V 1.0.1 March 15, 2006

DERIVED PART - SCALE AND POSITION (DP-S&P)

1. Allows you to create a derived part that is scaled and positioned, with respect
   to the source part.

2. Both uniform and non-uniform (meaning different scale factors in the X, Y, and Z   
   directions) scaling can be specified.

3. There are four methods to specify the position of a derived part. Two of these 
   methods simply translate (move) the source part without any rotation, and the 
   other two methods both move and rotate the source part.

4. The two move-only positioning methods are (a) specify X, Y, Z values, and 
   (b) specify a work point in the active file. The latter option will derive the 
   source part such that its origin is located at the work point,

5. The first move/rotate positioning method requires you to select a sketch in the
   destination (or active) part. This option will derive the source part such that
   its origin XY plane is concident with the sketch plane and its origin is located 
   at the sketch origin.

6. The second move/rotate positioning method requires you to select a sketch in the
   source part. This option will derive the source part such that the sketch plane
   is concident with the active part's origin XY plane and the sketch origin is 
   located at the part origin.

7. If you want to respecify the scale or position, you can use the edit option in   
   this utility. This feature can also be used to "update" a derived part. For 
   example, if you had specified a work point for position, and if the work point    
   were to move later you can edit and respecify the same work point.

8. With non-uniform scaling you can only derive model bodies, surfaces, and       
   parameters, that is, sketches are disallowed.

9. You can use the regular derived part command to edit these derived parts to          
   include or exclude various entities like work features, surfaces, sketches and    
   parameters. You can also change model body derivation to "Body as Work Surface" 
   using derived part edit.

10.Tooltip of the combo box for derived part selection shows the full file path.

11.You may be able use this tool to simulate an iFeature that adds or removes 
   material. Select a sketch in the active part, and use Split and Sculpt commands.
   The advantage of this method is that the source can be modified to affect
   the derived part.

12.If you create a sketch (in the active part) to act as a position input, make sure 
   that you add something like a sketch circle to it. Otherwise, remember that all 
   empty sketches are deleted when a derived part is created.

13.Full functionality of DP-S&P will not be available when used with pre-R11          
   Inventor.


Known Issues:
1. No associativity of position when the specified work point or sketch is changed.

2. We do not retain the inputs, so that when you edit you have to supply the inputs.

3. On edit, if you have several derived parts of this kind, you need to pick using     
   a pulldown list, which is less than ideal. And, since selected items are not       
   cross-highlighted if you derived the same part more than once you have to use       
   the browser position to distinguish.

4. No preview.

In order to load this AddIn, run the Install.bat file. This will register the DerivedPart_SP.dll 
in the Source directory and also merge the contents of the DerivedPart_SP.reg file to add 
the Inventor required registry settings. To unload this AddIn, run the Uninstall.bat file.

This AddIn has been written in VB.NET and requires the .NET framework v2.0.50727 to be installed
in order to function properly.

Many thanks to Brian Ekins, Srinath Jonnalagadda, Venkatesh Thiyagarajan, and 
Sanjay Ramaswamy for their generous contributions to the code.

Although we may make improvements to this as time permits, please note that this is 
not part of Inventor software that is officially supported by Autodesk. 

Please report any bugs or suggestions to udaya.gunasena@autodesk.com.