topic Re: How to create a new assembly from ZeroDoc environment in Inventor Programming Forum

How to create a new assembly from ZeroDoc environment

JBerns — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:14:29 GMT

Community,

I am trying to create a new assembly from the ZeroDoc environment by means of an add-in.

With the help of @Curtis_W , @JelteDeJong , @chandra , @ryan.rittenhouse , and others on the forum, I have a working add-in that adds the ribbon tab, panel, and button to the ZeroDoc ribbon.

The challenge is getting the button to create the new assembly. I trust this is possible.

I have searched many examples for code, but I have not been able to get the pieces of code to work.

Below is a portion of the code. The full VB file for the button is attached.

'This is the code that does the real work when your command is executed. Sub Run_CommandCode() Debugger.Break() MsgBox("This command creates a new assembly from the ZeroDoc environment.") ' Get the Inventor Application object Dim oApp As Inventor.Application oApp = ThisApplication ' If running within Inventor (VBA macro) Dim invApp As Inventor.Application Try invApp = GetObject(, "Inventor.Application") ' invApp = ThisApplication ' If running within Inventor (VBA macro) Catch ex As Exception invApp = CreateObject("Inventor.Application") invApp.Visible = True End Try If invApp Is Nothing Then System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Inventor is not running or could not be launched.", CStr(vbCritical)) Exit Sub End If ' Define the document type as an Assembly Document Dim oDocType As Inventor.DocumentTypeEnum oDocType = Inventor.DocumentTypeEnum.kAssemblyDocumentObject ' Get the default template file for an assembly ' This will use the default template set in Inventor's options. Dim sTemplateFile As String sTemplateFile = invApp.FileManager.GetTemplateFile(oDocType) ' Create a new assembly document Dim oAsmDoc As Inventor.AssemblyDocument oAsmDoc = invApp.Documents.Add(oDocType, sTemplateFile, True) ' True makes it visible and active End Sub

I have tried code such as the following to get the Inventor Application:

'Public g_Inventor As Inventor.Application = GetObject(, "Inventor.Application") 'Public Property g_Inventor As Inventor.Application 'Public g_Inventor As Inventor.Application = 'System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.GetActiveObject("Inventor.Application")

However, none of these lines get the Inventor Application.

I tried to understand the button examples on these posts, but I can't convert C# to VB code.

Getting inventor application object in addins

Setting up api in visual basic using c

I would welcome your suggestions to get the "new assembly" button code working.

Once this button is working, I plan to expand to a Windows User Form from which the user could select the assembly type to create. The selection will determine which assembly template to use when creating the new assembly.

Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to your replies.

Regards,
Jerry

Re: How to create a new assembly from ZeroDoc environment

JBerns — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:47:33 GMT

Ironic - I find the solution after I post to the forum. 🙄

I discovered the StandardAddInServer.vb file gets the Inventor application and stores it globally:

Public Module Globals ' Inventor application object. Public g_inventorApplication As Inventor.Application 'Unique ID for this add-in. Public Const g_simpleAddInClientID As String = "d49b875a-c5e2-46af-8a59-a071d61d5b72" Public Const g_addInClientID As String = "{" & g_simpleAddInClientID & "}"

I just needed to reference the module name in the call to the object:

If Globals.g_inventorApplication Is Nothing Then System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Inventor is not running or could not be launched.", CStr(vbCritical)) Exit Sub End If ' Define the document type as an Assembly Document Dim oDocType As Inventor.DocumentTypeEnum oDocType = Inventor.DocumentTypeEnum.kAssemblyDocumentObject ' Get the default template file for an assembly ' This will use the default template set in Inventor's options. Dim sTemplateFile As String sTemplateFile = Globals.g_inventorApplication.FileManager.GetTemplateFile(oDocType) ' Create a new assembly document Dim oAsmDoc As Inventor.AssemblyDocument oAsmDoc = Globals.g_inventorApplication.Documents.Add(oDocType, sTemplateFile, True) ' True makes it visible and active

Is this best practice?

The button is working to create a new assembly from the ZeroDoc environment. Yeah!

I hope this can help others developing add-ins.

Regards,

Jerry

Re: How to create a new assembly from ZeroDoc environment

Curtis_W — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 23:11:13 GMT

Hi @JBerns , glad you got it figured out. And yeah, I think as yo u have it will work fine, but you could do it like this as well if it's preferred to use what you had in your original code.

Re: How to create a new assembly from ZeroDoc environment

JBerns — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 17:44:51 GMT

Thanks, Curtis. That is easier to read.

Re: How to create a new assembly from ZeroDoc environment

chris — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:27:18 GMT

What is meant by "zero doc environment"?

Re: How to create a new assembly from ZeroDoc environment

JBerns — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:50:20 GMT

All Inventor documents (part, assembly, etc.) are closed. Optionally, Home screen could be open.