Design Patterns Applied to
Autodesk® Inventor® API
Philippe Leefsma
Senior Developer Consultant, Autodesk Developer Network
© 2012 Autodesk
Class Summary
This class focuses on developing .Net based add-ins for Autodesk
Inventor® using best practices gained from direct hands-on experience
of Autodesk software engineers. It exposes design patterns specifically
studied for the Inventor® API. The class may benefit any programmer
developing applications on top of Autodesk Inventor®.
© 2012 Autodesk
About the Presenter
Philippe Leefsma
Developer Technical Services
EMEA (Neuchatel, Switzerland)
Philippe has a master's degree in Computer Sciences. He carried his studies in Paris at
I.S.E.P and in USA, at Colorado School of Mines.
He joined Autodesk 6 years ago where he works as developer consultant for Autodesk
Developer Network. He supports various products APIs such as AutoCAD®, AutoCAD
Mechanical®, and Autodesk® Inventor®. He likes to travel, meet developers from around
the world to work with them around challenging programming, CAD and manufacturing
topics.
© 2012 Autodesk
Learning Objectives
At the end of this class, you will be able to:

Boost your add-in development with useful functionalities

Strengthen stability and efficiency of your application by using well
established software architectures

Save time and effort by taking advantage of design patterns turned into
templates

We do not discuss and assume knowledge of

How to program in C# or VB.NET
 The basics of the Inventor API
 Inventor product usage
© 2012 Autodesk
I - Creating Custom Project
and Item templates
© 2012 Autodesk
Custom Add-In Template

Custom add-in template can be used
to enforce design pattern use

Let you save time and efforts by
automating repetitive tasks

Helps standardize development
process across company

Provides an efficient framework
to developers
© 2012 Autodesk
Creating Custom Templates
Creating your own custom
add-in template is straightforward
from Visual Studio interface:
Web references dealing with more
advanced functionalities:


http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc188697.aspx
http://blogs.microsoft.co.il/blogs/oshvartz/archive/2008/07/26/creating-visual-studio-items-template-withcustom-wizard.aspx
© 2012 Autodesk
Custom template - Parameters
Template parameters are declared in the format $parameter$
Some useful parameters used in the ADN template:

destinationdirectory
 GUID [1-10]
 itemname
 projectname
 safeitemname
 safeprojectname
 time
© 2012 Autodesk
Custom Template - Parameters Example
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// $safeitemname$ Inventor Add-in Command
//
// Author: $username$
// Creation date: $time$
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
namespace $rootnamespace$
{
class $safeitemname$: AdnButtonCommandBase
{
public $safeitemname$(Inventor.Application Application):
base(Application)
{
//... Your code goes here ...
}
}
}
© 2012 Autodesk
Adding Custom Steps
Post-Build:
call "%VS90COMNTOOLS%vsvars32"
mt.exe -manifest
"$(ProjectDir)$projectname$.X.manifest" -outputresource:"$(TargetPath)";#2
xcopy /y "$(ProjectDir)Autodesk.$projectname$.Inventor.addin"
"$(AppData)\Autodesk\Inventor Addins\"
AfterClean:
<Target Name="AfterClean">
<Delete Files="$(AppData)\Autodesk\Inventor
Addins\Autodesk.$projectname$.Inventor.addin" />
</Target>
© 2012 Autodesk
Template Installation

On Windows XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\Visual Studio <version>
\Templates\ProjectTemplates\

C:\ Documents and Settings \<user>\My Documents\Visual Studio <version>
\Templates\ItemTemplates\

On Windows Vista/7:

C:\Users\<user>\My Documents\Visual Studio <version>
\Templates\ProjectTemplates\

C:\Users\<user>\My Documents\Visual Studio <version>
\Templates\ItemTemplates\
© 2012 Autodesk
Templates in Visual Studio Express
Visual Studio Express Edition has a few limitations:

Post-Build step not available > Perform manually or use .bat file

AfterClean step not available

New project created on TEMP folder > Call ‘Save All’, select folder and
change .addin and post-build accordingly
© 2012 Autodesk
Template Demo
© 2012 Autodesk
II - Add-In Utilities
© 2012 Autodesk
XML Ribbon Builder

Common task for add-ins: create user interface elements

XML-based Ribbon builder presents several advantages:

Fast and easy definition of Ribbon elements

Generate the Ribbon items dynamically at loading

Use external XML > Can be replaced / updated by user / application
Ribbon
Builder
© 2012 Autodesk
XML Ribbon Builder - Tags
Ribbon builder interprets following XML tags:

RibbonTab
 RibbonPanel
 QAT
 Button
 Separator
 ComboBox
 Macro
 Gallery
 SplitButton
 SplitButtonMRU
 ButtonPopup
 Popup
 TogglePopup
© 2012 Autodesk
Ribbon items persistence
Ribbon builder implements custom items persistence mechanism:
Ribbons.xml
<Ribbon>
<…>
<Ribbon/>
Add-in
loaded
Ribbon
Builder
Add-in
unloaded
User.Ribbons.
xml
<Ribbon>
<…>
<Ribbon/>
Add-in
loaded
Ribbon Builder
© 2012 Autodesk
XML Ribbon Builder - Example
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Ribbon>
<RibbonTab ribbons="ZeroDoc|Part|Assembly|Drawing"
internalName="id_TabTools"
displayName="Tools"
targetTabBefore=""
targetTabAfter="">
<RibbonPanel internalName="MyCompany.MyAddin.MyPanel"
displayName="My Panel"
targetPanelBefore=""
targetPanelAfter="">
<Button internalName="MyCompany.MyAddin.MyCommand"
useLargeIcon="true"
isInSlideout="false"
targetControlBefore="TargetControlInternalName"
targetControlAfter=""
isPersistent="true"/>
</RibbonPanel>
</RibbonTab>
</Ribbon>
© 2012 Autodesk
XML Ribbon Builder - Use
// Create Ribbon items based on a Stream generated
// from an XML description file
public void CreateRibbonFromStream(Stream stream);
// Create Ribbon items based on a Stream name
// typically an embedded resource xml file
public void CreateRibbonFromResource(
Assembly resourceAssembly,
string resourcename);
// Create Ribbon items based on an existing
// xml file on the disk
public void CreateRibbonFromFile(string xmlfile);
© 2012 Autodesk
XML Ribbon Builder - Use
public void Activate(Inventor.ApplicationAddInSite addInSiteObject, bool firstTime)
{
// Add-in Inititialization...
Assembly asm = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
string asmName = asm.GetName().Name;
if (System.IO.File.Exists(asmName + ".ribbons.override.xml"))
{
AdnRibbonBuilder.CreateRibbonFromFile(asmName + ".ribbons.override.xml");
}
else
{
AdnRibbonBuilder.CreateRibbonFromResource(asm, “Namespace.resources.ribbons.xml");
}
}
© 2012 Autodesk
Add-in Installer – Registry Free
Utilities can be extended also to
installer class:

Inventor registry-free add-in mechanism
based on “.addin” copied at specific location
on the machine.

Add-in dll can be placed anywhere on the
directory structure

To handle this feature from classic installer,
a custom post install step can be used
© 2012 Autodesk
Add-in Installer – Registry Free
public string InstallRegistryFree(IDictionary stateSaver){
// Get addin dll location
Assembly Asm = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
FileInfo asmFile = new FileInfo(Asm.Location);
FileInfo addinFile = null;
foreach (FileInfo fileInfo in asmFile.Directory.GetFiles())
if (fileInfo.Extension.ToLower() == ".addin"){
addinFile = fileInfo;
break;
}
XmlDocument xmldoc = new XmlDocument();
xmldoc.Load(addinFile.FullName);
XmlNode node = xmldoc.GetElementsByTagName("Assembly")[0];
node.InnerText = asmFile.FullName;
xmldoc.Save(addinFilenameDest);
© 2012 Autodesk
Inventor Utilities – Manager Classes
class AdnAttributeManager
class AdnRefKeyManager
class AdnInteractionManager
class AdnClientGraphicsManager
class AdnDrawingViewManager
© 2012 Autodesk
III - Design Patterns
© 2012 Autodesk
Add-In Command Pattern

An Inventor command is different for user and programmer


User = single concept | Programmer = Multiple API objects
Control
Definition
AdnCommand design pattern gathers
all API concepts in a single object:

Easily instantiated and extended

Helps structure your code

Handles Form / InteractionEvents workflow
Icons
Adn
Command
Form
Interaction
Interaction
Events
© 2012 Autodesk
Add-In Command Pattern
abstract public class AdnCommandBase
{
protected AdnCommandBase(Inventor.Application Application)
// Static method to add new command
public static void AddCommand(AdnCommandBase command)
// Implements ControlDefinition creation in derived classes
abstract protected void CreateControl()
// Public Command Properties
public ControlDefinition ControlDefinition
public Application Application
public abstract string ClientId
}
© 2012 Autodesk
Add-In Command - Use

AdnCommandBase is designed to be derived in custom command:
AdnCommandBase
AdnButtonCommand
Base
MyButtonCommand
AdnCollection
CommandBase
MySplitCommand
MyPopUpCommand
© 2012 Autodesk
Dockable Window Pattern
 Provides an easy to use pattern to handle custom
Dockable Windows in Inventor
 Use: create a UserControl and place it inside the
Dockable Window Form
 A static method allows to create or refresh display for
the dockable window
protected override void OnExecute(NameValueMap context)
{
MyDockableWnd.MakeVisible(
_addInSiteObject,
DockingStateEnum.kDockLeft);
}
© 2012 Autodesk
ClientFeature Factory Pattern
public abstract class AdnClientFeatureFactoryBase
{
public abstract string ClientFeatureName;
public abstract Bitmap ClientFeatureIcon;
public abstract bool IsCustomSolved;
public abstract bool HighlightClientGraphicsWithFeature;
protected string ClientFeatureId;
public abstract bool Edit(ClientFeature feature);
public abstract void ExitEdit();
protected ClientFeature CreateClientFeature(
Document document,
object startElement,
object endElement,
object inputs)
public event OnFeatureDoubleClickEvent;
}
public event OnClientFeatureSolveEvent;
© 2012 Autodesk
Wrap up

Custom Template


Add-in Utilities


Project and item templates are powerful time and effort saver
Using custom tools on top of API can be very advantageous and
lighten coding process
Design Patterns

Rely on design patterns helps structure code and enforce good
practices
© 2012 Autodesk
Material

Presentation



Template Samples






CP2675 - Design Patterns Applied to the Autodesk® Inventor® API.pptx
CP2675 - Design Patterns Applied to the Autodesk® Inventor® API.docx
Inventor AddIn Template
AdnButtonCommand
AdnCollectionCommand
AdnClientFeatureFactory
DockableWindow
- C# | VB.Net
- C# | VB.Net
- C# | VB.Net
- C# | VB.Net
- C#
Add-In Samples

ClientGraphics, DogBone, FxDimensions, Material Profiler, Thread Modeler
© 2012 Autodesk
Resources for Inventor developers

Online Help, Developer's Guide and SDK Samples

Inventor Developer Center
http://www.autodesk.com/developinventor

Webcasts and Trainings on Inventor Programming and News
http://www.adskconsulting.com/adn/cs/api_course_sched.php

Discussion Group
http://discussion.autodesk.com > Inventor

API Training Classes
http://www.autodesk.com/apitraining

ADN, The Autodesk Developer Network
http://www.autodesk.com/joinadn

Manufacturing DevBlog
http://adndevblog.typepad.com/manufacturing
© 2012 Autodesk
© 2012 Autodesk