Use VBA or iLogic to Activate Plugin

[el_jefe_de_steak]

Hi, I am wondering if there is a way to use VBA or iLogic to activate a function of a plugin we have purchased for Inventor. The plugin is designed to convert .ipt files into another format, and to use it you select parts and click a button that starts the conversion process based on the selection set.

I would like to use VBA to create the selection set and click the button...if that is possible.

In my mind, there should be a way to activate a publicly accessible function with VBA, but I have been wrong about these kinds of things before...

[bradeneuropeArthur]

Why can't you use the add-in selves?

[el_jefe_de_steak]

@bradeneuropeArthur 

I'm not really sure what you mean by your response, 

But, basically, I am trying to automate the export process that this plugin will do for us. Since the plugin itself does not have an API, I would like to know if I can use Inventor's built-in API to automatically trigger a function of the plugin.

[bradeneuropeArthur]

hi,

Depends on how it is programmed/coded.

Could you share the add-in, to test it.

Regards.

[el_jefe_de_steak]

I'm sorry, but it's a subcription-based add-in, and the files are locked until activated. The activation price is $1,000...

How about we use another add-in as an example? Do you have the "revison cloud" add-in? This is available as a part of the Inventor package, but needs to be added manually. We could use that as an example. You would have to initialize the "revision cloud" button via VBA or iLogic.

[bradeneuropeArthur]

Hi,

Do you have an overview of commands you would like to use in this add in?

I mean Command-names

Regards,

[bradeneuropeArthur · Accepted solution]

you can use this Code to extract all available commands within inventor.

Be sure that the add in is activated.

Run this and send me the text-file please

Sub PrintCommandNames()
    Dim oControlDefs As ControlDefinitions
    Set oControlDefs = ThisApplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions

    Dim oControlDef As ControlDefinition
    
    Open "C:\temp\CommandNames.txt" For Output As #1

    Print #1, Tab(10); "Command Name"; Tab(75); "Description"; vbNewLine
    
    For Each oControlDef In oControlDefs

        Print #1, oControlDef.InternalName; Tab(55); oControlDef.DescriptionText
        
    Next
    Close #1
End Sub

For i logic

Sub main()
    Dim oControlDefs As ControlDefinitions
    oControlDefs = ThisApplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions

    Dim oControlDef As ControlDefinition
    
	'____Create and write to a text file_________________
oWrite = System.IO.File.CreateText( "C:\temp\CommandNames.txt")
'oWrite.WriteLine("text in first line")
'oWrite.WriteLine("next line")
'oWrite.WriteLine("next line")

'open the file
'ThisDoc.Launch(ThisDoc.PathAndFileName(False) & ".txt")

    'Open "C:\temp\CommandNames.txt" For Output As #1

    oWrite.WriteLine ("Command Name ;" & "" & "Description ;")
    
    For Each oControlDef In oControlDefs

        oWrite.WriteLine( oControlDef.InternalName & "" & oControlDef.DescriptionText)
        
    Next
    oWrite.Close()
End Sub

Regards,

[Frederick_Law]

---

@el_jefe_de_steak wrote:

In my mind, there should be a way to activate a publicly accessible function with VBA, but I have been wrong about these kinds of things before...

---

Only if the addin expose a "publicly accessible function".

You need to ask the addin provider for API support and info.

You need to know which command to call and what parameters to pass.

[el_jefe_de_steak · Accepted solution]

Thanks so much for the idea! I used a combination of your idea and an idea from @JelteDeJong from my cross-referenced post.

The code I used to find the command for the button was this code below. The plugin is called CMS, so I wanted to find all CMS-named control definitions.

For Each controlDefinition As ControlDefinition In ThisApplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions
    If (controlDefinition.DisplayName.Contains("CMS")) Then
        MsgBox(controlDefinition.InternalName)
    End If
Next    

The result was rather interesting, as the control definition for this command was not named in a way that made any sense, but I was able to activate the command by using this iLogic code:

'Create refrence to the document
Dim doc As AssemblyDocument = ThisDoc.Document

'code to create selection set will be entered here

'Create a refrense to the suppress ControlDefinition and execute it
Dim command As ControlDefinition = ThisApplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions.Item("CMS:ShapeInfoAddin:PlateInfoBtn")
command.Execute()

[bradeneuropeArthur]

That were my thoughts too.

Good to hear that it works.