
• Operation, which should will be performed with against the resource (HTTP method)

Things to remember:

• The JSON objects which will be used as the Bimplus data exchange format will be based on the IFC standard in terms of structure and naming.

• The resource paths contain the team name and the project name to support multi-tenancy.

• The project slug (which should be provided during the creation of a project) should be provided as part of the URL for accessing all the project relevant resources. This is also necessary to verify the user’s access rights on the project in an early stage of processing the API call (before any business data will be touched and any business logic will be executed)

Connect with Bimplus and become a Bimplus compliant developer/partner

• Newwindowlink
  title Bimplus portal url https://www-stage.bimplus.net

  is the first place of contact of the user/developer for using the Bimplus platform(stage version). The production version of the portal can be found under 

  Newwindowlink
  title https://www.bimplus.net url https://www.bimplus.net/en/products/

  where you can purchase different editions of Bimplus cloud platform.

  Newwindowlink
  title Here url https://www.bimplus.net/en/Home-oxid/bim-Apps/

  you can also find a few critical foundation apps like the Bimplus Explorer, Bimplus Viewer and Bimplus Problem Spotter. The portal takes care of the user registration(developer registration) as well.

• The Bimplus API(stage version url : https://api-stage.bimplus.net/v2) provides an interface for accessing the building information and models. It connects the building project information to a vast number of developers providing innovative Apps / applications that can operate on the building models and information.

The following figure describes the relation between the Bimplus portal and the API.

Image Added

• Please register

  Newwindowlink
  title here url https://www-stage.bimplus.net

  for accessing the Bimplus resources and become a Bimplus compliant developer and a partner. You will receive an authentication token after the registration.

• A Team is a tenant/company which work on the projects. The team has to be specified and setup through the

  Newwindowlink
  title bimplus url https://www-stage.bimplus.net

  portal as so called

  Newwindowlink
  title slugs url http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_URL

  to present a

  Newwindowlink
  title clean URL url http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_URL

  . The team slug will be used to know which tenant database to work on.

• Using the authentication token and the team slug, you can start working with the building projects which you are a member of, using our Bimplus api.

• Please find a quick start tutorial here.

Bimplus Services

Bimplus API provides RESTful services for accessing, creating, modifying and deleting different levels of information in a building model on our Bimplus platform.

These are the project relevant services available at the moment:

• Project Service
• Object Service
• ElementType Service
• Model Service
• Attachment Service
• Issue Service
• Pin Service
• Import Service

These are the administration relevant services available at the moment:

• Authorization Service
• User Management Service
• Team Management Service
• Membership Management Service

For further details see the Bimplus api reference Wiki MarkupMedia type for the data base operations and client-server communications is *JSON*.\[3\]

Client request example:

Authorization: BimPlus 9c1874a62c974dcfa75e0132c423a088
Content-Type: application/json

Status: 200 OK