Preparing a Model

Prepare your model before uploading.

Identify a simple Inventor Part (.ipt file) to upload. Make sure that the model works in desktop Inventor or ETO.

Choose a part that:

• Has no external references (does not include any derived features).
• Is nothing special, in terms of Inventor capabilities.
• Is driven by one or more parameters.

How the parameters display in Configurator 360 varies based on whether you create an iLogic form in Inventor or define parameters using the Inventor Parameters command in Configurator 360.

Setting Up Parameter Display

How you set up your parameters determines how they display in C360:

• Creating a simple iLogic form gives you greater control over group names, the number of groups, and how they are organized. This form allows you to display pictures (bitmaps) together with the parameters, and conditionally enables or disables editing of individual parameter values. This method is preferred for setting up parameter displays.
• Using the Inventor Parameters command without a form limits you to predefined category names ("Dimensions" lists model parameters and "Options" lists user parameters), but is a viable option if you do not use forms.

In C360, the admin-user selects between the Parameters display or a particular form display:

• If there are multiple forms in the file, C360 picks the first one alphabetically. To ensure that your simple form is used, add an underscore to the beginning of the name to move it to the top of the list (for example, _form1).
• If there are no forms, C360 uses the Parameters command display format.
• You can change the display format at any time.

Note: Parameter controls do not apply to ETO designs.

Controlling Parameter Display with iLogic Forms

Complete the following steps to create a simple form. For detailed information, see To Work with Forms in the Inventor help.

1. Select Add Form from the iLogic drop-down menu on the Inventor Manage tab.
2. Enter a name for the form. To make the form available in multiple documents, select For All Documents (Global).
3. Begin designing the form layout by dragging Group from the Toolbox on the left. Change the name of the group to whatever you like and add as many groups as you need. The group names and the order in which they appear in the form are mirrored in the C360 display.

   
   

   
   
   

   
   

   
   
   
   Note: Only the Group Toolbox option is supported in C360.
4. Add parameters by dragging them from the Parameters tab. Rules and iProperties are not supported in C360.
5. Change the parameter properties as needed. The properties you can edit are limited to Label and Read Only.
6. Click OK.
7. Upload the design to C360.
8. If necessary, select the form on the Designs Parameters page.

   
   

   
   
   

Controlling Parameter Display Using the Parameters Command

Choose a part with only a few exposed parameters that are renamed or created in the Inventor Parameters window. Parameters marked as Key are also processed.

The following image displays a sample part with the Parameters open in Inventor.

In the Parameters dialog box, verify that the important parameters for the part are either:

• All marked as key parameters and only the important ones are marked.
  

Or

• None marked as key, and the important ones are named (not d0-style).
  

After you upload, the Configurator 360 client can see the Width, Height, and Thickness parameters in the application that is generated.