Automatic check of Inventor design (perspectives of IDC etc.)

[Maxim-CADman77]

Foreword:

I don’t feel like posting here will improve things (have too much experience of the opposite – existing issues are ignored by Autodesk for years). Anyway, I won’t repeat. For those interested - see my most recent posts (especially in Vault General discussions).

This thread is for those interested in discussing perspectives of automatic check of Inventor design via Inventor Design Checker (referenced below as «IDC») - «Subscribers only»* add-in for Autodesk Inventor.

I personally found it ineffective to IDC-feedback the default way (through e-mail).

I also want to get point of view of people like me (potential customers).

The whole idea of automatic checking Inventor design is great and… not new.

Several years ago we developed a bunch of iLogic checks for “i CHECK IT” (software kit by Tata Technologies company). However, due to several cons of “i CHECK IT” it was not implemented widely here. Yet it have some limited usage in our company and does it job satisfactory.

Of course when IDC was released we tested it as competing software (even so functionality does differ).

Alas!

Current IDC is too rought/buggy to be implemented in commercial companies.

Below I’ll post issues we’ve faced during testing the 1.0.5 version of IDC within Inventor 2014 (build 246) and short description of why we consider each issue critical.

* IDC seems to be highly under-tested and it’s «Subscribers only» status makes things even worst.

What supposed to be the privilege turns out a kind of curse (only those who payed is granted to face all the issues).

My feelings: high disappointment regarding wasted time – nothing to implement yet lots of work done (no profit for my main job which is CAD management and not testing … which is usually payed separately, and sometimes higher then coding).

[Maxim-CADman77]

I've just rolled back IDC version from 1.0.9 to 1.0.5 (we are using Inventor 2014) because of failure to show results of custom iLogic checks in Assembly profile on LiveCheck on Document Open  (it just shows two empty folders PASS and FAIL).

1.0.5 version has no this issue.

[Maxim-CADman77]

We use LiveCheck together with our collection of iLogic-rules set twice (On Open and On Save).

We see doubling indication of check-results after On Demand check which looks a bit confusing, but this seems a minor acceptable drawback in context of the described workflow (hope there would be some improvement of using several triggers for each custom check in a later releases).

[YuhanZhang]

Can you share me  reproducible steps for the issue with snapshots and iLogic code(don't send confidential info)?

[Maxim-CADman77]

Same PC with the two Inventor versions installed (2014 and 2019).

1. Install IDC1.0.5

2. Run Inventor 2014 with Default.ipj active

3. Make sure that in IDC settings LiveCheck is Enabled and xml used.

4. Add the attached Sample iLogicVB rule to the «Default Assembly Profile» with Event Trigger = «Open file».

5. Create a new IAM and make sure it’ve passed the custom check:

6. Close Inv2014.

7. Uninstall IDC 1.0.5 and install 1.0.9

8. Start (reregister etc) Inventor 2019 with ipj active

9. Make sure all IDC settings are the same

10. Create New IAM and make sure you don’t know whether the check have been run at all:

11. Re-run all Checks to make sure the issue only happens on Open:

[YuhanZhang]

Don't find the attachment, please re-attach it.

[Maxim-CADman77]

Huh, forum seems not accept iLogicVB extension for attachement.
Please find it "zipped".

[YuhanZhang]

I can reproduce the problem and logged it as INVGEN-23153, please provide the number to query its status. I will let you know when it is fixed.

[Maxim-CADman77]

One more time about most critical Issue reported on 5-26-2016 at the start of this thread 

The issue is easy reproducible on up-to-date Autodesk-only dataset and software (Inventor 2019 with most recent "Update 2" installed + Inventor Design Checker 1.0.9)

1. Download and unpack (to the default path) Legacy Sample Files for Inventor 2019 (http://download.autodesk.com/us/support/files/inventor_2019_sample_files/autodesk_inventor_2019_samp... samples)
2. Open stand-alone Add-In Manager of Inventor 2019 and make sure none of Add-Ins is marked to load automatically.
3. Open stand-alone Project Editor and activate C:\Autodesk\autodesk_inventor_2019_samples_dlm\samples.ipj
4. Open C:\Autodesk\autodesk_inventor_2019_samples_dlm\Models\Assemblies\Engine MKII\Components\Flywheel\ folder in Explorer and delete all three Configuration Member files (2 Shoe Flywheel.ipt, 3 Shoe Flywheel.ipt, 4 Shoe Flywheel.ipt).
5. Open C:\Autodesk\autodesk_inventor_2019_samples_dlm\Models\Assemblies\Engine MKII\Components\Flywheel.ipt for editing.
6. Expand "Table" entry in Model Browser, RMB on "Member = 3 Shoe Flywheel" and press "Generate Files".

Repeat "Generate Files" for "4 Shoe Flywheel" and make sure none dialog box appears in both cases (THIS IS "AS EXPECTED" BEHAVIOUR)

Next steps allow to reproduce the influence of IDC on the workflow:

6. Close Flywheel.ipt
7. Load IDC using build-in Add-in Manager
8. Make sure default IDC settings are used (default profile and LiveCheck is enabled)
9. Repeat step 4
10. Repeat step 5
11. Press SAVE !!!
12. Repeat step 6 and see Save-command dialog box containing notification about RE-saving ???Configuration Factory itself (which is repeats on save of EACH Member !!):

THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT SOMETHING USER WANTS TO HAPPEN because from this moment he need to start updating each and every parent document which just unacceptable in real production workflow where Autodesk Vault and some ERP are used.

PS: Taking to a count plenty of IDC issues including several critical that were not fixed after several years since revealing we are going to start development our own shell for correct running of our corporate collection of custom iLogic checks (we are used not to use any of build-in checks of the IDC).

IDC is good point to start but it doesn't suit generic requirements of real professional work.

[Maxim-CADman77]

In fact step 11 (Save) is not necessary - issue is reproducible without it.
It just clarifies that this (prompt to save what have been saved just before) is not a feature but issue (defect).

[Anonymous]

I was wondering why you keep using this app? The amount of errors is big.

[Maxim-CADman77]

We succeeded in developing our own app and thus don't use IDC anymore.