Vault 2018.2 - Bugs relating to PDF creation on file release

[MattH_Work]

Now that we have InventorServer (VaultInventorServer.exe to be precise) for generating out PDF's on state change, the process is a lot quicker and cheaper (no need for extra Inventor license) however...

First Issue

As I have upgraded my Inventor to 2018.2.3, any time JobProcessor runs and instigates a instance of VaultInventorServer.exe, my Inventor registration fails, as such any new instance of Inventor wants to re-register, and also Vault will not open any Inventor files (as it fails to see a valid Inventor install until the re-registration has completed)

Can we get a patch to upgrade VaultInventorServer.exe to the same 'release' level as Inventor 2018.2.3, so that they aren't fighting each other for registration

Second Issue

How can we get the Vault produce PDF (again via VaultInventorServer.exe) to be exactly the same as a manually created Inventor PDF. See the attached examples, it seems that there is a different light setup / lighting position between the files, depending on which program produces the PDF

This is Vault

 

This is Inventor

 

Although the above are examples of the issue, in this case the Inventor PDF is darker than Vault, on the 'real' file, Vault PDF is MUCH darker and therefore harder to read.

Whether Inventor or Vault is lighter or darker is neither here nor there, the fact remains that they are not the same. The user 'signs off' on the Inventor drawing and the Vault PDF is automatic. It MUST be identical!

Any input on this from Autodesk would be appreciated

Regards

MattH

[Richard.Rankin]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for posting this on the forums.

Firstly, I'm glad that you are enjoying not having to pay for an additional Inventor license to process Inventor jobs after installing 2018.2. 🙂

It looks like there still one or two issues that need to be ironed out.

Your first issue, I need to try and reproduce that, but it seems that it could happen if you have Inventor and Inventor Server installed on the same machine. I would not recommend that to anyone, but I can understand there are scenarios where it might be necessary, like for a demo workstation.

If there were a way, to have 2018.2 and go back to using just Inventor to process the jobs, would that be an acceptable workaround for you?

Your second issue, as you have learned, after installing Vault 2018.2 there is a new folder.

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Vault Professional 2018\Explorer\Inventor Server"

There is a subfolder called \Design Data.

What happens if you look at the ipj that Inventor used to create your first dwf, look at the location of the \Design Data, then copy that over to the "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Vault Professional 2018\Explorer\Inventor Server\Design Data" folder?

[MattH_Work]

Richard,
Thankyou for your prompt response.

With issue 1, we thought that would be the case, however, as both demo machines, and with customers in the real world, having a PC act as a CAD station and also a Job Processor is fairly normal.
No longer needing a dedicated Inventor license is a boon, however having to purchase a dedicated vault license is still not ideal, and for many customers not going to happen. Running both Inventor & Inventor Server on the same machine will be standard practice for many

As for issue 2, we are both on the same wave length, I have already tried copying the Design Data method, and also modify the Default light style (lighting.xml) to match my requirements. Unfortunately neither of these work.

Regards

Matt Hutchinson

[Richard.Rankin]

Hi Matt,

I have reproduced the behaviour where having Inventor and InventorServer on the same machine returns this message.

I have published an article where it capture this and suggests the option to revert Job Processor jobs back to Inventor.

Open From Vault results in "Reregistration of Inventor.exe" (I've only just published it, so it will be a day or so before it becomes visible to you)

Now that 2018.2 no longer consumes a licence, I cannot say if the numbers of customers out there running Inventor and the Job Processor on the same machine will continue to be normal. I guess, time will tell. In the meantime for demo purposes, you have at least the option to disable it, if you choose to.

I'm continuing to research the second issue......

[MattH_Work]

Whilst I don't agree that the Job Processor should have to be run on a separate PC, therefor taking a separate Vault license, I do appreciate your input

Regards

MattH

[rachel_li]

Hi Matt,

The first issue about re-registration, is a known issue, and we are working on resolving it. 

The second issue, is a limitation of Inventor for now to support the shaded lighting effect for drawing file. There's an idea station post and would you like to vote?

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/lighting-adjustability-in-idw-shaded-views/idi-p/37915...

Best Regards,

[MattH_Work]

Good to know you are working on the re-registration issue

As for the 2nd issue, while an ideastation posting may be relevant for those wanting to change the lighting within a shaded view, the fact remains that there is a difference between Inventor.exe & InventorServer.exe. For me and the customer to whom this issue is a major problem, Inventors current lighting scheme within a drawing is acceptable (they do after all release the drawing off the back of what the Inventor drawing looks like), shouldn't InventorServer.exe also produce an IDENTICAL PDF?

I don't want to change the lighting 'style', I just NEED them to be identical regardless of where the PDF was produced. Is not InventorServer.exe the same 'thing' as Inventor just without a UI?

Regards

MattH

[rachel_li]

Hi Matt, 

Actually the issue was existed before switching to Inventor Server. Using Inventor to create the PDF via Job Processor had the same problem. I tried using Inventor API to create PDF in Inventor VBA environment with drawing document opened in invisible mode and got the same unexpected result, which is different with the result by using API to create with drawing document opened in visible mode or using Export command in Inventor.

It's the limitation of Inventor/Inventor Server API when creating PDF in the background (without visible drawing document opened), and it is the way Job Processor executed, so the lighting effect is different.

According to the development, in order to fix the issue, we need to add customized lighting style feature for drawing, instead of using default style, as the default style in invisible mode is a little different with in visible mode. 

Sorry for confusing you, I should explain more. 

Best Regards,

[Richard.Rankin]

So to summarise,

The first issue is being tracked in this article.

Open From Vault results in "Reregistration of Inventor.exe"

The second issue is a limitation in Inventor and currently logged as a wish here:- 

Lighting Adjustability in IDW Shaded Views

[michael_marx]

Hi Richard,

i can´t agree that the second one is a wish.

because i´ve got another issue. i´ve got a german drawing with bend notes on it.

And after creating a pdf by the new jobprocessor and it´s inventor server i get english bend notes!!!

So this is not acceptable for a feature like jobprocessor publishing!

I´ve tried to overwrite the design data but still the same issue.

[Richard.Rankin]

Hi Michael,

We are happy to help you investigate this new problem.

I do not want to confuse the behaviour that you are seeing, with the above discussion. It might share the root cause, but it would be simpler if we treated it separately to esnure that we are addressing the right problem.

So I propose that we create a new support case and then one of us can work with you directly to delve deeper.

Is that OK?

[michael_marx]

That´s ok for me

[michael_marx]

Hi Richard,

my support case is still open and i´ve nothing new heard about two months!!!

Now i get the exact same behaviour with a 2019 installation . Wrong lightning and english bend notes on german drawings!!

I´ve send the support team a complete backup of my vault and a description why this behaviour exists.

I found out that it happens if i map the state historical property to the drawing!!

But i can´t understand why this has something to do with styles inside the drawing?!?

[Anonymous]

Did someone solve this?

We release the pdf version to our customer, and we've encountered differences also.  It's been an issue for some time, and for us it seems linked to the .dwf file.  the pdf created looks exactly like the dwf, but is different from the drawing when opened in inventor.

data integrity is kind of a big deal, please fix.  or at least comment.

[rachel_li]

We have been working on the solution for the issue, and possibly will get the fixing into Vault 2019 and 2020 Update in the near future. 

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

I have discovered the problem, at least for us.

The state displayed when you open the drawing file in inventor uses the latest version of the models, whether you like it or not - it is "updated" even when it isn't.

The state displayed by the visualization, and subsequently the PDF is the state the drawing was in when last checked in, WITHOUT ANY UPDATES, despite what you see on the screen.  This is where the issue lies, I think.  What you show the draftsperson is not what you make a visualization of.

We need WYSIWYG with regards to drawings/visualizations/pdf.  I don't care what the state is, updated or not - but they all need to be the same.  Or have an option to select what you want to do, with a preview.