Now Where Did I Put That Code? Ah, my Custom Snippets!

If you’re anything like me (and I’ll assume you are unless you randomly pick blogs to read) then you’ve been writing iLogic code for the past 3 years or so and have amassed a large amount of code.  All that code is probably sitting in various part, assembly or drawing files.

About a year ago I decided I needed to do some tidying up and figure out a way to store all my iLogic code in a manner that I could easily search, retrieve and copy the code I know I have somewhere…it does X…and I wrote it for client Y….I think.

I am still on my quest to find the perfect vehicle to do everything but I recently decided to take a closer look at the simple storage method that Autodesk already gives us, Custom Snippets.

Custom Snippets work the same as the System Snippets with the difference being they are your code.  They are an easy way to insert your own bits of code into your iLogic rule.  

Let’s say I've written a few lines of code that I’ll be using in a few different parts in my current project.

Now, there are multiple ways of getting this rule into parts.  I could put it in the template, I could use external rules, I could use the Code Injector (which is a lovely tool that you should check out if you don’t already use it).  I don’t want to argue the merits of each of these and just focus on Custom Snippets for now.

One decision to make is how you want to categorize your Custom Snippets.  You can create individual categories for specific projects, clients, code type, etc.  I prefer to create categories by either code type or client name and saving my snippets that way.

To insert a new Snippet category, right click in the Custom Snippets window and choose Insert Category.  Enter a category.  In this example I’ll be categorizing them using client names and call this one ACME.  Unfortunately you cannot create nested categories.

Once you’ve created a category, it’s time to start filling it up with all that helpful code you’ve already written.  Highlight the code in the Rule Editor that you want to save (I always select all the code, including empty spaces or tabs to the left so that they are captured), right click and choose Capture Snippet.  

You’ll be presented with the Edit Snippet dialog box.

1. Title of the Snippet.  This shows in the Snippets listing.
2. Which category would you like to store the Snippet?
3. Text entered here will show up as a tooltip when hovering over the Snippet in the Snippet listing.  I prefer a short blurb rather than using the code as the tooltip.  The code is shown at the bottom of the tooltip by default.
4. The code you highlighted will show up here.  You can edit here but I find it easier to edit in the Rules Editor.

As my favorite knigget said “That’s easy!” 

You insert a Custom Snippet the same way as inserting a System Snippet, simply double click on it to insert it into the Rule Editor and edit as required.

A few other helpful things about Custom Snippets:

• When deleting a Snippet Category, you’ll get asked if you want to delete the rules inside that category or move them to a Default category.
• You can drag and drop snippets from one category to another.
• You can merge snippets from one file to another using the tool on top of the Custom Snippets tab.
• If you create a category but don’t put a snippet inside of it, the category will not save.
• Use the Save and Open buttons at top to make sure everyone on your design team is pointing at the same Custom Snippets file.

I am still on the lookout for other ways of storing iLogic rules.  Ideally, something that multiple users could access and easily search for keywords and tags.  If you have any suggestions that you’d like to share, please leave a comment below.

Randy

"Challenge yourself with something you know you could never do, and what you'll find is that you can overcome anything." - Anonymous

2015 Purge Unused Parameters & iLogic Rules

With the release of Inventor 2015, we finally have an easy built-in way of purging unused parameters in both assemblies and parts.  In the Parameters dialog box is the new Purge Unused command:

Warning

This command checks to see if a parameter is used in a feature.  It does not check to see if the parameter is only being used in an iLogic rule.

Hopefully this will save you from an OOPS.

Randy

"There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting." - Buddha

Placeholders on iLogic Forms

I recently had a case where a colleague was setting a custom iProperty (Program Number) to either the file name or a custom field and he was using a boolean parameter to determine which of these to use to set it.

Here is his original code:

'********************************************************
'Set Program Name

If Set_Prog_Name = True Then
    iProperties.Value("Custom", "Program Number") = ThisDoc.FileName(False) 'without extension
Else
    iProperties.Value("Custom", "Program Number") = ""
End If

'********************************************************

We can see from the original code that when Set_Prog_Name = False that the Program Number will be set to <blank>.  He needed a way to allow the end user to enter a value in the Program Number field.

My immediate response wast to set up an input box but he preferred to not have an additional dialog box.

The end solution was one to add a placeholder iProperty, which I called Program_Name_Temp, on the form in place of the original Program Number and set the value of the Program Name iProperty equal to the placeholder when Set_Prog_Name = False.  As an additional bonus, I added a controlling parameter for Program_Name_Temp which is called Set_Prog_Name_Controls.

'********************************************************
'Set Program Name

If Set_Prog_Name = True Then
    Set_Prog_Name_Controls = False
    iProperties.Value("Custom", "UserInfo2") = ThisDoc.FileName(False) 'without extension
    Program_Name_Temp = iProperties.Value("Custom", "Program Name")
Else
    Set_Prog_Name_Controls = True
    iProperties.Value("Custom", "Program Name") = Program_Name_Temp
End If

'********************************************************

I hope this helps you on a future or current project.

Randy

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there ." - Will Rogers