Inventor 2019 - Errors Opening Step Files

[jferrell77]

Just started using Inventor 2019 today and our users are unable to open individual step files. An error message appears stating 'Attempted an unsupported operation.' After clicking ok, it then says 'Encountered an improper argument.' It then opens the import dialog box, but the options tab is missing and it only allows the load model functionality, which ends up failing anyway with another error message of 'The directory isn't valid.'

The issue was first discovered on a machine running 2019.1.1, and it also happens on 2019.1.2.

Oddly enough, if you open more than one step file at a time, they all open without an issue. So it appears to be some sort of problem with the options dialogue box.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Please check and see if you have .Net 4.7 installed. It looks like you don't have .Net 4.7. Inventor 2019 requires it to run properly.

Many thanks!

[jferrell77]

I currently have 4.7.2 installed.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Something is odd. I have seen the same errors due to lack of .Net 4.7. You mentioned that you already have .Net 4.7 and it would be a different issue. Try the followings and see if it helps.

1) Go to All Programs -> Autodesk -> Inventor 2019 -> Tools -> Inventor Reset Utility -> reset settings back to 2019 install defaults. If it does not work, you may want to do Repair Install on 2019.

2) Go to Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Autodesk Inventor 2019 -> right-click -> Uninstall/Change -> Repair Install. You may need to uninstall the updates and reinstall 2019.1 followed by 2019.1.2.

Many thanks!

[jferrell77]

Neither Inventor reset nor repair worked. I was able to remove 2019.1.1 and 2019.1.2, but not 2019.1.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Do you mean you try right-clicking on 2019.1 Update -> Uninstall but it did not work? Something seems wrong to me. It could be a corrupted install. Do you mind uninstalling 2019 and try reinstalling it and applying 2019.1?

Many thanks!

[jferrell77]

2019.1 update does not even show up in the 'Uninstall Programs/Updates' list.

I think I may have figured out what the problem is. We had trouble with our Antivirus software blocking the install of 2019.1, so I had to use a workaround as seen in this thread: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/installation-licensing/possible-to-customize-installation-to-exclude-...

I extracted the Inventor2019.1.msp out of the Inventor2019.1.exe and installed only that, skipping the AutodeskDesktopConnect.msi (which was the part being blocked by AV software), the guided tutorial, and the language packs.

There were only two PCs where this process was not used, and those can open step files without issue.

[jferrell77 · Accepted solution]

I just figured out a fix. I had to also install the English Language Pack for 2019.1. Now it works.