topic Re: Custom Frame Properties in Inventor Forum

Custom Frame Properties

FrontlineFusionLtd — Mon, 16 May 2016 21:40:13 GMT

Hello,

Im trying to make custom frame members to use in Frame Generator and i do not know how to get the the cut length to show in the Part Number box ( like the pre existing Inventor structural members do )

right now when i try to get a parts list i have the sum of all my parts regardless of length. However when i use pre existing Frame Generator members they are nicely catagorized into lengths and number of pieces per length, ( the length shows up in the part number box as well as other choosen columns )

how do i create an ipart that includes these same properties when it becomes a custom frame member?

Re: Custom Frame Properties

Curtis_W — Mon, 16 May 2016 21:50:43 GMT

Hi FrontlineFusionLtd ,

Are you using this method to author the files before publishing them to the Content Center?

http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2015/ENU/?caas=caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-publish-custom-profiles-in-Inventor-to-be-used-with-the-Frame-Generator.html

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

Re: Custom Frame Properties

Mark.Lancaster — Mon, 16 May 2016 23:43:17 GMT

@FrontlineFusionLtd

Access the content center through the editor. Locate your custom structural family category, right mouse click and select family table. When the family table comes up locate the part number column, righ mouse click on the header and select properties. Then create a expression that includes the length column. Use the browse button at the end of the field to grab existing column fields

In this example I'm using the file name column but the concept is the same.

Also if you have your structure already authored to content center don't worry about modifying the iPart anymore, its not needed. Do the work in content center.

Re: Custom Frame Properties

FrontlineFusionLtd — Tue, 17 May 2016 00:04:06 GMT

Thanks for the links, i have reviewed both of those as well as many more in recent, and did the liberty to check them again with your help. yet nothing shows what i am looking for.

Your question is a good question, and i must reply with the question, Should i be?

i ask this because i have been trying all sorts of different methods and nothing is working.... it seems im also having trouble asking the right questions.

when i publish a frame and use it in an assmbley, the parts list shows all of my frames in one Row, giving me a grand total of material length and a yellow box with *varies* for the individual lengths. ( or i can expand the list by deselecting MERGE ALL and get a 3 foot long list )

when i use an inventor Frame (content center) , it has the length value in the part number box and this makes the parts list EXTREMELY more functional. I see when i edit a frame generator member ( which i cannot edit but to look at it ) it shows in the part number (for example ) : AISC -1/16x1/16 - 0.001

im assuming the 0.001 is the cut length of the part, thus at this point my problem is the fact my part number does not contain that parameter ( functionally )

I will add a parts list that shows my problem. ( my frame is called TEST and it is accompanied by one other Inventor factory frame size that has multiple lengths.)

sorry this is long winded, but i hope this help you help me.

regards.

Re: Custom Frame Properties

FrontlineFusionLtd — Tue, 17 May 2016 15:14:13 GMT

this is not working for me

First, in the Part Number box (column in editor) when i make an expression, the option for {Part Number} is not available, how ever it looks like it is available in all the other columns and visa versa with all the other columns ( the current column name is not available in the expression box and all the other columns are)

Secondly, the only option to bring in my part number into the expression is to use {Member} which is not linked to the Part Number perameter and does not control anything.

Third, i tried putting in {Member}&"-"&{Length}. This did not work. first of all "Length" (wich is a user parameter ) is not controled by the length of the frame member it seems to stay connected to the ipart that made the profile. So despite the fact that i have input frame members into a sketch the Part Number continues to display the part as 0.01 inch despite any actual lengths of memebers, and again in other boxes in the Parts List i am getting the "Varies" problem. ( I have attached a pdf showing the results of Part Number: Test007 ). While doing all the above i also found that i cannot use Inventor parameters in the Expressions part of the column, such as {G_L} or {B_L}, they are not options when i open the browse window for the expression and they are not available when entered manualy.

Note:

while attempting to edit the Expressions of a column ( Part Number ), after inputing information and leaving the editor to see the results of my input, then returning to the editor and deselecting the expressions selection box ( without deleting anything i had input there), Inventor would crash, making me close the program and start again when trying to apply the change.

So i still am unable to make my custom frames show up like the stock inventor frames in a part list.

Re: Custom Frame Properties

Curtis_W — Tue, 17 May 2016 15:37:34 GMT

@FrontlineFusionLtd wrote:

... Your question is a good question, and i must reply with the question, Should i be?

Hi FrontlineFusionLtd,

It's been too long since I've done this to remember all the details or to offer much detailed assistance, but yes you should use the Structural Shape Authoring workflow to get the correct results.

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

Re: Custom Frame Properties

FrontlineFusionLtd — Wed, 18 May 2016 20:30:43 GMT

Hey Mark,

ive been looking into my problem and learning more about what you are talking about...

saying that, ( not sure if i already posted this to you or not ), im not able to get the Inventor parametes EG. {G_L} or {B_L} to work in my expressions... im not sure how to link these parameters, the only parameters i can link are the ones that made up the ipart prior to publishing. All the parameters that are automatically linked ( as stated above as EG. ) do not exits for editing.

ive also learned to take screen shots.

i hope this helps you out some in trying to help me.

Re: Custom Frame Properties

FrontlineFusionLtd — Wed, 18 May 2016 20:38:49 GMT

Customizing Frame Generator Part Number

^^ i copy and paste that... its huge...

anyway, above is the name of the thread back in january that you helped some one with the same issue... however the reply that was marked SOLVED does not help me because i dont have access to those Inventor Dimensions in the Expression column for some reason.

I guess if i can use the Inventor Parameters ( G_L ) etc. in the Expressions of a family table, then this will solve my problem ( or find another parameter that can be driven by these Inventor Parameters then i can figure it out from there im sure.

All i know is when you create a frame from ipart, (G_L) is a automactically assigned parameter, i dont know how to access it.

Re: Custom Frame Properties

Mark.Lancaster — Wed, 18 May 2016 20:45:10 GMT

@FrontlineFusionLtd

Did you get the documentation I sent earlier to you? I think you should start from scratch using that information and stop messing around with the existing data you have.

I'm attaching the document again. Follow those steps and you should achieve what you're looking for.

Re: Custom Frame Properties

FrontlineFusionLtd — Wed, 18 May 2016 22:24:42 GMT

yes i got the documentation.

i tried to follow it and im getting the same results as before... Part Number : Length value is the length of ipart not the frame length in assembly.

and ... all components are listed in one row with a total length of all parts, not broken down into number of parts per length.

Can you publish a frame from scratch and have it show in the parts list the same as the frames that come default with inventor ? maybe that will help me see whats happening.

Dont want:

this is what im after:

I simply swapped my frame compnenents out with existing Ansi members to change the Parts List...

Re: Custom Frame Properties

BP-OZ — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 23:14:13 GMT

@FrontlineFusionLtd

Did you ever find an answer to this problem of showing the length in the part number / file name for custom frame parts?

Mat

Re: Custom Frame Properties

gcoombridge — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 07:56:45 GMT

I've only skim read this so forgive me if I've missed something relevant. Key steps in this process (from my experience) are making sure at the ipart stage (before publishing) that you set the length variable to a custom parameter. Do this by right-clicking on the column and selecting 'custom parameter'. It should turn dark blue. Then this is set to the base length parameter during publishing.

Once published edit the column. Note: Part Number can't appear in the Part Number expression because the expression creates 'Part Number'.

I normally use something like this in the expression box:

"RHS, " & {Height} & " x " & {Width} & " x " & {Wallthickness} & ", " & {B_L}

Quotation marks just designate strings and are connected with &'s. Remember to leave appropriate spaces and punctuation.

This is an image of what the Ipart table would look like (without all the other stuff):

Also rather than using standard quantities in your parts list table try ''base quantity'' and ''item quantity'' (this gives cut length and item number).

I have been through this process to give all the standard libraries I use sensible names - it is worth it in the long run...

Cheers,