Actions and data for iBox insertion using Woodwork for Inventor API:
1.The assembly in which we are going to insert the desired iBox component must already contain any component in which solid bodies have been created to represent the location, orientation and size of the future iBox component. Let’s call such a component an architectural skeleton.
2.The Woodwork for Inventor API function “HardwareAttachment.iBox.Place” is used to insert an iBox component into an assembly. During insertion, the iBox component is copied to the location specified in the system settings. The function returns the object of the inserted iBox occurrence.
3.The Autodesk Inventor API is used to find the required architectural skeleton and select the required solid body. How the architectural component and the solid body are identified in the application is up to the programmer. For example, both the skeleton file and the skeleton body have agreed names.
a.The solid body must have solid faces marked so that they can be accessed and used by the Autodesk Inventor API to position the iBox occurrence in the required location. These faces indicate how the iBox occurrence will be positioned and oriented in the assembly (front, top and one of the sides). It is up to the programmer to decide how these faces are marked. Attributes, entity name or other means of identification devised by the programmer may be used for marking. The iBox occurrence is positioned using the Autodesk Inventor API iMate mechanism.
4.Using the iMates in the iBox occurrence and the corresponding faces selected from the solid body, Autodesk Inventor API functions are used to position the iBox occurrences in the required position in the space.
The Woodwork for Inventor API function “HardwareAttachment.iBox.Refresh” synchronises the parameters of the iBox occurrence with the automatically calculated dimensions of the solid body. iBox is changed in the way that is intended in the logic of the iBox component. The changed parameters can control the sketch dimensions of an iBox component directly or can be forwarded to an iLogic application that implements more complex iBox change logic.
