Ilogic - Add Standard Virtual Parts From a Text File

Issue:

You have a number of standard Virtual parts that you find yourself adding over and over. You'd like to have the ability to add them based on a predefined list.

Solution:

Here is an example iLogic rule that will read a *.txt file and present the contents to the user in an input box list. The user is then asked to enter a quantity for the virtual part, and then the virtual part occurrences are added to the assembly. If one or more occurrences of the virtual part exist in the assembly, the iLogic rule deletes them and just adds back the total number needed.

(update: see also iLogic - Add Standard Virtual Parts From an Excel File or a similar solution)

An example text file list

The list presented to the user in an input list box.

 

The input box presented to the user to set the quantity.

The virtual parts added to the assembly.

Adjusting the quantity.

The iLogic rule deletes the original 18 occurrences and just adds back the number specified.

 Here is the example iLogic rule:
(special thanks to Brian Ekins for the code he posted at this link.)

Imports System.IO

'open and read a text file

Dim oRead As New StreamReader("U:\iLogic examples\Virtual Part List.txt")

Dim sLine As String = ""

Dim MyArrayList As New ArrayList

'build list from text file

Do

    sLine = oRead.ReadLine()

    If Not sLine Is Nothing Then

        MyArrayList.Add(sLine)

    End If

Loop Until sLine Is Nothing

oRead.Close()

'get user input from list

sVirtPart = InputListBox("Select a virtual part to add.", _

MyArrayList, MyArrayList.Item(0), "iLogic", "Standard Virtual Parts")

'check for empty input

'in the case where the user

'cancels out of the input box

If sVirtPart = "" Then

Return 'end rule

Else

End if

'get quantity from user

iQTY = InputBox("Enter the TOTAL number of:" _

& vblf & "        ''" & sVirtPart & "''" _

& vblf & "to place in the assembly." _

& vblf &  vblf & "Note: Enter 0 to delete all existing instances.", "iLogic", "1")

'check for empty input

'in the case where the user

'cancels out of the input box

If iQTY = "" Then

Return 'end rule

Else

End if

'define assembly

Dim asmDoc As AssemblyDocument

asmDoc = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument

'define assembly Component Definition

Dim oAsmCompDef As AssemblyComponentDefinition

oAsmCompDef = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.ComponentDefinition

'Iterate through all of the occurrences in the assembly

Dim asmOcc As ComponentOccurrence

For Each asmOcc  In oAsmCompDef.Occurrences

                'get name of occurence only (sees only everything left of the colon)

                Dim oOcc As Object

            oOcc = asmOcc.name.Split(":")(0)

            'look at only virtual components

                If TypeOf asmOcc.Definition Is VirtualComponentDefinition Then

                        'compare name selected from list to the

                                'existing virtual parts

                                If oOcc = sVirtPart Then

                        'delete existing virtual parts if name matches

                                asmOcc.delete

                                Else

                        End if

            Else

            End If

Next

  

Dim occs As ComponentOccurrences

occs = asmDoc.ComponentDefinition.Occurrences

  

Dim identity As Matrix

identity = ThisApplication.TransientGeometry.CreateMatrix

 

'create first instance of the virtual part

Dim virtOcc As ComponentOccurrence

if  iQTY >= 1 Then

virtOcc = occs.AddVirtual(sVirtPart, identity)

Else

Return

End if

'add next instance starting at instance2 (if applicable)

Dim index As Integer

index = 2

Do While index <= iQTY

occs.AddByComponentDefinition(virtOcc.Definition, identity)

index += 1

Loop