Create Inventor dwf

The Create Inventor dwf node is used to generate a .dwf file from a local Autodesk Inventor document. This task automates the opening, exporting, and closing of the file using the Inventor API and returns the path to the newly created DWF file.

Overview

This node opens a specified .ipt or .iam file from the local file system, exports it to .dwf format, and stores the resulting file in the same directory. It also provides the full path to the generated DWF file as an output variable.

This task is typically used in workflows that involve CAD document handling, publishing, or pre-checking files for downstream engineering or document management purposes.

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Inputs

Label	Input Type	Description	Required	Visible When
Local File Full Path	text	Full file path to the local Inventor document (e.g., C:\Files\part.ipt).	✅ Yes	Always

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Outputs

Name	Description
CreatedDwfFile	Full file path to the generated .dwf file

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Behavior

1. Validation
   Validates that Local File Full Path is provided and that the file exists at the specified location.

2. File Handling

   • Deletes any existing .dwf file in the same directory with the same name.
   • Opens the Inventor file using the invService.OpenDocument() method.

3. DWF Export

   • Attempts to export the document to .dwf format using invService.ExportDwf().
   • On failure, sets the task as unsuccessful with an appropriate message.

4. Post-Export Checks

   • Verifies that the exported .dwf file exists.
   • Adds the CreatedDwfFile path to the data dictionary.

5. Cleanup

   • Closes all Inventor documents to release resources.

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Success Criteria

• A valid .ipt or .iam file must be provided.
• Exported .dwf file must be successfully created and saved.
• Output variable CreatedDwfFile must be populated.

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Failure Modes

Condition	Message
Input file does not exist	Local File not found
File could not be opened in Inventor	Failed to open document
Export fails	Failed to export DWF
DWF file is not found after export	DWF not found
Any other unexpected error	(AIAgent) - AI Service Failed

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Example Usage

To convert an Inventor file C:\Designs\housing.iam to a .dwf:

• Set Local File Full Path to C:\Designs\housing.iam.
• On success, CreatedDwfFile will be set to C:\Designs\housing.dwf.

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Notes

• This task requires Autodesk Inventor to be installed and correctly configured on the server.
• invService must be correctly initialized in the hosting environment.
• Existing .dwf files with the same name will be overwritten.