Basic Feature Package¶
The Basic Feature Package contains all essential APIs required to create, structure, and interact with 3DSpaces, making it the natural starting point for applications built with instant3Dhub. The SpaceAPI and the 3DSpaces API provide methods to interact and manage 3DSpaces.
With the Basic Feature Package, you can:
Compose and structure 3D scenes by organizing data and building scene hierarchies
Interact with objects in the 3DSpace through transformation, selection, and filtering
Add context to 3D data by accessing metadata and linking business information
Control appearance and state to support focused, intuitive user experiences
Note
Features marked with Experimental are not yet generally available (GA) and may still change.
Setup & Composition¶
Dynamic Composition¶
Use the InstanceGraphAPI to structure your data, combine multiple sources, and define visibility to turn complex models into accessible and well-organized 3DSpaces:
Use pre-defined data sets as a starting point
Build complex structures dynamically at runtime
Add and remove nodes as your 3DSpace evolves
See also
InstanceGraph — how the InstanceGraph organizes and structures 3D data in a 3DSpace.
Settings¶
Use the SettingsAPI to configure viewer and session behavior at runtime and tailor instant3Dhub to your application:
Adjust rendering, interaction, and quality settings
Read and update settings programmatically
Establish consistent defaults across your application
Selection & Viewing¶
Selection¶
Use the SelectionAPI to select & highlight nodes allowing you to inspect, highlight, and connect user actions with underlying data:
Select individual nodes or groups of elements
Use selection as a basis for interaction and workflows
Show / Hide¶
Use the InstanceGraphAPI to control the visibility of individual nodes and focus attention on what matters:
Show or hide nodes on demand
Reduce visual complexity during inspection
Drive visibility from selection, filtering, or application logic
Transform¶
Use the InstanceGraphAPI to control how nodes are positioned, oriented, and scaled within the scene in your 3DSpace:
Visualize step-by-step working instructions
Dynamically transform your 3D data using APIs or built-in gizmos
Appearance¶
Use the InstanceGraphAPI and MaterialAPI to adjust how your 3D data is presented to guide attention and communicate meaning visually:
Appearance & Transparency: Highlight or de-emphasize parts by changing color and transparency to focus on what matters
Render Modes: Switch rendering styles to reveal structure or relationships
Shading: Adapt lighting and shading to support different viewing situations
Material: Assign and adjust materials for realistic or schematic presentation
Outline & Ghosting: Emphasize relevant parts while keeping surrounding context visible
Highlighting¶
Use the InstanceGraphAPI to visually emphasize nodes and draw attention to relevant parts:
Highlight nodes during inspection or guided workflows
Combine highlighting with selection and metadata-driven logic
Guide users to the parts that matter
Magnifier¶
Use the ViewerMagnifierAPI to provide a magnified view of a region of interest within the viewport:
Inspect fine details without changing the camera
Support precise interaction in dense scenes
Animations¶
Experimental
Use the AnimationAPI to animate nodes over time and illustrate motion, sequences, or assembly steps:
Drive node transformations through animations
Communicate processes and dynamic behavior
Explosions¶
Experimental
Use the ExplosionAPI to reveal internal structures by separating geometry based on spatial relationships:
Use explosion states to explain structure or assembly order
Support step-by-step understanding of complex products
Data & Inspection¶
Properties & Meta Data¶
Use the InstanceGraphAPI to add context to your 3DSpace by accessing and using existing properties and metadata to connect business information with your 3D data:
Read and interpret metadata already present in your models
Link business data and identifiers to 3D structures
Use metadata to drive filtering, logic, and interaction
Search & Filter¶
Use the QueryAPI and the LayerFilterAPI to find and isolate relevant content within your 3DSpace:
Query nodes by properties, metadata, or structure
Filter enabled nodes using orthogonal layer information
Use existing layer definitions from the source data
Isolate relevant parts of a model and reduce visual complexity
PMI & Modelviews¶
Use the InstanceGraphAPI and VariantsAPI to display Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) and switch between model views and variants captured in the source data:
Display PMI such as tolerances, annotations, and dimensions
Switch between predefined model views and variants
Communicate engineering intent directly in the 3DSpace
Topology¶
Use the TopologyAPI to access B-Rep topology such as faces, edges, and points:
Inspect the topological structure of your geometry
Provide the foundation for precise selection, measurement, and clipping
Single Measurement¶
Use the MeasurementAPI to perform single, precise measurements on faces, edges, and points directly in the 3DSpace:
Measure distances, dimensions, and angles on geometry
Support quick inspection without leaving the viewer
For complex, multi-entity measurements, see Advanced Measurements.
See also
Measurement — measurement types and how they work in a 3DSpace.
Color Comparison¶
Use the InstanceGraphAPI to highlight differences between states or versions by color for quick visual comparison:
Compare versions or configurations at a glance
Use color coding to surface changes
For geometry- and edge-based comparison, see Should-Is Comparison.
3DSpaces¶
Live Collaboration¶
Use the SpaceAPI to share a 3DSpace across users and devices and enable synchronized, collaborative review:
Share a 3DSpace with multiple participants
Keep views and state synchronized across sessions
Collaborate in real time across devices
See also
Member — participants, roles, and collaboration in a 3DSpace.
Snapshots¶
Use the SessionStorageAPI to capture and restore states of your 3DSpace to support workflows and reuse:
Revisit specific viewpoints or states at any time
Compare or cycle through different configurations as part of a process
See also
Snapshot — capture and restore persisted 3DSpace states.
Annotation¶
Use the AnnotationAPI to add contextual information directly to your 3DSpace to support collaboration and communication:
Attach notes, images, or rich HTML content to 3D elements
Provide additional context without modifying the underlying data
Link 3D data to external systems such as ticketing or documentation tools
See also
Markup — annotations and drawings as 3DSpace entities.
Utility¶
Attachments¶
Use the AttachmentAPI to associate additional data with nodes in your 3DSpace:
Attach auxiliary data to nodes
Retrieve attachments to drive application logic
Collections¶
Use the CollectionAPI to group nodes into collections for efficient batch operations:
Define collections based on queries or explicit selections
Apply operations to many nodes at once
Events¶
Use the EventAPI to react to changes in the 3DSpace and build interactive applications:
Subscribe to events such as selection, visibility, or structure changes
Keep your application state in sync with the 3DSpace
Coordinate Systems¶
Use the CoordinateSystemAPI to work with coordinate systems within your 3DSpace:
Convert between local and world coordinates
Align data from different sources consistently