Manufacturing DevBlog

Modify "Create Tube & Pipe Run" dialog content

By Adam Nagy

When you switch to "Tube & Pipe" environment ...

... then before the "Create Tube & Pipe Run" dialog pops up, the OnPopulateFileMetadata event of the FileUIEvents object will be called, which we can handle. To handle events we need a class, so I created one called "clsEvents" in VBA: 

' Code of clsEvents Class
Dim WithEvents oFE As FileUIEvents

Private Sub Class_Initialize()
  Set oFE = ThisApplication.FileUIEvents
End Sub

Private Sub oFE_OnPopulateFileMetadata( _
ByVal FileMetadataObjects As ObjectsEnumerator, _
ByVal Formulae As String, _
ByVal Context As NameValueMap, _
HandlingCode As HandlingCodeEnum)
  
  ' Unfortunately the Context is not filled with info
  ' in case of the Tube & Pipe dialog
  ' so we can only figure out if this event was
  ' fired by it through checking the metadata
  
  ' If not the correct amount of data, we're done
  If FileMetadataObjects.Count <> 2 Then Exit Sub
  
  Dim fmd1 As FileMetadata
  Set fmd1 = FileMetadataObjects(1)
  
  ' If the suggested assembly file name does not
  ' contain "Tube and Pipe Runs", we're done
  If InStr(1, fmd1.FileName, "Tube and Pipe Runs") < 1 Then Exit Sub

  Dim fmd2 As FileMetadata
  Set fmd2 = FileMetadataObjects(2)

  fmd1.FullFileName = "C:\temp\myruns\runs.iam"
  fmd2.FullFileName = "C:\temp\myruns\myrun1\run1.iam"

  HandlingCode = kEventHandled
End Sub

In order to start listening to this event we need to instantiate our class and keep a global reference to it. This could be done e.g. inside a VBA module. If you also want your command to automatically start the Tube & Pipe environment then you can do it as shown in the below code, based on this blog post: http://modthemachine.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/03/running-commands-using-the-api.html

' Global reference to the event listener 
Dim oEvents As clsEvents

Sub StartListeningToEvents()
  Set oEvents = New clsEvents
  
  ' Uncomment below code if you want to start the
  ' Tube & Pipe environment
  'Dim oCDs As ControlDefinitions
  'Set oCDs = ThisApplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions
  
  'Dim oCD As ControlDefinition
  'Set oCD = oCDs("HSL:Piping:CreatePipeRun")
  
  'Call oCD.Execute
End Sub

And this change will be reflected in the dialog:

If we click OK, we end up with a model like this:

You can also hook up your VBA macro to a button in the UI following this blog post:
http://modthemachine.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/03/buttons-for-vba-macros-in-the-ribbon-user-interface.html

Use HiddenCommands() in IExplorerExtension to Hide Vault Explorer commands

By Wayne Brill

You can use the HiddenCommands function to hide commands in Vault Explorer. If this function returns names of commands they will be hidden. To get the names of Vault commands you can use the CommandIds property of the IApplication that is passed into the OnLogOn function:

public void OnLogOn(IApplication application)

{

    System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<string> cmds = application.CommandIds;

}

 

Here is an example that uses HiddenCommands() to hide the Checkout, CheckIn and Rename commands.

public IEnumerable<string> HiddenCommands()

{

    IEnumerable<string> cmdsToHide = new string[] { "QuickCheckOut", "CheckIn", "Rename" };

    return cmdsToHide;

}

To test this you can use the HelloWorld SDK sample:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Autodesk\Autodesk Vault 2016 SDK\vs12\CSharp\HelloWorld

See this post for an example code that you can use to display the command id (a string) every time you invoke a command in Vault explorer.

Use Excel API to export PartsList content

By Adam Nagy

In case PartsList.Export() does not do exactly what you need, you can take full control of what gets exported and how by using the Excel API directly. 

The following sample exports the content of the first PartsList of the active sheet. 

VBA

Sub ExportPartsListContent()
  Dim oExcel As Object
  Set oExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
  
  ' For debugging
  'oExcel.Visible = True
    
  Dim oWB As Object
  Set oWB = oExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\temp\test.xlsm")
  
  Dim oWS As Object
  Set oWS = oWB.ActiveSheet
  
  Dim oDoc As DrawingDocument
  Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
  
  Dim oSheet As Sheet
  Set oSheet = oDoc.ActiveSheet
  
  ' Export the first PartsList
  Dim oPL As PartsList
  Set oPL = oSheet.PartsLists(1)
  
  ' Starting cell position on the Excel sheet
  Dim iRowStart As Integer: iRowStart = 1
  Dim iColStart As Integer: iColStart = 1
  
  ' Export headers
  Dim iRow As Integer: iRow = iRowStart
  Dim iCol As Integer: iCol = iColStart
  Dim oCol As PartsListColumn
  For Each oCol In oPL.PartsListColumns
    oWS.Cells(iRow, iCol).Value = oCol.Title
    iCol = iCol + 1
  Next
  iRow = iRow + 1
  
  ' Export content
  Dim oRow As PartsListRow
  For Each oRow In oPL.PartsListRows
    iCol = iColStart
    Dim oCell As PartsListCell
    For Each oCell In oRow
      oWS.Cells(iRow, iCol).Value = oCell.Value
      iCol = iCol + 1
    Next
    iRow = iRow + 1
  Next
  
  ' Save it
  ' We disable the confirmation dialog
  ' in case the file already exists and
  ' needs to be overwritten
  oExcel.DisplayAlerts = False
  Call oWB.SaveAs("C:\temp\test2.xlsm")
  
  ' Close excel
  Call oExcel.Quit
End Sub

iLogic

AddReference "Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel"
Dim oExcel As New Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Application

' For debugging
'oExcel.Visible = True

Dim oWB As Object
oWB = oExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\temp\test.xlsm")

Dim oWS As Object
oWS = oWB.ActiveSheet

Dim oDoc As DrawingDocument
oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

Dim oSheet As Sheet
oSheet = oDoc.ActiveSheet

' Export the first PartsList
Dim oPL As PartsList
oPL = oSheet.PartsLists(1)

' Starting cell position on the Excel sheet
Dim iRowStart As Integer: iRowStart = 1
Dim iColStart As Integer: iColStart = 1

' Export headers
Dim iRow As Integer: iRow = iRowStart
Dim iCol As Integer: iCol = iColStart
Dim oCol As PartsListColumn
For Each oCol In oPL.PartsListColumns
  oWS.Cells(iRow, iCol).Value = oCol.Title
  iCol = iCol + 1
Next
iRow = iRow + 1

' Export content
Dim oRow As PartsListRow
For Each oRow In oPL.PartsListRows
  iCol = iColStart
  Dim oCell As PartsListCell
  For Each oCell In oRow
    oWS.Cells(iRow, iCol).Value = oCell.Value
    iCol = iCol + 1
  Next
  iRow = iRow + 1
Next

' Save it
' We disable the confirmation dialog
' in case the file already exists and
' needs to be overwritten
oExcel.DisplayAlerts = False
Call oWB.SaveAs("C:\temp\test2.xlsm")

' Close excel
Call oExcel.Quit

 

RangeBox of components

By Adam Nagy

If you want to get the extents of a ComponentOccurrence then you can use its RangeBox for that.
This will provide the information in the coordinate system of the top assembly:

Sub AddPoints1( _
oCD As AssemblyComponentDefinition, oOcc As ComponentOccurrence)
  Dim pt1 As Point
  Set pt1 = oOcc.RangeBox.MinPoint
  
  Dim pt2 As Point
  Set pt2 = oOcc.RangeBox.MaxPoint
  
  Call oCD.WorkPoints.AddFixed(pt1)
  Call oCD.WorkPoints.AddFixed(pt2)
End Sub

Sub ComponentExtents1()
  Dim oDoc As AssemblyDocument
  Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
  
  Dim oCD As AssemblyComponentDefinition
  Set oCD = oDoc.ComponentDefinition
  
  Dim oOcc As ComponentOccurrence
  For Each oOcc In oCD.Occurrences.AllLeafOccurrences
    Call AddPoints1(oCD, oOcc)
  Next
End Sub

If you want to get the extents in the part's or subassembly's coordinate system instead then you just have to drill down to the ComponentDefinition used by the occurrence, which will also have a RangeBox property. Then to show those points in the top assemblies coordinate system, you just have to transform them based on the occurrence's Transformation property:

Sub AddPoints2( _
oCD As AssemblyComponentDefinition, oOcc As ComponentOccurrence)
  Dim oRB As Box
  Set oRB = oOcc.Definition.RangeBox
  
  Dim pt1 As Point
  Set pt1 = oRB.MinPoint
  Call pt1.TransformBy(oOcc.Transformation)
  
  Dim pt2 As Point
  Set pt2 = oRB.MaxPoint
  Call pt2.TransformBy(oOcc.Transformation)
  
  Call oCD.WorkPoints.AddFixed(pt1)
  Call oCD.WorkPoints.AddFixed(pt2)
End Sub

Sub ComponentExtents2()
  Dim oDoc As AssemblyDocument
  Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
  
  Dim oCD As AssemblyComponentDefinition
  Set oCD = oDoc.ComponentDefinition
  
  Dim oOcc As ComponentOccurrence
  For Each oOcc In oCD.Occurrences.AllLeafOccurrences
    Call AddPoints2(oCD, oOcc)
  Next
End Sub

You could also get the extents in an arbitrary coordinate system, e.g. one defined by a UserCoordinateSystem object placed inside the part document. In this case we can use TransientBRep to transform the SurfaceBodies of the parts as also shown in this forum thread:  

Sub GetRangePoints3( _
oOcc As ComponentOccurrence, pt1 As Point, pt2 As Point)
  Dim oUCS As UserCoordinateSystem
  On Error Resume Next
  Set oUCS = oOcc.Definition.UserCoordinateSystems("UCS")
  On Error GoTo 0
  
  ' If the part does not have a UserCoordinateSystem object
  ' named "UCS" then we just use the part's coordinate system
  If oUCS Is Nothing Then
    Set pt1 = oOcc.Definition.RangeBox.MinPoint
    Set pt2 = oOcc.Definition.RangeBox.MaxPoint
    Exit Sub
  End If
  
  Dim oTB As TransientBRep
  Set oTB = ThisApplication.TransientBRep
  
  Dim oUT As Matrix
  Set oUT = oUCS.Transformation
  Call oUT.Invert
  
  Dim oSB As SurfaceBody
  Dim oTSB As SurfaceBody
  Dim oRB As Box
  For Each oSB In oOcc.Definition.SurfaceBodies
    Set oTSB = oTB.Copy(oSB)
    Call oTB.Transform(oTSB, oUT)
    If oRB Is Nothing Then
      Set oRB = oTSB.RangeBox
    Else
      Call oRB.Extend(oTSB.RangeBox.MinPoint)
      Call oRB.Extend(oTSB.RangeBox.MaxPoint)
    End If
  Next
  
  ' Transform points back to the part coordinate system
  Call oUT.Invert
  
  Set pt1 = oRB.MinPoint
  Call pt1.TransformBy(oUT)
  
  Set pt2 = oRB.MaxPoint
  Call pt2.TransformBy(oUT)
End Sub

Sub AddPoints3( _
oCD As AssemblyComponentDefinition, oOcc As ComponentOccurrence)
  Dim pt1 As Point
  Dim pt2 As Point
  Call GetRangePoints3(oOcc, pt1, pt2)
  
  Call pt1.TransformBy(oOcc.Transformation)
  Call pt2.TransformBy(oOcc.Transformation)
  
  Call oCD.WorkPoints.AddFixed(pt1)
  Call oCD.WorkPoints.AddFixed(pt2)
End Sub

Sub ComponentExtents3()
  Dim oDoc As AssemblyDocument
  Set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
  
  Dim oCD As AssemblyComponentDefinition
  Set oCD = oDoc.ComponentDefinition
  
  Dim oOcc As ComponentOccurrence
  For Each oOcc In oCD.Occurrences.AllLeafOccurrences
    Call AddPoints3(oCD, oOcc)
  Next
End Sub

The following article might also come handy in understanding the component transformations:
http://adndevblog.typepad.com/manufacturing/2013/07/occurrences-contexts-definitions-proxies.html