topic Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?! in Inventor Forum

Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 18:19:08 GMT

Hi All,

Simply looking for a one click or one hot key to stage the Insert function when creating assemblies.

The button was visible in IV 2013 but seems to have been buried one layer in IV 2017.

Walter IV 2017

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

blair — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 19:18:10 GMT

Look under the: Tools>Customize>Keyboard:

You can scroll though all the mapped keys as well as edit any key for your needs.

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 14:57:39 GMT

Thanks for your response, Blair, but I couldn't find the INSERT function in the list of assembly related keyboard functions.

The closest function I found was ASSEMBLE but that didn't get me closer to my goal.

Walter

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

blair — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 16:25:34 GMT

I believe that the Keyboard is "P" or "CTRL P". I haven't used the keyboard commands since 2006 when I started using the 3dConnexion motion controllers. Their software maps commands to buttons on the controller.

Within the IAM commands, I was sure that the "Place" command will bring up the dialogue for inserting items.

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

mcgyvr — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 16:42:21 GMT

Yep.. out of the box hotkey for "Place" is "P" (I'll assume thats what you meant instead of "Insert")

And "Place" is also not normally buried one deep.. But there is some "bug" thats been around for a while (about 3 or 4 releases at least) that will bury it for you when you don't want it too.. It gets buried by the content center place or place ilogic component quite often for me even though I NEVER access those commands..

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

blair — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 16:47:42 GMT

Yup! I guess that's why the shortcut key is "P" for Place rather than "I" for Insert. "P" is also the default shortcut key for inserting/placing items in Adobe's InDesign and Photoshop.

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Curtis_W — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 17:01:51 GMT

Hi Walter.Ferguson,

Would the Alt+Drag method show in this video work for you?

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 17:10:23 GMT

All,

No, I wasn't looking for PLACE but thanks for showing it to me. I will use it in the future as I like hot keys. If you open the Place Constraint dialog in IV 2017 the 4th icon function from the left in the TYPE box is what I'm looking for (functionality that is). The icon looks like a bolt inserted into a block. Is there a hot key for that one?

Curtis, thanks for showing me the ALT drag method. That is the function I'm looking for but would still prefer a hot key for same.

Walter

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

mcgyvr — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 17:16:28 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

All,

No, I wasn't looking for PLACE but thanks for showing it to me. I will use it in the future as I like hot keys. If you open the Place Constraint dialog in IV 2017 the 4th icon function from the left in the TYPE box is what I'm looking for (functionality that is). The icon looks like a bolt inserted into a block. Is there a hot key for that one?

Curtis, thanks for showing me the ALT drag method. That is the function I'm looking for but would still prefer a hot key for same.

Walter

They must have changed it as I don't see anything like that in 2018.. (and certainly don't remember it in 2017 either)..

imates button?

Can you take a screenshot of the button you are talking about if you can't describe what it is or what its for?.. (Tip.. Use Windows snipping tool to take quick/easy screenshots)

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Curtis_W — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 17:29:56 GMT

Hi Walter.Ferguson,

I looked but did not see a way to set a hot key for Insert specifically, that would be nice to be able to do though.

The closet I saw was C for Constraint, which brings up the Place Constraint box.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 17:33:30 GMT

Yup, I use the "C" key all the time. Thanks for looking, Curtis!

But isn't there some way (iLogic perhaps?!) to make a custom hot key for the INSERT function?

Walter

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Curtis_W — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:49:54 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

But isn't there some way (iLogic perhaps?!) to make a custom hot key for the INSERT function?

Hi Walter.Ferguson,

Unless I've overlooked something there is not a simple way to step into the Constraint tool and choose the Insert option.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:56:28 GMT

Thanks, Curtis! I wonder if others might vote for it as an improvement. I'd wager it would be an easy bit of programing for AutoDesk.

Walter

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

blair — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 19:45:17 GMT

Then again, those that place more than one instance wouldn't want the Constraint command to come up until after they had placed all the instances of a particular part.

Then again, if you are spending any time using Inventor, get yourself a 3D Motion Controller and work with both hand. The Pan, Zoom and Rotate is quick and easy with the Left Hand and the easily programed used buttons make quick work of the common commands for each environment, (Sketch, IPT, IAM, IPN and IDW).

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 19:59:34 GMT

Blair,

I do use a 3D mouse constantly and work with both hands.

All I'm looking for is quicker access to the insert function via a change to to the toolbar (ala IV 2013) or a hot key.

Walter IV 2017

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

blair — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 20:27:27 GMT

Map the buttons, one for Place and the other for Constraint

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Curtis_W — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 20:49:06 GMT

@ blair,

Walter.Ferguson is requesting the ability to use keyboard shortcut or button, to jump into the Place Constraint tool, with the Insert option already selected.

Currently the best that we can do (as far as I can tell) is press C to bring up the Place Constraint tool, and then we must click the Insert button.

@ Walter.Ferguson,

You mentioned Inventor 2013, was there a button to start the Place Constraint tool, with the Insert option already selected in that version? or something else, I don't recall what was available in past versions concerning this.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 11:44:05 GMT

Yes, Curtis, there were two buttons on the toolbar: Constrain & Assemble. To stage the Insert Component functionality all you had to do was LMB the Assemble button. I wish AD paid more attention to the basics. I also wish there was a LITE version of Inventor or failing that the ability to strip out all of the bells and whistles I never use with perhaps a speeding up of the application.

Walter

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

mcgyvr — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 12:02:35 GMT

OHHHH... Insert constraint... Why didn't you say so from the start..

Got mentally sidetracked with the discussion of the place dialog and the use of the word "function" vs constraint... Doh'

Just a FYI.. Did you know you can place a part then instantly select a round edge,etc... and start doing constraints without even firing up the constraint dialog?

I do that quite often.. This works "fairly well" (could be smarter/better) for constraining multiples of the same part over and over again using insert constraints..

Also the best addin for Inventor ever was "kwiksert".. It still "kind of" works in 2018 but it needs some cleaning up of the dialog box layout,etc..

http://www.kwikmcad.com/icode/kwiksert_64/kwiksert_64.html (get the trial and see how you like it)

And yes Autodesk NEEDS to duplicate the kwiksert functionality.. Its hands down the BEST way to quickly place multiple parts and constrain using insert constraints..

They IMO "should" have built that functionality into "assemble" command when they started that functionality..

Re: Insert function shortcut in 2017?!

Curtis_W — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 14:47:50 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

Yes, Curtis, there were two buttons on the toolbar: Constrain & Assemble. To stage the Insert Component functionality all you had to do was LMB the Assemble button.

Hi Walter.Ferguson,

You can locate the Assemble button in the dropdown and then right click on it and choose Move to Main Panel , this puts it up with the Constrain button

You can then right click on it to change the button size as well.

If you never use the Joint tool, you can right click on it and choose Move to Expanded Panel.

Results after moving the Assemble and Joint buttons:

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com