topic Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file in Inventor Forum

Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 18:17:50 GMT

I've been trying to delete some faces from an .ipt file I received from an equipment supplier (presumably made in Solidworks).

I can single-click on the items I'm looking to delete, but I can't seem to actually delete them. I've googled the heck out of this, tried the delete key, tried "delete face" in the 3D Model ----> Modify tab, etc.

I know next to nothing about Inventor, I typically just use it to translate STP and SAT files to formats compatible with Revit.

Any ideas on how to accomplish this?

Thanks!

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

mcgyvr — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 18:20:52 GMT

Can you post the file and explain which faces you are trying to delete?

If not how about a screenshot showing the issues you are having?

Is this a solid model or a mesh/surface file? (posting the file will answer that)

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 18:28:58 GMT

Unfortunately I can't post the actual ipt file itself, that would not go over too well with the client. However, I'm attaching a screenshot of the items I'm trying to delete.

I believe it's a mesh/face model, as most of the items I click on are faces/surfaces. However, there's 72 "Solids bodies" listed in the browser.

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 18:30:58 GMT

This is why I believe what I'm trying to delete is a face....

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 18:40:20 GMT

As an alternative to deleting the objects I'm trying to delete, if I were able to select them and move them around in the ipt file/model that would work as well. But I can't seem to be able to do that either, despite googling to that effect.

Thanks

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

mcgyvr — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 19:12:41 GMT

Looks like you have a file composed of composite surfaces

You could change your import options to have individual surfaces vs a composite then use delete face.

But you seem to really rather move them so just use the "Move Bodies" function in the "Modify" section (press the arrow to the right of modify to access Move Bodies hidden down there). Then you should be able to move them around as needed.

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

johnsonshiue — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 21:53:16 GMT

Hi! For Composite body, Delete will need to happen within Repair Environment. Right-click on the Composite node in the browser -> Repair Bodies. Then enter the Repair Environment to delete the faces (select the face and hit Delete key).

Many thanks!

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 14:17:29 GMT

I had found info about the "move bodies" option via googling and tried that. Unfortunately, once I select the "move bodies" option it wasn't allowing me to actually select those tanks and move them (it wouldn't actually allow me to select anything and move it).

I'm not sure if I was missing some step/checkbox/or function while using the "move bodies" feature or not, because per what I'd read online it should have worked.

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 14:53:31 GMT

I wasn't able to edit my previous reply, so here's the edit I was going to post:

Edit: So I went into Inventor and tried the "move bodies" feature again to refresh my memory on how it isn't working for me. When I first pick that function, a "Move bodies" box pops up. At that point, if I click or try to window the tanks, the entire model is selected. However, if I chose the arrow in the upper left corner (entitled "Bodies")of the "move bodies" box then I can't select anything at all to move.

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 14:59:03 GMT

Ok, that worked for deleting objects. Thank you. If I can't get it to work to move the tanks I need to move, I can delete them and then create one version of the file with tanks only, one version without tanks, and make two revit files. Then I can insert them and move the tanks around as needed.

It would be nice to be able to get the "move bodies" command to work though for this type of exercise.

Thanks again

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 18:14:23 GMT

Update:

That only works for deleting some of the faces. Many others are giving me an error of "Failed to delete faces: The attempted operation did not produce a meaningful result. Try with different inputs"

So I"m back to being unable to delete what I need to delete for whatever reason.

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

johnsonshiue — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 01:24:21 GMT

Hi! Please point out which face or body to delete in order to see the error.

Many thanks!

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 13:10:49 GMT

The way I was attempting to accomplish my goal was to delete the items I pointed to in my first reply above. Then in a copy of the original file, I would delete everything else that was in there and leave the things I pointed to in that attached image.

I was able to delete all the indicated items in that attached image, but it kept giving me that error when I was attempting to delete the rest of the stuff (I would try it by selecting little windows at a time, rather than windowing everything. I could delete some of the stuff, but not much before I'd run into those errors)

What I wound up doing was modeling the deleted items myself in Revit and moving them as needed in relation to the file I had deleted them from 🙂

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

johnsonshiue — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 00:38:03 GMT

Hi! Is it a mesh? Or converted Brep face? Like I mentioned before, if the face belongs to a Composite surface, the entire Composite needs to be placed in Repair Environment (right-click on the node -> Repair Bodies). Then within the environment, the face can be deleted.

Many thanks!

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 13:58:53 GMT

This model has (that I've found so far) faces, "srf", and sketches in it. I don't know what a "Brep" face is.

I go into the Repair Environment and can delete some things, but not others. I'm not trying to delete objects one object at a time (there's hundreds, if not more, objects in this ipt), I'm windowing/crossing a bunch of items all at once. All I can tell is *something* in those selected groups is giving me the error I mentioned above when trying to delete them (from within the Repair Environment)

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

johnsonshiue — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:51:19 GMT

Hi! I think I need to see the file. Please share it here or send it to me directly (johnson.shiue@autodesk.com). It is either a bug or we are not talking about the same thing.

Many thanks!

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 18:59:07 GMT

Unfortunately I'm not allowed to share it. The client would be a little unhappy about that.

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

johnsonshiue — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 19:36:00 GMT

Hi! I am willing to sign NDA to ensure data security. With or without NDA, we treat our client data the same (no public sharing allowed).

Regarding your case, I suspect there is a bit terminology confusion. I suspect the geometry is mesh. Inventor has limited ability handling mesh. What I meant by Brep is the body geometry. Change Select priority to Select Bodies. Select the geometry of interest in the graphics window -> right-click -> Find in Browser. Which node is highlighted?

Many thanks!

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

pkolarik — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 22:10:42 GMT

So I did this part:

>>Change Select priority to Select Bodies. Select the geometry of interest in the graphics window -> right-click -> Find in Browser. Which node is highlighted?<<

In the pic below you can see it selected the entire model as one object. On the browser it highlighted "srf2"

Re: Trying to delete faces from ipt file

swalton — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 22:29:31 GMT

I might try unstitching the Srf2 object. That is similar to the old AutoCAD explode command. It should break up the Srf2 object into several hundred or thousand individual surfaces. You should be able to delete the individual surfaces.

I'd also enable the Construction Environment. I find it useful when I need to manually fix surfaces that the Repair environment can't resolve. I also like it for stitching up different surfaces into solids.

I might also use the Stitch command to join groups of individual surfaces into individual machine components. If the surface group is water-tight, it can be made into a solid. As a solid, you should be able to move the body around in space easily.

I'd also work with whoever is supplying the geometry to see if they are willing to give you a 3d solid model, not a 3d surface model.