VBA existing joint info
Replacing parts in an assembly, and maintaining their constraints & joints is tricky business. If both parts were created from the same source file, and both had the same face, then they would likely keep their constraints. But that is usually not the case. Perhaps using iMates would hold-up better when panning on routinely replacing the part.
Each face, edge, and entity with in a design, has unique identifiers. Even if you created two identical parts sequentially from scratch, using the same template file, the corresponding faces are identified differently, so it knows one is not the other.
When you give a face a name, you are basically assigning an Attribute to that face. You may be able to use the AttrubuteManager's FindObjects function to identify the face of the other part if it has the same name though.
Wesley Crihfield
(Not an Autodesk Employee)
The key to passing most things between iLogic and VBA is usually a NameValueMap.
I don't know how familiar you are with them. They're fairly simple. A NameValueMap, basically can contain a list of pairs. Each pair has a Name and a Value. They can be passed back and forth because they stay in 'session memory', and are TransientObjects.
Wesley Crihfield
(Not an Autodesk Employee)
Here is a simple test to help you learn about them.
Create two external iLogic rules. First rule is named "NameValueMap 1". Second Rule is named "NameValueMap 2".
Copy & paste the following code into the rule named "NameValueMap 1"
'Create a NameValueMap
Dim oMap As NameValueMap = ThisApplication.TransientObjects.CreateNameValueMap
'Add a Name / Value pair into it.
oMap.Add("TestName", "TestValue")
'Run your second rule here.
iLogicVb.RunExternalRule("NameValueMap 2", oMap)
'This is where you get the other Value back from the second rule.
MsgBox("First Rule - Value returned from second rule = " & oMap.Value("Return"))
'Now copy the following contents into the rule named "NameValueMap 2".
'Retrieve NameValue Pair from calling rule
'Arguments is a NameValueMap
Dim oRecivedValue As String = RuleArguments.Arguments.Value("TestName")
'This next line is just prooving that this rule recieved what you sent to it.
'You can delete it when you've learned the trick.
MsgBox("Second Rule - Recieved Pair Value = " & oRecivedValue)
'Do something with the oRecieved Value
'Now establish the value you want to send back to the Calling Rule.
Dim oValueToSendBack As String = "It Worked!"
'Return a new Value to the Calling Rule
RuleArguments.Arguments.Value("Return") = oValueToSendBack
I hope this helps.
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Also, if you're interested, here are a few of the 'Ideas' I'd like to get implemented.
If you agree with any of them, please vote for them.
- Add more capabilities to the 'Customize' dialog box (exe. Add Tab & Add Panel) Click Here
- MessageBox, InputBox, and InputListBox Size & Format Options Click Here
- Constrain & Dimension Images In Assembly Sketches & Drawing Sketches (TitleBlocks & SketchedSymbols) Click Here
- Save Section View Status In DesignViewRepresentation (So It Can Be Used In The Drawing) Click Here
- Add SolidBodies Folder In iLogic Rule Editor Model Tab Click Here
- Convert All Views To Raster Before Autosave Stores To 'OldVersions' Folder Click Here
- SetDesignViewRepresentation - Fix limitations for DrawingView of a Part Click Here
- Create DocumentSubTypeEnum Click Here
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Wesley Crihfield
(Not an Autodesk Employee)
