Manufacturing DevBlog

Clear “Show My Home on startup” option

By Sajith Subramanian

We had a query to clear the  “Show My Home on startup”  option under Inventor Application Options, General Tab, using the Inventor API.

Currently, there is no API to achieve this directly.

However, since Inventor 2018, the application options are no longer in the registry.  They are now in an XML file that’s located in the user’s roaming profile: 
C:\Users\<<USER>>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Inventor 2019\UserApplicationOptions.xml
 
This file contains changes from the default Application option settings. 
The “Show My Home” section is part of the “<General>” element: 
<General ShowHomeBaseOnStartup="0"/>
 
Additionally, It will also contain other attributes, if other settings in the “General” Application Options tab differ from the default. For e.g.:
   <General MruSize="45" ShowHomeBaseOnStartup="0"/>

Forge NextGen webinars!

Are you ready to learn about the new technologies that will become available on the Forge platform? 
Then you should not miss these webinars :)

Date : 26th April 2018
Time : 8.00 AM PST
Duration : 90 minutes
Title : The Future of Making Things on Forge: Sneak Peek at Forge NextGen (HFDM & App Framework)
Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8209398405782333955
Presenter:  Lior Gerling, Sr. Product Manager Forge Platform
 
Date : May 9th 2018
Time : 8.00 AM PST
Duration : 90 minutes
Title : A technical introduction to Forge High Frequency Data Management (HFDM) SDK and Forge App Framework
Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3624195224359611394  
Presenter:  Kai Schroeder, Engineering Manager, Forge Platform

Accessing iProperties through iLogic code

By Chandra shekar Gopal

iProperty is a set of attributes for each Inventor file such as part number, description and physical material. You can also create custom iProperties.

From each document you can access its associated iProperties. iProperties are used to track and manage files, create reports, and automatically update assembly bills of materials, drawing parts lists, title blocks, and other information.

For more details on importance and structure of iProperties, you can refer this link. Now, many people used to ask iLogic code to access iPropeties. Below table gives list of iProperties and respective iLogic code.

Inventor Summary Information
Property Name	Type	iLogic code
Author	String	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Author")
Comments	String	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Comments“)
Keywords	String	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Keywords")
Last Saved By	String	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Last Saved By")
Thumbnail	IPictureDisp	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Thumbnail")
Revision Number	String	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Revision Number")
Subject	String	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Subject")
Title	String	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Title")
Inventor Document Summary Information
Property Name	Type	iLogic code
Category	String	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Category")
Company	String	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Company“)
Manager	String	iProperties.Value("Summary", "Manager")
Design Tracking Properties
Property Name	Type	iLogic code
Authority	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Authority")
Catalog Web Link	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Catalog Web Link")
Categories	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Categories")
Checked By	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Checked By")
Cost	Currency	iProperties.Value("Project", "Cost")
Cost Center	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Cost Center")
Creation Time	Date	iProperties.Value("Project", "Creation Time")
Date Checked	Date	iProperties.Value("Project", "Date Checked")
Defer Updates	Boolean	iProperties.Value("Project", "Defer Updates")
Description	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Description")
Design Status	Long	iProperties.Value("Project", "Design Status")
Designer	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Designer")
Document SubType	String	iProperties.Value("Project", " Document SubType")
Document SubType Name	String	iProperties.Value("Project", " Document SubType Name")
Engineer	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Engineer")
Engr Approved By	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Engr Approved By")
Engr Date Approved	Date	iProperties.Value("Project", "Engr Date Approved")
External Property Revision Id	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "External Property Revision Id")
Language	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Language")
Manufacturer	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Manufacturer")
Material	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Material")
Mfg Approved By	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Mfg Approved By")
Mfg Date Approved	Date	iProperties.Value("Project", "Mfg Date Approved")
Parameterized Template	Boolean	iProperties.Value("Project", "Parameterized Template")
Part Icon	IPictureDisp	iProperties.Value("Project", "Part Icon")
Part Number	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Part Number")
Part Property Revision Id	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Part Property Revision Id")
Project	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Project")
Proxy Refresh Date	Date	iProperties.Value("Project", "Proxy Refresh Date")
Size Designation	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Size Designation")
Standard	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Standard")
Standard Revision	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Standard Revision")
Standards Organization	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Standard Organization")
Stock Number	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Stock Number")
Template Row	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Template Row")
User Status	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "User Status")
Vendor	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Vendor")
Weld Material	String	iProperties.Value("Project", "Weld Material")

 

Vault Browser + Forge Sample

By Sajith Subramanian

The earlier Vault Browser + Forge sample by Wayne has now been updated. (Link to Wayne’s sample: https://github.com/Wayne-Brill/VaultBrowserSample_Forge_Demo).

Please find the link to the newer solution here: https://github.com/sajith-subramanian/VaultBrowser_Forge_Sample.

Some key highlights of this updated sample are as listed below:

1. This example does a read only sign-in into Vault, hence does not consume a Vault License.
2. Is not really based off the Vault Browser sample provided in the SDK, contains lesser code.
3. No longer uses Apprentice Server, so no need to have Inventor View / Inventor installed.

In order to use this sample you would need Autodesk developer credentials. Visit the Forge Developer Portal, sign up for an account, then create an app.

Below is a screencast of how the application works.

Copy Model iProperties to Drawing Document via iLogic code

By Chandra shekar Gopal

Question: Is there any Inventor API to enable “Copy Model iProperty Settings” in a Drawing Document as shown in below?

Answer: Unfortunately, there is no direct Inventor API to enable “Copy Model iProperties Settings” in Drawing Document. But below iLogic code helps to copy iProperties from Model Document to Drawing Document.

Dim oPropList As ArrayList = New ArrayList()
oPropList.Add("AUTHOR")
oPropList.Add("AUTHORITY")
oPropList.Add("CATEGORY")
oPropList.Add("CHECKED BY")
oPropList.Add("CHECKED DATE")
oPropList.Add("COMMENTS")
oPropList.Add("COMPANY")
oPropList.Add("COST CENTER")
oPropList.Add("CREATION DATE")
oPropList.Add("DESCRIPTION")
oPropList.Add("DESIGN STATE")
oPropList.Add("DESIGNER")
oPropList.Add("ENGR APPROVAL DATE")
oPropList.Add("ENGR APPROVED BY")
oPropList.Add("ENGINEER")
oPropList.Add("ESTIMATED COST")
oPropList.Add("KEYWORDS")
oPropList.Add("MANAGER")
oPropList.Add("MFG APPROVED BY")
oPropList.Add("MFG APPROVED DATE")
oPropList.Add("PART NUMBER")
oPropList.Add("PROJECT")
oPropList.Add("REVISION NUMBER")
oPropList.Add("STATUS")
oPropList.Add("STOCK NUMBER")
oPropList.Add("SUBJECT")
oPropList.Add("TITLE")
oPropList.Add("VENDOR")
oPropList.Add("WEBLINK")

sel_iProperty = InputListBox("CHOOSE iPROPERTY FROM ABOVE LIST", oPropList, oPropList.Item(0), "iPROPERTY SELECTION", "LIST OF iPROPERTY")

oRefDoc = ThisDrawing.ModelDocument

Dim oPropValue As String

Select Case sel_iProperty

Case "AUTHOR"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Summary Information").Item("Author").value
     iProperties.Value("Summary", "Author") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")

Case "AUTHORITY"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Authority").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Authority") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "CATEGORY"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Document Summary Information").Item("Category").value
     iProperties.Value("Summary", "Category") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "CHECKED BY"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Checked By").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Checked By") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "CHECKED DATE"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Date Checked").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Date Checked") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "COMMENTS"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Summary Information").Item("Comments").value
     iProperties.Value("Summary", "Comments") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "COMPANY"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Document Summary Information").Item("Company").value
     iProperties.Value("Summary", "Company") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "COST CENTER"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Cost Center").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Cost Center") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "CREATION DATE"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Creation Time").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Creation Time") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "DESCRIPTION"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Description").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Description") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "DESIGN STATE"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Design Status").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Design Status") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "DESIGNER"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Designer").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Designer") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "ENGR APPROVAL DATE"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Engr Date Approved").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Engr Date Approved") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "ENGR APPROVED BY"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Engr Approved By").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Engr Approved By") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "ENGINEER"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Engineer").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Engineer") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "ESTIMATED COST"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Cost").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Cost") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "KEYWORDS"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Summary Information").Item("Keywords").value
     iProperties.Value("Summary", "Keywords") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "MANAGER"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Document Summary Information").Item("Manager").value
     iProperties.Value("Summary", "Manager") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "MFG APPROVED BY"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Mfg Approved By").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Mfg Approved By") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "MFG APPROVED DATE"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Mfg Date Approved").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Mfg Date Approved") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "PART NUMBER"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Part Number").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Part Number") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "PROJECT"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Project").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Project") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "REVISION NUMBER"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Summary Information").Item("Revision Number").value
     iProperties.Value("Summary", "Revision Number") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "STATUS"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("User Status").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "User Status") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "STOCK NUMBER"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Stock Number").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Stock Number") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "SUBJECT"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Summary Information").Item("Subject").value
     iProperties.Value("Summary", "Subject") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "TITLE"    
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Summary Information").Item("Title").value
     iProperties.Value("Summary", "Title") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "VENDOR"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Vendor").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Vendor") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
Case "WEBLINK"
     oPropValue = oRefDoc.PropertySets("Design Tracking Properties").Item("Catalog Web Link").value
     iProperties.Value("Project", "Catalog Web Link") = oPropValue
     MessageBox.Show(sel_iProperty + " iProperty updated successfully with value : " + oPropValue, "iProperty")
End Select

On running above iLogic code, a Input list box appears for selection of iProperty as shown in below image.

After selecting iProperty from list and clicking “OK” button, respective value of iProperty from Model document will be copied to Drawing document.