Vault Copy Design Action Rule Sets & iLogic Rules

You've did a Copy Design in Vault 2015 R2 (or later) of your master template and checked out the copied assembly along with all the necessary files.  You're ready to use the awesome-ness of iLogic to make your job easier so you open up the assembly in Inventor.

Woah!  Stop!  Where are all my iLogic rules?  Call Sherlock Holmes!

The Copy Design process was changed in the Vault 2015 R2 version and began using Action Rule Sets.  A rule set is a collection of property rules that determine file property behavior during a copy operation.

The default Rule Set is the culprit that stole your iLogic rules.  It is set up to remove iLogic rules!  If you are using Rule Sets in order to control file properties then you are familiar with editing the Rule Sets.  This post is only going to show you how to copy the Default Rule Set in order to create a version that keeps the iLogic rules in the copied assembly.

You need to be logged in as an Administrator to the Vault in order to manage Action Rules.

1. Start the CopyDesign Process
2. Click on the Vault symbol and select Action Rules.

3. Select the Default Rule Set and then click Copy… at the top.

4. Call it iLogic Template Rule Set or something similar.
5. Edit that newly created Rule Set.
6.     Select the iLogicRuleStatus in the lower right window then change the Value to User and then             click Replace.

8. Hit OK on all the dialog boxes to get back to the main CopyDesign.

To set the Action Rule Set to use during the Copy Design Process:

1. Start the CopyDesign Process

2. Click the drop down arrow under the Selected Rule Set button and select the newly created rule set.

This Rule Set is saved locally.  The default location is:

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Autodesk Copy Design 2016\CopyDesignRuleSets

I hope that helps you solve the case of the missing iLogic rules.

"Nothing clears up a case so much as stating it to another person." ~ Sherlock Holmes

Thanks,

Randy

External Rules & Inventor 2016

Hey folks, I hope that you've had a chance to look at Inventor 2016 and more specifically, the way External Rules are handled in the latest release.

Inventor 2016 allows us to set the External Rules Directories just as previous releases had, but now, the files that are in those directories will automatically show up in the External Rules tab of the iLogic Browser.

To set the External Rules Directory, go to the Tools tab of the Ribbon, expand the flyout for the Options panel and select iLogic Configuration.

Once the directories are set, rules that are in the specified folder will automatically be there for you to use!

You can also add additional files.  Right mouse click in the External Rules tab of the iLogic Browser and select Add External Rule.  Browse to the location of your rule and select it.  Inventor will create the folder structure for you under a Manually Added heading.

This makes sharing external rules throughout your design group a simpler process.

Can you think of other ways that this can help you organize your external rules?  Let me know in the Comments section below!

"You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." ~ Jack London

Thanks!
Randy

HoleTable Modifications

Hey all, long time since my last post.  I apologize for that.  Busy is a good thing, right?

I recently had a chance to look at something in the Inventor API that I had yet to have a reason to: Hole Tables.  A client was spending time on many drawings modifying a hole table column based upon the hole type.  The holes are iFeatures and he could not find a way of adding this data to the iFeature so that it would populate in the hole table automatically.

This presented me with a chance to see what access we had to Hole Tables in the Inventor API.

First, I checked for a hole table and for a drawing view.  If either doesn't exist then I'd warn the user.

    '    Declare variables
        Dim oDrawDoc As DrawingDocument
        oDrawDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
        Dim oSheet1 As Sheet
        oSheet1 = oDrawDoc.Sheets.Item(1)
    
    '    Check for a hole table
        If oSheet1.HoleTables.Count = 0 Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure a hole table is present on the current drawing.", "No Hole Table",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If

    '    Check for drawing views
        If oSheet1.DrawingViews.Count = 0 Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure a drawing view is present on the current drawing.", "No Hole Table",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If

Next, I cycled through the Hole Table columns to determine which column numbers were the columns that I needed to either get data from or write data to.  If any of those columns don't exist then I'd warn the user.

    '    Declare variables        
        Dim oView As DrawingView
        oView = oSheet1.DrawingViews.Item(1)
        Dim oHoleTable As HoleTable
        oHoleTable = oSheet1.HoleTables.Item(1)
        Dim oRow As HoleTableRow
        Dim oColumn As HoleTableColumn
        
    '    Cycle thru each column to determine the XDIM, YDIM, DESCRIPTION and CALLOUT columns.
        iXDIMColumn = 1
        For Each oColumn In oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns
            oXDIMColumnName = oColumn.Title
            If UCase(oXDIMColumnName) = "XDIM" Then Exit For
            iXDIMColumn = iXDIMColumn + 1
        Next
        If iXDIMColumn > oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns.Count Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure hole table has a column named XDIM.", "No XDIM column",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If
        
        iYDIMColumn = 1
        For Each oColumn In oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns
            oYDIMColumnName = oColumn.Title
            If UCase(oYDIMColumnName) = "YDIM" Then Exit For
            iYDIMColumn = iYDIMColumn + 1
        Next
        If iYDIMColumn > oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns.Count Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure hole table has a column named YDIM.", "No YDIM column",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If

        iDescColumn = 1
        For Each oColumn In oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns
            oDescColumnName = oColumn.Title
            If UCase(oDescColumnName) = "DESCRIPTION" Then Exit For
            iDescColumn = iDescColumn + 1
        Next
        If iDescColumn > oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns.Count Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure hole table has a column named DESCRIPTION.", "No DESCRIPTION column",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If
        
        iCalloutColumn = 1
        For Each oColumn In oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns
            oCalloutColumnName = oColumn.Title
            If UCase(oCalloutColumnName) = "CALLOUT" Then Exit For
            iCalloutColumn = iCalloutColumn + 1
        Next
        If iCalloutColumn > oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns.Count Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure hole table has a column named CALLOUT.", "No CALLOUT column",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If

Lastly, I checked the DESCRIPTION column and read it's text.  The client had specific data that he would add to the CALLOUT column based upon the DESCRIPTION column.  I did this with a Select Case but there are many other ways of accomplishing this.  The client also wished to modify the CALLOUT column for any additional holes that are part of the same iFeature.  I accomplished this by concatenating the XDIM & YDIM for all holes and if they matched the threaded hole then I modified their CALLOUT column as well.

    '    Cycle thru each row in hole table.  Split Description column (5th) and set callout based on text for rows where XDIM and YDIM match.
        For Each oRow In oHoleTable.HoleTableRows
            oText = oRow.Item(iDescColumn).Text
            Dim oTextLeft As String() = oText.Split(New Char() {"U"c})
            sThreadData = oTextLeft(0)
            
            Select Case sThreadData 
                Case "5/16-24 "
                    sCallout = "SAE2"
                Case "7/16-20 "
                    sCallout = "SAE4"
                Case "9/16-18 "
                    sCallout = "SAE6"
                Case "3/4-16 "
                    sCallout = "SAE8"
                Case "7/8-14 "
                    sCallout = "SAE10"
                Case "1 1/16-12 "
                    sCallout = "SAE12"
                Case "1 5/16-12 "
                    sCallout = "SAE16"
                Case "1 5/8-12 "
                    sCallout = "SAE20"
                Case "1 7/8-12 "
                    sCallout = "SAE24"
                Case "2 1/2-12 "
                    sCallout = "SAE32"
                Case Else
            End Select
            
        '    Concatenate XDIM & YDIM
            If Not sCallout = "" Then
                sLocation = oRow.Item(2).Text & oRow.Item(3).Text
                Call ChangeCallout(oRow,oHoleTable,sLocation,sCallout,iXDIMColumn,iYDIMColumn,iCalloutColumn)
            End If
            
            sCallout = ""
    Next

End Sub

Private Sub ChangeCallout(ByVal oRow As HoleTableRow, oHoleTable As HoleTable, sLocation As String, sCallout As String, iXDIMColumn As Integer,iYDIMColumn As Integer, iCalloutColumn As Integer)
    For Each oRow In oHoleTable.HoleTableRows
        If oRow.Item(iXDIMColumn).Text & oRow.Item(iYDIMColumn).Text = sLocation Then
            oRow.Item(iCalloutColumn).Text = sCallout
        End If
    Next
End Sub

The entire code is here:

Sub Main
    '    Declare variables
        Dim oDrawDoc As DrawingDocument
        oDrawDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
        Dim oSheet1 As Sheet
        oSheet1 = oDrawDoc.Sheets.Item(1)
    
    '    Check for a hole table
        If oSheet1.HoleTables.Count = 0 Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure a hole table is present on the current drawing.", "No Hole Table",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If

    '    Check for drawing views
        If oSheet1.DrawingViews.Count = 0 Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure a drawing view is present on the current drawing.", "No Hole Table",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If

    '    Declare variables        
        Dim oView As DrawingView
        oView = oSheet1.DrawingViews.Item(1)
        Dim oHoleTable As HoleTable
        oHoleTable = oSheet1.HoleTables.Item(1)
        Dim oRow As HoleTableRow
        Dim oColumn As HoleTableColumn
        
    '    Cycle thru each column to determine the XDIM, YDIM, DESCRIPTION and CALLOUT columns.
        iXDIMColumn = 1
        For Each oColumn In oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns
            oXDIMColumnName = oColumn.Title
            If UCase(oXDIMColumnName) = "XDIM" Then Exit For
            iXDIMColumn = iXDIMColumn + 1
        Next
        If iXDIMColumn > oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns.Count Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure hole table has a column named XDIM.", "No XDIM column",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If
        
        iYDIMColumn = 1
        For Each oColumn In oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns
            oYDIMColumnName = oColumn.Title
            If UCase(oYDIMColumnName) = "YDIM" Then Exit For
            iYDIMColumn = iYDIMColumn + 1
        Next
        If iYDIMColumn > oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns.Count Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure hole table has a column named YDIM.", "No YDIM column",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If

        iDescColumn = 1
        For Each oColumn In oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns
            oDescColumnName = oColumn.Title
            If UCase(oDescColumnName) = "DESCRIPTION" Then Exit For
            iDescColumn = iDescColumn + 1
        Next
        If iDescColumn > oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns.Count Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure hole table has a column named DESCRIPTION.", "No DESCRIPTION column",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If
        
        iCalloutColumn = 1
        For Each oColumn In oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns
            oCalloutColumnName = oColumn.Title
            If UCase(oCalloutColumnName) = "CALLOUT" Then Exit For
            iCalloutColumn = iCalloutColumn + 1
        Next
        If iCalloutColumn > oHoleTable.HoleTableColumns.Count Then 
            MessageBox.Show("Please ensure hole table has a column named CALLOUT.", "No CALLOUT column",MessageBoxButtons.OK,MessageBoxIcon.Warning)
            Return
        End If
            
    '    Cycle thru each row in hole table.  Split Description column (5th) and set callout based on text for rows where XDIM and YDIM match.
        For Each oRow In oHoleTable.HoleTableRows
            oText = oRow.Item(iDescColumn).Text
            Dim oTextLeft As String() = oText.Split(New Char() {"U"c})
            sThreadData = oTextLeft(0)
            
            Select Case sThreadData 
                Case "5/16-24 "
                    sCallout = "SAE2"
                Case "7/16-20 "
                    sCallout = "SAE4"
                Case "9/16-18 "
                    sCallout = "SAE6"
                Case "3/4-16 "
                    sCallout = "SAE8"
                Case "7/8-14 "
                    sCallout = "SAE10"
                Case "1 1/16-12 "
                    sCallout = "SAE12"
                Case "1 5/16-12 "
                    sCallout = "SAE16"
                Case "1 5/8-12 "
                    sCallout = "SAE20"
                Case "1 7/8-12 "
                    sCallout = "SAE24"
                Case "2 1/2-12 "
                    sCallout = "SAE32"
                Case Else
            End Select
            
        '    Concatenate XDIM & YDIM
            If Not sCallout = "" Then
                sLocation = oRow.Item(2).Text & oRow.Item(3).Text
                Call ChangeCallout(oRow,oHoleTable,sLocation,sCallout,iXDIMColumn,iYDIMColumn,iCalloutColumn)
            End If
            
            sCallout = ""
    Next

End Sub

Private Sub ChangeCallout(ByVal oRow As HoleTableRow, oHoleTable As HoleTable, sLocation As String, sCallout As String, iXDIMColumn As Integer,iYDIMColumn As Integer, iCalloutColumn As Integer)
    For Each oRow In oHoleTable.HoleTableRows
        If oRow.Item(iXDIMColumn).Text & oRow.Item(iYDIMColumn).Text = sLocation Then
            oRow.Item(iCalloutColumn).Text = sCallout
        End If
    Next
End Sub

"A very small man can cast a very large shadow" ~ Varys

Happy Coding!

Randy