Parameter I/O
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Descripción
Enables the user to Import/Update parameters from or export them to a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file. When importing/updating parameters from a CSV file the data in it needs to be in a specific format: <parameter name>, <unit>, <value>, <comment>
The easiest way to make sure your CSV file follows the correct format might be to first export the parameters into a file and then have a look at its content - the import will require the data in the same format.
When importing parameters from a file, if a parameter with the given name already exists, then its unit, value and comment will be updated, otherwise a new user parameter will be created with the provided values.
When exporting parameters to a file, all available parameters will be exported, not just the user parameters.
Useful addin for managing parameters, but it resets pinned functions on toolbar, which isn't great programming.
Very handy for transferring parameters between projects
saves me some time when starting from scratch with a failed model or having default parameters for all my models. Really useful for cabinet making.
Thanks for offering it for free. Works great and saved me a little time.
Just what I was looking for. Thanks a lot :-)
Work perfectly and save me time when some parameters are common between design.
Thank-You!
Thanks for this tool. this helps me to define a list of parameters that can easily be used in multiple files.
Does it what it claims to do, will probably end up using this a lot while working on many similar projects.
As mentioned by other's, would be great if there was a choice to only export User Definied Parameters. If they aren't explicitly marked as "user" to the plugin, maybe cheat by filtering out all "d*" paramters from the export?
Thx a lot.
No issues. Does it's job very well.
Great little tool. The option to only export certain parameters and all the info (the actual value, not just the input) would make this an indispensible tool in my shop. Without these export tools, it's just a novelty at the end of the 'modify' menu.
Perfectly fine fusion file with working expressions -> export works just fine
Brand new fusion file -> attempt to import errors with
AddIn Stop Failed:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "ParameterIO.py", line 234, in readTheParameters
design = app.activeProduct
File "fusion.py", line 38974, in add
return _fusion.UserParameters_add(self, name, value, units, comment)
RuntimeError: 3 : Invalid expression
Final result in the new file is the first couple parameters are succesfully imported but when it hits one of the more complex formulas it stops
The expression it seems to be breaking on or the one just after the last succesfully loaded one is
"ToolJoint / 2 - max(DovetailEdgeOffset; CornerCutMinimumDepth) + CornerCut"
I am assuming the max function and ; seperator is whats causing it to break
It seems to work for me - see https://youtu.be/7A8vVyIlJB4. Maybe your OS or its language is different that's causing problems for the CSV Python library the add-in is using?
Super simple and works great. Allows me to maintain a master parameter list across many files. Perfect.
Works perfect from beginning. Thx to the developers. Great tool.
Great addition to the Fusion tool box, extremely useful.
Now, if I could find a plugin that lets you create a user input dialog that directly changes values in the parameter tables, as in Inventor. Being able to have a dockable or free floating dialog with only the parameters predefined on canvas while working would be remarkable!!!
Excellent idea.... I think it would be great!! Also just the funtionality to sort the parameters in F360
Would appreciate an exported "Value" column, doesnt seem to carry over.
I agree, that would be super helpful.
I am "moving" to Fusion360 from another CAD system and most of my designs are built with full Parametric data. Without this utility I would had to re-enter all this data manually!
It is great, I can import all these values in Fusion360 with very little extra work. Using OpenOffice Calc I added one more column between the Parameter Name and the Value for the Units and then saved it as CSV file. The CSV file got Imported with this module perfectly!
Very, very useful to be able to export, edit, and import parameters. It's far easier to create a load of parameters in a spreadsheet than the using the clunky F360 parameter interface.
I use a mac, and ran into a peculiar problem though - if you import a CSV file which does not have double quote (") symbols around each parameter, then the first one in the list is unusable in F360 and can't be manually deleted (F360 says it is in use by ' '). If you create the CSV file using " delimiters around every field, it works fine.
This plugin does what it says, however it exports ALL parameters. It would be great if there was a way to export only the user-defined parameters and not every single dimension in existence.
I agree. If it weren't for this comment, I'd have no idea what 75% of the stuff that exported in my file even meant.
I just tried this and everything imported fine except the unit value remained the same. Specifically - I was converting from in to mm. When reimporting user parameter units were still in. Could this be a break from the latest update?
It's not possible to change the unit of an existing parameter - same in the UI https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/fusion-360/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Unable-to-edit-the-units-of-a-user-parameter-in-Fusion-360.html The add-in *could* possibly try to delete the parameter and recreate it with the new unit, but that would be a new feature.
I found that exported CSV contains model parameters named like d### (e.g. d1234). This is probably the result of using allParameters instead of userParameters in the method writeParametersToFile.
This worked great for exporting the parameters of a few realted files so I could copy/paste some parameters from on to the other.
I was hoping that if I sorted the parameters by name in the CSV that this same ordering would be reflfected in Fusion but it is not. This might be a limitation in Fusion though. When creating a model I tend to add parameters as required and then when I want to go back and edit a value I have to look thorugh a disordred list to find the parameter name. If maintaining the sort order of the CSV file were possible that would be a great addtion.
Yes, it is a limitation of Fusion 360. Notice that you cannot reorder or sort parameters in the "Parameters" dialog either.
Would it be possible to add a column with the parameter value given or calculated (without the units, as a number type)?
By replacing the row "csvWriter.writerow([param.name, paramUnit, param.expression, param.comment])" with "csvWriter.writerow([param.name, paramUnit, param.expression, param.comment, param.value])", we can add the calculated value to the fifth column. However, note that the value is 1/10 of the actual value as it is.
Its so helpful.
i can t load the app . Microsoft block with critical Message harmfull for computer
Hello,
a really helpful tool. I use it on a Mac in a German environment. If I use Numbers to edit the CSV file, then it is exported with a semicolon as delimiter (import into Numbers is no issue). So a direct import into F360 using your tool is not possible.
I can change the language setting in MacOS to get work. But this will affect all other programs too.
I am sure I can edit the source code to change from comma to semicolon. It would be really nice to set the delimiter as an option or autodect it form the system settings.
CU
Jens
Please update thje App
The plugin works great, but some clarification about importing measurements in inches would be helpful. I had some import errors before figuring out the correct formatting.
Measurements need to be preceded by one straight quote characters and appended by three. So 2 inches would be "2""". If your foot and inch display format is set to fractional, then you can input fractions like 5/8 as "5/8""". If your foot and inch display format is instead set to decimal, you need to input 5/8 as "( 5 / 8 ) * 1 """ (or just switch it over to fractional before inputting and change it back after).
Hello, I have used this plugin several times and it is working great.
However, I have an issue with V1.3.0 and Fusion 360 V2.0.8111. The script is exporting the parameters in the CSV file but it is leaving one empty row between each parameter. That causes then the Import to fail. I did not have this error with previous versions of the plugin.
Very useful Add-On.
Best improvement would be the ability to re-order parameters during import. Would this be possible?
Fusion 360 itself does not have that capability, so we cannot automate it 😞 https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/fusion-360/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-reorder-parameters-in-Fusion-360.html You could log a request for it on Fusion 360 IdeaStation: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-ideastation/idb-p/125
I use this plugin for my every project. Very usefull, it's simple and works every time. Good work!
I really needed something like this as I am a creature of habit and like consistency. So I use very common param names and formulas.
This seems to work very well. I have tested exporting and importing, even with formulas and all works well,
The ONLY thing, as I think others may have reported, is that my
"Favorites"
don't get exported (nothing in the svc file).
Only the User Parameters.
Other than that, which is not a deal breaker, great add-in.
Thanks so much for this
After exporting to a file, before I can import the file to a new design, I must first replace all insances of "" with " ".
Love this plugin!
When the Units are inches, decimal numbers export OK. Fractional numbers display in Fusion 360 with a double-quote mark for inches. They export as a string enclosed by double quotes, so the resulting string has an odd number of double quotes.
If I try to import such a file, it fails with an error message.
If I try to import it into Excel to manipulate it, Excel makes various mistakes.
So if working in inches, and intending to import, I must work only in decimals.
This plugin functions well for me but it runs really slow when importing my csv containing a couple hundred parameters. I find that it takes 5-10 mins for the parameters to load but as long as I am not in a rush it works ok. At first I thought it was because my model was taking a long time to rebuild but the performance is similar if I roll back the history bar to the begining where there are no features.
Any advice on how to speed things up would be appreciated.
It works pretty well, unfortunately the import failes when calculated parameters are exported.
"4mm + (parameter1 * 2)" for example does not work. This is quite a pain to keep track of manually.
Hi Markus. I just now installed this and saw your post. So I tested with what you have, using my parameters: 4mm+(WallThickness*2) Exactly like that including the mm. I was able to export that, X out the project, start a new and import my params with your test. It worked a charm. I wonder if what I downloaded is an "updated" version? Which brings to mind, how does one remove something like this that was installed.
I'm new here, but this might help. I exported my parameters from a project that I had assigned a few "Favorite" parameters to. That meant that they were at the top of the CSV file when it exported. I then imported them into another project and got parsing errors. The "Favorite" parameters were referencing other parameters down lower on the list. I used a text editor to reorder the CSV file and the import went great.
This app helped me a great deal.
Yes! And the final column where you define the value of your comments must have something in it. My text editor opened it as "". I searched and replaced with " " and all is fine. I save all my formulas down at the bottom of the .cvs file in order to sure that the variables used in them have been previously defined. This is an amazing add on.Thank you!
It axported all parameters, not just the user parameters, and imported them as user parameters, but did so without a hitch, and it was easy to delete the extra parameters.
I wanted to clean up an old parametric design bottom up. Using this I could copy all the parameters to a new file easily
Hi Adam,
Thanks for the great plugin - However, I seem to have found a bug. When the Expression field of a Parameter contains a formula/equation like "BaseLength - ( CameraRampFrontOffset + cameraRampRearOffset )" the Python script chokes and stops importing - but in Notepad it looks like the exported CSV is valid and correct. Also, I can open an exported CSV with several of theses complex Expressions and their contents appear in the correct spreadsheet columns.
I'm surprised that AutoDesk hasn't picked up on this great idea, it would be a great for AutoDesk to fully support parameters in a library with named groups of params. Maybe also implementing an include verb or a series of includes in a parent parameter list. Like C, Java, etc.
Thanks to you, though, we have this great tool in the meantime.
Thanks again!
Please submit your request on the Fusion 360 IdeaStation: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-ideastation/idb-p/125 Could the issue be one the these: https://modthemachine.typepad.com/my_weblog/2016/12/parameter-io-issues.html
Initial thoughts - THANK YOU!
Now - why don't I see the NAMES I gave the parameters?
Maybe I did something wrong (clicked on the wrong side of "NO" (=Export) and then clicked on the wrong side of "YES" (=Import).
That in and of itself is odd - can't rename the buttons to "Import" and "Export" instead of "Yes" and "No"?
It's an excellant start but seems as if it might be an 80% fullfilment.
But Thank you.
Glad you like it! :) These samples were the very first ones to kick off the App Store and their main purpose was to show the capabilities of the API. It's open source, and you're welcome to modify it as you wish :)
I tried to import parameters I just exported from another file, but it kept throwing exceptions. I found the issue, you cannot have an expression reference a parameter.
Example of when error is thrown:
"dimension_1","in","1.5 in",""
"dimension_2","in","dimension_1",""
However, if the parameter is operated on while achieving the same result, it imports without errors:
"dimension_1","in","1.5 in",""
"dimension_2","in","dimension_1+dimension_1-dimension_1",""
Tested those exact parameters and it seems to work for me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKpALd_Ys7E
Im tring to export an airfoil (2D) into a csv to compare with xfoil. I am getting errors and it is not a parametric design. How can I fix this?
Just what I needed!!
Thnx,
Willem
Thank u so much!
This is exactly what i needed!
Many many thanks! Essential working with more versions of the same project and you want to synchronise parameters in all.
Thank you for providing the functionality you really need. I tried to load a .csv file today. The following error appears. I want you to know how to solve it.
Addin Stop Failed: Traceback (most recent call last ) : "C:/user/henry/appdata/roaming/autodesk/applicationPlugins/ParameterIO.bundle/Contents/ParameterIO.py", line 226, in readTheParameters
commentOfParam = row[3]
IndexError : list index out of range
---------
Thank you i fixed!
Have to fill in comment low. I didn't fill in before, so i had error.
Thanks, Daniel. This saved me some time!
without this the parameters capability in F360 is pretty meaningless. great to be able to share parameters between sketches. helps maintain uniform naming. i have a general purpose csv for each design that i use with shopbot. fantastic!
The parameters capability might seem meaningless without this, but once you consider the parameters as global variables, you can see how useful the capability is. For example, I'm working on a model featuring four holes bored in a surface in a rectangular pattern, and each hole has a diameter, x position, and y position. There are four sketches that feature these holes by themselves, so that makes 4 sketches * 4 holes * 3 dimensions, so if you had to change all of the bores, you'd have to make 48 separate modifications. Using parameters to size and position the bores, you only have to modify the three parameters (and you won't inadvertently miss one).
errors are thrown when importing
Are you trying to share parameters between different files? If so, these errors are likely because some of your model's automatically generated Model Parameter names will be the same as some of the Model Parameter names you are uploading, causing your model to change those values to the uploaded ones. Try opening up the CSV file in Notepad and deleting everything except for the User Parameters.
@Ian Syndergaard No I use it to only adjust parameters in current model. The add in doesn't export or import the data correctly. It clumps it all in one row in the csv. file.in excel. It looks correct in notepad except there are extra commas being added for some reason.
This is a great add in for what I want to use Fusion for. Is it possible to include the 'Value' Parameter in the CSV file, or replace the 'Expression' Parameter with the 'Value' Parameter?
I'm glad you like this sample add-in. I don’t think it will be updated in the near future to include this functionality. :( However, the source code is available with the add-in and you are welcome to modify it as you wish.
this is an amazing tool of you want to have weird measurements like i do, and experiment with them. My only question: would it be possible to rearrange the list of parameters (now the added parameters are just chronologically, and if you add one later, that one cannot be put in the row and that becomes inconvenient when copy pasting the values in the cvs file... ) or is that a question for the Change Paramters plugin...
Is it possible to auto-update project without opening it?
Could you be a bit more specific on what exactly you'd need? You mean updating parameter values from a CSV file automatically?
Yes, Without clicking 'Import CSV' inside I/O Parameters Script. Something that will work like linked to CSV file and updating model parameters real time when I will change its.
Was this ever resolved? Or an explanation given on how it could be done?
Without manually running a command? >> yes. Without opening the Fusion 360 project? >> no. In case of the former you would need to create a program that keeps checking the csv file or registers for a system event about file updates on the system (depending on which OS and programming language you use it can be done differently) and when that happens you read it again and update the parameters in the Fusion model
This is a wonderful plugin that will really help me out because sometimes I am dealing with close to 200 user parameters. But it would not accept an expression that uses other parameters to calculate a value. This is huge for me since a lot of my parameters are used this way. If it is not too difficult to add that in it would be great!
This functionality is (or can be) implemented, but it is within Fusion 360 itself. The parameters will just update accordingly. There are great tutorials on YouTube, but in a very simple way; you could have dimensions accept other dimensions as values and use math expressions on those. The result would be automatically shown in the parameters window as a dimension value. EX: Say d1 =10 and d2 =30, then d3 = d1+d2 which will show 40 as the value. Alternatively, use Excel to crunch the numbers and import the results.
An excelent plug in, running very reliably. The only requirement is that the .csv file you input has the variables in the correct format, which is very easy to make sure, since you can just make the variables in Fusion, export and then start tweaking. Super easy, and EXTREMELLY helpful. Big "Thank You!!!" to the creator. P.S. OCD moment here. The only issue I have is that I'd like the icon to go away fromt the main toolbar (next to the redo), since I have it in the modify toolbar anyway.
The latest release 1.2.0 solves that and does not place an icon in the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)
Throws a runtime error InternalValidationError: pComplexUnit when I try to export my parameters.
The latest release 1.2.0 solves that.
I find when I use Undo/Redo it affects the parameters as well. This plugin allows me to quickly save and load parameters.