topic Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies in Inventor Programming Forum

How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

mindaV3J2J — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 14:29:50 GMT

Hi!

Jus tas the title says, I want to program a way to, firstly, create flat patterns of each part from assemblies, and then export them to dxf. I'm extremely new to the API and dont really know where to start. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I currently have the following code to connect inventor with the VBA interface.

Dim oDrawing As Inventor.AssemblyDocument
Set oDrawing = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

Dim oCompDef As SheetMetalComponentDefinition
oCompDef = oDoc.ComponentDefinition

If oCompDef.HasFlatPattern = False Then
oCompDef.Unfold

Else

I've also tried looking at past posts, but many of them have prior knowledge in this area as well. I come from a prior background in python and C++.

Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

A.Acheson — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 14:48:03 GMT

Hi @mindaV3J2J

Here is an example using ilogic which has VB.NET as the underlining launguage. I used this keyword when doing an internet search

"Export DXF flat pattern from Assembly"

There is many more samples on this forum utilizing ilogic so I would suggest to use that launguage over VBA if your starting out. Knowing each one is also an asset too.

Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

mindaV3J2J — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 15:00:06 GMT

Thanks for the help. I've looked at this and several similar ones; however, in the VBA code, I cannot use Dim and set something in the same line, which leads me to believe I'm using a different version than many users here. Is this the case?

The error message is that it expects end of statement.

Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

A.Acheson — Sat, 29 Jul 2023 00:27:42 GMT

Yes for VBA you cannot declare and set the object variable in the same line. So if you likely have ilogic/ VB.Net code which you will need to translate. Please attach the code your using and any error message you have for help in diagnosing the issues.

The alternative is to open the ilogic editor and just paste in and run the rule from a form or similar.

Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

mindaV3J2J — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:16:55 GMT

Sub test()

'Set your filepath here:
SETFilePath = "C:\Temp"

'Check for flat pattern >> create one if needed
Dim oDoc As AssemblyDocument
Set oDoc = ThisApplication.AssemblyDocument
Dim oCompDef As SheetMetalComponentDefinition
oCompDef = oDoc.ComponentDefinition
If oCompDef.HasFlatPattern = False Then
oCompDef.Unfold

Else
oCompDef.FlatPattern.Edit
End If

'DXF Settings
Dim sOut As String
Dim sPATH As String
sOut = "FLAT PATTERN DXF?AcadVersion=2000&OuterProfileLayer=IV_INTERIOR_PROFILES"
Dim sFname As String
sFname = SETFilePath & "\" & ThisDoc.FileName(False) & ".dxf"

'Export the DXF and fold the model back up
oCompDef.DataIO.WriteDataToFile sOut, sFname
Dim oSMDef As SheetMetalComponentDefinition
oSMDef = oDoc.ComponentDefinition
oSMDef.FlatPattern.ExitEdit

End Sub

This is my current code, I found it from another post and tweaked it a little. The first part where things go wrong are i the first set statement-I've had trouble casting my oDoc variable as an assembly document.

Thanks so much in advance

Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

mindaV3J2J — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:08:24 GMT

ive done some messing around with it and heres my new version, issues still remoain

Sub ExportFlatPatternToDXF2()

Dim SETFilePath As String
SETFilePath = "PATH"

    If ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.DocumentType <> kAssemblyDocumentObject Then
        MsgBox "Please open an assembly document.", vbExclamation, "iLogic"
        Exit Sub
    End If

Dim oDoc As AssemblyDocument
Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

Dim oCompDef As SheetMetalComponentDefinition
Dim oComponent As ComponentOccurrence

    For Each oComponent In oDoc.ComponentDefinition.Occurrences

        On Error Resume Next
        Set oCompDef = oComponent.Definition
        On Error GoTo 0

        If Not oCompDef Is Nothing And oCompDef.Type = kSheetMetalComponentDefinitionObject Then

            If oCompDef.HasFlatPattern = False Then
                oCompDef.Unfold
            Else
                oCompDef.FlatPattern.Edit ->> issue
            End If

            Dim sOut As String
            Dim sFname As String
            sOut = "FLAT PATTERN DXF?AcadVersion=2000&OuterProfileLayer=IV_INTERIOR_PROFILES"
            sFname = SETFilePath & "\" & oComponent.Name & ".dxf"

oCompDef.DataIO.WriteDataToFile sOut, sFname --> issue

oCompDef.FlatPattern.ExitEdit
End If
Next oComponent

MsgBox "Flat patterns exported to " & SETFilePath, vbInformation, "iLogic"
End Sub

Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

A.Acheson — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 02:01:28 GMT

From the API help sample for exporting a dxf from a sheetmetal part

The below is modified accordingly as well as changing from occurrences to all referenced documents. This will make a more universal rule and not be resticted by assembly hierarchy. This macro is untested.

Sub ExportFlatPatternToDXF2() Dim SETFilePath As String SETFilePath = "PATH" If ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.DocumentType <> kAssemblyDocumentObject Then MsgBox "Please open an assembly document.", vbExclamation, "iLogic" Exit Sub End If Dim oAsmDoc As AssemblyDocument Set oAsmDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument Dim oRefDocs As DocumentsEnumerator = Set oAsmDoc.AllReferencedDocuments Dim oRefDoc As Document For Each oRefDoc In oRefDocs 'Check if it's a Sheetmetal part: If oRefDoc.SubType = "{9C464203-9BAE-11D3-8BAD-0060B0CE6BB4}" Then Dim oSheetMetDoc As PartDocument Set oSheetMetDoc = ThisApplication.Documents.Open(oRefDoc.FullFileName, True) Dim oCompDef As SheetMetalComponentDefinition Set oCompDef = oSheetMetDoc.ComponentDefinition If oCompDef.HasFlatPattern = False Then oCompDef.Unfold Else oCompDef.FlatPattern.Edit End If Dim sOut As String sOut = "FLAT PATTERN DXF?AcadVersion=2000&OuterProfileLayer=IV_INTERIOR_PROFILES" Dim sFname As String sFname = SETFilePath & "\" & oSheetMetDoc.DisplayName & ".dxf" ' Get the DataIO object. Dim oDataIO As DataIO Set oDataIO = oCompDef.DataIO oDataIO.WriteDataToFile sOut, sFname oCompDef.FlatPattern.ExitEdit End If Next oRefDoc MsgBox "Flat patterns exported to " & SETFilePath, vbInformation, "iLogic" End Sub

Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

mindaV3J2J — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 11:43:17 GMT

this got some output!!! However, it failed on the second object when it tried to unfold the second pattern, do you know why this could be? im getting the error message: Mthod 'Unfold' of object 'SheetMetalComponentDefinition' failed

Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

A.Acheson — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 14:10:41 GMT

Can the flatpattern be generated manually? If it can then you need to figure out why it did fail. Is the sheetmetal part read only? If it is then no flatpattern can be generated.

As a last resort on error resume next could be used but it will likely skip the operation entirely.

Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

Curtis_W — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 19:19:22 GMT

@mindaV3J2J How many posts did you make on this topic? Please don't duplicate posts, you ended with multiple people working on the same issue.

See my last reply here:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ilogic-and-vb-net-forum/turn-off-certain-layers-when-exporting-as-dxf/m-p/12147644#M155989

Re: How to create flat patterns and export them to DXF from assemblies

mindaV3J2J — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 19:21:09 GMT

Apologies, I couldn't find my original post at one point so I made another. Wont happen again I appreciate it.