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Evaluating HOOPS Exchange
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Depending on your objectives, allocated time, and role, HOOPS Exchange can be evaluated in different steps:

#. **HOOPS Demo Viewer** desktop application to quickly visualize your 3D CAD models. 
#. **HOOPS Exchange API** using our samples and tutorials to quickly build your first application.

If not already done, use our `User Dashboard <https://manage.techsoft3d.com/?product=exchange>`__ page to create or access your user account and download the **HOOPS Demo Viewer** as well as the **HOOPS Exchange API**.
Detailed instructions related to the User Dashboard page are available down below.

HOOPS Demo Viewer
=================

Whether you are a Product Manager or a Software Engineer, the quickest way to explore HOOPS Exchange is by using **HOOPS Demo Viewer**.

This non-commercial user-friendly application, built on top of HOOPS Exchange, provides a graphical interface for loading, viewing, manipulating, and exporting CAD files.
It can be installed on any Windows (x64) platform and comes with a 30-day evaluation license.

The **HOOPS Demo Viewer** will allow you to:

* Read and visualize your 3D CAD models (assemblies and parts) from :doc:`all the 30+ CAD, standard and BIM formats </start/supported-formats>` that HOOPS Exchange API supports.
* Access to the model structure (tree, views...), properties (meta-data), and other business critical information like Product and Manufacturing Information (PMIs).
* Export the loaded models into standard formats such as OBJ, STEP, Parasolid and more.


Installing HOOPS Demo Viewer
----------------------------

.. tabs::

   .. group-tab:: New Evaluator

      #. **Getting HOOPS Demo Viewer:**
      
         This is your first visit to our website, and neither you nor your company has ever used or licensed our products before:
         
                  * Go to our `User Dashboard <https://manage.techsoft3d.com/>`__ page.
                  * Click on the 'Sign Up' link and create your self-evaluation account.
                  * Click on Download Desktop Demo Viewer and install the application:

         .. image:: /_assets/images/download-hdv.png
            :width: 50%
            :align: center
         
      #. **Obtaining the License:**
         
         **HOOPS Demo Viewer** comes with a 30-day evaluation license. if you need to extend your evaluation key please :doc:`Contact Us </contact_us>`.
            

   .. group-tab:: Existing Partner

      #. **Getting HOOPS Exchange:**
            
         Your company is already evaluating or licensing one of our products and you already created an account, you can directly download HOOPS Demo Viewer `here <https://developer.techsoft3d.com/hoops/demos>`__.
         Download will start immediately and will take from a few seconds to a few minutes (package is about 500 Mb). Run the installer to install the application.
         
      #. **Obtaining the License:**
         
         **HOOPS Demo Viewer** comes with a 30-days evaluation license. if you need to extend your evaluation key please :doc:`Contact Us </contact_us>`.
            

Loading a model
---------------

Using **HOOPS Demo Viewer** is very intuitive to load a model from your collection, open the file from the File/Open dialog, you can also open a file by dragging it from Windows Explorer and dropping it into the application main view.

Use the default parameters and press OK:

.. image:: evaluating-exchange-hdv.png
   :width: 50%
   :align: center

**HOOPS Demo Viewer** contains a set of very advanced functionalities, don't hesitate to read the dedicated `HOOPS Demo Viewer Documentation <https://docs.techsoft3d.com/hdv/latest/>`__.

HOOPS Exchange API
==================

After becoming more familiar with the **HOOPS Demo Viewer** application, you are now ready to have a look at the **HOOPS Exchange API**.

The following **tutorials** will guide you through the **step-by-step** process of configuring and utilizing HOOPS Exchange to import CAD files using a third-party graphics library:

:doc:`/tutorials/c/environment-setup` (:doc:`C </tutorials/c/environment-setup>` / :doc:`C# </tutorials/cs/environment-setup>`)
   Learn to set up your environment and license for HOOPS Exchange.

:doc:`/tutorials/c/file-to-file-translation` (:doc:`C </tutorials/c/file-to-file-translation>` / :doc:`C# </tutorials/cs/file-to-file-translation>`)
   Learn how HOOPS Exchange API can be used to translate any file format to another.

:doc:`/tutorials/c/print-assembly-structure` (:doc:`C </tutorials/c/print-assembly-structure>` / :doc:`C# </tutorials/cs/print-assembly-structure>`)
   Traverse an entire CAD structure and print each of its entities to standard output.

:doc:`/tutorials/c/mesh-viewer-sample`
   Build a basic CAD viewing application with HOOPS Exchange and OpenGL.

Using C# for HOOPS Exchange
===========================

HOOPS Exchange is avaiable for as a C and an C# API.
The latter is provided through call bindings to the C binaries.

For more information, see :ref:`platforms_cs_cpp_support`.

Contact Us
==========

During your evaluation, for an extension of your free evaluation license of the HOOPS Exchange API or HOOPS Demo Viewer or any technical assistance, please :doc:`Contact Us </contact_us>`.

Now that you are more familiar with the :doc:`capabilities of HOOPS Exchange </start/supported-formats>`, the :doc:`formats supported by HOOPS Exchange </start/supported-formats>` and the :doc:`Supported Platforms </start/supported-platforms>`, you can now jump to the :doc:`Tutorials section </tutorials/c/environment-setup>`.

Ready? Simply press the button *Next* below to get started!
