iLogic "Convert to Sheet Metal" HELP

[Anonymous]

Hi Folks, I am in need of some assistance!. Within the Company I work for, some of the Juniors are failing to Convert to Sheet Metal when designing components within an IPT file,This is causing some issues!! (Long Story!!)..

I have tried several options, and I'm now at my wits end, I'm looking for The iLogic code that will recognise that "Convert To Sheet Metal" is not activated and then give the opton to activate Via a Yes/ No messagebox!

I hope one of you nice Genius people are able to help

Many Thanks 

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi Fleagle8t,

Until one of the "nice Genius people" types arrives I'll jump in and ask a couple of questions.

1. Apparently these users aren't using sheet metal tools, which makes me think they are not familiar with them (have had no training with them, etc.). Typically, users will reach of those tools when designing a sheet metal part because the tools simply make it easier. It's at this point that if they have started off with the wrong template that they will convert it. It's a pretty natural process UNLESS the user doesn't know how to use the sheet metal tools. So would training be the answer?
2. If iLogic truely is needed, how should the iLogic know when to alert the user that they really want a sheet metal part? What would be the trigger?

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

[mcgyvr]

weird question...

ilogic is NOT the solution... Proper training is.

Fix the stupid.. Don't work around them.

[swordmaster]

I suggest that you create a "sheetmetal" template (start part) for your users. If they are always making sheetmetal parts (sounds like that from your post) simply remove the other ipt templates from the templates folder then they cannot select the wrong one

[Anonymous]

Hi Curtis, thanks for the prompt response, the problem is stemming from the fact that half way through the design of the part they decide it's going to be a sheet metal component and neglecting to convert! (which as you suggest indicates a need for training) I'm looking to implement Ilogic as a short term fix whilst the stupid are fixed..... Granted a weird question but I had to ask!

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi Fleagle8t,

I suppose you could add a rule that triggers on the New part event, so that when the users starts a part from your standard IPT they are asked if it should be a SM part? I think most users would be annoyed with this if most of the parts are not sheet metal parts and therefore they had to answer this question unneededly. So even this is not a very good solution.

But I'm still not clear what event you would expect the iLogic to trigger on. Going from what you wrote: "they decide it's going to be a sheet metal component and neglect to convert it" I still don't see how the software knows that at this point the user needs to see a message.

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

[Anonymous]

Hi Curtis, thanks for your input, the more I think about it you are right there is no point at which I could trigger it. So it's a none starter!! Thanks for replying, to my idiotic Question

[Anonymous]

Question wasn't idiotic. I also need Ilogic tool to convert to sheet metal.

In my company almost all components are laser cuted an then bended - so sheet metal. From each part we make flatpattern.

Most of old documentation was created in Mechanical Desktop or different CAD's like Solidworks or Solidedge  and to handle with it we convert files to STEP.

We do not have time to draw it again from beggining in Inventor.

Fortunatelly most of this files after setting right Sheet metal Thickness are able to unfold - create flat pattern.

So again

Is there any VBA tool to use option - Convert to sheet metal ?

Im am using for example ilogic code to fill/add from assembly level properties like:

material,

laser cut time,

max dimensions,

descriptio,

Project

and many more

[mdavis22569]

not a idiotic question .... however what Curtis said is a good idea. You can set up a trigger for when a new ipt template is started ...it prompts a question : Is this a sheetmetal part ...and depending on the answer it changes to a sheetmetal format ..

[Anonymous]

So another question. Is there any way to import STEP file with custom template ?

[mdavis22569]

probably with a ilogic trigger yes ...

[Curtis_Waguespack]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
...Is there any VBA tool to use option - Convert to sheet metal ?

---

Hi PIBAL,

Here is a quick ilogic example that will convert a standard part file to a sheet metal file.

Try
'convert to sheet metal 
ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.SubType = "{9C464203-9BAE-11D3-8BAD-0060B0CE6BB4}"
Catch
'catch error and exit rule when part can't be converted
'example: multiple solid body part
Return
End Try

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

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much again Curtis.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

So another question. Is there any way to import STEP file with custom template ?

---

Hi PIBAL,

I don't know of an API method to do this because the STEP import simply uses the template file called Standard.ipt found at the root of the Templates folder defined in the Project file (*.ipj) or the Application Options setting (if no project specific templates folder is specified in the *.ipj file).

However, if you really wanted to do some "fancy foot work" I suppose you could have the iLogic code rename the file called Standard.ipt to something like 0_Standard.ipt and also rename some other template file to Standard.ipt, and then import the step, and then rename the template files back to what they were originally.

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

[mcgyvr]

Curtis,

Out of curiosity how do you find out about this "secret" stuff like 

ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.SubType = "{9C464203-9BAE-11D3-8BAD-0060B0CE6BB4}"

 Where does that number come from?

[Curtis_Waguespack]

---

@mcgyvr wrote:

Curtis,

Out of curiosity how do you find out about this "secret" stuff like 

ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.SubType = "{9C464203-9BAE-11D3-8BAD-0060B0CE6BB4}"

 Where does that number come from?

---

Hi mcgyvr,

Typically I use 2 sources:

1. The API help files: http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com/2013/10/ilogic-how-to-learn-inventors.html
2. Or I search the customization forum: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Inventor-Customization/bd-p/120

In this case the API help file directs us to a document called DocCLSIDs.h

Here's a link that discusses the DocCLSIDs.h document in a bit more detail:

http://adndevblog.typepad.com/manufacturing/2013/01/inventor-document-sub-types.html

Edit:

Note that I just looked and found this file in the Inventor install directory, with this subfolder structure:

....\Inventor 20xx\SDK\DeveloperTools\Include

which differs slightly from what the http://adndevblog.typepad.com link showed. This is due to the fact that the ...\DeveloperTools\Include\ folders are created once you run the DeveloperTools.msi file.

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