Sketch - Project Flat Pattern API

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to write a code snippet to perform "Project Flat Pattern" for a selected edge. I tried some different approaches but failed all.

// inputs
var oEdge = _InventorApp.CommandManager.Pick(Inventor.SelectionFilterEnum.kPartEdgeLinearFilter, "Select an edge") as Inventor.Edge;
var oSketch = _InventorApp.CommandManager.Pick(Inventor.SelectionFilterEnum.kSketchObjectFilter, "Select a sketch to do projection") as Inventor.PlanarSketch;

// result
var sheetMetalComp = (_InventorApp.ActiveDocument as PartDocument).ComponentDefinition as SheetMetalComponentDefinition;
var flatEdge = sheetMetalComp.FlatPattern.GetFlatPatternEntity(oEdge);
oSketch.AddByProjectingEntity(flatEdge);

Your help will be much appreciated!

(*) I'm using C# but if you're familiar with VBA or VB.NET, it's okay for me. I can understand. 🙂

[Sergio.D.Suárez]

Hi, have you tried with the preset commands?
I'm not sure if they would work in your programming environment, which I share below is an example of VBA. On the other hand, remember that this command projects Faces no edges.

Sub ProjectFlat()

    Dim oCommand As CommandManager
    Set oCommand = ThisApplication.CommandManager
    
    Dim oControlDef As ControlDefinition ' Get control definition for the line command.
    Set oControlDef = oCommand.ControlDefinitions.Item("SketchProjectFlatPatternCmd")
    oControlDef.Execute2 (True) ' Execute the command.

End Sub

I hope this can help you with your problem. Regards

[Anonymous]

Thank you @Sergio.D.Suárez .

However, it seems my post wasn't well-described. Let me explain a little bit.

Pretend I already had:

• A sketch set to variable oSketch.
• A bend (face) set to variable oBend.

I want oSketch to perform "Project Flat Pattern" the oBend to it. The results are the green lines as shown below.

Hopefully now my question is clear. 😅

[MateriaGris]

Hi everyone.
I am interested in knowing if it is possible to do what Anonymous asks

I want to project flat pattern onto a sketch and place a point at the end of each bend edge, but I can't find a way to do it automatically from within iLogic.

I am attaching an example file showing what I am interested in doing.
I really appreciate if you can help me.

[SevInventor]

Hello Anonymous 199,

found out how to project the Flat pattern edges and bend lines and bring the sketch intend to the folded model.

Got some code of a similar topic from here:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ilogic-and-vb-net-forum/sketch-on-flat-pattern-issue/td-p/71...

Only the orientation and position of the sketch in the folded model is wrong:

I'm sure this task can be solved as well. Pleas feel free to further develop this code

Sub Main
'[ edit these variables as needed
sSketchName = "Flat Pattern Sketch"


'  a reference to the active document.
Dim oPartDoc As PartDocument
oPartDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

'verify document type is sheet metal
If oPartDoc.ComponentDefinition.Type <> 150995200 Then
	MessageBox.Show("File is not a sheet metal part.", "iLogic")
	Exit Sub
End If

Dim oCompDef As SheetMetalComponentDefinition
oCompDef = oPartDoc.ComponentDefinition

' Check to make sure a flat pattern is open.
If Not TypeOf ThisApplication.ActiveEditObject Is FlatPattern Then
	Try
		If oCompDef.HasFlatPattern = False Then
			oCompDef.Unfold
		Else
			oCompDef.FlatPattern.Edit
		End If
	Catch
		MessageBox.Show("Error editting the flat pattern.", "iLogic")

	End Try
End If

'  a reference to the active flat pattern.
Dim oFlatPattern As FlatPattern
oFlatPattern = ThisApplication.ActiveEditObject

Dim oFace As Face
oFace = oFlatPattern.TopFace

Dim oSketch As PlanarSketch

'clean up existing sketch
For Each oSketch In oFlatPattern.Sketches
	If oSketch.Name = sSketchName Then
		oSketch.Delete
	End If
Next

' Create a new sketch.  
' the Second argument specifies To include/Not include
' the edges of the face in the sketch.
oSketch = oFlatPattern.Sketches.Add(oFace, False)

' Change the name.
oSketch.Name = sSketchName
	
Dim oEdges As Edges




	UpEdges = oFlatPattern.GetEdgesOfType(FlatPatternEdgeTypeEnum.kBendUpFlatPatternEdge, True) 
	For Each Upedge In UpEdges
	
		Dim line As SketchLine = oSketch.AddByProjectingEntity(Upedge)

	Next
	
	
	DownEdges = oFlatPattern.GetEdgesOfType(FlatPatternEdgeTypeEnum.kBendDownFlatPatternEdge, True) 
	For Each DownEdge In DownEdges
	
		Dim line As SketchLine = oSketch.AddByProjectingEntity(DownEdges)

	Next


	For Each oEdge In oFlatPattern.TopFace.Edges

		Call oSketch.AddByProjectingEntity(oEdge)

	Next



oCompDef.FlatPattern.ExitEdit

Dim oFace2 As Face = ThisApplication.CommandManager.Pick(SelectionFilterEnum.kPartFaceFilter, "Select Surface to add flat sketch")
Dim oSketch2 As PlanarSketch
oSketch2 = oCompDef.Sketches.Add(oFace2,True)	
oSketch.CopyContentsTo(oSketch2)
oPartDoc.Save

End Sub