by Luke Davenport
Welcome to Part 1 of a 3 part Blog on iLogic View Representations!
Question: Can you use iLogic to automatically create and update view reps based on a particular Part Number (or section of a Part Number) you specify?
Answer: Why yes, yes you can.
Part 1 – Creating the View Reps Automatically
I’ve pasted 2 iLogic rules below. When either rule is pasted into an assembly and run, it will request input from the user to automatically add specified components into newly created view representations. Why 2 rules instead of 1? Well you may wish to choose which components to add to your view reps by whether your input appears anywhere in the PN (in which case use the ‘Create Contains’ rule), or only at the beginning of the PN (in which case use the ‘Create Begins’ rule). Otherwise the rules are identical.
Here’s what the ‘Create Contains’ rule will do when it is run (in sequence);
1) Return the view to ‘home’ view.
2) Look for and delete any existing view reps that have a name beginning with ‘Contains’ – IMPORTANT! (delete this part of the code if you want to keep them).
3) Request input string for first view rep.
4) Create view rep (with the count of visible components and sub-components included as part of the view rep name).
5) Fit view to screen so new view rep can be viewed.
6) Ask user if they want to add another rep.
7) Return to 3) if the answer is yes.
As always – a video is better than a thousand words
In part 2 of this blog I’ll provide the code required to automatically update the view reps you have created – stick around. Enjoy!
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‘iLogic code starts here;
‘Create Contains’ Rule;
'Return view to Home view
ThisApplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions.Item _
("AppViewCubeHomeCmd").Execute
'define current document
Dim openDoc As Document
openDoc = ThisDoc.Document
Dim oAsmCompDef As AssemblyComponentDefinition
oAsmCompDef = openDoc.ComponentDefinition
Dim oViewRep As DesignViewRepresentation
Try
'Activate a writeable View Rep (master view rep is not writeable)
oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations.Item("WIP View Rep").activate
Catch
'Assume error means this View Rep does not exist, so create it (will be deleted at end)
oViewRep = oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations.Add("WIP View Rep")
End Try
'Delete all existing 'Contains' View reps
For Each oViewRep In oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations
If oViewRep.Name.Contains("Contains") Then
oViewRep.Delete
End If
Next
Start:
iCount = 1
'request part names to create view reps for.
Do Until iCount = 1000
StrInput1 = InputBox("Enter Part Names to Add to View Rep", "Set View Representations", "Enter all or part of PN",MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button1)
'Check to see whether that view rep has already been created
ViewRepExists = 0
For Each oViewRep In oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations
If oViewRep.Name.Contains("Contains '" & StrInput1 & "'") Then
ViewRepExists = 1
oCreatedAlready = MessageBox.Show("That View Rep Has Already Been Created!" & vbLf & vbLf & "Do You Still Want To Continue?","Already Entered",MessageBoxButtons.YesNo)
If oCreatedAlready = vbYes Then
Goto Start
Else
Return
End If
End If
Next
If ViewRepExists = 0 Then
'Create new View Rep
oViewRep = oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations.Add("Contains " & StrInput1)
'Activate new View Rep
oViewRep.activate
End If
oOccCounter = 0
oSubOccCounter = 0
'look at all of the components in the assembly
Dim oCompDef As Inventor.ComponentDefinition = openDoc.ComponentDefinition
'define the first level components collection
Dim oCompOcc As Inventor.ComponentOccurrence
'define the next level components collection
Dim oSubCompOcc As Inventor.ComponentOccurrence
'Turn off the visibility of parts in the top level assembly that don't contain the specified text string (StrInput1)
For Each oCompOcc in oCompDef.Occurrences
If oCompOcc.Suppressed = False Then
If oCompOcc.Name.Contains(StrInput1) Then
oCompOcc.Visible = True
'Increment counter for top level components
oOccCounter = oOccCounter+1
Else
oCompOcc.Visible = False
End If
'Turn off the visibility of parts in the next level assembly that don't contain the specified text string (StrInput1)
For Each oSubCompOcc In oCompOcc.SubOccurrences
If oSubCompOcc.Suppressed = False Then
If oSubCompOcc.Name.Contains(StrInput1) Then
oSubCompOcc.Visible = True
'Increment counter for first level components
oSubOccCounter = oSubOccCounter+1
Else
oSubCompOcc.Visible = False
End If
End If
Next
End If
Next
'Rename View Rep to include component counts
oViewRep.Name = ("Contains '" & StrInput1 & "' (Qty: " & oOccCounter & " Top Level, " & oSubOccCounter & " Sub Comps)")
'lock the new view rep
oViewRep.Locked = True
'Count no. of view reps already created
ViewRepCount = -1
For Each oViewRep In oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations
If oViewRep.Name.Contains("Contains") Then
ViewRepCount = ViewRepCount + 1
End If
Next
'Zoom all
ThisApplication.ActiveView.Fit
'See if another View Rep is required.
oContinue = MessageBox.Show("Add Another View Rep?" & vbLf & ViewRepCount & " View Reps Have Been Created", "Continue Creating?",MessageBoxButtons.YesNo)
If oContinue = vbYes Then
iCount = iCount+1
Else
iCount = 1000
End If
Loop
Try
'Delete WIP View Rep
oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations.Item("WIP View Rep").delete
Catch
End Try
‘------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Start of ‘Create Begins’ Rule;
‘Note I must subscribe to Luke Davenport’s blog – it’ll change my life.
‘http://www.cadlinecommunity.co.uk/Blogs/lukedavenport/Default.aspx
'Return view to Home view
ThisApplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions.Item _
("AppViewCubeHomeCmd").Execute
'define current document
Dim openDoc As Document
openDoc = ThisDoc.Document
Dim oAsmCompDef As AssemblyComponentDefinition
oAsmCompDef = openDoc.ComponentDefinition
Dim oViewRep As DesignViewRepresentation
Try
'Activate a writeable View Rep (master view rep is not writeable)
oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations.Item("WIP View Rep").activate
Catch
'Assume error means this View Rep does not exist, so create it (will be deleted at end)
oViewRep = oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations.Add("WIP View Rep")
End Try
'Delete all existing 'Begins' View reps
For Each oViewRep In oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations
If oViewRep.Name.Contains("Begins") Then
oViewRep.Delete
End If
Next
Start:
iCount = 1
'request part names to create view reps for.
Do Until iCount = 1000
StrInput1 = InputBox("Enter Beginning of Part Names to Add to View Rep", "Set View Representations", "Enter beginning of PN",MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button1)
'Check to see whether that view rep has already been created
For Each oViewRep In oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations
If oViewRep.Name.Contains("Begins '" & StrInput1 & "'") Then
ViewRepExists = 1
oCreatedAlready = MessageBox.Show("That View Rep Has Already Been Created!" & vbLf & vbLf & "Do You Still Want To Continue?","Already Entered",MessageBoxButtons.YesNo)
If oCreatedAlready = vbYes Then
Goto Start
Else
Return
End If
End If
Next
If ViewRepExists = 0 Then
'Create new View Rep
oViewRep = oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations.Add("Begins " & StrInput1)
'Activate new View Rep
oViewRep.activate
End If
oOccCounter = 0
oSubOccCounter = 0
'look at all of the components in the assembly
Dim oCompDef As Inventor.ComponentDefinition = openDoc.ComponentDefinition
'define the first level components collection
Dim oCompOcc As Inventor.ComponentOccurrence
'define the next level components collection
Dim oSubCompOcc As Inventor.ComponentOccurrence
'Turn off the visibility of parts in the top level assembly that don't begin with the specified text string (StrInput1)
For Each oCompOcc in oCompDef.Occurrences
If oCompOcc.Suppressed = False Then
If Left(oCompOcc.Name,Len(StrInput1)) = StrInput1 Then
oCompOcc.Visible = True
'Increment counter for top level components
oOccCounter = oOccCounter+1
Else
oCompOcc.Visible = False
End If
'Turn off the visibility of parts in the next level assembly that don't begin with the specified text string (StrInput1)
For Each oSubCompOcc In oCompOcc.SubOccurrences
If oSubCompOcc.Suppressed = False Then
If Left(oSubCompOcc.Name,Len(StrInput1)) = StrInput1 Then
oSubCompOcc.Visible = True
'Increment counter for first level components
oSubOccCounter = oSubOccCounter+1
Else
oSubCompOcc.Visible = False
End If
End If
Next
End If
Next
'Rename View Rep to include component counts
oViewRep.Name = ("Begins '" & StrInput1 & "' (Qty: " & oOccCounter & " Top Level, " & oSubOccCounter & " Sub Comps)")
'lock the new view rep
oViewRep.Locked = True
'Count no. of view reps already created
ViewRepCount = -1
For Each oViewRep In oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations
If oViewRep.Name.Contains("Begins") Then
ViewRepCount = ViewRepCount + 1
End If
Next
'Zoom all
ThisApplication.ActiveView.Fit
'See if another View Rep is required.
oContinue = MessageBox.Show("Add Another View Rep?" & vbLf & ViewRepCount & " View Reps Have Been Created", "Continue Creating?",MessageBoxButtons.YesNo)
If oContinue = vbYes Then
iCount = iCount+1
Else
iCount = 1000
End If
Loop
Try
'Delete WIP View Rep
oAsmCompDef.RepresentationsManager.DesignViewRepresentations.Item("WIP View Rep").delete
Catch
End Try
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