add open browser button and operator

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/web/__init__.py

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ classes = (
     operator.ConnectToWebsocketServer,
     operator.DisconnectWebsocketServer,
     operator.killWebsocketServer,
+    operator.OpenWebBrowser,
     prop.WebProperties,
     ui.BIM_PT_webui,
 )

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/web/operator.py

@@ -55,3 +55,12 @@ class killWebsocketServer(bpy.types.Operator):
     def execute(self, context):
         core.kill_websocket_server(tool.Web)
         return {"FINISHED"}
+
+
+class OpenWebBrowser(bpy.types.Operator):
+    bl_idname = "bim.open_web_browser"
+    bl_label = "Open Web Browser"
+    bl_description = "Open the web UI base URL in your Web Browser"
+
+    def execute(self, context):
+        core.open_web_browser(tool.Web)

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/web/ui.py

@@ -41,8 +41,9 @@ class BIM_PT_webui(Panel):
             row = layout.row()
             row.label(text=f"Running on port: {props.webserver_port}")
 
-        row = layout.row()
+        row = layout.row(align=True)
         row.operator("bim.connect_websocket_server")
+        row.operator("bim.open_web_browser", icon="URL", text="")
 
         if props.is_connected:
             row = layout.row()

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/core/web.py

@@ -1,7 +1,3 @@
-def open_web_ui(web):
-    web.open_web_ui()
-
-
 def generate_port_number(web):
     return web.generate_port_number()
 
@@ -20,3 +16,7 @@ def disconnect_websocket_server(web):
 
 def kill_websocket_server(web):
     web.kill_websocket_server()
+
+
+def open_web_browser(web):
+    web.open_web_browser()

src/blenderbim/blenderbim/tool/web.py

@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ class Web(blenderbim.core.tool.Web):
         global ws_process
         ws_path = os.path.join(bpy.context.scene.BIMProperties.data_dir, "webui", "sioserver.py")
         ws_process = subprocess.Popen(["python", ws_path, "--p", str(port), "--host", "127.0.0.1"])
+        cls.open_web_browser(port)
         cls.set_is_running(True)
 
     @classmethod
@@ -118,6 +119,10 @@ class Web(blenderbim.core.tool.Web):
         data["ifc_file"] = bpy.context.scene.BIMProperties.ifc_file
         return json.dumps(data)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def open_web_browser(cls, port):
+        webbrowser.open(f"http://127.0.0.1:{port}/")
+
     @classmethod
     async def sio_connect(cls, url):
         await sio.connect(url, transports=["websocket"], namespaces="/blender")