Issue
Is it possible to save client graphics created in a part document with the Inventor API? Is there an API for redrawing the client graphics using the saved graphics data?
Solution
Using the GraphicsDataSetsCollection.Add2 method will allow ClientGraphics to be saved with the file.
If ClientGraphics are added to a ClientFeature along with a data set then the ClientFeature will take care of the redraw. Currently using a ClientFeature is the only way to persist the complete set of ClientGraphics. For more information, please take a look at "Visual Cues – ClientGraphics and InteractionGraphics" in the Overviews section of the Inventor API Help file for better understanding on GraphicsDataSet and how to use them.
To test the code below select a ClientFeature and run the macro. ClientGraphics will be added to the ClientFeature. The attached part file has a ClientFeature named Pocket1 that you can use to test. (Select ClientFeature "Pocket1").
Download Testpart-Inventor2015
C# code
publicstaticvoid testCS()
{
// assume we have had Inventor Application
// _InventorApp
try
{
ClientFeature invCF =
_InventorApp.ActiveDocument.SelectSet[1]
asClientFeature;
ClientFeatureDefinition invCFD =
invCF.Definition;
if (invCFD.ClientGraphicsCollection.Count > 0)
{
// Delete everything.
for (int i = 0;
i < invCFD.ClientGraphicsCollection.Count;
i++)
{
invCFD.ClientGraphicsCollection[i].Delete();
_InventorApp.ActiveView.Update();
}
}
else
{
// Get an arbitrary point on an edge of the // feature, if the client feature has any //elements.
Inventor.Point oOrigin = null;
if (invCFD.ClientFeatureElements.Count > 0)
{
PartFeature element =
invCFD.ClientFeatureElements[1].Element
asPartFeature;
oOrigin =
element.Faces[1].Edges[1].PointOnEdge;
}
else
{
oOrigin = _InventorApp.TransientGeometry.CreatePoint(0, 0, 0);
}
GraphicsDataSets oGraphicsData = null;
try
{
oGraphicsData =
_InventorApp.ActiveDocument.
GraphicsDataSetsCollection[
"Client Feature Test"];
}
catch
{
oGraphicsData = _InventorApp.ActiveDocument.GraphicsDataSetsCollection.Add2(
"Client Feature Test", true);
}
GraphicsCoordinateSet oCoordSet =
oGraphicsData.CreateCoordinateSet(2);
double[] adPoints = newdouble[9];
adPoints[0] = oOrigin.X;
adPoints[1] = oOrigin.Y;
adPoints[2] = oOrigin.Z;
adPoints[3] = oOrigin.X + 1;
adPoints[4] = oOrigin.Y;
adPoints[5] = oOrigin.Z;
adPoints[6] = oOrigin.X + 1;
adPoints[7] = oOrigin.Y + 0.5;
adPoints[8] = oOrigin.Z;
oCoordSet.PutCoordinates(ref adPoints);
GraphicsNormalSet oNormalSet =
oGraphicsData.CreateNormalSet(2);
oNormalSet.Add(1,
_InventorApp.TransientGeometry.CreateUnitVector(0, 0, 1));
GraphicsColorSet oColorSet =
oGraphicsData.CreateColorSet(2);
oColorSet.Add(1, 255, 255, 0);
// Create some client graphics.
ClientGraphics oClientGraphics =
invCFD.ClientGraphicsCollection.Add(
"Client Feature Test");
GraphicsNode oNode =
oClientGraphics.AddNode(2);
//Create a triangle.
TriangleGraphics oTriangle =
oNode.AddTriangleGraphics();
oTriangle.CoordinateSet = oCoordSet;
oTriangle.NormalSet = oNormalSet;
oTriangle.ColorSet = oColorSet;
oTriangle.DepthPriority = 1;
oNode.Selectable = true;
_InventorApp.ActiveView.Update();
}
}
catch
{
}
}VBA code
Sub testVBA()
'get the client feature
Dim invCF As ClientFeature
Set invCF = _
ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.SelectSet(1)
' get defintion of the client feature
Dim invCFD As ClientFeatureDefinition
Set invCFD = invCF.Definition
If invCFD.ClientGraphicsCollection.Count > 0 Then
' Delete everything.
Dim i As Integer
For i = 1 To invCFD.ClientGraphicsCollection.Count
invCFD.ClientGraphicsCollection.Item(1).Delete
ThisApplication.ActiveView.Update
Next
Else
' Get an arbitrary point on an edge of the feature,
' if the client feature has any elements.
Dim oOrigin As Point
If invCFD.ClientFeatureElements.Count > 0 Then
Set oOrigin = invCFD.ClientFeatureElements.Item(1). _
Element.Faces.Item(1).Edges.Item(1).PointOnEdge
Else
' There isn't any geometry so just place
' the graphics at the model origin.
Set oOrigin = _
ThisApplication.TransientGeometry.CreatePoint
End If
Dim oGraphicsData As GraphicsDataSets
On Error Resume Next
Set oGraphicsData = _
ThisApplication.ActiveDocument. _
GraphicsDataSetsCollection.Item("Client Feature Test")
If Err Then
' then the data will be stored with document saving
Set oGraphicsData = _
ThisApplication.ActiveDocument. _
GraphicsDataSetsCollection.Add2( _
"Client Feature Test", True)
End If
Dim oCoordSet As GraphicsCoordinateSet
Set oCoordSet = oGraphicsData.CreateCoordinateSet(2)
Dim adPoints(8) As Double
adPoints(0) = oOrigin.X
adPoints(1) = oOrigin.Y
adPoints(2) = oOrigin.Z
adPoints(3) = oOrigin.X + 1
adPoints(4) = oOrigin.Y
adPoints(5) = oOrigin.Z
adPoints(6) = oOrigin.X + 1
adPoints(7) = oOrigin.Y + 0.5
adPoints(8) = oOrigin.Z
Call oCoordSet.PutCoordinates(adPoints)
Dim oNormalSet As GraphicsNormalSet
Set oNormalSet = oGraphicsData.CreateNormalSet(2)
Call oNormalSet.Add(1, _
ThisApplication.TransientGeometry.CreateUnitVector( _
0, 0, 1))
Dim oColorSet As GraphicsColorSet
Set oColorSet = oGraphicsData.CreateColorSet(2)
Call oColorSet.Add(1, 255, 255, 0)
' Create some client graphics.
Dim oClientGraphics As ClientGraphics
Set oClientGraphics = _
invCFD.ClientGraphicsCollection.Add("Client Feature Test")
Dim oNode As GraphicsNode
Set oNode = oClientGraphics.AddNode(2)
' Create a triangle.
Dim oTriangle As TriangleGraphics
Set oTriangle = oNode.AddTriangleGraphics
oTriangle.CoordinateSet = oCoordSet
oTriangle.NormalSet = oNormalSet
oTriangle.ColorSet = oColorSet
oTriangle.DepthPriority = 1
oNode.Selectable = True
ThisApplication.ActiveView.Update
End If
End Sub
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