topic Re: Replace derived part via API is limited vs the right click menu in Inventor Programming Forum

Replace derived part via API is limited vs the right click menu

pball — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 15:43:22 GMT

I noticed today that the right click option for Replace Base Component on a derived part does not appear to care if the original and replacement part have the same document ID. Where as with the API example below the replacement part needs to share the document ID of the original derived part.

I'd like to update my addin to work the same way as the right click menu does, since it lets you replace a grease fitting with a pulley. Does anyone have a clue how the right click feature works and if it can be emulated with the API? Otherwise I'll probably just remove my script and point everyone to the right click menu.

Try Dim oPartDoc As Document = ThisDoc.Document Dim oRefPartDoc As DocumentDescriptor= oPartDoc.ReferencedDocumentDescriptors.Item(1) oRefPartDoc.ReferencedFileDescriptor.ReplaceReference("FILE NAME HERE") oPartDoc.Update() Catch ex As Exception MsgBox("Model seems to be not the same!") End Try

Re: Replace derived part via API is limited vs the right click menu

WCrihfield — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 15:56:23 GMT

Hi @pball. That is not something I do a lot of manually, so even less often by code, but it looks like you may be approaching this from the wrong angle, so to speak. I believe you need to be using the DerivedPartComponent.Replace method to do that.

Below is a quickie, untested code sample, to get you there.

Dim oPDoc As PartDocument = ThisDoc.Document Dim oDPC As DerivedPartComponent = oPDoc.ComponentDefinition.ReferenceComponents.DerivedPartComponents.Item(1) Dim sReplacementFullFileName As String = "C:\Temp\MyOtherPart.ipt" Dim oOptions As NameValueMap = ThisApplication.TransientObjects.CreateNameValueMap oOptions.Add("ModelState", "AlteredState1") oDPC.Replace(sReplacementFullFileName, oOptions)

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Re: Replace derived part via API is limited vs the right click menu

DonStauffer99 — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 01:56:58 GMT

That seems to suffer from exactly the same problem. Something like an invalid parameter error. This is a devastating limitation to the API, and it seems like there's no reason for it, since you can do it in the browser. You just can't automate it.

Re: Replace derived part via API is limited vs the right click menu

mateusz_baczewski — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 08:53:08 GMT

@pball @DonStauffer99

Hi,

I managed to replace the base component using this:

Sub Main 

	Dim oDoc As PartDocument = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
	Dim oPartCompDef As PartComponentDefinition = oDoc.ComponentDefinition
	Dim oRefComponents As ReferenceComponents = oPartCompDef.ReferenceComponents
	Dim oDerivedPartComponents As DerivedPartComponents = oRefComponents.DerivedPartComponents
	Dim oDerivedPartComponent As DerivedPartComponent = oDerivedPartComponents.Item(1)
	
	Dim oTo As TransientObjects = ThisApplication.TransientObjects
	Dim oNameValue As NameValueMap = oTo.CreateNameValueMap
	
	oNameValue.Add("ModelState", "MODEL/STATE/NAME")
	
	
	oDerivedPartComponent.Replace("PATH/TO/YOUR/PART",oNameValue)

End Sub

Re: Replace derived part via API is limited vs the right click menu

DonStauffer99 — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 19:19:45 GMT

I'll try it. Thanks!

Re: Replace derived part via API is limited vs the right click menu

DonStauffer99 — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 20:29:04 GMT

It worked! ThankYouThankYouThankYouThankYouThankYou!

Re: Replace derived part via API is limited vs the right click menu

DonStauffer99 — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 15:57:34 GMT

Interestingly, this appears to be undocumented. If it's been deprecated, I wonder what the replacement is?