Bentley iTwin4Good

Virtual Developer Programme

Weeks 4 & 5: Building Your Prototype

Welcome to the build phase!

Over the next two weeks, you’ll begin translating your idea into a working prototype using the Bentley iTwin platform. Whether you're working solo or in a team, this is where your project starts to take real shape.

What You’ll Achieve

By the end of Week 5, you should:

✅ Have completed your iTwin Developer Associate Accreditation
✅ Begun building a basic app prototype using the iTwin platform
✅ Have a clear vision of how your prototype will address your selected need

Recap on Week 4 & 5…

Useful Links

FAQs

  • Here's how to check:

    • After installing, open your Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal(macOS/Linux) and type: node -v

    • If Node is installed correctly, you’ll see the version number, e.g.: v22.15.1

    • If you get this error instead: ‘node is not recognized as an internal or external command.’ it means Node.js was not added to your system’s PATH. To fix this:

    1. Open your Command Prompt and run this command:

    setx Path "%PATH%;C:\Program Files\nodejs"

    2. Close and reopen the Command Prompt, then try again:

    node -v

    You should now see the Node.js version number.

  • Please ensure that you haven’t created the project inside a OneDrive folder, as this can cause instability in the project.

  • You can find and download free 3D models from several sites, including:

    Many of these models are compatible with common 3D formats, which you can easily import into your iTwin environment.

  • To edit or publish 3D models for your iTwin, students can download and use MicroStation for free by creating an account on Bentley’s Education Hub.

    Once installed, MicroStation enables you to:

    • Open a variety of 3D model formats

    • Modify geometry and metadata

    • Export models for integration with iTwin or other platforms

  • Follow these steps to set up and launch the iTwin Viewer on your local machine:

    1. Check your .env file
      Make sure all values (client ID, iModel ID, iTwin ID, logout URI, and redirect URI) are correctly copied and that quotation marks (" ") are removed.

    2. Open the VS-code terminal
      Navigate to your app’s directory using: cd your-app-name (make sure cd is followed by the exact name of your app)

    3. Clean the terminal
      If you're restarting, clear any running processes with: ctrl + C

    4. Start the development server
      Launch your app by running: npm start

  • To update your iTwin:

    1. Update your 3D model or environment in MicroStation.

    2. Navigate to your iModel.

    3. Reupload the updated .DGN file using File Synchronization and resync.

    4. Once the update is complete, restart the server locally by running: npm start

  • You can start exploring the iTwin platform and its APIs with the following resources:

  • You can use this iTwin.js sandbox as a reference to use the Place Graphic Decorator to achieve that.

Video Resources

iTwin4Good Challenge Guide: Project Setup

iTwin Competition Local Environment Setup

Bentley iTwin and iModel.js Integration with Azure Digital Twins

Deep Dive: Integrating 3D Models & IoT Data with iTwin and Azure Digital Twins

Past Examples

Last year’s world cup competition presentations.

Get Technical Support

Need support from a Bentley developer?
You can ask questions or troubleshoot technical challenges via the Discord Channel.

Simply join the server then use the #help channel to ask a question, or request that a Developer get in touch with you. You are also welcome to ask a developer to schedule a 15 minute session with you/your team.