Autodesk Inventor

[#1]

HI All,

I am new for the Autodesk, I have 5 year of experince in .net (C#) programming. I want to automate the autodesk inventor software. Basically my need is to automate design of Base Plate of a Pole.

My requirement is that, i will build an application that will read all the input from any .csv file and will call the inventor API and it will create the design and will save at hardrive.

First of all i want to know, Does Autodesk API provide such functionality to automate the whole process?

Thanks in Advance.

[#2]

You have lots of options here depending on what level of automation you require.

Inventor will read in fom an Excel spreadsheet nativly, so you can set this up maually and then use iLogic or VBA to save out the copies on the appropriate trigger.

iLogic itself has an API for accessing Excel spreadsheets, so you can automate the whole thing with iLogic if you need to.

http://inventortrenches.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/using-excel-and-ilogic-to-retrieve-part.html

If you want to run this independatly of Inventor, you can use the API which accepts VBA, VB.net C and C#

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=1079044

If you want to run this via a web client look at Inventor Intent:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=18361292

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Inventor_ETO/enu/2013/Help/0148-Inventor148/0351-Autodesk351

[#3]

Thanks for your promptness I will build my own user interface on the .net framework that will read all the input parameters that required to inventor API. Can you let me know from where i can get some information about all the API. I am confused how to start. I have seen a sample api code that hide the component, in the API learning section. My objective to automate the whole design process. For example i will save all the inputs parameter in the CSV file, and my .net application will read the input and call the Inventor api then it will save the design. User's do not need to open the inventor, each step should be done by .net application via calling API. Thanks for your support....!!!!!!!!!!

[#4]

You can access API supporting documentation from within inventors API window by firing the help on any function.

there is also a customisation forum under inventor discussions forums. There are lots of helpful people there as well.

[#5]

Thanks for your reply..

Sorry i did not understand your line "You can access API supporting documentation from within inventors API window by firing the help on any function." Form where i can access Inventor API Window?

I am new to autodesk so may be i am annoying you...

[#6 · Accepted solution]

hi,

while in inventor Alt+F11

or

ribbon, manage tab, vba.

the application project will be visible in the API window. if you have a document open, the document project will also be visible in the API window.

the application project is targeted in inventor, tools, options, file tab, default vba project.

there is some helpful resources around. start in the inventor, customisation forums.

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Inventor-Customization/bd-p/120

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Inventor-Customization/Check-out-the-self-paced-guide-My-Firs...

ps- also a favorite and skilled person for anyone to search posts from is :

Brian Ekins, Autodesk Inventor API