Inventor API学习

第一章    Inventor API基本概述

1. 课程目标——Agent

• API范例——API COM model
• 如何使用API——How do I access the API
• 对象模型——The Object Model
• 对象工具：browser，VBA debug——Object Model tools：Object browser，VBA debug
• 集合、枚举、接口——Collection、Enumerate、Inheritance
• 程序——The Application Onject
• 如何使用程序——How to Access the Application Object

COM API Model

How do I access the API
   VBA、Addin Dll or exe、Standalone Exe、Apprentice

SDK的位置——Where is the SDK
-SDK（Software Development Kits）

• Contains C++ header files，sample of C++,VB.NET,C#
• Provide with product
• Location of the SDK
   Windows 10:C:\Users\Public\Documents\Autodesk\Inventor 2021\SDK
• API help reference:Inventor帮助、在线帮助

API对象和对象模型树——API Objects and the Object Model

• In a COM Automation API the functionality is exposed as objects,where
  each object corresponds to something within the application
• each object supports various methods,properties,and possibly events
• The objects are accessed through the object model
• The top most object is the Application object
  
  Basics of Object Oriented Progamming
• API is exposed as a set of objects
• Object oriented terminology:
• Object——Represents a logical object,The finished chair inthis example.
• Property——the various attributes of the chair.The style,corlor as size are properties of the chair
• Method——An Action performed on the chair;move,fold,throw away.
• Event——Notification when something happens to the chair.
• Class——The template of an object.The order form for a chair.
  
  Inventor Object Model Example
• Inventor’s objects are accessed though the Object Model.
  

Public Sub GetExtrudeFeature()

    Dim oPartDoc As PartDocument
    Set oPartDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

    Dim oExtrude As ExtrudeFeature
    Set oExtrude = oPartDoc.ComponentDefinition.Features.ExtrudeFeatures("Extrusion1")
    MsgBox("Extrusion " & oExtrude.Name & " is suppressed: " & oExtrude.Suppressed)

End Sub

Object Model Toos——Object Browser

• Provides user-interface to the contents of the type library
• Accessed in VBA using F2, the Object Browser command in the View menu, or pressing the toolbar button.
• Accessed in .NET using Ctrl + W,J, or the Object Browser command in the View menu.

Object Model Tools - VBA Debugger

• Provides a “live” view of the object model.
• Shows the values of an object properties.
• Shows the contents of collections.
• VBA debugger provides more information that .Net debugger.
  

Object Model Tools - .NET Debugger

• Provides a “live” view of the object model.
• Shows the values of an object properties.
• Shows the contents of collections.
  
  Collection Objects
• Special object that provides access to a list of objects.
• Count property returns number of objects in the collection.
• Item property returns a specific object in the collection.
• Can specify the index of the object within the collection. The first
  item is index 1 for all collections within Inventor API.
• In some cases you can specify the name of the object within the
  collection.
  

Collection vs. Enumerator Objects

• Some collections support the functionality to create new objects.
• Enumerators are also collections but only support the Count and Item
  properties.
  

Iterating Through a Collection

• Iterating using Count and Item:

Dim oExtrude As ExtrudeFeature
Dim i As Long
For i = 1 To oExtrudeFeatures.Count
    Debug.Print(oExtrudeFeatures.Item(i).Name)
Next

• Iterating using For Each statement (more efficient):

Dim oExtrude As ExtrudeFeature
For Each oExtrude In oExtrudeFeatures
    Debug.Print(oExtrude.Name)
Next

Derived Objects

• Similar to animal taxonomy or classification.
• All items under a specific classification share common traits.

Derived Objects – Example

Public Sub SaveDoc()

    'Get ActiveDocument, could be Part, Assembly or Drawing
    Dim oDoc As Document
    set oDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

    'Call the Save method on the generic 'Document' object
    oDoc.Save()

End Sub

The Application Object

• Represents the Inventor Application.
• Provides access to the other API objects.
• Supports general functionality not specific to a document.
• Provides overall event notifications.
  Application Window
• The Application object provides access to the main window through
  various methods and properties. Caption
  Left, Top, Width, Height, GetAppFrameExtents, Move
  WindowState
  Visible
  MainFrameHwnd

Utility Objects

• SoftwareVersion – Provides information about the version of Inventor.
• ChangeManager, CommandManager, FileManager, HelpManager,
  TransactionManager, MeasureTools, UserInterfaceManager – Provide
  access to functions related to a particular area.
• TransientGeometry – Temporary geometry objects.
• TransientObjects – Temporary utility objects
• TransientBrep – Temporary Boundary Representation objects

Shortcuts to “Active” Objects

• Properties that provide direct access to various “Active” objects.
• ActiveColorScheme
• ActiveDocument
• ActiveView
• ActiveEnvironment
• ActiveEditObject – Returns the object currently being edited. This
  can be a document that’s been opened, a document that’s been in-place
  edited, a sketch, a sheet, and a flat pattern.
• ActiveEditDocument – Returns the document currently be edited.

Application Options

- Provides access to objects that expose the various application options. - AssemblyOptions - DisplayOptions - FileOptions - GeneralOptions - HardwareOptions - NotebookOptions - PartOptions - SaveOptions - Sketch3DOptions - SketchOptions - iFeatureOptions - ColorSchemes

Miscellaneous

• SilentOperation – Causes all dialogs to be suppressed and take the default behavior. Useful for batch processing operations where warning dialogs would normally be displayed as files are opened, processed, and closed.
• LanguageName, Locale – Language information.
• MRUEnabled, MRUDisplay – Controls display of most recently used file
  list at the bottom of the File menu.
• Ready – Indicates if Inventor is fully initialized.
• StatusBarText – Text shown in the status bar.

How to access the Application Object? – VB.NET

• Access in Inventor’s VBA using the ThisApplication property.
• From an AddIn: see Module 10
• Access from outside Inventor using either the GetObject or CreateObject methods:

Dim _InvApplication As Inventor.Application = Nothing

Try
    Try ' Try to get an active instance of Inventor
        _InvApplication = 
	System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.GetActiveObject("Inventor.Application")

    Catch ex As Exception

    End Try

    If _InvApplication Is Nothing Then ' If not active, create a new Inventor session

        Dim inventorAppType As Type = System.Type.GetTypeFromProgID("Inventor.Application")

        _InvApplication = System.Activator.CreateInstance(inventorAppType)

        'Must be set visible explicitly
        _InvApplication.Visible = True

     End If

End Try

How to access the Application Object? – C#

• Similar to VB.NET, access from outside Inventor using either the GetObject or CreateObject methods:

string progId = "Inventor.Application";
Type inventorApplicationType = Type.GetTypeFromProgID(progId);
 
Inventor.Application instance;
 
try
{
    instance = (Inventor.Application)Marshal.GetActiveObject(progId);
    instance.Visible = true;
    return instance;
}
catch (COMException)
{
    // No running instance, so proceed with creating a new instance
}
 
instance = (Inventor.Application)Activator.CreateInstance(inventorApplicationType);
instance.Visible = true;

Lab: Access the Application Object

• Create an external Exe that tries to access the Inventor Application object at startup. If a running instance of Inventor is not found, then create a new instance using “CreateInstance”
• Create some controls in order to:
  • Ask user for Height and Width values and set the ActiveView to the entered values.
  • Ask user for the Application caption and set it.