Have you been wondering what Fusion 360 is all about? If you are in the Bay area, now is your chance to find out. The San Francisco Fusion 360 Meetup group is holding a Meetup the evening of Thursday, August 21st at Pier 9. Lots of networking, food, beverages, lively presentations and awesome demos from Autodesk and Fusion 360 community members.
Sign up here to stay in touch or attend the event. Oh, did I mention? Free beer!
-Wayne
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Kean Walmsley recently presented the first sneak peek at the new Autodesk 360 viewer.
The new 3D viewer is really cool. To try it out you use your Autodesk 360 account. You can upload your files (by folder if you want) and then view them using the new viewing web service. (it does a lot more than just viewing) The viewer is in Tech Preview but it is working very well. Also you will need a WebGL-enabled browser. You can use this site to test.
Here is a model of a front loader using the viewer. (Model courtesy of Engineering Center) This model is being served up by a demo service that takes care authentication. For more information, please refer to Kean's original post
Aside from the standard zoom, pan and orbit, in this model, you can press the structure button to browse down through the model's assembly structure or component hierarchy. You can use this to isolate specific components in your model, hiding everything else.
Double click an individual building component to highlight it, list its identity and other properties.
After hitting reset , now try the explode button
and then manipulate the slider that appears at the top of the window to move the various model components outwards from the center to form an exploded view.
Please note that these super-simple single-line embedded viewers do not immediately support all the possible functionality. It is – or will be soon, we hope – really easy to implement that in a slightly more full-fledged context, though.
Aside from the need to support a huge array of formats, the viewer is really good at streaming large models – displaying them at appropriate levels of detail – and allowing you to get in and work with the structure of these models.
-Wayne
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Inventor 2015 will soon be shipping. Most of the API enhancements are keeping up with the new Inventor 2015 functionality and some of the enhancements are catching up to things that have been available from the Inventor user interface in previous releases.
Enhancements in the API for Parts
Sweep Feature.
The SweepFeature has a new option for twist angle and now instead of having a method call that takes all the arguments to create a sweep you create a definition object and set all the properties on that object and provide definition as input to create the sweep. In the UI when you click the sweep command the dialog comes up it gathers all of the inputs needed to create the sweep but the sweep is not actually created until you click ok. You can consider the definition object as similar to the dialog.
Work plane.
Previous to Inventor 2015 you could create a mid plane between two parallel planes. Inventor now supports the creation of a plane between any two planes and they do not have to be parallel. An example of this is bisecting two perpendicular planes. A new point argument that defines which quadrant to use needs to be provided because if the planes are not parallel there are two possible solutions.
Work plane created using WorkPlanes.AddByTwoPlanes()
DirectEditFeature
In the UI the direct edit feature lets you push and pull features. The API has read support and allows you to find information such as which operations were defined.
FreeformFeature
Another enhancement in the user interface is T-Spline capabilities. In the product it is referred to as a Freeform. The 2015 API has minimal support for this but should change in the future. In this release you can find the FreeformFeature and do basic feature operations such as getting its name, suppressing it or reordering it in the tree.
Sketch
Inventor 2015 has changes to sketching that makes it more intuitive to use. The API has been updated because there are quite a few new settings.
These settings are exposed through the API.
Enhancements in the API for Sheet metal
Punch – cut across bend
Now when you do a punch you have an option to have the punch cut across a bend.
Punch on the right used cut across bend
You can think of it as unfolding the part and doing the punch and then folding it back. (the edges are normal to the flat)
Punch – cut normal to the flat pattern
In this case the edges will be perpendicular to the flat. Instead of being perpendicular to the sketch. This will make it easier to fabricate the part.
Cut on the left is normal to the flat
How it looks in the flat pattern.
Flat pattern orientation
You now have more control over the flat pattern orientation. In the UI there is a new dialog where you can pre define multiple orientations and switch between those and the API provides full access.
Enhancements in API for Assemblies
BOM Structure
There are new methods to import and export the BOM customization file. The API has some support for the BOM but it does not support defining the BOM structure. A solution is to interactively create the BOM structure that you want and export it. Using the API you can import that to have a custom BOM structure.
AssemblySymmetryConstraint
The assembly symmetry constraint has a new option to control the orientation and the API was enhanced to provide that capability.
Enhancements in API for Drawings
Hole table title
In this release you have control over hole table title.
Foreshortened dimensions
Foreshortened drawing dimensions are linear, angular, and arc length dimensions.
Miscellaneous Enhancements
FileManager
The FileManager object now has a method ReferencedDocumentCount that will allow you to get the number of referenced documents. The WillOpenExpressDefault method will allow you to find out whether the input assembly will open in Express mode by default. To use these methods you just pass in a file name and it returns the information.
-Wayne
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Inventor 2014 no longer supports VBA auto-run macros. Here is an excerpt from the Inventor API help file:
Autodesk Inventor 2014 removes support for VBA auto-run macros that are embedded in Autodesk Inventor documents. The VBA macros are AutoOpen, AutoNew, AutoSave, AutoClose, and AutoEdit. They can severely impact Autodesk Inventor performance, and pose a possible security risk. The suggested alternative to auto macros is an add-in. Add-ins don't have the performance and security issues of auto macros and provide much better source control.
If you are using VBA auto-run Macros you will need to start using events to get the same functionality. In one case the AutoSave macro was being used to add the time and day to custom iProperties. This stopped working in Inventor 2014. To get the behavior back an Add-In with an OnSaveDocument event needed to be used. Here is the VB.NET (VS 2010) project that creates an Add-In that that can be used to replace the behavior of the AutoSave VBA macro.
Download AddIn_With_Saved_Event
There are instructions for creating an Add-In in the API help file.
.
Here is the event callback:
Private Sub m_ApplicationEvents_OnSaveDocument _
(ByVal DocumentObject As Inventor._Document,
ByVal BeforeOrAfter As Inventor.EventTimingEnum,
ByVal Context As Inventor.NameValueMap,
ByRef HandlingCode As Inventor.HandlingCodeEnum)
If BeforeOrAfter = EventTimingEnum.kBefore Then
Try
'Ensure active document is a Drawing
If m_inventorApplication.
ActiveDocumentType = _
DocumentTypeEnum.kDrawingDocumentObject Then
'Get the custom iProperties
Dim oPropSet As PropertySet = _
m_inventorApplication.ActiveDocument.PropertySets _
("{D5CDD505-2E9C-101B-9397-08002B2CF9AE}")
Dim bDateAdded As Boolean = False
Dim bTimeAdded As Boolean = False
Dim prop As Inventor.Property
For Each prop In oPropSet
If prop.Name = "SysDate" Then
prop.Value = _
Format(Date.Now, "MMM-d-yy")
bDateAdded = True
End If
If prop.Name = "SysTime" Then
prop.Value = _
Format(Date.Now, "hh:mm:ss tt")
bTimeAdded = True
End If
Next
' If the drawing does not have the
' SysDate custom property
If bDateAdded = False Then
oPropSet.Add(Format(Date.Now, _
"MMM-d-yy"), "SysDate")
End If
' If the drawing does not have the
' SysTime custom property
If bTimeAdded = False Then
oPropSet.Add(Format(Date.Now, _
"hh:mm:ss tt"), "SysTime")
End If
End If ' if document is a drawing
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(ex.ToString())
End Try
End If 'if before save
End Sub
-Wayne
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If you are getting started with the Inventor API and you need some examples for adding an event in an Inventor AddIn take a look at these examples. The code snippets below show how to handle ApplicationEvents.OnActivateDocument event using VB.Net and C#. The VB.Net allows use of traditional event handling using WithEvents statement, but also supports .NET style using delegates. There are 3 samples attached covering these ways to add events. The samples display the name of the document after the document is activated. The samples were created using Visual Studio .NET 2010. Please see this Topic in the Inventor API help file if you need instructions on how to get Inventor to load the dll files.
Download Inventor_Events_Examples.
VB.Net - WithEvents
1. Declare member variable of type ApplicationEvents.
Public Class StandardAddInServer
Implements Inventor.ApplicationAddInServer
' Inventor application object.
Private m_inventorApplication As Inventor.Application
Dim WithEvents m_AppEvents As ApplicationEvents
2. In the Activate method of your AddInServer class, assign ApplicationEvents to member variable:
Public Sub Activate(ByVal addInSiteObject As _
Inventor.ApplicationAddInSite,
ByVal firstTime As Boolean) _
Implements Inventor.ApplicationAddInServer.Activate
' This method is called by Inventor when it
' loads the AddIn.
' The AddInSiteObject provides access to the
' Inventor Application object.
' The FirstTime flag indicates if the AddIn
' is loaded for the first time.
' Initialize AddIn members.
m_inventorApplication =
addInSiteObject.Application
' TODO: Add ApplicationAddInServer.Activate
' implementation. e.g. event initialization,
'command creation etc.
m_AppEvents =
m_inventorApplication.ApplicationEvents
End Sub
3. Define event handler method. In Visual Studio IDE it's possible to use Class and Method combo boxes (at the top of open document) to automatically generate it.
Private Sub m_AppEvents_OnActivateDocument _
(ByVal DocumentObject As Inventor._Document, _
ByVal BeforeOrAfter As Inventor.EventTimingEnum, _
ByVal Context As Inventor.NameValueMap, _
ByRef HandlingCode As Inventor.HandlingCodeEnum) _
Handles m_AppEvents.OnActivateDocument
If BeforeOrAfter <>
EventTimingEnum.kAfter Then
Exit Sub
End If
MessageBox.Show _
(DocumentObject.DisplayName, _
"OnActivateDocument VB - WithEvents)", _
MessageBoxButtons.OK, _
MessageBoxIcon.Information)
End Sub
VB.Net – Delegates
1. Declare member variable of type ApplicationEvents.
Public Class StandardAddInServer
Implements Inventor.ApplicationAddInServer
' Inventor application object.
Private m_inventorApplication As _
Inventor.Application
Dim m_AppEvents As _
Inventor.ApplicationEvents
2. In the Activate method of your AddInServer class, add delegate to handle ApplicationEvents.OnActivateDocument event:
Public Sub Activate(ByVal addInSiteObject As _
Inventor.ApplicationAddInSite,
ByVal firstTime As Boolean) _
Implements Inventor.ApplicationAddInServer.Activate
' Initialize AddIn members.
m_inventorApplication =
addInSiteObject.Application
m_AppEvents =
m_inventorApplication.ApplicationEvents
AddHandler m_AppEvents.OnActivateDocument,
AddressOf ApplicationEvents_OnActivateDocument
End Sub
3. Remove the event in the Deactivate method.
Public Sub Deactivate() Implements _
Inventor.ApplicationAddInServer.Deactivate
' This method is called by Inventor
' when the AddIn is unloaded.
' The AddIn will be unloaded either
' manually by the user or
' when the Inventor session is terminated.
' TODO: Add ApplicationAddInServer.Deactivate
' implementation()
' Release objects.
m_inventorApplication = Nothing
RemoveHandler m_AppEvents.OnActivateDocument,
AddressOf ApplicationEvents_OnActivateDocument
m_AppEvents = Nothing
System.GC.Collect()
System.GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers()
End Sub
4. Define event handler method. It's possible to use TAB key to automatically generate it.
Private Sub ApplicationEvents_OnActivateDocument _
(ByVal DocumentObject As Inventor._Document, _
ByVal BeforeOrAfter As Inventor.EventTimingEnum, _
ByVal Context As Inventor.NameValueMap, _
ByRef HandlingCode As Inventor.HandlingCodeEnum)
If BeforeOrAfter <> EventTimingEnum.kAfter Then
Exit Sub
End If
MessageBox.Show(DocumentObject.DisplayName, _
"OnActivateDocument VB Delegates)",
MessageBoxButtons.OK, _
MessageBoxIcon.Information)
End Sub
C# - Delegates
1. Declare member variable of type ApplicationEvents.
public class StandardAddInServer :
Inventor.ApplicationAddInServer
{
// Inventor application object.
private Inventor.Application
m_inventorApplication;
private Inventor.ApplicationEvents
m_appEvents;
2. In the Activate method of your AddInServer class, add delegate to handle ApplicationEvents.OnActivateDocument event:
public void Activate(Inventor.ApplicationAddInSite
addInSiteObject, bool firstTime)
{
// This method is called by Inventor when it
//loads the addin. The AddInSiteObject provides
// access to the Inventor Application object.
// The FirstTime flag indicates if the addin
// is loaded for the first time.
// Initialize AddIn members.
m_inventorApplication =
addInSiteObject.Application;
// TODO: Add ApplicationAddInServer.Activate
// implementation. e.g. event initialization,
//command creation etc.
m_appEvents =
m_inventorApplication.ApplicationEvents;
m_appEvents.OnActivateDocument += new
ApplicationEventsSink_OnActivateDocumentEventHandler
(ApplicationEvents_OnActivateDocument);
}
3. Remove the event in the Deactivate method
public void Deactivate()
{
// Release objects.
m_inventorApplication = null;
m_appEvents.OnActivateDocument -= new
ApplicationEventsSink_OnActivateDocumentEventHandler
(ApplicationEvents_OnActivateDocument);
m_appEvents = null;
GC.Collect();
GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
}
4. Define event handler method. It's possible to use TAB key to automatically generate it.
private void ApplicationEvents_OnActivateDocument
(_Document DocumentObject,
EventTimingEnum BeforeOrAfter,
NameValueMap Context,
out HandlingCodeEnum HandlingCode)
{
HandlingCode =
Inventor.HandlingCodeEnum.kEventNotHandled;
if (BeforeOrAfter !=
Inventor.EventTimingEnum.kAfter)
{
return;
}
HandlingCode =
Inventor.HandlingCodeEnum.kEventHandled;
MessageBox.Show(DocumentObject.DisplayName,
"C# - OnActivateDocument",
MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);
}
-Wayne
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Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2013 API survey. Your input is very valuable to the engineering team. The screenshots below show the results for the main questions on the survey. The survey also had individual suggestions that are not listed here.
API Language:
Inventor Version:
Cloud
Mobile
-Wayne
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Autodesk has a new cloud product called Configurator 360. (Currently available only as a 90 day free special offer)
You can upload your Inventor assemblies or parts and it will allow your customers to configure the model based on Inventor parameters, iLogic rules or ETO designs. You don’t need to work with the Inventor API to use Configurator 360 but I thought it may be of interest to explore this new cloud capability for Inventor models.
This YouTube video provides a quick high level overview.
You can get more information and sign up for a free trial here:
It is really easy to try it. Here is a screenshot where I uploaded my Inventor part. I selected the pencil icon to display a page where I could control the behavior of the parameters.
On this page select the Parameters Tab. (this is one thing that may not be easy to find). On the Parameters tab I set the Max and Min value of the Parameters. (If I set the parameter value to zero an error occurred so having a minimum avoids that condition)
In this screenshot you see the part file that can be modified. You can try this part from here. This is just a simple ipt I used to test. The three parameters control the size of extrude features. (limit is .25 to 3.0)
This “In the fold” blog post on has information on other Autodesk cloud products related to manufacturing that have been released recently:
-Wayne
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The 2014 API supports new functionality to do solid imprinting. (This functionality is only available in the API). The new method is:
TransientBRep.ImprintBodies
This method takes two bodies and modified versions of the bodies are output. The functions finds coincident faces on the bodies and splits the coincident faces where the faces overlap. Imprinting will primarily be useful to applications that perform their own meshing for some form of analysis. By splitting the faces where the bodies connect, they’re guaranteed to get mesh nodes along these boundaries.
C# example:
Download Inventor_2014_Imprinting_Example
This example has these VBA examples converted from the Inventor API help file:
CreateImprintFromAssembly()
SampleImprintMatching2()
This screenshot shows two parts in assembly. When you run CreateImprintFromAssembly() you will prompted to select two parts that have a coincident face. (need to have an assembly active or an error occurs)
When the function completes a new part with two bodies will be created. The two bodies have edges where the edge in the other part was coincident. Here you can see these edges on one of the parts:
Here is CreateImprintFromAssembly():
// Imprint bodies within an assembly
// This sample demonstrates creating imprinted bodies
// from two selected occurrences in an assembly.
public void CreateImprintFromAssembly()
{
// Get the active assembly document
// and its definition.
AssemblyDocument asmDoc = (AssemblyDocument)
ThisApplication.ActiveDocument;
// Have two parts selected in the assembly.
ComponentOccurrence part1 = (ComponentOccurrence)
ThisApplication.CommandManager.Pick
(SelectionFilterEnum.kAssemblyLeafOccurrenceFilter,
"Select part 1");
ComponentOccurrence part2 = (ComponentOccurrence)
ThisApplication.CommandManager.Pick
(SelectionFilterEnum.kAssemblyLeafOccurrenceFilter,
"Select part 2");
// Get the bodies associated with the occurrences.
// Because of a problem when this sample was
// written the ImprintBodies method fails when
// used with SurfaceBodyProxy objects. The code
// below works around this by creating new
// transformed bodies that will provide the
// equivalent result.
// Get the bodies in part space
// as transient bodies.
TransientBRep transBrep =
(TransientBRep)ThisApplication.TransientBRep;
SurfaceBody body1 = (SurfaceBody)transBrep.Copy
(part1.Definition.SurfaceBodies[1]);
SurfaceBody body2 = (SurfaceBody)transBrep.Copy
(part2.Definition.SurfaceBodies[1]);
// Transform the bodies to be in the
// location represented in the assembly.
transBrep.Transform(body1, part1.Transformation);
transBrep.Transform(body2, part2.Transformation);
// Imprint the bodies.
SurfaceBody newBody1 = null;
SurfaceBody newBody2 = null;
Faces body1OverlapFaces = null;
Faces body2OverlapFaces = null;
Edges body1OverlapEdges = null;
Edges body2OverlapEdges = null;
ThisApplication.TransientBRep.ImprintBodies
(body1, body2, true, out newBody1,
out newBody2, out body1OverlapFaces,
out body2OverlapFaces, out body1OverlapEdges,
out body2OverlapEdges);
// Create a new part document to show the
// resulting bodies in.
PartDocument partDoc =
(PartDocument)ThisApplication.Documents.Add
(DocumentTypeEnum.kPartDocumentObject,
ThisApplication.FileManager.GetTemplateFile
(DocumentTypeEnum.kPartDocumentObject));
PartComponentDefinition partDef =
(PartComponentDefinition)partDoc.
ComponentDefinition;
// Create a new feature from the
// first imprinted body.
NonParametricBaseFeature non1 =
(NonParametricBaseFeature)partDef.Features.
NonParametricBaseFeatures.Add(newBody1);
newBody1 = non1.SurfaceBodies[1];
// Create a new feature from the
// second imprinted body.
NonParametricBaseFeature non2 =
(NonParametricBaseFeature)partDef.Features.
NonParametricBaseFeatures.Add(newBody2);
newBody2 = non2.SurfaceBodies[1];
}
-Wayne
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DirectoryNotFoundException using ETO Server R2
1. If you get a System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException when using ETO Server 2013 R2. Check to see if this directory exists:
C:\Users\InventorETOServices\Documents\Inventor Server x64 Inventor ETO Server
Note: If the InventorETOServices user has been deleted and recreated, there may be multiple user directories for it, such as:
C:\users\InventorETOServices.<MachineName>.000\Documents\Inventor Server x64 Inventor ETO Server
C:\users\InventorETOServices.<MachineName>.001\Documents\Inventor Server x64 Inventor ETO Server
In this case, add the directory in the newest one. This issue has been reported to Autodesk Engineering.
After installing ETO 2013 Server R2 - cannot establish a client connection.
The start of the error message is:
”The message with Action 'http://www.autodesk.com/IntentServices/2012/02/IIntentServices/SetInteger' cannot be processed at the receiver, due to a ContractFilter mismatch at the EndpointDispatcher”.
This happens when there is a mismatch between the contract used by the client and the contract used by the server. In this case the server is R2 but the client is using the R1 contracts ('http://www.autodesk.com/IntentServices/2012/02/IIntentServices').
This can happen when the client project is being built with ETO Series 2013 R1 but trying to target ETO Server 2013 R2. Generally the version of Series used when building the client project should match the version of Server targeted. The solution is to update the reference to Autodesk.Intent.Services.dll in the client project so it is the same version the server is using. This can be done by installing ETO Series 2013 R2 if it’s not already installed, removing the reference, and re-adding the reference by browsing to the “<Series 2013 R2 install>\Bin\Public Assemblies” directory.
An alternative, in this case, since ETO Server is on the same machine as the client is to update the reference to the Autodesk.Intent.Services.dll to point to the one in the ETO Server Bin directory.
Quickly narrow down the location of a crash.
In one case a crash was occurring in a custom dll. It looked like it was an ETO specific problem. By using IntentTracer to determine the Part/Design and “%%iv_message()” we were able to narrow down the location of the crash which was occurring somewhere in the custom dll. The help toipic for IntentTracer is here:
After finding the design you can use a message box style technique to further narrow down the place of a crash.
%%iv_message("Tracing777Before", show := true)
Call to custom dll was here.
The crash occurred before this message was displayed.
%%iv_message("Tracing777After", show := true)
Note: ETO 2013 R2 allows you to debug rules in Visual Studio
Sphere Design fails after install R2 Hotfix (build 202)
To resolve this problem download this iks file and put it in this directory. (Back up the existing xxhostSphere.iks)
“C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Inventor ETO Components 2013\Library\Inventor\ivhostlib”
-Wayne
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Register and mark your calendars now for this upcoming webcast on making the most of the Autodesk Exchange Apps store ...
"How developers can ride and profit from the adoption wave of Autodesk Exchange Apps"
The Autodesk Exchange Apps stores (currently there are 15 stores) are a huge opportunity for developers to gain direct access to the growing number of Autodesk customers using Exchange Apps. In just one year there’s been over one million visits and over 250,000 downloads. With comments like “one of my most useful tools”, “love this app, saved me hours of work” there’s no doubt that Exchange Apps has become a resource that Autodesk customers rely on to find useful apps of all types.
If you develop apps and want to reach more customers quickly, easily and inexpensively but haven’t yet put your toe in the water with Exchange Apps, the Autodesk Developer Network (ADN) team is ready to help you. You’re invited to attend a webinar on June 13thhosted by Jim Quanci and Stephen Preston to learn how you can catch the wave and accelerating growth of Exchange Apps.
You’ll learn the tricks of the trade when publishing on Exchange Apps, get ideas on how to be successful and learn about the ability to publish localized apps. Here’s what you need to know:
Webinar details:
Date: Thursday, June 13th, 2013
Time: 8 a.m. PDT (4 p.m. BST; 5 p.m. CET; 11 a.m. EDT)
Duration: Approximately one hour
Open to anyone interested in publishing apps on Autodesk Exchange Apps (i.e. ADN membership is not required :-).
Registration: Reserve your place by June 11 by sending an email to [email protected] with Exchange Apps webinar as the subject. Please make sure you include your full name, company name and email address.
And visit www.autodesk.com/developapps now if you want a head start in learning how to publish apps.
-Wayne (original text by Stephen Preston)
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