Manufacturing DevBlog

Migrating add-in to latest product version

In the case of Inventor for many years the migration effort has been rather low - often you didn't even have to touch your add-in, it just worked with the new release as well.

Every now and then, however, we introduce changes that require testing and even rethink of certain parts of the code.

One such big change was moving from LOD (Level Of Detail) in Inventor 2021 to Model States in Inventor 2022. The changes not only affected code directly working with LOD, but other parts too:
Porting guide from Level of Details to Model states

Now we had another one: moving from .NET Framework 4.8 in Inventor 2024 to .NET 8 in Inventor 2025 - other products like Vault did the same.
If you are relying on libraries that do not work with .NET 8, that can be a problem.
It's worth checking, however, if your existing .NET Framework 4.8 add-in works with Inventor 2025 - it might, which could give you some extra time to migrate.
Autodesk Desktop API Updates: .NET Core 8.0 Migration | Webinar recording
Autodesk Vault 2025 SDK – Breaking News

If you are going from Inventor 2021 (or before) to Inventor 2025 you'll have to deal with both changes at the same time, which could be a big effort.

The bottom line of all the above is that Inventor developers should be testing their add-in in the latest versions, and don't just assume or hope that things will work.
You can get ahead of things by testing your add-in with Inventor betas and release candidates available on the feedback site, months before the final product is published. 

In general with Autodesk add-in and plug-ins it's very important to plan for migration activities before rolling out the tools in a large production environment. Without adequate testing in a "sandbox" environment, you can end up with incompatibilities and other issues after the rollout. 

The API documentation contains a What's New section that can be a good starting point when migrating to the new release. In the case of Inventor 2025 you can find it here.
You can find the same for Vault 2025 here - if you have developed solutions for that, those too should be tested for each new release.

If you're an ADN member then you can get additional licenses for development purposes at no extra cost which could also be useful to create a dedicated testing environment.

Using a Named User License with a Custom Web Application

By Sajith Subramanian

Users having a Named User license and working with a custom web application, can now login into Vault with their Named User license, with the existing Standard / Windows authentication.

With the Vault 2021.2 update onwards, the LogInWithUserLicense() method was added to support this workflow.

The sample code syntax for this method would be similar to:

VDF.Vault.Results.LoginResult results = VDF.Vault.Library.ConnectionManager.LogInWithUserLicense(
                 tbServerName.Text, tbVaultName.Text, tbUserName.Text, tbPassword.Text, Token, VDF.Vault.Currency.Connections.AuthenticationFlags.Standard, null);

m_conn = results.Connection;

The above method takes in an additional input parameter "Token". You can refer to the Forge documentation on how to generate this token:
https://forge.autodesk.com/en/docs/oauth/v2/tutorials/get-3-legged-token/

The Vault SDK also contains a ready to compile sample that demonstrates this workflow. On a default installation of Vault, you can find it here:
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Autodesk Vault 2022 SDK\VS19\CSharp\WebAppUserLicense
Do take a look at the included Readme.txt file that contains additional details to help build and run this sample.

Check if the File links of an Item are up-to-date

By Sajith Subramanian

If you wish to check if the file links of an item are up-to-date, using the API, then you can make use of the ItemFileLinkState property for that particular Item. So for e.g:

try
{    
  Item item = connection.WebServiceManager.ItemService.GetLatestItemByItemNumber("10001");   

  PropDef[] propDefs =
    connection.WebServiceManager.PropertyService.GetPropertyDefinitionsByEntityClassId("ITEM");  

  PropDef propdef =
  propDefs.Where(s => s.SysName == VDF.Vault.Currency.Properties.PropertyDefinitionIds.
                                                             Server.ItemFileLinkState).First();  

  PropInst prop = 
    connection.WebServiceManager.PropertyService.GetProperties("ITEM", 
                                        new long[] { item.Id }, new long[] { def.Id }).First();     

  var value = prop.Val;
}

This would return 3 possible values - 0, 10 and 20, which basically means: 0 – “Out of Date “; 10 – “Current”; 20 - "No links".

Using Microsoft Edge WebView2 in a DetailPaneTab

By Sajith Subramanian

Previously, in order to have a Chromium based browser control, you probably would have used CefSharp. Now there is an alternative which is also Chromium based, i.e. the WebView2.

One of the quicker and easier ways to test this, would be using the HelloWorld sample that comes along with the Vault SDK.

The first step in our HelloWorld sample would be to add the WebView2 SDK. To do so, navigate to Tools –> NuGet Package Manager –> Manage NuGet Packages for Solution, and install the WebView2 as shown below.

Next, open the UserControl file as Designer and add the WebView2 control as shown below:

For a complete step by step guide on using WebView2 with Windows forms, do take a look at the below article:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/webview2/gettingstarted/winforms

Now, in our Command Extension class, i.e. the HelloWorldCommandExtension.cs in the HelloWorld sample, add the below lines of code in the DetailTabs() function.

public IEnumerable<DetailPaneTab> DetailTabs()
   {
     // Create a DetailPaneTab list to return from method
     List<DetailPaneTab> fileTabs = new List<DetailPaneTab>();
      // Create Selection Info tab for Files
       DetailPaneTab filePropertyTab = new DetailPaneTab("File.Tab.browsertab",
                                                   "Browser Tab",
                                                   SelectionTypeId.File,
                                                   typeof(BrowserControl)); //type of our UserControl
   //The propertyTab_SelectionChanged is called whenever our tab is active and the selection    
     //changes in the main grid 

    filePropertyTab.SelectionChanged += propertyTab_SelectionChanged;
    fileTabs.Add(filePropertyTab);

Next add the below code in the Selection Changed event of our custom tab.

void propertyTab_SelectionChanged(object sender, SelectionChangedEventArgs e)
        {
            try
            {
                // The event args has our custom tab object.  We need to cast it to our type.
                BrowserControl tabControl = e.Context.UserControl as BrowserControl;
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
              // If something goes wrong, we don't want the exception to bubble up to Vault Explorer.
                MessageBox.Show("Error: " + ex.Message);
            }
        }

Lastly, to get this up and running, you would need the WebView2 runtime. You can download it here.

You should now have the browser control show up in your custom tab!

What’s new in the Vault 2021 API

By Sajith Subramanian

Vault 2021 was released worldwide in March 2020. This blog post will highlight the major API updates for this release.

In case you prefer to watch, rather than read, please feel free to skip to the below video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtWpkKAAnzM

New Web Service: Analytics Service

The Analytics Service collects and reports information back to users for Duplicate Search functionality, which finds geometrically identical shapes inside a Vault.

New Supporting Classes:

1. DuplicateSearchSnapshot

•  CandidateFileCount (long)
• Total files that are within the indexing scope for determining duplicates.
•  DuplicateFileCount (long)
• The number of files determined as duplicates.
• DuplicateFileGroupsCount (long)
• The number of files determined as having unique shapes (group).
• Extension (string)
• The file extension.
• IndexedFileCount (long)
• The number of files currently indexed for determining duplicates.
• VaultedFileCount (long)
• The total number of files that are in the current Vault.

2. DuplicateSearchStatus

• AnyFailedIndexedJobs (bool)
• Did any jobs fail for indexing the file data?
• IsEnabled (bool)
• Is the Duplicate Search functionality enabled?
• IsFoldersConfigured (bool)
• Are there any folders configured for file indexing?
• Snapshot (DuplicateSearchSnapshot)
• A snapshot of the duplicate search results.

3. DuplicateSearchFolderConfiguration

• FolderId (long)
• The folder ID in duplicate search’s scope.

4. DuplicateSearchConfiguration

• DuplicateSearchFolderConfigurationArray (DuplicateSearchFolderConfiguration[])
• A collection of duplicate search folder configurations, which defines the scope of folders to use in indexing.
• Enabled (bool)
• Is duplicate search enabled for the current Vault?

New Methods:

• DuplicateSearchConfiguration GetDuplicateSearchConfiguration()
• Gets the current Vault’s duplicate search configuration.
• void SetDuplicateSearchConfiguration(DuplicateSearchConfiguration config)
• Sets the duplicate search configuration for the current Vault.
• DuplicateSearchStatus GetDuplicateSearchStatus()
• Gets the Vault’s duplicate search status, which contains snapshot data.

Updated Web Service: Change Order Service

New Supporting Classes:

1. ChangeOrderEmailTemplate

• Body (string)
• The template for the email’s body.
• COPropDefIdArray (long[])
• A collection of which change order property definitions to include in the e-mail, selected by property definition ID.
• FilePropDefIdArray (long[])
• A collection of which controlled files’ property definitions to include in the e-mail, selected by property definition ID.
• ItemPropDefIdArray (long[])
• A collection of which controlled items’ property definitions to include in the e-mail, selected by property definition ID.
• Subject (string)
• The template for the email’s subject

2. EmailMsg

• Body (string)
• The e-mail’s body
• Subject (string)
• The e-mail’s subject

New Methods:

• ChangeOrderEmailTemplate GetDefaultEmailTemplate()
• Gets the current Vault’s system-generated (default) e-mail template for change order notifications.
• ChangeOrderEmailTemplate GetEmailTemplate()
• Gets the customized email template for change order notifications.
• void SaveEmailTemplate(string subject, string body, long[] coPropDefIds, long[] itemPropDefIds, long[] filePropDefIds)
• Saves the customized e-mail template to a ChangeOrderEmailTemplate object, for use in change order notifications.
• EmailMsg GetEmailMessageByChangeOrderId(long changeOrderId, string changeOrderNumber, string stateName, bool excludeRelatedObjects)
• Gets an e-mail message for a given Change order ID.

Removed Methods:

• string GetEmailBodyByChangeOrderId(long changeOrderId, string changeOrderNumber, string stateName, bool excludeRelatedObjects)
• This method has been replaced with GetEmailMessageByChangeOrderId()

Miscellaneous Changes

New Property:

• Role.SysName (string)
• Exposes the Role’s internal system name.
• This value is immutable and cannot be user set.

New Method:

• Job JobService.ResubmitJob(long jobId)
• You can now resubmit jobs from Vaults other than where they were originally submitted from.

Updated Enumerations:

• FileClassification.DesignPresentation
• With this new classification, we can identify Inventor Presentation (.IPN) files more accurately within Vault

Highlighted Feature Updates

1. Download Permisisons

• Updated Property:
• AccessPermis.Id (long)
• There’s a new Id value added to accommodate for setting or denying Download Permissions:
• 4, AllowDownload
• New Exception Class:
• VaultDownloadDeniedException

2. Purge Enhancements

New Method:

• void LifeCycleService.ApplyPurgeRestrictOptionToHistory(long lcStateId)

INumberProvider–Error 4112 ’NumberingSchemeProviderCouldNotBeLoaded’ when using VB

By Sajith Subramanian

When converting the sample code for Custom Numbering that comes along with the SDK from C# to VB, one of our users reported that he was now facing the error 4112, i.e. NumberingSchemeProviderCouldNotBeLoaded.

Solution:

In case of VB, it seems that there is a Root Namespace that is added before every Namespace, which should also be included in the 'type' attribute in web.config. If you add that, it should be able to initialize correctly. So the following should get it to work:

<numberproviders>
<numberprovider name="CustomProvider" type="CustomNumberingProvider.CustomNumberingProvider.CustomNumberingProvider, CustomNumberingProvider" cancache="false">
<!-- <initializationParm value="somethingImportant" /> -–>
</numberprovider>
</numberproviders>

Numbering Scheme in Vault 2020

By Sajith Subramanian

We’ve had several queries regarding numbering schemes, and how the methods related to numbering schemes have been shown as removed from the various services in the API help documentation.

The reason behind this is, in Vault 2020, Numbering Scheme methods have now been consolidated into a single Numbering Service as compared to earlier Vault versions where Files, Items and ChangeOrders each had their own implementations of Numbering service related methods.

So now, all Numbering Scheme functionality that was previously available, carries over into this new Service and can be accessed from a single Numbering Service.

For example, while migrating your earlier code to Vault 2020, the older method to fetch Numbering schemes which would be something as:

NumSchm[] schemes = connection.WebServiceManager.DocumentService.GetNumberingSchemesByType(NumSchmType.ApplicationDefault);

would now be changed to something as:

NumSchm[] schemes = connection.WebServiceManager.NumberingService.GetNumberingSchemes(EntityClassId , NumSchmType.ApplicationDefault); // pass in the appropriate entity class ID

Create Folder functionality in Vault API SelectEntity dialog

By Sajith Subramanian

You can add a ‘Create Folder’ command for the SelectEntity dialog, using the CreateFolder property in the SelectEntitySettings.SelectEntityOptionsExtensibility Class. If this property is not set then the ‘Create Folder’ button is not shown at all.

Once this property is set, you should be able to see the ‘Create Folder’ button as shown below.

Below is the code sample for reference. The easiest way to test the below code would be to add it in the VaultList sample that comes along with the Vault SDK.

  try
   {
    VDF.Vault.Forms.Settings.SelectEntitySettings settings =  new VDF.Vault.Forms.Settings.SelectEntitySettings();
    settings.OptionsExtensibility.CreateFolder = createFolder;
VDF.Vault.Forms.Results.SelectEntityResults selresults = VDF.Vault.Forms.Library.SelectEntity (connection, settings);
     }
  catch (Exception ex)
   {
    MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString(), "Error");                
   }
  VDF.Vault.Library.ConnectionManager.LogOut(connection);

VDF.Vault.Currency.Entities.IEntity createFolder(VDF.Vault.Currency.Entities.IEntity dir)
      {
        VDF.Vault.Currency.Entities.Folder parentfolder = dir as VDF.Vault.Currency.Entities.Folder;
        VDF.Vault.Currency.Entities.Folder createdfolder = connection.FolderManager.CreateFolder(parentfolder, "Demo_folder", false, EntityCategory.EmptyCategory);
          return createdfolder;
      }

When the 'Create folder' button is pressed, you would find that the new folder has been created in the current location.

Add search command in Vault API SelectEntity dialog

By Sajith Subramanian

You can add a search command for the SelectEntity dialog, using the DoSearch property in the SelectEntitySettings.SelectEntityOptionsExtensibility Class. If this property is not set then the search button is not shown at all.

Below is the SelectEntity dialog with the DoSearch property set. You can see the command button for the search functionality (Encircled top right).

 

Below is the code sample for reference. The easiest way to test the below code would be to add it in the VaultList sample that comes along with the Vault SDK.

  try
    {
     VDF.Vault.Forms.Settings.SelectEntitySettings settings = new VDF.Vault.Forms.Settings.SelectEntitySettings();

     List<string> Entitylist = new List<string>();
     Entitylist.Add("FILE"); // search for File entities.
     settings.OptionsExtensibility.DoSearch = (x,y,z) => searchFunc(Entitylist, false,z);
                                                                                                             VDF.Vault.Forms.Results.SelectEntityResults selresults = VDF.Vault.Forms.Library.SelectEntity(connection, settings);
     }
  catch (Exception ex)
     {
      MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString(), "Error");                
     }
  VDF.Vault.Library.ConnectionManager.LogOut(connection);

  void searchFunc(IEnumerable<string> entityClassIds, bool multiSelect, Action<IEnumerable<VDF.Vault.Currency.Entities.IEntity>> resultFunc)
    {
         List<VDF.Vault.Currency.Entities.IEntity> searchResults = new List<VDF.Vault.Currency.Entities.IEntity>();
            FileIteration fileiter = GetFileIteration(entityClassIds.First(),                           "Assembly1.iam");//Name of file to be searched. 
         searchResults.Add(fileiter);
         resultFunc(searchResults); 
     }

 FileIteration GetFileIteration(string EntityClassID, string nameoffile)
        {
            PropDef[] filePropDefs = connection.WebServiceManager.PropertyService.GetPropertyDefinitionsByEntityClassId(EntityClassID);

           PropDef filenamePropDef = filePropDefs.Single(n => n.DispName == "File Name");
         
            SrchCond condition = new SrchCond()
            {
                PropDefId = filenamePropDef.Id,
                PropTyp = PropertySearchType.SingleProperty,
                SrchOper = 3, // is not empty
                SrchRule = SearchRuleType.Must,
                SrchTxt = nameoffile
            };
            
            string bookmark = string.Empty;
            SrchStatus status = null;
           List<File> totalResults = new List<File>();
            while (status == null || totalResults.Count < status.TotalHits)
            {
                File[] results = connection.WebServiceManager.DocumentService.FindFilesBySearchConditions(new SrchCond[] { condition },null, null, false, true, ref bookmark, out status);
                if (results != null)
                    totalResults.AddRange(results);
                else
                    break;
            }            
            return new FileIteration(connection ,totalResults.First());
        }

When the search button is pressed, and searched file is found, the dialog then navigates to the found file, as seen below.

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.