Trigger the place component triad for any occurrence

[Anonymous]

Hello all,

I love the new triad function when placing a new part in Inventor 2014:

I am now searching to trigger the same function for a part that already has been placed. 

Something like:

1) select component

2) press a button (triggers the macro I now want to write)

3) the triad pops up.

I searched true the Inventor Help & what's new in the API. But didn't find any reference to that command. So I am afraid that it is not yet in the API. Could I maybe emulate it by replacing a component with itself using the place component command + emulating a mouseclick at the same origin as the original piece?

So a piece of code like:

1) get filelocation of selected part

2) get the origin point (x,y,z) of the part

3) get the translation between the origin of the assembly and the part

4) delete the selected part

5) place the part using the place component command (so the triad has been triggered)

6) fill in the filelocation, origin & translation

7) give control back to the user so he can move the part using the triad. 

Before I start I just want to know there is no easier method? Cause I believe I will have a few hours of coding and debugging in front of me if I try the above. 

thank you!

Chris

[Vladimir.Ananyev]

Hi Chris,

This is just an idea.  

Using ClientGraphics you could create the custom triad from 3 colored arrows ( ~ 3D indicator) and place it into desired position relative to component's coordinate system.  You may place axes names as well.

Here is VBA code that generates this arrow in the active part document.

'//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
'// SurfaceGraphics Sample
'// Please open a part document
'//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Public Sub DrawSurfaceGraphics()

  Dim oDoc As Document
  Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

  Dim oCompDef As ComponentDefinition
  Set oCompDef = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.ComponentDefinition
  
  Dim oCoordSet As Object
  Dim oGraphicsNode As Object

  'get datasets, dataset, graphics node
  Call getCG(oGraphicsNode, oCoordSet)
   
  Dim oTransientBRep As TransientBRep
  Set oTransientBRep = ThisApplication.TransientBRep

  ' Create a point representing the center of the bottom of the cone
  Dim oBottom As Point
  Set oBottom = ThisApplication.TransientGeometry.CreatePoint(0, 0, 0)

  ' Create a point representing the tip of the cone
  Dim oTop As Point
  Set oTop = ThisApplication.TransientGeometry.CreatePoint(0, 10, 0)

  ' Create a transient cone body
  Dim oBody As SurfaceBody
  Set oBody = oTransientBRep.CreateSolidCylinderCone(oBottom, oTop, 5, 5, 0)

  ' Reset the top point indicating the center of the top of the cylinder
  Set oTop = ThisApplication.TransientGeometry.CreatePoint(0, -40, 0)

  ' Create a transient cylinder body
  Dim oCylBody As SurfaceBody
  Set oCylBody = oTransientBRep.CreateSolidCylinderCone(oBottom, oTop, 2.5, 2.5, 2.5)

  ' Union the cone and cylinder bodies
  Call oTransientBRep.DoBoolean(oBody, oCylBody, kBooleanTypeUnion)

  ' Create client graphics based on the transient body
  Dim oSurfaceGraphics As SurfaceGraphics
  Set oSurfaceGraphics = oGraphicsNode.AddSurfaceGraphics(oBody)

  ThisApplication.ActiveView.Fit
  ThisApplication.ActiveView.Update
   
  Beep
End Sub



'//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
'//   get the owner of the client graphics for primitive
'//   part,assembly --> ComponentDefinition
'//   drawing ---> active sheet
'//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Private Sub getCG(ByRef oGraphicsNode As Object, _
                  Optional ByRef oCoordSet As Object = Nothing, _
                  Optional ByRef oOutDataSets As Object = Nothing)

    Dim oDoc As Document
    Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

    Dim oDataOwner As Object
    Dim oGraphicsOwner As Object

    If oDoc.DocumentType = DocumentTypeEnum.kPartDocumentObject Or _
       oDoc.DocumentType = DocumentTypeEnum.kAssemblyDocumentObject Then
        Set oDataOwner = oDoc
        Set oGraphicsOwner = oDoc.ComponentDefinition
    ElseIf oDoc.DocumentType = DocumentTypeEnum.kDrawingDocumentObject Then
        If oDoc.ActiveSheet Is Nothing Then
            MsgBox ("The current document is a drawing. The code is supposed to draw client graphics on active sheet! But active sheet is null!")
            Exit Sub
        Else
            Set oDataOwner = oDoc.ActiveSheet
            Set oGraphicsOwner = oDoc.ActiveSheet
        End If
    End If

    On Error Resume Next
    
    Dim oDataSets As GraphicsDataSets
    Set oDataSets = oDataOwner.GraphicsDataSetsCollection("TestCG")
     
    If Not oDataSets Is Nothing Then
        oDataSets.Delete
    End If
    
    Dim oClientGraphics As Inventor.ClientGraphics
    Set oClientGraphics = oGraphicsOwner.ClientGraphicsCollection("TestCG")

    If Not oClientGraphics Is Nothing Then
        oClientGraphics.Delete
    End If

    Set oDataSets = oDataOwner.GraphicsDataSetsCollection.Add("TestCG")
    Set oOutDataSets = oDataSets

    Set oCoordSet = oDataSets.CreateCoordinateSet(oDataSets.Count + 1)

    Set oClientGraphics = oGraphicsOwner.ClientGraphicsCollection.Add("TestCG")
    Set oGraphicsNode = oClientGraphics.AddNode(oClientGraphics.Count + 1)

End Sub 'getCG

This should work.  

Inventor API Help contains overview and the set of code samples.

Cheers,

[Anonymous]

Hello,

The code works and is a good start. But I'll end up with some hours of programming before I get the end result.

I was hoping somebody had a quicker solution.

But I've seen that Autodesk has accepted this idea and made into a developmetn project. So I'm happy 🙂

[Vladimir.Ananyev]

You may develop this nice tool and publish it in the Exchange Apps Store!

🙂

http://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/INVNTOR/en/Home

>100 apps for Inventor today

[GeorgK]

Hello Chris,

did you finish your tool?

Georg

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I never got to the point of programming this. Sadly enough...