Check out the self-paced guide “My First Plug-in”

[wayne.brill]

Check out the Self-Paced Guide “My First Plug-in” presented by the ADN Inventor Team

www.autodesk.com/myfirstinventorplugin

Are you an Autodesk Inventor power user with an interest in becoming even more productive? Would you like to automate or extend the capabilities of Inventor, but are new to computer programming? If so, then this guide is designed for you.

“My First Plug-in” is a self-paced tutorial guide for a smooth introduction into the programming world. This is a “one-stop shop” learning path for users who know Autodesk products but are absolutely new to programming and are thinking about taking the plunge. In this guide, you will be working with the Autodesk Inventor API and the VB.NET programming language.

There are many resources available on the web for you to learn about the Autodesk Inventor API (Application Programming Interface), however, these resources tend to be designed for people who already know programming. This guide is different: it assumes no previous programming knowledge and yet helps you build your first plug-in quickly, without swamping you with details. You’ll have a working application within an hour of starting this material, irrespective of your current level of programming expertise.

The guide will start by reviewing the benefits of customizing Autodesk software before progressing onto lessons covering the use of the Autodesk Inventor API. The lessons will start by building a working plug-in before covering more detailed explanations of the underlying principles and further developing the application’s functionality.

Product: Autodesk Inventor

Programming Language: VB.NET

Application Programming Interface (API): Inventor API

If you have any feedback on this new guide let us know at myfirstplugin@autodesk.com

[scottmoyse]

Ok so I see ByVal isn't the problem because everything is passed my Value in C#, So somethign else is missing instead.

[Mark_Wigan]

any updates on this request, or even if there are any working examples for us to start with (inventor add-ins using forms) that would be very very good!

quote from Scott:

"Can you do a 'My FIrst Add-in' Sequel to this? Including things like settings required in Visual Studio .net for debugging, correct registration of dll's upon install & uninstall. How to get forms to work correctly with Addins.

 Plugins are a great start, but at the end of the day Add-ins are the way to go."

end quote.

currently trying very hard to get lots of VBA from inventors API over to .net, and having used forms primarily there are more than a few challenges for a beginner to getting add-ins to work.

so far had good success having installed the inventor 2013 SDK and its add-in wizard automatic install works well.

so now porting over the code by copy paste has its challenges but documentation from Brian Ekins documentation has helped enormously so far.

still getting bogged down with the amount of tangents i am currently having to chase while learning. Especially step by step debugging is very different to what i am used to in inventors API but suspect i am doing it wrong, while learning visualstudio at the same time.

haven't even started getting the command onto the ribbon yet, which looks a bit daunting to say the least.

anyway i will keep searching the forumn but just hoped that Scott's post was being worked on as it would be a massive time saver.

many thanks!

[Anonymous]

This is long over-due.  Way to go, ADN Inventor team!  You guys, rock!

[Anonymous]

hi where do i post a question (im being dumb..?!?!)

Hi,I want a form to come up when inventor 2014 is first launched asking the user a question..if the answers no i want it to close 2014 and open 2013 and if its yes i want it to carry on..ideas??i'm new to the programing scene..Many Thanks in advance

[wayne.brill]

Hi Scott,

You could just use the "New Message" button to start a new thread with this question instead of replying. (as this question is not directly related to this thread about "My First Plug-in").

To have a from display in Inventor 2014 at start up would require you to have an Add-In. When Inventor starts up it loads the Add-In and you could have it shut down Inventor. (testing the Ready property of the application or subscribing to an ApplicationEvents.OnReady event). 

Starting up Inventor 2013 from Inventor 2014 could be problematic. I believe you should have your own exe that the user can start and have it ask the question and launch a session of Inventor.

Thanks,

Wayne 

[Anonymous]

Hi,

New to the forum here.  Are there any compatibility issues with Visual Studio Ultimate 2013?  

Also, does anybody have an explanation of how to take a certain face and extract it's geometry?  I have been going through the object browser, and I can see several face related objects and functions.  Could one of the moderators give an example of how I could log or view the geometry from a particular face that is selected on a part?

[Wind_Talker]

Hi Wayne,

Can you post the download link again for your guide. As the below link is no longer available.

www.autodesk.com/myfirstinventorplugin

Regards

[wayne.brill]

Hi,

That link still works for me. Not sure why it is not working for you. Please try again.

Thanks,

Wayne

[Jef_E]

---

@wayne.brill wrote:

Hi,

That link still works for me. Not sure why it is not working for you. Please try again.

Thanks,

Wayne

---

Same result for me.

The Page You Requested Was Not Found

The page you are looking for may have been moved.
Search the site or use the links below to find current information.

I think you are looking for this Link

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=my+first+plugin+autodesk+inventor

[Wind_Talker]

Hi All,

OK so that's the correct link. Which is USA based. But I still don't see any download link to download all tutorials. Everything on the link is web based. Can you point towards the download link.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=17324828

Wayne, previous link working for you probably because you are accessing it in US.

Any way Enjoy Guys!

[Jef_E]

---

@Wind_Talker wrote:
Hi All,

OK so that's the correct link. Which is USA based. But I still don't see any download link to download all tutorials. Everything on the link is web based. Can you point towards the download link.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=17324828

Wayne, previous link working for you probably because you are accessing it in US.

Any way Enjoy Guys!

---

There are download links per lesson.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=17324920

[Anonymous]

Hello Friends,

Could you please tell me, Is there any option to open inventor part by excel vba user form.

Thirty different types of door series are include in one part using multiple extrude,cut, and other features and i have drives those different series with the help of combo box from excel vb.net user form sheet also drive different parameter like Door Width, Length and Thickness by same excel. All parameters are worked and updated in inventor model. But i want, when i put all the value of parameter in excel user form and click on the DONE button then part will be open and get update as per excel parameter then after it will be closed.   

Thanks

Parth Patel

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Just figured out how to add a form in my vb.net project.

[machiel.veldkamp]

Anyone that has a installer guide to the Visual Express or whatever that works? 

The one on the FAQ died.

[Anonymous]

Yeap Scott I need it badly for my Tank tool to make it as and add on or plugin 😉

[Jef_E]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Yeap Scott I need it badly for my Tank tool to make it as and add on or plugin 😉

---

What kinda tank tool are you making? 😄 I am working on a tank tool aswell, maybe we can share some ideas..

[Anonymous]

where did the course went?.... all the links are broken

[NickBrege]

What is the difference between a "Plug-in" and an "Add-in"?

---

@scottmoyse wrote:

Can you do a 'My FIrst Add-in' Sequel to this? Including things like settings required in Visual Studio .net for debugging, correct registration of dll's upon install & uninstall. How to get forms to work correctly with Addins.

Plugins are a great start, but at the end of the day Add-ins are the way to go.

cheers

Scott

---

[Anonymous]

Hi Wayne,

Not sure if you are still with AD, do you have any C# examples yet?

[Gabriel_Watson]

I think it would be nice to include a lesson on how to generate asynchronous processes, at least to be able to run background workers or DoEvents for a simple "Cancel" button on whatever plug-ins we develop. I am having a very hard time learning this side of VBA, given that most examples on the guide use button click handlers that cannot be stopped.
Please and thank you!