Autodesk Inventor SDK

Autodesk Inventor SDK

The Inventor SDK includes samples and tools to demonstrate and describe the functionality that is available in the Inventor API.

The contents of the SDK have been packaged into two separately installable components (each represented by an msi file):

Developer Tools
Samples and tools intended to help developers write applications using the Inventor API. This component can be installed using the DeveloperTools.msi installer file. When this component is installed, it creates the directories that contain the samples and tools.

The DeveloperTools\Samples directory contains the samples. The samples are provided in different languages - VC++, VB (6.0 and .NET) and VC#.NET which are categorized under appropriate folder names in the samples directory.

The DeveloperTools\Tools directory contains the tools - EventWatcher, ThumbnailView and Wizards.

For more information about the samples and tools, please refer to the individual "ReadMe.txt" file associated with each sample or tool.

The wizards will have to be installed (using the DeveloperTools\Wizards\InventorWizards.msi file) first before they can be used. The wizards installer will create code templates that developers can use to quickly create applications that target the Inventor API. The templates are integrated into the Microsoft Visual Studio environment. Therefore, you can use the templates to create projects in VC++ (6.0, 2003), VB (6.0, 2003 and 2005) and VC# (2003 and 2005). The wizards need to be installed prior to using them and you would need to have Microsoft Visual Studio installed first in order to be able to install the wizards.

With Inventor 2009 a signed and registered Primary Interop Assembly (PIA) is being delivered with Inventor. The file is Autodesk.Inventor.Interop.dll. When Inventor is installed this PIA is being installed into the Global Assembly Cache (GAC). All clients that are writing code using any of the .Net languages should begin using this assembly. In addition to being installed in the GAC it is also being delivered in the Developer Tools\References directory. You can reference either one but the one in the GAC will be used at runtime. Going forward we will continue to deliver a PIA for each release. They are versioned with respect to the Inventor version. This PIA is version 13.0.0.0. When you develop for Inventor 2010, you’ll need to update your reference to use the version 14 PIA. They are not versioned relative to the build so the reference update only needs to be done once for each release. All that will be required to move to using the PIA is just to change the reference and recompile. However, we did change one of the options from the default when generating the PIA. This provides for more correct type information. The primary change here is that instead of arrays being declared as generic System.Array types they’re now type specific, i.e. Double(). They’re easily corrected and should show up at compile time.

An object model diagram is provided in: DeveloperTools\Docs\Inventor2009ObjectModel.dwf.
The object model diagram that shows the hierarchy of all objects in the Inventor API.

User Tools
Tools to help automate certain tasks for Inventor users that are not available in the Inventor product itself but can be accomplished using an Inventor API application. This component can be installed using the UserTools.msi installer file. When this component is installed, it creates the directories for the tools that include AddIns and standalone executables. The binaries for the tools are installed which users can utilize directly without having to compile any source code. The source code for the tools are also installed which users can modify to modify the behavior of these tools.

The user tools include the AddIns: AssemblyTools, DrawingTools, GeneralTools, DerivedPart_SP and AutoCustomize and the executables: ColorSchemeEditor, CopyDesign, PartNumberModifier and UpdateThreadDesignation.

For more details regarding these tools, please refer to the individual “ReadMe.txt” file associate with each tool.

NOTE: Only the installer files for the two components described above are created when Inventor is installed. The components themselves would have to be extracted by running the corresponding installer files before they can be used.

LICENSE AGREEMENT:
These terms and conditions amend the end user license agreement included with the Autodesk® Inventor® Software (the "Software") for which this software developer's kit ("SDK") is intended. By installing this SDK, the user accepts and agrees to the following:
While Autodesk, Inc. has made reasonable efforts to verify and test teh sample files ("Sample Files") and tools, including wizards (collectively "Tools") provided in this SDK, the SDK is provided solely on an "as is" basis, "with all faults". The SDK, the sample files and tools contained are employed at the sole risk of the user. Autodesk disclaims all express or implied conditions, representations, and warranties of any kind, including any implied warranty or condition or merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or noninfringement. The user is free to modfy or customize the sample files provided, however Autodesk makes no representations, warranties, conditions or guaranties as to the quality, suitability for a paricular purpose, ors afety of user's other applications or data when used with the sample fiels or the tools.
User agrees that Autodesk is not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages, including but not limited to, damages for loss profits, revenue, goodwill, use data, electronically transmitted orders, or other economic advantage (even if Autodesk has been advised of the possibility of such damages), however caused and regardless of the theory of liability, whether in contract (including fundamental breach), tort (including negligence) or otherwise, arising out of or related to: (i) the user of or the inability ot use the sample fiels and tools; (ii) the cost of procurement of substitute goods and services resultiing from the use or inability to use the sample files and tools' or (iii) any other matter relating to the sample files and tools. User has sole responsibility for adequate protection and backup of data and/or equipment used in connection with thes ample fiels and the tools contained in the SDK and will not make a claim against Autodesk for lost data, re-run time, innacurate output, work delays, or lost profits resulting from the use of same.
User agrees to hold Autodesk harmless from, and use covenants not to sue or othwerise seek liability from Autodesk for, any claims based on using the SDK or the sample files and tools contained, whether in contract (including fundamental breach), tort (including negligence) or owtherise. Except as provided herein, all other terms and conditions of the end user license agreement accompanying this software apply to the SDK.