Inventor 2015 - iLogic – Export File and Increment File Name

by Luke Davenport

Problem:

You have some iLogic code that exports a file of some kind (STEP file, PDF, DXF etc.) or performs a ‘Save As’ operation. And you want the exported file name to increment with a new version number suffix if an existing file export is found in the export folder.

Solution:

Try the simple code below to check for existing files and add a ‘V1’, ‘V2’, ‘V3’ after the filename as required.

Explanation:

Every company has slightly different requirements for exporting files from Inventor. And therefore there’s no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ export format. This little bit of code may get you started though.

Let’s use an example of the tasty turbine model in the picture above (downloaded from Grabcad – thanks to Edward Otter). The file is called ‘Turbine.ipt’. Here’s what the rule will do:

1)      Find the name of the current Inventor file (e.g. Turbine.ipt)

2)      Check to see if a file called ‘Turbine_V0.stp’ exists in the same folder as Turbine.ipt.

1. If it doesn’t – export ‘Turbine_V0.stp’.
2. If it does – check to see if ‘Turbine_V1.stp’ exists, and keep checking higher numbers until an unused filename is found – e.g. ‘Turbine_V6.stp’ – then export this file.

3)      Ask the user if they would like to open the export folder to check the results, and open the folder if they click ‘Yes’

4)      Job done.

Note that you can easily modify this code depending on which type of file you are exporting. The same principle will work with any file extension that is exportable from Inventor.

I hope you find this useful – ‘til next time!

' Start of iLogic code *******************************************

Stepfilename = ThisDoc.PathAndFileName(False)

Counter = 0

FileExists = True

'check to see if the file to be exported already exists

Do While FileExists    

    ' Define name of exported file - note a .stp file extension 

    ' Is currently being used. In this example I am exporting a Step file

    CurrentFile = Stepfilename & "_V" & Counter & ".stp"

    If Dir(CurrentFile) <> "" Then ' The file does exist

        Counter += 1

        FileExists = True

    Else

        SaveAs = MessageBox.Show("Export file as '" & CurrentFile & _

        "'?", "Cadline iLogic", _

        MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.Question, _

        MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button1)

        If SaveAs = vbNo Then

            Return

        Else ' User says continue

            FileExists = False

        End If

    End If

Loop

' Put your export or 'save as' code in here ***********************

' Get the STEP translator Add-In.

Dim oSTEPTranslator As TranslatorAddIn

oSTEPTranslator = ThisApplication.ApplicationAddIns.ItemById _

("{90AF7F40-0C01-11D5-8E83-0010B541CD80}")

Dim oContext As TranslationContext

oContext = ThisApplication.TransientObjects.CreateTranslationContext

Dim oOptions As NameValueMap

oOptions = ThisApplication.TransientObjects.CreateNameValueMap

If oSTEPTranslator.HasSaveCopyAsOptions(ThisApplication.ActiveDocument _

, oContext, oOptions) Then

    oOptions.Value("ApplicationProtocolType") = 3

    oContext.Type = IOMechanismEnum.kFileBrowseIOMechanism

    Dim oData As DataMedium

    oData = ThisApplication.TransientObjects.CreateDataMedium

    ' Set export name of STEP file

    oData.FileName = CurrentFile

oSTEPTranslator.SaveCopyAs(ThisApplication.ActiveDocument, oContext _

, oOptions, oData)

End If

' End of export code ***********************************************

' Ask user if they want to open the export folder

OpenFolder = MessageBox.Show("Export successful! " & _

"- open containing folder now?", "Cadline iLogic", _

MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, _

MessageBoxIcon.Question,MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button1)

If OpenFolder = vbYes Then

    Process.Start("explorer.exe", ThisDoc.Path)

Else ' User says continue

    'Return

End If

' End of iLogic code **************************************************