SheetmetalDef.Unfold() crashes on an invisible part

[Anonymous]

I have a program that creates a part as visible being false and then when I try to create a flat pattern it crashes (the unfold method).  It works fine if I change my visible boolean to true.  I have a parameter in the part already for thickness named "thick"

This is the specific code that doesn't want to run:

        Dim oFlatDef As SheetMetalComponentDefinition = oPart.ComponentDefinition
        oFlatDef.UseSheetMetalStyleThickness = False
        oFlatDef.SheetMetalStyles.Item("Default").Thickness = "thick"
        oFlatDef.Unfold()

Anyone ran into this before?  Almost like it isn't updating the "Thickness" parameter in the background if it isn't visible.  I even tried to stick a part doc update in before the unfold method.

[YuhanZhang · Accepted solution]

This is known issue and was logged as  defect 1494610, please provide the number when you want to check its status. Current workaround is to make the sheet metal visible.

[jan.pomplun]

This bug still exists in Inventor 2018 - 4 years(!!) since reported above, which is very disappointing / unbelievable.

Does autodesk intend to ever fix it?

[YuhanZhang]

Hi Jan,

This is not in our top priority task backlog because users can workaround it when open the document in visible mode. Will it impact your project and can't you use the visible mode workaround? Can you provide me your business case(your company, Inventor seats, your clients number etc.) that would help me to push Product Management team to consider to fix it.

[Anonymous]

A response such as this from Autodesk is unacceptable.

1. This issue didn't exist until it was caused by a new release of Inventor.  I would let you know what version that was but it was so long ago I can't remember.
2. How would you rate the quality of a software that you use if you were told to "use a workaround to fix our admitted mistake" for FOUR YEARS?
3. Business case needed to escalate this?...FOUR YEARS is all that should be needed.
   1. Number of seats my company has is a terrible way to publicly justify a need to fix a mistake, so I'm not even going to mention how many seats my company has.

I know that these questions you asked are not your doing but I would love for you to pass along my response to the Product Management team and I would really love to hear their response.

[YuhanZhang]

I double checked with QA team and see this is fixed in coming Inventor 2019 build. If you have an Inventor 2019 build you can verify this fix, and let me know if any more problems. @jan.pomplun