FindUsingVector or Ray

[HermJan.Otterman]

Hello,

I have an Assembly with multiple levels. I try to find if a part is in front of an other part with the FindByUsingVector methode. This seems to work on the first and second level, but when I shoot the vector from a part in a sub-sub assembly (third level) it does not see the other parts that are in a higher assembly...?? is there some limitation?

I use the ComponentDefinition of the main assembly

also I tried changing the option filter but that did not help. I use kPartFaceFilter and kAssemblyOccurrenceFilter.

should I maybe use the FindByUsingRay methode? what is the difference between the two?

[JelteDeJong · Accepted solution]

I think that if you use "kAssemblyOccurrenceFilter" it will only find occurrences of the main assembly. (there for it would also only find sub assembly's but never occurrences in a sub-assembly) But if you would use "kAssemblyLeafOccurrenceFilter" it would find all parts in any (sub)assembly.

I created the following iLogic rule. it will select what ever part is in the middle of your screen using "FindUsingVector()". (Also if the part/occurrences are 3 sub-assemblies deep)

Dim doc As AssemblyDocument = ThisDoc.Document

Dim eye As Point = ThisApplication.ActiveView.Camera.Eye
Dim target As Point = ThisApplication.ActiveView.Camera.Target
Dim direction As Vector = eye.VectorTo(target)

Dim def As AssemblyComponentDefinition = doc.ComponentDefinition
Dim objs As ObjectsEnumerator = doc.ComponentDefinition.FindUsingVector(
	eye, direction.AsUnitVector, {SelectionFilterEnum.kAssemblyLeafOccurrenceFilter})

doc.SelectSet.Clear()
For Each item As Object In objs
    doc.SelectSet.Select(item)
Next
MsgBox(objs.Count()) 

[HermJan.Otterman]

Thank's Jelte for your reply!

The kAssemblyOccurrenceFilter gives me much more back then only Subassemblies and that is why I don't understand the filter so much. For the levels 1 and 2 to works and it will find the components or surfacebodyproxy's

I tried also the AllEntityFilter and saw it did not give me back much more. I will try to so what the kAssemblyLeafOccurrenceFilter gives me back..  thanks!

My code look a little like you code, I also use the Camera eye and target but then of a Front view in a 2D drawing. In 3D then front view would be 0,-1,0 (vector) so you would look in the -Y direction. but when I get the vector between the target and the Eye, it is not 0,-1,0 as I would expect but a little bit off, like -0.01, -0.995, -0.01.  I think for now, but have to do more testing, that my search vector was missing the object in front of it because of this slight deviation of the camera direction. I Use this camera direction also for my "FindUsingRay" direction

So many strange things for me on this:

- the filters give me back things I would not expect

- the camera direction of the frontview (2D) is not what it would be in 3D

- also if I run my code with only the .dwg open, with a view of my assembly, the code won't run. I have to open the assembly also!, so I gues it has something to do with the "FindUsingVector" is using the graphics or so??

my code now works with some "but's"...

[HermJan.Otterman]

hello Jelte, because of your answer I found an error in my code.

to get the camera dircetion I use:

Dim oViewDirection As Inventor.Vector = oTg.CreateVector(oTarget.X - oEye.X, -oTarget.Y - oEye.Y, oTarget.Z - oEye.Z)  ... (this is now the corrected one!, because I made an error in this.)

The error I found using your, much nicer code

Dim oViewDirection As Inventor.Vector = oTarget.VectorTo(oEye)  .... !!!

so thanks for your help