Place tangent drawingdimension

[rikard.nilsson]

Hi,

I wonder if it's possible to place a dimension to tangent with Inventor API. If it is possible.. What kind of Geometry Intent should I use?

Regards

Rikard

[adam.nagy]

Hi Rikard,

Could you please provide a sample document that has the dimension set up that way?

Also, if you have such a dimension you could investigate it throguh the API to see how its properties are set up:

http://adndevblog.typepad.com/manufacturing/2013/10/discover-object-model.html

Cheers, 

[rikard.nilsson]

Hi Adam,

Funny that I have never used that method to look at an object before. Thanks for the suggestion.

But I can't still find what kind of intent I need to use. The intentType I find is kParameterIntent on IntentTwo.

I have attached a very simple example with two dimensions. First dimesnion you find is the one I need to get programmed.

/Rikard

[Vladimir.Ananyev]

Edge.TangentiallyConnectedEdges collection allows to get all edges required for this dimension.

The following VBA code illustrates the idea.

Select arc segment and then run the sample:

Sub TestDimension()
    'active doc
    Dim oDoc As DrawingDocument
    Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
    Dim oSheet As Sheet
    Set oSheet = oDoc.ActiveSheet
    Dim oView As DrawingView
    Set oView = oSheet.DrawingViews.Item(1)
    
    'selected drawing line segment
    Dim oArcSegment As DrawingCurveSegment
    Set oArcSegment = oDoc.SelectSet.Item(1)
    
    'parent edge
    Dim oArcEdge As Edge
    Set oArcEdge = oArcSegment.Parent.ModelGeometry
    
    'list of all tangentially connected edges
    Dim oEdgeColl As EdgeCollection
    Set oEdgeColl = oArcEdge.TangentiallyConnectedEdges
    
    Dim oCurves As DrawingCurvesEnumerator
    Set oCurves = Nothing
    
    ' tangentially connected linear edges
    Dim oEdge1 As Edge
    Dim oEdge2 As Edge
    Set oEdge1 = oEdgeColl.Item(2)
    Set oEdge2 = oEdgeColl.Item(3)
    
    Dim oLine1 As DrawingCurve
    Set oCurves = oView.DrawingCurves(oEdge1)
    Set oLine1 = oCurves.Item(1)
    
    Dim oLine2 As DrawingCurve
    Set oCurves = oView.DrawingCurves(oEdge2)
    Set oLine2 = oCurves.Item(1)

    Dim oTG As TransientGeometry
    Set oTG = ThisApplication.TransientGeometry

    Dim intent1 As GeometryIntent
    Dim intent2 As GeometryIntent
    Set intent1 = oSheet.CreateGeometryIntent(oLine2)
    Set intent2 = oSheet.CreateGeometryIntent(oLine1, PointIntentEnum.kEndPointIntent)

    ' insertion point
    Dim x As Double
    x = oView.Left + oView.Width + 1
    Dim y As Double
    y = oView.Top
    Dim oPos As Point2d
    Set oPos = oTG.CreatePoint2d(x, y)

    Dim oGeneralDimensions As GeneralDimensions
    Set oGeneralDimensions = oSheet.DrawingDimensions.GeneralDimensions

    'aligned linear dimension
    Dim oDim As LinearGeneralDimension
    Set oDim = oGeneralDimensions.AddLinear( _
                oPos, intent1, intent2, _
                DimensionTypeEnum.kAlignedDimensionType)
    Beep
End Sub

 Hope you could customize it to suit your needs.

[rikard.nilsson]

Hi Vladimir,

I have not tested your code. But if your code creates the dimensions on the picutre you added then it is the wrong dimension. It seams like it is the wrong dimension when I read the code you added..

It is the dimension to the tangent of the arc I need. Look at my picture on the top..

/Rikard

[Vladimir.Ananyev · Accepted solution]

A-ha 🙂  Sorry, I looked to the dimensions in the dwg ...

There is no GeometryIntent points for this case.  

Non-associative workaround - project geometry to the drawing sketch, create desired dimension and retrieve it to the drawing view.