Installing and Exploring the MCAD Plugin

In this lesson, we’ll walk you through how to install the Upchain CAD connector, launch and log in to the CAD plugin, and explore its user interface.

Installing the CAD connector

Let's learn how to download and install the CAD connector, which is used to manage the Upchain CAD plugin for your preferred CAD software. 

Any referenced datasets can be downloaded from "Module downloads" in the module overview.

Key takeaways

  1. The Upchain CAD connector is a hub from which you can launch the CAD plugin for your preferred CAD system. Once launched, you'll use the plugin to capture, manage and share CAD data through Upchain — all without leaving your CAD environment.
  2. To download and install the CAD connector, you must log into Upchain web using your web browser. 
  3. Upchain plugins require an up-to-date version of Java RE (64-bit) installed on your machine. If you have the 32-bit version installed, please uninstall that version. You must also have admin rights to your machine in order to install software locally. 

Logging in and exploring the plugin UI

We'll log into the CAD plugin and explore its user interface to help you get started.

Any referenced datasets can be downloaded from "Module downloads" in the module overview.

Key takeaways

  1. The Upchain CAD connector is a hub from which you can launch the CAD plugin for your preferred CAD system. Once launched, you'll use the plugin to capture, manage and share CAD data through Upchain — all without leaving your CAD environment.
  2. When working in the CAD plugin, you will typically work within the context of a project to access and collaborate on the data associated with that project.
  3. My workspace provides a useful cross-project view of all of your ongoing work, items, and documents you may be following. You may configure the views from the plugin Settings.