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FileManagement ~ MDT/ACAD Related ~ My Tips And Memory Joggers ~ Surfacing ~ SheetMetal ~ FAQ's ~ My 2 Do List ~  On To Page 2   ~  Back To Page 1  


File Management


*Inventor File Types (some say they are a problem and inhibiting Inventor acceptance)

Extension And File Type
*.iptFile/Sheet Metal Part (3D model)
*.iam  Assembly File (3D model)
*.idvDesign View File
*.ipjProject File
*.idwDrawing Layout (2D paper space)
*.ipn(3D model/Scene/Rendering)
*.ideDesign Element

.IPT (ParT) are files with individual parts of your model/assembly
.IAM (AsseMbly) are assembly files
.IPN (PreseNtation) are pictures and exploded assemblies
.IDW (DraWing) are resulting 2D drawings

From posting to someone confused by all the Inventor files:-
"Look on the AIS CD for a Word document called something like:-
'Inventor File Management.doc' (can't remember it's exact name). It's required reading if you want to understand IV file management".

Seen in S. Dotsons Inventor FAQ:-
4.) Why do some of my project paths appear in red?
There are nested paths. For example if you have a workspace defined as C:\project and a path defined as c:\project\parts the latter path will appear in red. See the Autodesk Inventor File Management Document.doc on the 1st AIS CD for more info about projects and how they work.

*Project Files (.ijp) (Jeff Wymer).
Project Files are text files with a .IJP file extension that contain a list of paths to various folders. They break the dependency between your Autodesk Inventor dataset and its file locations. This basically means that your files may be relocated without editing assembly or drawing files. Guided by a Project File, Autodesk Inventor is able to find the data in the new location without the hassles associated with unresolved links. This is possible because Autodesk Inventor's documents only store a reference's file name, not its location. Instead, the software relies upon Project Files for these locations, meaning the software is flexible with data storage. As an assembly is opened, Autodesk Inventor will automatically search for the data it needs based on the locations listed in the active Project File (see CadenceWeb tutorial.


*iParts, iFeatures, and iMates (Jeff Wymer).
An iPart is an Inventor part (.ipt) that you use to define a family of parts (also referred to as table-driven parts or charted parts). You can create iParts for bearings, structural members, fasteners, fittings, enclosures, motors, gears, and other various hardware components. However, to effectively apply it, you have to know how to use the iPart Author and how to place iParts into an assembly. See CadenceWeb tutorial.
An iFeature can be saved and reused in other designs. You can create an iFeature from any sketched feature. Inventor allows you to define the default locations for storing and accessing iFeatures. To create an iFeature you must extract a feature you want to reuse from an existing part file. Open the part file, select the Tools pull-down menu, and select Extract iFeature. Now select the feature(s) that you want to catalog for reuse. You can either select the feature from the part-feature browser or directly from the model. See CadenceWeb tutorial.
An iMate



MDT/ACAD Related


*Reference rather than migrate
When discussing the need to animate an MDT file, using Inventor with the MDT files referenced in as an alturnative to migrating them in was proposed.


*Using Existing AutoCad 2D Drawings (Jeff Wymer).
AutoCAD 2D DWG data can be imported as rquired either directly into the 2D drawing-manager environment or directly into a part sketch for use in 3D modeling (Select the Insert AutoCAD File button which looks like the icon for a DWG file). See CadenceWeb tutorial.



My Tips And Memory Joggers


*Q: Learning from existing Models (0001) (Mycad.com)

A: If you've ever opened a part file and wondered how the user made it, it can be quite confusing to interpret the browser to figure it all out. A method to visually aid you in this learning task is to roll back the model to the begining and then increment it step by step. To do this, grab the "end of part" marker in the browser and move it up to just below the origin folder. The model will dissapear. Then start moving it down one step at a time to examine the effects of each browser item.

Double clicking on a number then pressing either 2 or 3 for example will change the number to 2 or 3 decimal places (from S.Dotson's 14 page pdf Tips and Tricks Item #20).


*Constrain To The Center Point Or The Two Axes (Elise Moss)
I had a tech support issue last week on Inventor which really drove home the issue of understanding projecting reference geometry. When you create sketches in Inventor they are "free-floating" on the work plane unless they are constrained to either the center point or the two axes. The problem is that you can't constrain to the center point or the two axes unless you first select the Project Geometry tool and then select the desired reference item.

Why did Autodesk design it to work that way? Well, the way I see it, it makes perfect sense. You usually only need to constrain the first (base) sketch to the reference geometry. Additional sketches can be constrained to the first feature's geometry. By requiring the user to project reference geometry into the sketch the user is forced to only use what he/she needs. This keeps the file size down and makes the sketches more manageable.

Other CAD packages will automatically project the axes, center point and work planes onto any new sketches. This means that as your model progresses, you are dragging all that excess reference geometry behind you like a sack of bricks, slowing down your regens, bloating your file, and making the whole process that much more cumbersome.
Inventor has it right...only project and constrain to the reference geomety you need. Can't wait to see what R6 has in store.


*Renaming Browser Elements
The IV6 browser does not support a Rename command in the context menu. Click a browser item, pause, and then click it again to active editing mode.


*Rejecting Part Modifications (Neil Munro).
When working in an IV6 assembly, it is common practice to open one of the parts for modification in a separate window. If you choose to reject the modifications by closing the window without saving the part, it appears in its modified form in the assembly. This happens because the assembly is referencing the version of the part still stored in (volitile) memory. To insure the assembly reflects the part prior to the rejected modifications, select View->Refresh from the application pull-down menu. This reloads the definition of all assembly components from disk. Note this updates all components, so you will lose all modifications since your last save.


*Placing Assembly Constraints (Neil Munro).
When using IV6 Alt-drag technique to place assembly constraints, the dragged component attempts to orient itself to every possible constraint condition as you move it over other components. You can eliminate this often-frantic movement by:
1. In the Application Options dialog box, on the Assembly tab, check the Defer Update option.
2. As you pass over valid constraint geometry the preview symbols (red arrows, axes, and so on) still appear, but the part retains its original orientation.
3. Click the Update button to see the results of any placed constraints.


*Visualizing Cross-Sections (Russ Beeman)
When in an IV6 assembly drawing using the section view command, "dragging" a constrained assembly through the section plane will show the cross-section of the assembly as it appears updated in real time. The base component of the assembly must not be grounded (right click on the first component in the assembly tree and clear the "Grounded" option). If the other components are constrained to the base, they will all float in unison and allow you to visualize the cross-section as if the assembly were being dragged through an invisible wall. I have found this to be useful in examining fits and interferences of assemblies, as well as finding possible internal voids in parts that would not be obvious when looking at only the outside surface.


*Currently, Inventor drawing manager does not recognize ribs and webs as features it should not hatch. A workaround is required. It is as follows:

1. In the section view, right click on the hatch and select Hide Hatch.
2. Select the Section view and hit the 'S' key to create a sketch associated to the view.
3. Project the non-rib edges into the sketch.
4. Close the profile with a sketch line that represents where the body of the part is.
5. Activate the sketch hatch/fill command.
6. Select the area representing the body of the part.
7. Right click and select done.
8. Right click and select Finish Sketch.

That's all there is to it.
Bill Bogan
B2 Design


*Enlarge sketch dimension text size. Tools->App Options->Annotation Scale ..try 1.5 (see www.sdotson.com/faq.html). Really the lack of enough contrast between text and background color is also a factor in reading the sketch dimensions.


*Identify a feature in the browser, by "clicking" (or hovering over it) in the part.
Shift+RMB in graphics window => Select Features (one answer).
Yes, shift-right click and select feature from the selection list (or any other method you want to use to select features) then find in browser in the rmb (another answer).


*Date: May/30/03 - 17:50 (GMT)
Trick of the day: Opposing Motion.
(see acadinv/dotson/opposingmotion/capture.zip for video. (** Note to self: I looked at the video and understand the objective but took it down from the website bandwidth (still in the folder locally). This link (now broken for site visitors for the time being) reminds me to pursue it again with IV later. Meanwhile I made an attempt with MDT4 just using assembly constraints and a global angle dimension which needs more work. I'm happy to attempt an MDT4 workplane based attempt when I have the time. The MDT file is saved into the opposingmotion folder. **)

While old news to a lot of you I showed this to a designer today and he loved it. I've used this trick in the past and it works well. See Inventor Customer Files for a video. .

If you have objects in an assembly that need to be moved in opposition to one another and you don't want to constrain them with formulas then use a sketch part.

Make a dummy line and then attach it to each part. Attach both ends of the line to a workplane. Now as you drag one object the other will move in the opposite direction.

Maybe old news to some of you but I figured what the heck. I also needed a lead in to new FREE screen capture software I found. I think I like it better than the one I paid for. http://www.capturepad.com (note in another discussion it was said that www.fraps.com is a decent Free capture tool -aj)

Sean Dotson, PE



FAQ


*From S. Dotson' Inventor FAQ which appears periodically in the Autodesk Inventor Disscussion forum and is updated periodically and is found at the top of his Inventor General Support forum at www.sdotson.com/forum

--------------------------------------------------------------------
*** 3. Frequently Asked Questions about R6/7 ***
--------------------------------------------------------------------

1.) Where can I find SP1 & SP2 for R6?
http://support.autodesk.com/getDoc.asp?id=DL403697 (SP1)
http://support.autodesk.com/getDoc.asp?id=DL403916 (SP2)

2.) Where did my print icon go in R6?
You can access printing commands via File>Plot. To add the icon to your toolbar go to Tools>Customize and click on the last tab. Highlight Management in the left hand pane and then drag the print icon onto the standard toolbar in Inventor. You must do this for each file type. e.g. start a new part file and do this, then close and repeat with assembly, presentation and detail drawing file types.

3.) Why do my decals appear as icons?
You likely have .bmp file types associated with a viewer other than MS Paint. To fix this see:-
www.sdotson.com/freetut/Tips%20&%20Tricks.pdf Page 8 Item #18.

4.) Why do some of my project paths appear in red?
There are nested paths. For example if you have a workspace defined as C:\project and a path defined as c:\project\parts the latter path will appear in red.
See the Autodesk Inventor File Management Document.doc on the 1st AIS CD for more info about projects and how they work.

5.) Why do I get an error about not being able to edit a file?
In R6 any file referred to in a library path cannot be edited. To edit these files you either need to move the library file out of the library path, edit it and then return it to the library or create a new project file that refers to this file as a local or workgroup (non-library) path.

6.) Where is the content library in R6?

While in an assembly, left click on the word "Model" at the top of your browser. This will activate a pulldown. Select Library from the pulldown. From here you can select your content and drag and drop it into the assembly.

7.) When will R7 be released?

It has been released and is currently shipping. (4/21/03)

8.) Why can't I rearrange parts in the assembly browser in R6?

The ability to do this in R6 was removed due to the addition of assembly features. Autodesk has said they looking into adding back the functionality in a future release but it is not a promise.



My 2 Do List



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Contact: Aussie John   wpsmoke@yahoo.co.uk