Export Inventor models to 3d pdf

[ken]

I want to make interactive parts user manuals using the 3d model in Inventor and export to 3d pdf.

When updating the template supplied with Inventor, I can get all areas formatted to what I want but I can't find any info on changing the column widths inside the parts list box. Is there an easy way to do this?

[JamieVJohnson2]

Are you referring to the Annotate\Parts List\Column widths?  If so that's when you right click on a column header during edit table command.

[ken]

In the actual template that is supplied with Inventor that you use when you
export a model to 3d pdf, I can't figure out how to adjust the column
widths within the template

[JamieVJohnson2]

The PDF template (Sample Part Template.pdf) uses forms (in Adobe Acrobat Standard, shown here version 11) to display 'text boxes' with data.  You can edit the form template file using Forms\Edit command, which activates the controls to change the sizes and positions of the text boxes.  Was this your intended question?

[ken]

I am actually trying to use the other template 'sample assembly template' to make 3d pdf drawings to send to the customer so they can click on a part and see the part number, description and quantities. Because I can't change the column widths in the 'parts list box' inside the template, it cuts off numbers and descriptions.

[JamieVJohnson2]

Yea, same principle, the two templates are very similar.  You will need a PDF editor capable of modifying PDF Form data to play with these sections of the template.  Adobe Acrobat (comes in many flavors) can do it (except reader), otherwise you will need to find a 3rd party program, or use ghostscript to perform these actions the hard way (by coding changes).

[ken]

Hi Jamie,

Thanks for your help so far. I do have Adobe Acrobat dc. I have several versions of the template I have modified and was able to remove fields not being used and added a company logo but inside the 'parts list box' I'm lost. Still can't figure out how to change column widths easily. Do you have to change code somewhere or is there a step-by-step to do this?

[JamieVJohnson2]

So, yea I did that, and see the BOM list is nothing but a single row of text for each item using space characters to imitate columns.  You can edit the spaces using the List Box Properties, and Options tab, item by item... what a drag, because it never really functions like a data grid.

[JamieVJohnson2]

So the translator is hard coded to 'do its thing'.  It is exposed to the API developer in a sample code like this:

    Public Sub PublishTo3DPDF()
        ' Get the 3D PDF Add-In.
        Dim oPDFAddIn As ApplicationAddIn = Nothing
        Dim oAddin As ApplicationAddIn
        For Each oAddin In invApp.ApplicationAddIns
            If oAddin.ClassIdString = "{3EE52B28-D6E0-4EA4-8AA6-C2A266DEBB88}" Then
                oPDFAddIn = oAddin
                Exit For
            End If
        Next

        If oPDFAddIn Is Nothing Then
            MsgBox("Inventor 3D PDF Addin not loaded.")
            Exit Sub
        End If

        Dim oPDFConvertor3D
        oPDFConvertor3D = oPDFAddIn.Automation

        'Set a reference to the active document (the document to be published).
        Dim oDocument As Document
        oDocument = invApp.ActiveDocument

        ' Create a NameValueMap object as Options
        Dim oOptions As NameValueMap
        oOptions = invApp.TransientObjects.CreateNameValueMap

        ' Options
        oOptions.Value("FileOutputLocation") = "c:\temp\test.pdf"
        oOptions.Value("ExportAnnotations") = 1
        oOptions.Value("ExportWorkFeatures") = 1
        oOptions.Value("GenerateAndAttachSTEPFile") = True
        oOptions.Value("VisualizationQuality") = Inventor.AccuracyEnum.kHigh

        ' Set the properties to export
        Dim sProps(0) As String
        sProps(0) = "{F29F85E0-4FF9-1068-AB91-08002B27B3D9}:Title"  ' Title

        oOptions.Value("ExportAllProperties") = False
        oOptions.Value("ExportProperties") = sProps

        ' Set the design views to export
        Dim sDesignViews(1) As String
        sDesignViews(0) = "Master"
        sDesignViews(1) = "View1"

        oOptions.Value("ExportDesignViewRepresentations") = sDesignViews

        'Publish document.
        Call oPDFConvertor3D.Publish(oDocument, oOptions)
    End Sub

But nothing to the level of 'how many spaces to use for empty field', or define BOM Item row output.  Unless we can crack open the application add-in's code (difficult itself) it will be very difficult to control what it does with the BOM Item.