iLogic, comparing one list against another

[PaulMunford]

Could I ask for your help with some fine tuning?

I hacked together the code below with help from all of you on the forums - thanks!

It takes a list of Parameters and cycles through the assembly looking for parts with the same parameter names. It then copies the value of the parameter from the assembly down to the part.

It occured to be that this would be more efficient if I didn't have to manually create a list of parameters to compare.

What I'd like to do is create a list of all parameters in the assembly file that begin with the prefix 'A_', and compare this list against the parameter list held in each subassmbly and part file in the assembly, copying the values down as before.

Could anyone offer me any advice on how to build the parameter list?

Cheers,

Paul.

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

'Iterate through all of the occurrences
Dim oOccurrence As ComponentOccurrence
For Each oOccurrence In oAsmCompDef.Occurrences

'check for and skip virtual components
'(in case a virtual component trips things up)
If Not TypeOf oOccurrence.Definition Is VirtualComponentDefinition Then
Parameter.Quiet = True

'Match up the slab height
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_CeilingSlab") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_CeilingSlab") = A_CeilingSlab
End If

'Match up the coffered ceiling height
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_CeilingCoffer") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_CeilingCoffer") = A_CeilingCoffer
End If

'match up the finished ceiling height
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_CeilingFinished") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_CeilingFinished") = A_CeilingFinished
End If

'Match up the coving height
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_Coving") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_Coving") = A_Coving
End If

'Match up the picture rail height
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_PictureRail") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_PictureRail") = A_PictureRail
End If

'Match up the dado height
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_DadoHeight") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_DadoHeight") = A_DadoHeight
End If

'Match up the datum height
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_Datum") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_Datum") = A_Datum
End If

'Match up the skirting height
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_SkirtingHeight") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_SkirtingHeight") = A_SkirtingHeight
End If

'Match up the finished floor level
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_FloorFinished") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_FloorFinished") = A_FloorFinished
End If

'Match up the slab floor level
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_FloorSlab") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_FloorSlab") = A_FloorSlab
End If

'Match up the slab floor level
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_RoomLength") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_RoomLength") = A_RoomLength
End If

'Match up the slab floor level
If Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_RoomWidth") Then
Parameter(oOccurrence.Name, "A_RoomWidth") = A_RoomWidth
End If

Else
End If
Next

'Uodate the document to see the changes
InventorVb.DocumentUpdate()

[Vladimir.Ananyev]

Cycling through the assembly parameters collection you may populate y
our own string collection with the names of those parameters, 
which names begin with the prefix “A_”.

Dim oAsmDoc As Inventor.AssemblyDocument = ThisDoc.Document
Dim oPars As Inventor.Parameters = oAsmDoc.ComponentDefinition.Parameters

Dim oList As Collection = New Collection
For Each oPar As Inventor.Parameter In oPars
    If (Left(oPar.Name, 2) = "A_") Then
        oList.Add(oPar.Name)
    End If
Next

If oList.Count = 0 Then
    MsgBox("Empty list :(")
Else
    'print oList content for debug purposes
    Dim sTotal As String = "Found:  " & oList.Count
    For Each st As String In oList
        sTotal += vbNewLine & st
    Next
    MsgBox(sTotal)

    'now we can do something useful with names in the oList
    For Each oOcc as ComponentOccurrence In oAsmDoc.ComponentDefinition.occurrences
        For Each ParName As String In oList
	  Try
                Parameter(oOcc.Name, ParName) = Parameter(ParName)
	  Catch
	  End Try
        Next
    Next    
End If

 Cheers,

[PaulMunford]

Hi Vladimir,

Thanks very much for your quick response - this is excellent work, just what I needed!

I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I've been away at Autodesk University and I've only just got around to testing this code.

I have only one question for you. My origional code runs any time a parameter changes. The code you have supplied me with won't run automatically, even if I set up an iLogic trigger.

Can you think of anything I can do to to get this rull to run anythime a parmeter is changed?

Cheers,

Paul

[Vladimir.Ananyev]

If your parameters are model parameters then event trigger “Any Model Parameter Change” should run your rule automatically

In case you have a mix of model and user parameters you may use a trick with the dummy variable that depends on the sum of all your model and user parameters (they are blue).  In the snippet below variable indicator works as a rule trigger.

    indicator = AAA+BBB

    'the first line initiate the rule execution

    MsgBox("Parameter changed" )

The first line in this rule initiates the execution if at least one of the “blue” user parameters was changed.

This works fine with fixed parameter lists.

cheers,

[PaulMunford]

Thanks Vladimir, It's good to know that Model parameters and Named parameters behave differntly. Do you know why this is?

Regaring your 'Indicator' snippet - I'm not a programmer, how would I impliment this?

Do I have to manually type in a list of all my Named parameters in order to see them highlight in blue? - This is what I was trying to avoid by making a list of parameters, rather than operating on the named parameters themesleves!

[Vladimir.Ananyev]

If your rule depends on the model parameters only then no problem – use event “Any Model Parameter Change” and everything will be OK.

If  you use user parameters as well you may make them exported and try to use event “iProperty Change”.

cheers,

[PaulMunford]

Nope, that dosn't trigger a change.

Do you have any other suggestions?

[Vladimir.Ananyev]

IMHO It looks like the simplest approach for you is fire your main rule before save document. 

 

Alternative method is a little bit tricky.  Look at the attached part file.

This part contains 2 rules – MAIN_RULE and Generator.

 

MAIN_RULE should be initiated by the changes of the subset of model and user parameters.

“Generator” is the auxiliary rule that creates on-the-fly the third iLogic rule named in this sample “MyTrigger”.  In this sample “Generator” creates the trigger using all key parameters.

Typical generated code is shown below.

Rule “MyTrigger” consists of the only two executable lines of code that initiates the execution of the MAIN_RULE if at least one of the “blue” parameters changes.  The type of these parameters (model or user-defined) does not matter.  The only thing is really important  – all they are key parameters.

To test this approach open the attached part model and run “Generator” rule.  Then open iLogic form and play with the parameter‘s values.

Function “GetParametersList” is responsible for the list of selected parameters.  Feel free to modify it to suit your needs.

Hope this helps.

[PaulMunford]

Great stuff Vladimir - thanks for your help 🙂

This works perfectly in the IPT file you sent over. Unfortunately, It doesn't work when I put it into an assembly file. This is the error below - can you help me work out what that means?

Does the method for getting the parameters collection need to be different when working within an assembly?

[Vladimir.Ananyev · Accepted solution]

This approach should work in parts and in assemblies. No difference.

But I found out that my previous version fails if these is no key parameters in the active document.

I slightly changed my code to detect this situation.

Sample assembly document is attached.

Here is the code of "Generator" rule:

'%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
' === Generator rule ===

'==========================================
'This rule Main() creates new trigger rule that is initiated by the
'all desired parameters changes (model or user)
'It is convenient to fire this rule by the event BeforeSave
'==========================================

Sub Main()

  'name of trigger rule
  Dim TriggerRuleName As String = "MyTrigger"
  'name of the rule that should be initiated by the trigger rule
  Dim FiredRuleName As String = "MAIN_RULE"

  'reference to iLogic Automation object
  Dim iLogicAuto As Object  = iLogicVb.Automation
  
  'current document 
  Dim oDoc As Inventor.Document = ThisDoc.Document
  
'  Create the trigger rule in auto mode
  Dim oRule As Object = iLogicAuto.GetRule(oDoc, TriggerRuleName)
  Dim sText As String = "'create the rule on-the-fly"
  'if the rule TriggerRuleName is absent then create it
  If oRule Is Nothing Then 
    oRule = iLogicAuto.AddRule(oDoc, TriggerRuleName, sText)
  End If
  
  sText = CreateRuleText(oDoc, FiredRuleName)  
  If sText Is Nothing Then
	MessageBox.Show("Active document has not key parameters", _
		"Generator", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
  Else
	oRule.Text = sText
	oDoc.Save  	
	Call iLogicAuto.RunRule(oDoc, TriggerRuleName)
  End If  
End Sub 'Main


         
Function CreateRuleText( _
              ByVal oDoc As Inventor.Document, _
              ByVal FiredRuleName As String) As String
  'get the list of key parameters
  Dim oColl As Collection = GetParametersList(oDoc)
  
  If oColl.Count = 0 Then
	Return Nothing
  End If
  
''DummyVar = Cross _
''         & vbNewLine & CrossThickness _
''         & vbNewLine & material _
''         & vbNewLine & Ready _
''         & vbNewLine & InitialLength

  Dim sText As String
  sText = "'Automatically generated trigger rule" & vbNewLine
  sText = sText & "DummyVar = "
  If oColl.Count = 1 Then
    sText = sText & oColl.Item(1).tostring 
  Else    
	For i As Integer = 1 To oColl.Count
		Dim St As String = oColl.Item(i).tostring
		If i = 1 Then
		sText = sText & St & " _"
		ElseIf i < oColl.Count Then
		sText = sText & vbNewLine & "        & vbNewLine & " & St & " _"
		Else
		sText = sText & vbNewLine & "        & vbNewLine & " & St
		End If
	Next
  End If	
  Return sText & vbNewLine & "iLogicVb.RunRule(""" & FiredRuleName & """)"
End Function 'CreateRuleText


Function GetParametersList(ByRef oDoc As Inventor.Document) As Collection
  'creates the list of parameters that must trigger the rule
  'Criteria is up to you.
  'In this sample all key parameters are included in the list
  
  Dim oColl As New Collection
  Dim oPar As Inventor.Parameter
  For Each oPar In oDoc.ComponentDefinition.Parameters
    If oPar.IsKey Then oColl.Add (oPar.Name)
  Next
  Return oColl
End Function 'GetParametersList

Generated trigger rule has the following syntax:

'%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
' === MyTrigger ===

'Automatically generated trigger rule
DummyVar = InputLength _
        & vbNewLine & Ready _
        & vbNewLine & Color
iLogicVb.RunRule("MAIN_RULE")

 In my sample assembly document all these three parameters are user-defined KEY parameters.

Any changes in any of them will fire the execution of the rule "MAIN_RULE".

Hope this helps.

cheers,

[PaulMunford]

Perfect! Brilliant! Thanks very much 🙂