Translating MDT parts into IV 11, then ridding the part of User Parameters

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Calling all translation experts. I've got a number of MDT part to translate
into IV 11. There is not problem with the translation using the vanilla MDT
translator interface provided. However, I need to get rid of all the
references to MDT in the translated file that appears in the Parameter Table
of IV as User Parameters. The problem with this is that, if the part is
somewhat complicated, getting rid of those references in the Paramater table
by deletion takes a LOT of time. I've noticed that, as more of the MDT
references are removed, the faster the deletion process goes. But I'm still
looking at hours to cull out all of this unnecessary overhead. Is there a
way to do a global purge of this, and just let it "cook" overnight to be
done the next day? I've tried creating an Iges file from the MDT part and
then opening it in IV. I'm able to use the Construction geometry, but am
unable to extrude the part, since it wants to make a Cut instead of a Solid,
which creates an error anyway. The extrude interface Solid button is grayed
out.

Does anybody have a better way of ridding part files of MDT User Parameters?

[JDMather]

I'm not sure I understand. What is wrong with user parameters? Are you trying to get rid of the feature tree?
Can you zip and post an example part?
When you export as IGES are you stitching back to solid in Inventor? Can you not export Options as IGES solid from MDT? Can you not export as STEP or ACIS from MDT.

[Anonymous]

Hid JD,

I don't want any of the User Parameters that come across with an MDT
translation to be embedded in an IV file. I don't believe that the size of
the project, and the available resources, will allow unnecessary code to be
implanted in part files. The end result of allowing this will be a system
that is stalled out and cannot handle large assemblies. Providing more
capable hardware, even if I chose to go that route, would not, IMHO, be
advisable.

I did not try the ACIS translator. I did try the IGES and the direct .dwg
translation available in IV. The problem with the IGES translation was that
I could not get rid of the references to the Construction reference geometry
provided by the IGES translation. Even by deleting the Construction
geometry, I couldn't apply dimensions, as would be done when creating a new
part, because they were considered Reference Dimensions, rather than Driven
Dimensions.

This is why I asked if there was any sort of a Purge routine, such as is
available in ACAD and MDT, that could selectively get rid of the User MDT
references in the Parameter Table of the part. These references don't serve
any useful purpose, other than to bog down the system. I have not as yet
gravitated to IV 2008. Do you know if any of the changes made there would
allow the sort of IV file purging I want to do? While I do have 2008 IVS, I
don't want to load it until most of the SPs have been released.

Thanks for any help.

Wally


wrote in message news:5690154@discussion.autodesk.com...
I'm not sure I understand. What is wrong with user parameters? Are you
trying to get rid of the feature tree?
Can you zip and post an example part?
When you export as IGES are you stitching back to solid in Inventor? Can
you not export Options as IGES solid from MDT? Can you not export as STEP
or ACIS from MDT.

[JDMather]

Can you post an example?

[Anonymous]

Can you not import the MDT part as just a solid? If you look at the third
page of under options I think that it is an option.

K Johnson

"Wally" wrote in message
news:5691174@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hid JD,

I don't want any of the User Parameters that come across with an MDT
translation to be embedded in an IV file. I don't believe that the size of
the project, and the available resources, will allow unnecessary code to be
implanted in part files. The end result of allowing this will be a system
that is stalled out and cannot handle large assemblies. Providing more
capable hardware, even if I chose to go that route, would not, IMHO, be
advisable.

I did not try the ACIS translator. I did try the IGES and the direct .dwg
translation available in IV. The problem with the IGES translation was that
I could not get rid of the references to the Construction reference geometry
provided by the IGES translation. Even by deleting the Construction
geometry, I couldn't apply dimensions, as would be done when creating a new
part, because they were considered Reference Dimensions, rather than Driven
Dimensions.

This is why I asked if there was any sort of a Purge routine, such as is
available in ACAD and MDT, that could selectively get rid of the User MDT
references in the Parameter Table of the part. These references don't serve
any useful purpose, other than to bog down the system. I have not as yet
gravitated to IV 2008. Do you know if any of the changes made there would
allow the sort of IV file purging I want to do? While I do have 2008 IVS, I
don't want to load it until most of the SPs have been released.

Thanks for any help.

Wally


wrote in message news:5690154@discussion.autodesk.com...
I'm not sure I understand. What is wrong with user parameters? Are you
trying to get rid of the feature tree?
Can you zip and post an example part?
When you export as IGES are you stitching back to solid in Inventor? Can
you not export Options as IGES solid from MDT? Can you not export as STEP
or ACIS from MDT.

[Anonymous]

Here's a MDT file with global parameters....

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

wrote in message news:5691176@discussion.autodesk.com...
Can you post an example?

[Anonymous]

Try my iDrive addin available from
http://www.mcadforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3295
It includes the ability to delete all unused parameters (press the 'Parameter Stuff' button)
Regards
MattH

[Anonymous]

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Perhaps you misunderstood my post
(..." I need to get rid of all the
references to MDT in the translated file that appears in the Parameter Table
of IV as User Parameters.")

The Parameters I need to get rid of are the ones in the IV Parameter Table,
in the User Parameters portion. These come across during the translation
using the vanilla MDT translator supplied with IV. They seem to serve no
useful purpose, except for perhaps a reverse translation back to MDT. There
is no plan to ever do a reverse translation. Therefore this code only
increases the overhead unnecessarily.

After JD's post, I did a little Internet search and was able to contact a
Canadian CAD service bureau. The reply I got from them stated that they too
wished there was a purge routine for this code, but to their knowledge none
existed.

Wally

"Dennis Jeffrey" wrote in message
news:5691978@discussion.autodesk.com...
Here's a MDT file with global parameters....

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

wrote in message news:5691176@discussion.autodesk.com...
Can you post an example?

[Anonymous]

Hi K Johnson,

I have tried this. Unfortunately, the MDT solid cannot be gotten rid of to
create a true IV part. I need to have true IV parts that can be
edited/changed later.

Thanks, however. There does seem to be a need for this, as I mentioned in
my reply to Dennis, as a CAD service bureau I contacted said as much. That
would make sense, as they probably get many files from customers in MDT
format that their customers want upgraded to IV as they gravitate to IV.
For Autodesk to overlook this functionality is a bit puzzling, since they
provide purge routines in both their ACAD and MDT programs. Perhaps an
Autodesk moderator will read this post and supply some reason why they, or a
3rd party supplier, has not addressed this need.

Wally

"K Johnson" wrote in message
news:5691911@discussion.autodesk.com...
Can you not import the MDT part as just a solid? If you look at the third
page of under options I think that it is an option.

K Johnson

"Wally" wrote in message
news:5691174@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hid JD,

I don't want any of the User Parameters that come across with an MDT
translation to be embedded in an IV file. I don't believe that the size of
the project, and the available resources, will allow unnecessary code to be
implanted in part files. The end result of allowing this will be a system
that is stalled out and cannot handle large assemblies. Providing more
capable hardware, even if I chose to go that route, would not, IMHO, be
advisable.

I did not try the ACIS translator. I did try the IGES and the direct .dwg
translation available in IV. The problem with the IGES translation was that
I could not get rid of the references to the Construction reference geometry
provided by the IGES translation. Even by deleting the Construction
geometry, I couldn't apply dimensions, as would be done when creating a new
part, because they were considered Reference Dimensions, rather than Driven
Dimensions.

This is why I asked if there was any sort of a Purge routine, such as is
available in ACAD and MDT, that could selectively get rid of the User MDT
references in the Parameter Table of the part. These references don't serve
any useful purpose, other than to bog down the system. I have not as yet
gravitated to IV 2008. Do you know if any of the changes made there would
allow the sort of IV file purging I want to do? While I do have 2008 IVS, I
don't want to load it until most of the SPs have been released.

Thanks for any help.

Wally


wrote in message news:5690154@discussion.autodesk.com...
I'm not sure I understand. What is wrong with user parameters? Are you
trying to get rid of the feature tree?
Can you zip and post an example part?
When you export as IGES are you stitching back to solid in Inventor? Can
you not export Options as IGES solid from MDT? Can you not export as STEP
or ACIS from MDT.

[Anonymous]

Hi Matt,

I visited your website.  I didn't see any
discussion about iDrive that would indicate that it could purge IV files of
User Parameters.  These parameter are what comes across when
translating an MDT file, using the supplied MDT>IV translator that show 
up as User Parameters.  I find them totally useless, and a drag on
performance, therefore I have tried deleting them.  The problem with
manually deleting them is multi-fold.  First, if there are a lot of them,
it takes considerable time, since they have to be deleted one-by-one. 
Second, online Help gives no discussion on how to do this.  I had to find
that out on my own, and to find whatever shortcuts I could discover. 
Third, some of the MDT translated parameters cannot be deleted, except by
redefining them in a way that IV can deal with them, thus making them redundant
and therefore subject to deletion.  There is one that I know of, and that
is how the type of hole termination is defined.  There may be
others.

I will be replying to Dennis Jeffrey's post above
again.  Please visit it after I post, as I will be showing how the file he
supplies gets translated into IV.  Then I'll delete the User Parameters
that come across in a file with a different name.  You should be able to
see the problem I'm defining from that.  If you are a developer there is a
need for a purge routine here that has been articulated by a Canadian CAD
service bureau I contacted before getting replies to my post on this
forum.

I have worked as a consultant to a number of
companies, and many have been reticent to gravitate to IV because of issues such
as this.  Not that they understood this particular issue, but they did
understand what others had been saying about having to take years worth of files
in MDT and move into an IV environment.  IMHO this could be one of the
major issues standing in the way of a general IV upgrade.  It doesn't
appear to be a major technical hurdle, as I can do this manually. 
Therefore it should be able to be done through programming.  So far
Autodesk has turned a deaf ear to this in the past, so you may have the basis of
an opportunity.

Wally

<MattH> wrote in message
href="news:5691993@discussion.autodesk.com">
size=2>news:5691993@discussion.autodesk.com
size=2>...

Try my iDrive addin available
from

href="http://www.mcadforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3295">
size=2>http://www.mcadforums.com/foru...

face=Arial size=2>It includes the ability to delete all unused parameters (press
the 'Parameter Stuff' button)
Regards
MattH

[Anonymous]

Hi Dennis,

I simplified your file to a single part. View the *.jpg files of the
parameter tables and you'll see at the bottom User Parameters. In the first
table all of the translated MDT variables are present. The table is sorted
in the second image file, after which all mdt references in the equation
column are set to the variable constant. This allows the MDT variable in
the User Parameters part of the table to be deleted by removing the
reference to the MDT translation. The first time around I didn't notice
your part was actually an assembly, and I was able to delete the reference
to the Excel file in the User Parameters part of the table. When you go to
the last image file you'll see that all of the User Parameters are gone.
The only thing remaining is a link to the Excel file, which, for some
reason, I can't delete, even though it's not present in the part anywhere.

This represents what I need to do with many part files. Unfortunately, this
is a time consuming process, and is why I'm searching for a shortcut, such
as a purge routine. K Johnson (below) indicates he has a routine that will
do this. I was unable to make certain of that from a visit to the web site
he supplied. If that gets clarified later I'll see if that will do what I'm
currently doing manually.

Thanks for taking the time to supply the files.

Wally
"Dennis Jeffrey" wrote in message
news:5691978@discussion.autodesk.com...
Here's a MDT file with global parameters....

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

wrote in message news:5691176@discussion.autodesk.com...
Can you post an example?

[Anonymous]

Wally,

iDrive WILL remove UNUSED User parameters, give it a go. see if it works for you.

Matt

[Anonymous]

Wally,

I think you misunderstand the use of the user parameters in imported MDT
parts. On revisiting your issue, you will see that all of the parameters
that are listed in the translated IPT file are tied to the original
mechanical desktop parameters. The original mechanical desktop parameters
are listed as user parameters, while the inventor of parameters are listed
normally. They are all required, and as a result they cannot be deleted.

If you want to change the part by changing the parameters, then simply
change the user parameters and the inventor parameters should update.

I have attached a zip file of the cylinder itself, to show you an example.

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

"Wally" wrote in message
news:5692710@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hi Dennis,

I simplified your file to a single part. View the *.jpg files of the
parameter tables and you'll see at the bottom User Parameters. In the first
table all of the translated MDT variables are present. The table is sorted
in the second image file, after which all mdt references in the equation
column are set to the variable constant. This allows the MDT variable in
the User Parameters part of the table to be deleted by removing the
reference to the MDT tran
slation. The first time around I didn't notice
your part was actually an assembly, and I was able to delete the reference
to the Excel file in the User Parameters part of the table. When you go to
the last image file you'll see that all of the User Parameters are gone.
The only thing remaining is a link to the Excel file, which, for some
reason, I can't delete, even though it's not present in the part anywhere.

This represents what I need to do with many part files. Unfortu
nately, this
is a time consuming process, and is why I'm searching for a shortcut, such
as a purge routine. K Johnson (below) indicates he has a routine that will
do this. I was unable to make certain of that from a visit to the web site
he supplied. If that gets clarified later I'll see if that will do what I'm
currently doing manually.

Thanks for taking the time to supply the files.

Wally
"Dennis Jeffrey" wrote in message
news:56
91978@discussion.autodesk.com...
Here's a MDT file with global parameters....

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

wrote in message news:5691176@discussion.autodesk.com...
Can you post an example?

[Anonymous]

Here's the result in Inventor (file is 2008)

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

"Dennis Jeffrey" wrote in message
news:5693066@discussion.autodesk.com...
Wally,

I think you misunderstand the use of the user parameters in imported MDT
parts. On revisiting your issue, you will see that all of the parameters
that are listed in the translated IPT file are tied to the original
mechanical desktop parameters. The original mechanical desktop parameters
are listed as user parameters, while the inventor of parameters are listed
normally. They are all required, and as a result they cannot be deleted.

If you want to change the part by
changing the parameters, then simply
change the user parameters and the inventor parameters should update.

I have attached a zip file of the cylinder itself, to show you an example.

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

"Wally" <
diehlegrg@nospamdslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:5692710@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hi Dennis,

I simplified your file to a single part. View the *.jpg files of the
parameter tables and you'll see at the bottom User Parameters. In the first
table all of the translated MDT variables are present. The table is sorted
in the second image file, after which all mdt references in the equation
column are set to the variable constant. This allows the MDT variable in
the User Parameters part
of the table to be deleted by removing the
reference to the MDT tran
slation. The first time around I didn't notice
your part was actually an assembly, and I was able to delete the reference
to the Excel file in the User Parameters part of the table. When you go to
the last image file you'll see that all of the User Parameters are gone.
The only thing remaining is a link to the Excel file, which, for some
reason, I can't delete, even though it's not present in the part anywhere.

This represen
ts what I need to do with many part files. Unfortu
nately, this
is a time consuming process, and is why I'm searching for a shortcut, such
as a purge routine. K Johnson (below) indicates he has a routine that will
do this. I was unable to make certain of that from a visit to the web site
he supplied. If that gets clarified later I'll see if that will do what I'm
currently doing manually.

Thanks for taking the time to supply the files.

Wally
"Dennis Jeffrey" wr
ote in message
news:56
91978@discussion.autodesk.com...
Here's a MDT file with global parameters....

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

wrote in message news:5691176@discussion.autodesk.com...
Can you post an example?

[Anonymous]

If you open the MDT file in MDT, you will see that there are no defined part
user variables in either part.
However, mechanical desktop contains the same series of design variables as
a normal inventor IPT file would, starting with D0. Those design variables
are retained when the mechanical desktop file is translated into inventor,
and they become user variables.


--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

"Wally" wrote in message
news:5692658@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hi Dennis,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Perhaps you misunderstood my post
(..." I need to get rid of all the
references to MDT in the translated file that appears in the Parameter Table
of IV as User Parameters.")

The Parameters I need to get rid of are the ones in the IV Parameter Table,
in the User Parameters portion. These come across during the translation
using the vanilla MDT translator supplied with IV. They seem to serve no
useful purpose, except for perhaps a reverse translation back to MDT. There
is no plan to ever do a reverse translation. Therefore this code only
increases the overhead unnecessarily.

After JD's post, I did a little Internet search and was able to contact a
Canadian CAD service bureau. The reply I got from them stated that they too
wished there was a purge routine for this code, but to their knowledge none
existed.

Wally

"Dennis Jeffrey" wrote in message
news:5691978@discussion.autodesk.com...
Here's a MDT file with global parameters....

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

wrote in message news:5691176@discussion.autodesk.com...
Can you post an example?

[Anonymous]

I have not translated MDT files directly to IV, but I think I understand what is going on. Using Inventor terminology, each of the MDT Model parameters used to create the part is converted to a User parameter in IV, when it really should be a Model Parameter in IV. There is probably a good reason for this, but it does seem like the converter is only half way developed. It should convert User Parameters labeled as d0, d1, d2 etc as corresponding Model Parameters in IV.

This seems odd the Adsk would do it this way, but there may be reasons. Someone might have or be able to write a macro that would replace each instance of a User Parameter with its value and then delete the User Parameter. I am not a wizard at macros, but it seems I think it should be fairly simple if IV allows this in VB. Read the Model parameter, read the User parameter in the Model parameter. Look up the value of the User parameter. Replace the User parameter with the value in the model parameter. Write the model parameter back to IV. After this is done for all the model parameters, delete all the user parameters. Combine this macro with KK's iBatchRun and you could let it crunch through all the files at once. (Making Backups first of course).

Otherwise, I am not sure what you need to modify or change with the MDT converted parts. If you only have to modify a few things on some of the parts, then for the time being I think you could get by with the user parameters. What ever value you need to change, just type in the new value to update the part. This will replace the User Parameter with the typed value. There is no need to delete the User Parameter after this, but it could be done.

Pete

[Anonymous]

I think that one reason it was done this way is to allow MDT assemblies with
Part/Global variables to be imported into Inventor without losing those
variables.

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
260-399-6615
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr.
AIP 11SP3, AIP 2008 SP1, PcCillin AV
HP zv5000 AMD64 ( modified)
Geforce Go 440, Driver: .8185, 2GB RAM
XP Pro SP2, Windows Classic Theme

wrote in message news:5693702@discussion.autodesk.com...
I have not translated MDT files directly to IV, but I think I understand
what is going on. Using Inventor terminology, each of the MDT Model
parameters used to create the part is converted to a User parameter in IV,
when it really should be a Model Parameter in IV. There is probably a good
reason for this, but it does seem like the converter is only half way
developed. It should convert User Parameters labeled as d0, d1, d2 etc as
corresponding Model Parameters in IV.

This seems odd the Adsk would do it this way, but there may be reasons.
Someone might have or be able to write a macro that would replace each
instance of a User Parameter with its value and then delete the User
Parameter. I am not a wizard at macros, but it seems I think it should be
fairly simple if IV allows this in VB. Read the Model parameter, read the
User parameter in the Model parameter. Look up the value of the User
parameter. Replace the User parameter with the value in the model
parameter. Write the model parameter back to IV. After this is done for all
the model parameters, delete all the user parameters. Combine this macro
with KK's iBatchRun and you could let it crunch through all the files at
once. (Making Backups first of course).

Otherwise, I am not sure what you need to modify or change with the MDT
converted parts. If you only have to modify a few things on some of the
parts, then for the time being I think you could get by with the user
parameters. What ever value you need to change, just type in the new value
to update the part. This will replace the User Parameter with the typed
value. There is no need to delete the User Parameter after this, but it
could be done.

Pete

[Anonymous]

Hi Dennis,

Per your statement: "On revisiting your issue, you will see that all of the
parameters
that are listed in the translated IPT file are tied to the original
mechanical desktop parameters. "

The MDT variables (parameters) that appear in the IV parameter table, as
User parameters CAN BE DELETED. In order to delete them, the references in
the Equation column to MDT varialble need to be changed to what is in the
Value column. Once this is done the User variables can be deleted, since
they are no longer linked to the IV parameters.

This is my point. This is unnecessary overhead. In an assembly with many
parts and sub-assemblies this can become an unnecessary drag on performance.
Please take a look again at the JPG files in the ZIP file I provided.
You'll see there the process I went through to get rid of the User
parameters. The resulting file is problem free, and much leaner. That is
the purpose of ridding the file of code that can only be classified as
"garbage", if it has no useful purpose.

The purpose of my post was to find software that can do the deletions
automatically. I'll have to take a look again at what Matt provided. Since
I didn't see anything the first time I looked in the interface of his
program that specifically dealt with these types of deletions I had to
assume the functionality wasn't there.

Thanks for taking the time to look into this.

Wally

[Anonymous]

Hi Matt,

I downloaded your program. I've not tried it yet, but noticed that it was
developed using IV 10. I'm running IV 11, and plan to upgrade to IV 2008 at
some point in the near future. I have the 2008 program, but am waiting for
all the bugs to get out before I install it. Do you have any feedback from
users of your program on any issues beyond IV 10?

Also, per your last statement that it will remove unused User parameters, in
order to make a parameter unused I've found that where a User parameter is
linked to the top portion of the table (part parameters, for want of a
better description), it must be delinked by redefining the Equation column
to be equivalent to the Value column. This makes the User parameter
redundant, so it can be deleted. Is this still a manual requirement that
must be carried out, or does your program provide a means to anticipate this
in some way? For a long parameter table this does take quite a bit of time,
and thus the question.

Thanks for answering my previous posts.

Wally


wrote in message news:5692797@discussion.autodesk.com...
Wally,

iDrive WILL remove UNUSED User parameters, give it a go. see if it works for
you.

Matt

[Anonymous]

Hi Dennis,

Although I have used some Design Variables within MDT, I don't have a need
to include them when gravitating a part to IV. I much prefer to use what IV
provides, and don't mind reworking the base component of those parts within
IV to get different variations. Basically I want to made a clean break in
all aspects from MDT.

Wally


"Dennis Jeffrey" wrote in message
news:5693759@discussion.autodesk.com...
I think that one reason it was done this way is to allow MDT assemblies with
Part/Global variables to be imported into Inventor without losing those
variables.

--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
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wrote in message news:5693702@discussion.autodesk.com...
I have not translated MDT files directly to IV, but I think I understand
what is going on. Using Inventor terminology, each of the MDT Model
parameters used to create the part is converted to a User parameter in IV,
when it really should be a Model Parameter in IV. There is probably a good
reason for this, but it does seem like the converter is only half way
developed. It should convert User Parameters labeled as d0, d1, d2 etc as
corresponding Model Parameters in IV.

This seems odd the Adsk would do it this way, but there may be reasons.
Someone might have or be able to write a macro that would replace each
instance of a User Parameter with its value and then delete the User
Parameter. I am not a wizard at macros, but it seems I think it should be
fairly simple if IV allows this in VB. Read the Model parameter, read the
User parameter in the Model parameter. Look up the value of the User
parameter. Replace the User parameter with the value in the model
parameter. Write the model parameter back to IV. After this is done for all
the model parameters, delete all the user parameters. Combine this macro
with KK's iBatchRun and you could let it crunch through all the files at
once. (Making Backups first of course).

Otherwise, I am not sure what you need to modify or change with the MDT
converted parts. If you only have to modify a few things on some of the
parts, then for the time being I think you could get by with the user
parameters. What ever value you need to change, just type in the new value
to update the part. This will replace the User Parameter with the typed
value. There is no need to delete the User Parameter after this, but it
could be done.

Pete