jordanrobot/InventorConfig

A simple tool that loads application options into Autodesk Inventor from a JSON file. Useful for (re)setting user's configs and shortcuts quickly.

Inventor Config

This is a simple config tool for Autodesk Inventor to standardize Inventor options across users' computers.

It works by editing a select subset of Inventor Application Options from a JSON configuration file. The thought is that the administrator can create a json configuration file and deploy the configuration to the users. This will ensure their Inventor configs match the company standards. You can also use it to back-up and quickly change some settings and command shortcuts.

There are two versions, the gui tool (inventor-config-gui.exe), and a command-line tool (inventor-config.exe).

How to Run

1. Download the binary from the Releases page, or download and build from source.
2. Modify a default.json [configuration] file to suit your needs.

Command-line tool:

3. Double-click the inventor-config.exe file to run in place. A default.json [configuration] file must be in the same directory as the inventor-config executable. Or
4. Run in a command line with ./inventor-config.exe with the various options shown below, or
5. Copy the inventor-config.exe file into a directory in your PATH. Then run from a command line with the command inventor-config.

GUI tool:

6. Open the application, select a file, and click "Apply", or
7. click on "Save New Config", select a new file name and location.

Detailed Command-Line Usage

The basic usage will let you load a default json configuration file into Inventor. The default configuration file needs to be named default.json; this file should be located in current working directory (if using the command line). To load the configuration using the command line, type the following command at a command line prompt (powershell, cmd, etc).

inventor-config

You can also double-click the inventor-config.exe (if a default.json file is present in the same directory).

To load a user-supplied JSON configuration file into Inventor (say the config file is called default.json), issue the command as shown:

inventor-config -p your-config.json

To create a JSON configuration file from Inventor's current options, issue the following command:

inventor-config -o your-config.json

To verify a JSON configuration file's syntax is formatted correctly, issue the following command:

inventor-config -p your-config.json --test

Command Line Options

--path (-p)

Specify a filename of a configuration json file to load into Inventor. May be a relative or absolute path.

--test

Test json configuration file for valid format - Inventor settings will not be modified.

--output (-o)

Specify a destination filename; writes a json file of the existing Inventor application configuration. May be a relative or absolute path.

--help

Display this help screen.

--version

Display version information.

Json Configuration Spec

• This tool uses a JSON file to specify the configuration to load.
• Empty value strings will be ignored when the config is loaded; that particular setting will not be touched in Inventor.
• You can create a JSON configuration from an existing Inventor install using the --output option.
• You can create multiple JSON config files, each with a different configuration.
• Paths should use either of the following directory separators: / or \\. (Using the \ character will throw an error as it is a JSON escape character.)
• The following variables may be used in paths:
  • %PUBLICDOCUMENTS%
  • %USERPROFILE%
  • %RELEASE% (As in "Inventor %RELEASE%" = "Inventor 2021")
  • %LANGUAGE%
  • %USERNAME%
  • %INVUSERNAME% (Inventor Options User Name)

Example Config

{   "ConfigName" : "Default Config",
    "UserName" : "",
    "DefaultVBAProjectFileFullFilename" : "%PUBLICDOCUMENTS%/Autodesk/Inventor %RELEASE%/Macros/Default.ivb",
    "TemplatesPath" : "%PUBLICDOCUMENTS%/Autodesk/Inventor %RELEASE%/Templates/%LANGUAGE%/",
    "DesignDataPath" : "%PUBLICDOCUMENTS%/Autodesk/Inventor %RELEASE%/Design Data/",
    "PresetsPath" : "%USERPROFILE%/AppData/Roaming/Autodesk/Inventor %RELEASE%/Presets/",
    "SymbolLibraryPath" : "Z:/Inventor/Symbol Library/",
    "SheetMetalPunchesRootPath" : "Z:/Inventor/Punches/",
    "iFeatureOptionsRootPath" : "%PUBLICDOCUMENTS%/Autodesk/Inventor %RELEASE%/Catalog/",
    "CCAccess" : "Desktop",
    "CCLibraryPath" : "Z:/Inventor/Content Center Libraries/2021/",
    "CCCustomFamilyAsStandard" : true,
    "CCRefreshOutOfDateStandardParts" : true,
    "SectionAllParts" : true,
    "DefaultDrawingFileType" : "idw",
    "CleanExternalRuleDirectories" : false,
    "ExternalRuleDirectories" : [
        "directory",
        "directory2"
     ],
     "ProjectFiles": [
        "%PUBLICDOCUMENTS%\\Autodesk\\Inventor 2021\\Default.ipj"
     ],
    "ControlShortcuts": {
        "AppApplicationOptionsCmd": "OP",
        "AppBottomViewCmd": "BBB",
        "AppCustomizeCmd": "CUI",
        "AppFileCloseCmd": "CLOSE"
    }
    }

JSON Configuration Key/Values

Option	Value Type	Description
ConfigName	string	A user name for the configuration. This is not used by Inventor at all; it is provided for the people editing the configuration.
UserName	string	The User Name used by Inventor.
DefaultVBAProjectFileFullFilename	string	The default VBA project location. Must be a valid file location.
TemplatesPath	string	Default template folder.
DesignDataPath	string	Default design data folder.
PresetsPath	string	User preset folder.
SymbolLibraryPath	string	Symbol library folder.
SheetMetalPunchesRootPath	string	Sheet metal punches iFeatures folder.
iFeatureOptionsRootPath	string	iFeatures folder.
CCAccess	string	Content Center access type. Valid values are "desktop" or "vault".
CCLibraryPath	string	Content Center libraries path.
CCCustomFamilyAsStandard	boolean	Controls if Content Center parts are placed as custom parts or standard parts.
CCRefreshOutOfDateStandardParts	boolean	Controls if Content Center parts are automatically refreshed when placed.
SectionAllParts	boolean	Controls if all parts are sectioned in drawing section views.
DefaultDrawingFileType	string	Controls the default drawing file format. Valid values are "idw" or "dwg".
CleanExternalRuleDirectories	boolean	If this is set to true, the existing ExternalRuleDirectories will be deleted before applying the ones specified below.
ExternalRuleDirectories	array	Directories to search for iLogic rules.
ProjectFiles	array	Project files to load into Inventor's list of projects.
ControlShortcuts	Dictionary<string, string>	Inventor command keyboard shortcuts. The first value is the Inventor ControlDefinitions.InternalName, the second is the shortcut key(s).

Build

InventorConfig (command-line) dependencies:

• Autodesk Inventor installation (2021 & 2022 tested)
• Newtonsoft.Json (Nuget)
• Microsoft.CSharp (Nuget)
• CommandLineParser (Nuget)

Nuke build dependencies:

• GitVersion.CommandLine (Nuget)
• Nuke.Common (Nuget)

To build, enter the following command in powershell:

• nuke compile

The inventor-config.exe will be placed in the artifacts/ directory The inventor-config-gui.exe will be placed in the artifacts/*/net48 directory