select hidden parts in assembly

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi group

if i have a load of parts in an assembly set so visibility is of, is there a way to group select all hidden parts so they van be made visible again as a group rather than looking through the assembly for them?

regards adrian

[PACDrafting]

Yes. You need to setup design view representations. Do a search in the help menu to show how.

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi  Thats' ok if you think about it before you do it! 8-)

the problem there is when designing stuff and a design is evolving it could get a bit complicated and long winded setting design view representations each time. I am always turning different bits on and off to get in to a desgn whilst working on different areas.

isolate and un-isolate work well, but isolate is not the best way to go somtimes.

is there no basic commands like select hidden parts ?

regards Adrian

[PACDrafting]

Why not isolate unwanted parts and lock a design view rep?
Then unisolate and continue on.
Will this work for you?

[PACDrafting]

Another option is to use the binoculars to do a search on the parts required entering similar details into the search eg maybe an iproperty is the same. Then isolate, then lock and name a design view rep.
Sorry last post now heading off. Bye.

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi thanks for your reply and input, design views do work but i was hoping to find a selection type of command to just select hidden parts. it would work out easier in a lot of cases?

regards Adrian

[PACDrafting]

Ok.
I can write you a code to find all hidden parts and turn the visibility on if you require it?
Let me know.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi safiredesignengineers, 

Here is some iLogic code that looks for all components with visibility turned off from the top level assembly. It looks at only  in the top level assembly and second level assembly, and then toggles their visibility back on. It does not modify the visibility states of the components in subassemblies, but merely toggles visibility on at the top level.

I had this code on hand as part of another rule for setting view reps so you might find some areas where it doesn't work,  but maybe PACDrafting or someone can come up with something more sophisticated if you identify situations where this doesn't work.

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

' set a reference to the assembly component definition.
' This assumes an assembly document is open.
Dim oAsmCompDef As AssemblyComponentDefinition
oAsmCompDef = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.ComponentDefinition

'define current document
Dim openDoc As Document
openDoc = ThisDoc.Document

'kAssemblyDocumentObject = 12291 
If openDoc.DocumentType = 12291 Then

	'look at all of the components in the assembly
	Dim oCompDef As Inventor.ComponentDefinition = openDoc.ComponentDefinition
	'define the first level components collection
	Dim oCompOcc As Inventor.ComponentOccurrence 
	'define the next level components collection
	Dim oSubCompOcc As Inventor.ComponentOccurrence
	'Turn on the visibility of  components in the top level assembly 
	For each oCompOcc in oCompDef.Occurrences
		If oCompOcc.Visible = Flase Then
		'Turn the visibility on
		oCompOcc.Visible = True
		End If
		'Turn on the visibility of components in the second level assemblies 
	    	For Each oSubCompOcc In oCompOcc.SubOccurrences
	        		'select for part files with specified material 
			If oSubCompOcc.Visible = False Then
			'Turn the visibility off
			oSubCompOcc.Visible = True
			End If
	    	Next
	Next	
Else	
	MessageBox.Show("You must have a valid Assembly document open before using this code!", "File Type Mismatch!")
	
End If 

[safiredesignengineers]

Thanks for your replies, I prefer not to use custom coding as it can cause issues when upgrading software or with multiple users etc..  We have issues like this with our database software!

I will have a play with the design view reps more to see if I can put up with it in these situations, however it would be a nice selection function in later versions of inventor, hopfully  8-)

[PACDrafting]

No problems your choice.
But won't be any issues as code is on .net framework no problems with new upgrades.
Also, for multiple users this can be an exe file package so just a straight install on all machines.
I haven't looked into whether the search tool (binoculus) can do this yet but I'll get back soon.

[PACDrafting]

OK. This is how you can find visible or non visible occurrences.

How is this for you?

[PACDrafting]

Better pic:

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi PACdrafting

Thanks for all your efforts, This works.   However (and I don't intend to be negative or grumpy) but I just tried this and I have to wait for the search to complete which was not too long for occasional use, but when in a design and flicking back and forth to do stuff this is not practical.

It needs a simple select function that has the ability to select hidden items in an instant.

I have been playing with isolate which is OK ish at the moment but still a few to many clicks of a mouse to be effective.

I select items to be hidden - invert selection - isolate - do the design changes - then unisolate all.

Again thanks for your efforts, you have made me look at the binoculars in a bit of detail which is great as I have not used this feature before.

Regards Adrian

[coreyparks · Accepted solution]

I am assuming that since you are looking for all invisible parts that you want to make all the parts in your assembly visible right?  Simple right click on the design view rep that is current in the browser and select "all visible".

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi coreyparks,

Well sure that works if you want to do things the easy way! 

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

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi Corey Parks, that's perfect! 

thanks!

regards Adrian

[coreyparks]

Yeah well I have been called lazy on occasion and I won't deny it.  Of course lazy people are awsome since they always look for the quickest and easiest way to do things.  And yes, I did just call myself awsome.

[PACDrafting]

F me. What a mission that was.

Problem being, my original post said design view reps needed setting up.

[safiredesignengineers]

Hi PACDrafting

your right what a mission!  but this is often the case with inventor what should be simple and apears to not be somtimes is but you got to find the way! 

regards Adrian

[PACDrafting]

No problems.

Like everything in life. The more time you spend on it the better you get.