Pack and Go API

[Anonymous]

Looking for a bit of guidance with the Pack and Go API.

I have ran the example API provided in Inventor 2017 within VB.NET as follows (This is running on a simple form on button press):

Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As System.Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
 Dim oPacknGoComp As New PackAndGoLib.PackAndGoComponent

 Dim oPacknGo As PackAndGoLib.PackAndGo
 oPacknGo = oPacknGoComp.CreatePackAndGo("C:\PacknGo\Source\Castor Parts.iam", "C:\PacknGo\Castor Parts")

 ' Set the design project. This defaults to the current active project.
 oPacknGo.ProjectFile = "C:\PacknGo\Source\Castor Parts.ipj"

 Dim sRefFiles = New String() {}
 Dim sMissFiles = New Object

 ' Set the options
 oPacknGo.SkipLibraries = True
 oPacknGo.SkipStyles = True
 oPacknGo.SkipTemplates = True
 oPacknGo.CollectWorkgroups = False
 oPacknGo.KeepFolderHierarchy = True
 oPacknGo.IncludeLinkedFiles = True

 ' Get the referenced files
 oPacknGo.SearchForReferencedFiles(sRefFiles, sMissFiles)

 ' Add the referenced files for package
 oPacknGo.AddFilesToPackage(sRefFiles)

 ' Start the pack and go to create the package
 oPacknGo.CreatePackage()

 End Sub

This is causing an Error message "An unhandled exception of type 'System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException' occurred {"Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component."}"

All file paths are correct and output directory is created, I have double checked this as well as running the following:

Dim ProjFile As DesignProjectManager
            ProjFile = g_inventorApplication.DesignProjectManager
            'Convert Project name to string
            Dim ProjName As String
            ProjName = ProjFile.ActiveDesignProject.FullFileName
            Debug.Print("Active project: " & ProjName)

Which returns the debug print string correctly and then tried using:

oPacknGo.ProjectFile = ProjName

So I know the Project File is correct but no matter what I try it seems to continually fall over.

I can run the code successfully if I comment out the Project file line, however this only creates a Pack and Go of the singular Part/Assembly that is open and no linked files (which defeats the point of Pack and Go)

Any resolution/advise would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Thanks you!!!

It works really well !

[avinash.andhale]

In C# project (add-in, also from the standalone project) we are getting the exception at below statement.

PackAndGoLib.PackAndGoComponent oPacknGoComp = new PackAndGoLib.PackAndGoComponent();

I think the apprentice server can be created easily, but here it will not solve the error.



We also tried manually registering the .dll assembly using the command prompt. But this is neither helping us.
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\RegAsm.exe "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Inventor 2018\Bin\Autodesk.PackAndGo.Interop.dll"

[psaarloos]

Hi,

Can you post a zip of your C# stand-alone project? I will not run from within an Inventor add-in. It needs to run within a separate process, so the stand-alone application should work.

[avinash.andhale]

PackAndGo project as a standalone application.
Please find the attached zip file.

[psaarloos]

Hi,

It's working now. In the project properties on the build tab the option 'Prefer 32-bits' was checked. That caused the issue.

Good luck with creating your solution!

[avinash.andhale]

Even after unticking "Prefer 32 bit", the exception is the same.
This is working at your end, means I have messed up with the registry entries.

I will check the same project on another machine.

Please share, why the PackAndGo will not work within add-in project.

[psaarloos]

My guess is that the Pack And Go API is making use of Inventor Apprentice, which is basically a light weight, very fast 'Inventor' version with limited functionality. It is very fast for gathering references, querying properties, etc, but you can't do anything with graphics for example.

You can't access Inventor Apprentice from an add-in as well. It's because the add-in runs within the Inventor process. The best 'trick' is to launch a console application with a command in your Inventor add-in and work with ExitCode or something like that to get feedback from the console application back in your add-in.

Hope it helps.

[Anonymous]

hey pim,

I know this thread is a Little old by now, nevertheless maybe you can still help me with this.

I am using your solution to execute an console application from an Inventor addin to make a PackandGo Operation.

The Launch seems to work fine, but in the console application there is something wrong. As I didn't know how to work with

                    Try
                        PackAndGo(args(1),args(2))
                    Catch ex As Exception
                        Environment.Exit(1)
                    End Try

I implemented the whole PackAndGo Task directly, instead of the line "PackAndGo(args(1),args(2))"

For the PackandGo Code I used your example wich makes use of the ApprenticeServerComponent as posted earlier. But this line causes Problems:

Dim oPacknGoComp As New PackAndGoLib.PackAndGoComponent

The code never passes this line, but no error is thrown. I put a MsgBox before and after the line. The one before Pops up, the MsgBox after does not. It's like there would stand "Exit Sub" directly after.

Please see the Attachment for the full Code

[psaarloos]

Hi Jake,

Code is looking all fine to me. Couple of things to verify:

1. Is your console application set to use '.NET Framework 4.5' (or higher)? (Project Properties --> Application tab).
2. Is the target CPU set to AnyCPU?
3. Option prefer 32-bit unchecked? (Project Properties --> Build tab)
4. Did you reference the 'Autodesk.PackAndGo.Interop.dll' assembly from the same Inventor version as being used? 

[Anonymous]

Hey pim,

indeed.

Prefer 32bit was checked in the console application. Man.. for hours I searched for an error in the code.

Thank you very much!

[Anonymous]

Best

I cannot find a solution how I can take the dwg drawings with me. These are in the workspace but in a different folder.

I have to change this rule. But I don't find the information. I tried

 oPacknGo.AddFilesToPackage(path,sRefFiles)

path stands for the location of the folder. But this gives an error 😞

Do you know of a possible solution or where I can find more information about how it works?

thank you in advance

[bradeneuropeArthur]

Could you create a new topic for it?

I have some new code for you!

[amarcoc]

Hi.

I am complete newbie on .NET (already done a lot in VBA ana iLogic).

Since P&G API is broken for iLogic and VBA, I will try using Visual Studio.

Would you kindly share your full project?

I need to make a custom pack and go.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Hi ,

This is avalable in Inventor programing help.

But the Issue is it is VBA Code , Here I need VB.Net code.

There is a variation in that.

Please find my issue in the screen shot.

[bradeneuropeArthur]

Hi,

Could you upload your code?

Regards,

[tobias_wiesendanger]

This changed to be even more worse. You now need to also add a manifest described here:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-programming-ilogic/inventor-api-error-quot-ordinal-345-could...