Printing all drawings of an assembly file

[Michel.Brun]

Hello everybody,



I have written a program within Inventor that list all components of an assy with their properties (iproperties and properties from Producstream) and allow an export of the bill of material to Excel with our company layout.



I want to add a function to my program in order to print all drawings that belong to an assy.



I have the list of components and I want to use the new functionality of the Producstream menu that allows us to open the attached drawing.



But I don’t know which library and which property.



You have maybe another method??



Thank you in advance



Michel

[brendan.henderson]

Here is a macro I use that prints all of the IDW's related to an assembly. This macro is run from the assembly model. There are 4 caveats :-

1. The IDW of the assembly the macro is run from does not print (so print it manually)

2. The IDW's do not print in perfect order

3. It is coded to print to a specific printer, A3 and in landscape

4. It strips the file extension from the file name so file extensions must be visible in Windows Explorer.

Function fileExists(fname) As Boolean
    If Dir(fname) <> "" Then fileExists = True Else fileExists = False
End Function

Public Sub PrintRefIDWs()

    Dim oAsmDoc As AssemblyDocument
    Set oAsmDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
    If ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.DocumentType <> kAssemblyDocumentObject Then
        MsgBox "This is NOT an assembly document!", vbExclamation
        Exit Sub
    End If

    Dim oPrintMgr As PrintManager
    Set oPrintMgr = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.PrintManager
    If MsgBox("Using default printer """ & oPrintMgr.Printer & """  Do you want to continue?", vbYesNo + vbQuestion) = vbNo Then
        Exit Sub
    End If

    Dim oDrgPrintMgr As DrawingPrintManager

    MsgBox "Using printer " & oPrintMgr.Printer & ", printing 1 copy, A3 paper, landscape."

    dirPath = Left(oAsmDoc.FullFileName, Len(oAsmDoc.FullFileName) - Len(oAsmDoc.DisplayName))

    Dim oRefDocs As DocumentsEnumerator
    Set oRefDocs = oAsmDoc.AllReferencedDocuments
    Dim oRefDoc As Document
    numFiles = 0

    For Each oRefDoc In oRefDocs
        idwPathName = Left(oRefDoc.FullDocumentName, Len(oRefDoc.FullDocumentName) - 3) & "idw"
        If fileExists(idwPathName) Then
            numFiles = numFiles + 1
            'If numFiles = 10 Then Exit Sub
            Dim oDrawDoc As DrawingDocument
            Set oDrawDoc = ThisApplication.Documents.Open(idwPathName, True)
            oDrawDoc.Activate
            Set oDrawDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
            Set oDrgPrintMgr = oDrawDoc.PrintManager

            oDrgPrintMgr.AllColorsAsBlack = True
            oDrgPrintMgr.ScaleMode = kPrintBestFitScale
            Set oPrintMgr = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.PrintManager

            ' Printer setup, default printer
            oPrintMgr.ColorMode = kPrintDefaultColorMode ' Set to default
            oPrintMgr.NumberOfCopies = 1 ' Set to print one copies.
            oPrintMgr.Orientation = kLandscapeOrientation ' Set to print using landscape orientation.
            oPrintMgr.PaperSize = kPaperSizeA3 'Set the paper size.
            oPrintMgr.SubmitPrint ' Submit the print.
            oDrawDoc.Close (True)
        End If
    Next
    MsgBox "There are " & numFiles & " sent to printer."

End Sub

[karthur1]

SWEET!!!

Just tried it on a iam that had several idws. Actually found out that it has 27 drawings.  Ran fine... excellent job.

[brendan.henderson]

My pleasure. I can't take too much of the credit for it. A mate in the UK did most of the work. I just tidied it up a bit.

I forgot to mention that there is sometimes a pause (sometimes 30 seconds) whent he macro is initially run. I don't know  what causes this but the button becomes active eventually for you to continue to the next step.

[skyngu]

try this

 Dim oControlDef As ControlDefinition
 Set oControlDef = oCommandMgr.ControlDefinitions.Item("CMxOpenDrawingCMD")

[karthur1]

Thanks.  That got the code past that line, now it errors on a different line.  I get a "Type Mismatch" error on this line.

What can be changed to fix this?

Thanks

[skyngu]

Some text in green are comments. You have to change it to program code by deleting "  '  " sign

find help in vba.

[skyngu]

forget to put this:

oDoc.SelectSet.Select oDoc.ComponentDefinition

 'Get the CommandManager object
 Dim oCommandMgr As CommandManager
 Set oCommandMgr = ThisApplication.CommandManager

 'Get control definition for the line command
 Dim oControlDef As ControlDefinition
 Set oControlDef = oCommandMgr.ControlDefinitions.Item("CMxOpenDrawingCmd")

[karthur1]

I added the oDoc.SelectSet.Select oDoc.ComponentDefinition like you show.

I also uncommented the Dim oDrgPrintMgr as .... line.  Now I get a duplicate declaration error.  If I comment it out, I get a type mismatch error.  Not sure where the problem is.

[skyngu]

you have to check the code from top to bottom carefully, or get a fresh copy.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi Invetnor users,

I used  brendan.henderson's example as a base to create a Batch PDF rule for iLogic:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Inventor/Printing-drawing-sheet-sets-from-assembly-BOM-Parts-...

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[brendan.henderson]

Curtis, any chance you could re-write (re-code to VBA) the last part where you publish the Top Level Drawing (but instead make it print) so I can add it into the original VBA code? It's the only thing bugging me about the macro, having to manually print it.

Cheers.

[rennco]

Very awesome work on the macro.  The only question I have right now is how do I change the paper size to 11x17 or in my case our printer has it as Ledger.  All of my pages print on 8 1/2 x 11 paper.

I initially just looked for where paper size was listed as A3 and changed it to Ledger hoping it would be as simple as that.

Thanks for making this part of a job alot simpler!

Scott J.

[karthur1]

Scott,

Are you using the code by Brendan at the top of page 3?   I "think" that the code uses the settings of your "Default" System printer.  Try changing your system print to whatever size paper you want it printed on and run it again.

Kirk

[NL-Laurens]

Hi Guys,

First, I'm sorry that I didn't read this post fully. I have only limited time, but the title caught my interest because I was trying exactly the same, but found a different approach to the solution. I tried it the Productstream/Compass way.

I'll quickly explain what I have done, and when there is interest I'm willing to explain it further in detail.

1) I found out how to write my own functions in Productsteam, by the use of DBP programming. (Little complicated to start with, but once you’re in it you can create your own functions in Productstream, very handy)

2) After compiling it, you must add your new function to a submenu (or create your own) and make it available to certain uses (all users if you like)

To give a quick start to all people that want to try this I attached the DBP code. This code starts from a project folder, then recursively searches al folders beneath and filters all RELEASHED assembly drawings, then prints these drawings with a print routine supplied by Productstream itself.

Let me know if someone is interested in the devils' details!

DBP code:

#define OutFile=\{__DBPPATH__}/out/\{__DBPFILE__}.out

#define DbqFile=\{__DBPPATH__}/../etc/\{__DBPFILE__}.dbq

#define LstFile=\{__DBPPATH__}/lst/\{__DBPFILE__}.lst

public PrintRawBOM(aeq("#(ENTITY_TYPE)","AIM.PRO")), PPrintRawBOM

procedure PPrintRawBOM

___Environment(AantalPrints=0);

___Environment(BRMPrintRawBOMBaseProject=#(AIMKEY));

RawBOM_01($BRMPrintRawBOMBaseProject);

endproc

public RawBOM_00, PRawBOM_00

procedure PRawBOM_00

___Environment(BRMPrintRawBOMBaseProject=#(CHILD_AIMKEY));

RawBOM_01($BRMPrintRawBOMBaseProject);

endproc

public RawBOM_01, PRawBOM_01

procedure PRawBOM_01

 /* ================================== */

 /* ARG:v1 = AIMKEY from base project  */

 /* ================================== */

___ForAllRela(db=XREF_ELEMENT "CHILD_AIMKEY=$(arg:v1) AND RELATIONSHIP_ID='AIM.XREF.DOC.PRO.ENG'" RawBOM_02);

___ForAllRela(db=XREF_ELEMENT "PARENT_AIMKEY=$(arg:v1) AND RELATIONSHIP_ID='AIM.XREF.PRO.PRO'" RawBOM_00);

endproc

public RawBOM_02, PRawBOM_02

procedure PRawBOM_02

 /* ================================== */

 /* ARG:v1 = AIMKEY from active part   */

 /* ================================== */

___ForAllRela(db=XREF_ELEMENT "PARENT_AIMKEY=#(PARENT_AIMKEY) AND RELATIONSHIP_ID='AIM.XREF.DOC.SECONDARY'" RawBOM_03);

endproc

public RawBOM_03, PRawBOM_03

procedure PRawBOM_03

___Environment(ActiveSecDocShortDesc=#(where db=ELEMENT "AIMKEY='#(CHILD_AIMKEY)'" #(SHORT_DESC) ) );

if(!empty("$(ActiveSecDocShortDesc)"))

 {

                if(wcomp("RawBOM_", "$(ActiveSecDocShortDesc)"))

                 {

                 ___Environment(ActiveSecDocAIMKEY=#(where db=ELEMENT "AIMKEY='#(CHILD_AIMKEY)'" #(AIMKEY) ) );

                 ___ForRela(db=folder_all_document (AIMKEY=#CHILD_AIMKEY) RawBOM_04);

                 }

 }

endproc

public RawBOM_04, PRawBOM_04

procedure PRawBOM_04

/*___JobCreate(PUB_PRN_PDF -Silent -Auto);*/

___Environment(AantalPrints=$(AantalPrints:++));

endproc

[juliaeturner]

Hello all.

I have copied the file "Print_All_Ref_IDW.ivb" into the correct directory, and it works GREAT!

I'd like to add a message prompt for the number of copies of each drawing, as they cycle through.

We don't print a copy of some standard parts and print multiple copies of parts with multiple processes done to them.

I'm a COMPLETE newcomer to VBA. I see where it says 1 copy in the code but I need to have a prompt for each file, so I can key in "0" or "1" or "3" etc..

Then hit enter to continue with the routine.

Thank you!

Julia

[karthur1]

@brendan.henderson

Brendan,

I know it has been a while, but I converted your original code to iLogic and added teh functionality to print the top level idw as well.  Code is attached below.

Maybe it will help.

Kirk 

[brendan.henderson]

Well done Kirk. Others in the community will love it.

Since upgrading to Vault Pro I no longer use this 'print all' function. I use Plot and select the top level assy file which gathers all of the child files. Same function but embedded into Vault.

[MechMachineMan]

Check out this nifty tool that almost does all without any required coding:

Drawing Porter:

https://apps.autodesk.com/INVNTOR/en/Detail/Index?id=3275134152794222964&appLang=en&os=Win32_64