Batch publishing different parts to frame generator

[francesco.dinh]

I've downloaded the .ipt files for various frame profiles from a manufacturer website:

Now, my main objective is to insert them all in the frame generator for later use. I could do it one by one, but it would take me a long time. Is there a way to do it automatically?

Bonus question: those profiles are divided in families (30mm base width, 40mm base width, etc). Is there a way I could group them, being different non-parametric .ipt files, in families for an easier navigation during frame building?

Thanks.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@francesco.dinh

Frame generator requires certain things to be in place..

1.  The structure of the file must only have a single extrusion representing the profile that is used.  Do you have that?

2.  The extrusion must be authored for structural shapes.   Have you done that?

3.  A parametric cut length parameter/value.  Do you have that?

4.  Unless I'm reading your info incorrectly..  It sounds like these are all different files and no parametric..   Not saying it can't be separate files but it would work better if like shapes were made into an iPart table structure with dimensional/parametric values.

5.  Do you have a read write content center library?

Update:  If it was me..  i would just create the info myself in Inventor so I could create parametric information and iPart strucuture before authoring and publishing to content center.

[francesco.dinh]

Thank you for your reply Mark.

The files were provided as .ipt from a website, those were simple 1000mm extrusions of a base profile.

The problem is that the profile is probably exported from autocad, and no dimensions were put:

the one you see above is the profile sketch if I try to edit it. It needs 464 dimensions to completely define it 

The only lucky thing is that it's centered at the origin, and it's a closed profile with no errors. But it's in no way parametric.

I've tried authoring one to use it as a frame member and it works (I've already used one in a cart project), but I'd have to do it manually for each profile... a nightmare just to think about it.

I was wondering whether there was a "batch authoring" for various profiles. Do you thing that such a think is feasible?

Thanks!

[swalton]

I think that the only workflow for "batch authoring" is to use an ipart.

If I were doing this, I'd build a brand new ipart model that would cover the extrusion families as required.  Once that worked as desired, I'd publish it to the CC and frame generator.  I've never added a new shape to frame generator, so I bet there are specific steps/workflows that work better than others.  Some testing/youtube/helpfile research will be necessary.