Parameters Are Not Working Quite Right

[btillman]

I just went through this tutorial and learned a great deal (even without narration) but similarly to at least one other viewer, my stair steps did not expand with the movement of the lines as was shown in the video. This kind of stuff is very interesting so I'd be glad for any advice.

When I completed this tutorial and stretched the lines as the video showed, the lines moved just fine in sync. But those darn stair treads just stayed put right where they are. I think this may be something in my settings ... I'm not sure. There was some reference to making the parameters work properly.

This tutorial is on youtube and I have no affiliation with it. I just came across it in a search and looked kind of neat. BTW I'm using Inventor Professional 2014.

[JDMather]

What information is supposed to be used to diagnose the problem?

Are you asking that we go through the entire tutorial?

Are you asking if anyone here has already done the tutorial?

[blair]

Or you just missed a step or made an error.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! The behavior does not sound right to me. Something is not working right. Could you post the files here or send them to me (johnson.shiue@autodesk.com)? I would like to take a look and see where the problem is.

Thanks!

[btillman]

I went to about the 10 minute level in the tutorial or about the spot where the demonstrator was showing that by stretching the anchor point the entire model stretched. Mine stretched but the stair treads did not extend with the new size as the demo was showing it should have been doing. I noticed that at least one other person posted a question on this youtube site that was describing the exact same problem I'm having with it. The reply from the OP was that they should go and read all the help screens about parameters in Inventor.... This would appear to me to be some kind of environmental setting that the OP did not mentioni. I followed what I thought was all the steps, repeated in no less than three times but got the same results each time. I could stretch the lines and all the constraints stayed intact, but the rectangular array which is of the stair treads did not adjust to the new sizes.

[JDMather]

Is there a reason you cannot attach the assembly here?

If it is proprietary - then make up a dummy assembly that exhibits all the behavior of your proprietary assembly.

[btillman]

Sorry for the delay in getting back. Each time I've tried this it fails to make the strair treads move and/or increase or decrease in quantity. I have attached the model in Invetor 2014 format. Would greatly appreciate any advice. It's right before and right after the 6:00 minute mark in the video that the OP starts tweaking around with the stretching. Mine will stretch but the stair treads do not change.

[JDMather]

I didn't watch the video or check your Parameters, but by chance -

was the Pattern supposed to solve by Curve Length?  (see attached)

Click the Rebuild icon after stretching.

Also, is there a reason you are extruding as a Surface Body rather than as a Solid Body?

[btillman]

Thanks again JD for your reply. I rechecked the video and here's what I found:

1. In the video, the OP's screen showed the rectangular pattern for the treads was set to "Spacing" not "Curve Length". I tried it with curve length but got the same results.
2. The ">>" icon was not active so I selected that and set the Orientation to "Direction 1", even though the video did not show anything on this. Still no results.
3. I also tried the "Rebuild" or "Local Update" but on my system, this icon at the top of my screen is ghosted (disabled). So no use. 
4. The extrusion was done using "Solid Body" because that's what the video showed the OP selecting.

I think this may be something in the typical settings the OP used on his (or her) system vs mine. Something just doesn't work quite right. I'll keep hacking at this to see what I can find, but I think there's something here which the OP is not informing the audience about. This is similar to so many tutorials out there where the OP doesn't consider very critical settings or steps like this to be important because they assume everyone should know as much about it as they do.

[JDMather]

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@btillman wrote:

...4. The extrusion was done using "Solid Body" because that's what the video showed the OP selecting.

....

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I don't know when I will get a chance to go through this, but the part you attached was Extruded with the Surface Body option, not Solid Body.  That isn't relevant to your problem description, but if you missed this.... ....even after I pointed it out....

The lightning bolt will only become active after making a change (drag your sketch).

[btillman]

I'm sure you're right about the extrusion. In doing this exercise I tried it both ways, on almost every setting of everything trying to find what I was missing. And the copy I uploaded was just the latest one I was working with. You're right that it does not affect this problem because no matter which way I did it, the results were the same. It's actually an interesting tutorial and I'm anxious to complete it. I have some other parts that I could use something like this with.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

I hate to use internet lingo but lol, it works for me! I downloaded your part file and yeah, works like a charm. Drag the lines, **then hit update**, and bam!, your steps adjust.

Sounds like you just needed to press update after you moved your lines. And yes, your extrusion is a surface. But that has nothing to do with the problem you were experiencing. It's just something you probably wouldn't need to have as a surface.

[btillman]

Oh wowie, zowie....that was the ticket. Sorry, I just didn't know that about Inventor (the local update) and in the video the presenter must have had "auto-update" enabled...again, this is still new to me. Anyway, in the video, there was never anything I saw which showed one to click this button. But thanks, the thing works now.

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

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@btillman wrote:

Oh wowie, zowie....that was the ticket. Sorry, I just didn't know that about Inventor (the local update) ....thing works now.

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Didn't I post screen shot of Update earlier?

[btillman]

Thanks to all. Yes, I knew in the beginning it had to be something little like this Local Update. I've only scratched the surface with Inventor and this is the first time I've run into this feature. But more, so the video did not show the presenter clicking this icon. It simply showed the anchor point being dragged and all those treads lining up automatically. I'll get to finish this tutorial tonight while watching election returns.

[Anonymous]

It'd be too funny if the next part of the tutorial was: "Now I'll show you how to get the stairs to update automatically". 🙂

There is a way to make them auto-update, but I'd venture to say that may be in a different tutorial. If you're feeling adventurous, explore iLogic.

Good luck!