The Autodesk Viewer integration lets your users preview 2D and 3D design files – over 100 CAD formats, including DWG, DXF, DGN, RVT, IFC, STEP, SolidWorks, CATIA, and Siemens NX – directly on the AODocs document page, without desktop applications or downloads. It also powers the CAD-oriented features of AODocs: drawing comparison, DWG external reference (XREF) management, and title-block attribute extraction.
This article is for AODocs tenant administrators. It explains what the integration provides, how it works, and what its activation consists of.
Note: The Autodesk Viewer integration requires an Autodesk Platform Services (formerly Forge) API integration and licensing. The activation is performed by AODocs – there's no self-service configuration screen. To enable it on your tenant, contact your sales representative or the AODocs Support team at support@aodocs.com.
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What the integration unlocks
Activating the Autodesk integration on your tenant enables the following features:
- Autodesk Viewer – preview 2D and 3D design files on the document page: rotate the camera, zoom, take measurements, and navigate inside 3D models. Learn more: Preview attached files.
- Drawing comparison – compare two versions of a drawing, or two documents, in overlay or side-by-side mode. Learn more: Compare drawings and attached files.
- XREF management – verify and reconcile the external references of DWG files. Learn more: Manage DWG external references (XREFs).
- DWG attribute extraction – extract title-block attributes and drawing properties from DWG files, available to custom scripts.
- DWG to PDF conversion – generate PDF versions of DWG drawings, including XREF-aware conversion.
screen: A 3D model open in the Autodesk Viewer on an AODocs document page, with the rotate, zoom, and measure tools visible.
How it works
The integration is based on Autodesk Platform Services (APS, formerly Forge):
- Each tenant uses its own APS application – created in the customer's Autodesk account, or managed by AODocs on the customer's behalf. APS consumption (file translations and Autodesk-side storage) is billed against this application, following your Autodesk agreement.
- When a design file is added to an enabled library, AODocs uploads it to dedicated Autodesk cloud storage for your tenant and runs a translation job that prepares the file for the viewer. The viewer then streams the translated model.
- Processing is regional: tenants are served by the US or European AODocs instance, and the Autodesk storage and viewer streaming use the matching Autodesk region – your CAD data stays in-region.
- Users never interact with Autodesk directly: AODocs permissions apply as usual, and the viewer opens from the AODocs document page.
Note: The translation is asynchronous. After you add a design file, the preview displays "This file is being prepared for Autodesk viewer…" until the translation completes – this can take from a few seconds to several minutes depending on the file. If the translation fails, the preview displays "This file could not be converted for Autodesk viewer." – adding a new version of the file triggers a new translation.
What the activation consists of
The activation is performed by the AODocs team:
1. Autodesk application – an APS application is created for your tenant (in your Autodesk account, or managed by AODocs), providing a client ID and client secret.
2. Credentials provisioning – AODocs stores the application credentials securely for your tenant domain (secrets autodesk_client_id and autodesk_client_secret in the AODocs customer secret manager of your region).
3. Feature flags – AODocs activates:
| Flag | Level | Effect |
enableAutodesk |
Domain | Master switch for the integration on the tenant: file processing, the Autodesk Viewer, and drawing comparison for CAD files |
enableAutodesk |
Library | Opt-in per library: only enabled libraries send their design files to the Autodesk pipeline |
enableAutodeskExtraction |
Library | Adds XREF and title-block attribute extraction – required for XREF management |
4. Verification – after activation, add a DWG file to an enabled library: once the translation completes, the file opens in the Autodesk Viewer from the preview.
screen: The preview of a DWG file with the option to open it in the Autodesk Viewer in the toolbar.
Good to know and limitations
- XREF management and attribute extraction require libraries whose attached files are stored on an object storage platform (Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob Storage, or SharePoint Embedded), with
enableAutodeskExtractionactivated. Files added before the activation are processed when a new version is added. - The Autodesk Viewer is for viewing, measuring, and comparing. Annotation and redaction remain in the standard advanced viewer – users can switch between viewers from the preview toolbar. Learn more: View and annotate attached files.
- Translations are tied to your tenant and libraries: moving a library to another region triggers new translations of its files.
- APS consumption – translations and Autodesk-side storage – is billed under the Autodesk agreement attached to the APS application.