Cadwork | Api

Runtime: cadwork is Windows-native; plugins typically run inside the cadwork process or as COM/.NET extensions.

Data access: APIs operate on the open project/model in cadwork memory or on saved project files.

Don't store critical metadata (e.g., supplier codes) solely in external spreadsheets. Write them as custom attributes to the cadwork elements themselves using the API (element.set_attribute('Supplier_Code', 'ABC123')). This makes models self-contained.

This is your main entry point.

using cwAPI; // Core namespace
using cwGeometry; // For points, vectors, 3D math
public class MyFirstPlugin
// The main API object
    private cwAPI.cwIPluginAPI _api;
// Constructor or Init method
    public void Initialize(object cwApp)
// This cast connects you to the running instance
        _api = (cwAPI.cwIPluginAPI)cwApp;

For long-span glulam beams, camber (upward curvature) is mandatory. Using the API, engineers extract the beam's support points and self-weight, calculate the deflection curve (using an external structural library), and write the camber values back into the beam's geometry as a vertical curve—all without leaving cadwork. cadwork api