Open Drawing from Balloon

[Curtis_Waguespack]

A quick example of how to open a drawing from a balloon.

@harvey3ELEA 

Dim oDoc As DrawingDocument = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

While True

	'select Balloon
	Dim oBalloon As Balloon = Nothing
	oBalloon = ThisApplication.CommandManager.Pick _
	(SelectionFilterEnum.kDrawingBalloonFilter, _
	"Select a balloon to open a it's drawing. " & " (press ESC To Exit selection)")

	If IsNothing(oBalloon) Then Exit While

	Dim oLeader As Leader
	If oBalloon IsNot Nothing Then oLeader = oBalloon.Leader

	Dim oLeaderNode As LeaderNode = oLeader.AllNodes(oLeader.AllNodes.Count)
	Dim oIntent As GeometryIntent = oLeaderNode.AttachedEntity
	Dim oCurve As DrawingCurve = oIntent.Geometry
	Dim oProxy As EdgeProxy = oCurve.ModelGeometry
	Dim oOcc As ComponentOccurrence = oProxy.ContainingOccurrence
	Dim oRefDoc As Document = oOcc.Definition.Document
	Dim oFilePath As String = oRefDoc.FullFileName()
	Dim oDrawingFilePath As String = Left(oFilePath, Len(oFilePath) -3) & "idw"

	Try
		oDrawDoc = ThisApplication.Documents.Open(oDrawingFilePath, True)
		Exit While
	Catch
		MsgBox("Could not open " & oDrawingFilePath, , "iLogic")
	End Try


End While

[harvey3ELEA]

Now that's nice!  I did notice, however, the code doesn't like balloons that are on tangent surfaces, such as a pipe.  When I move the balloon to the pipe's cut edge, it performs the task properly.

Here's what I see when clicking on a tangent-connected balloon:

[Curtis_Waguespack · Accepted solution]

@harvey3ELEA , good catch, see this updated version

Dim oDoc As DrawingDocument = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

While True

	'select Balloon
	Dim oBalloon As Balloon = Nothing
	oBalloon = ThisApplication.CommandManager.Pick _
	(SelectionFilterEnum.kDrawingBalloonFilter, _
	"Select a balloon to open it's drawing. " & " (press ESC To Exit selection)")

	If IsNothing(oBalloon) Then Exit While

	Dim oLeader As Leader
	If oBalloon IsNot Nothing Then oLeader = oBalloon.Leader
	Dim oLeaderNode As LeaderNode = oLeader.AllNodes(oLeader.AllNodes.Count)
	Dim oIntent As GeometryIntent = oLeaderNode.AttachedEntity
	Dim oCurve As DrawingCurve = oIntent.Geometry
	Dim oOcc As ComponentOccurrence = oCurve.ModelGeometry.ContainingOccurrence
	Dim oRefDoc As Document = oOcc.Definition.Document
	Dim oFilePath As String = oRefDoc.FullFileName()
	Dim oDrawingFilePath As String = Left(oFilePath, Len(oFilePath) -3) & "idw"

	Try
		oDrawDoc = ThisApplication.Documents.Open(oDrawingFilePath, True)
		Exit While
	Catch
		MsgBox("Could not open " & oDrawingFilePath, , "iLogic")
	End Try

End While

[harvey3ELEA]

Success!  That did the trick.

The boss is impressed at how I'm now able to use Inventor drawings more effectively with you're recent codes.  His first comment:  why doesn't Inventor already have those built in?

Thanks, Harvey

[DMOTS1]

Thanks everyone!

[DMOTS1]

Thanks!

[DeptaM]

Hello, thank you for this rule. It's absolutely great.

Martin