📄 Auto Open Drawing from Inventor Part/Assembly

2 minute read

Want to instantly open the drawing file related to the part or assembly you’re working on in Autodesk Inventor? This free VBA macro does exactly that — saving time and streamlining your workflow.

🔍 What It Does

This macro automatically looks for and opens the associated drawing file (.idw or .dwg) for the currently active Part (.ipt) or Assembly (.iam) file.

📁 Where It Searches

  • The same folder as the open file
  • All subfolders, up to 5 levels deep

If it finds a match (by file name), the drawing opens instantly in Inventor.

🎥 Demo: See It in Action

👇 Here’s what the macro does with just one click:


✅ Requirements

  • Autodesk Inventor 2015 or later
  • Windows with VBA support
  • The drawing file must have the same name as the part or assembly
    (e.g., Bracket.ipt → Bracket.idw or Bracket.dwg)

🧩 Included Files

File Name Purpose
OpenAssociatedDrawing.bas The macro module to import
README.md User guide in Markdown format

🚀 How to Use

1. Open Inventor

Start Inventor and open any .ipt or .iam file.

2. Launch the VBA Editor

Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA Editor.

3. Import the Macro

  • Go to File → Import File…
  • Select OpenAssociatedDrawing.bas

4. Run the Macro

  • Close the VBA editor
  • Press Alt + F8, choose OpenAssociatedDrawing, then click Run

💡 What the Macro Does Internally

  • Checks for an active .ipt or .iam file
  • Verifies the file is saved
  • Scans for .idw or .dwg with the same name
  • Searches subfolders, using breadth-first strategy
  • Opens the drawing if found, or shows an error message if not

⚠️ Possible Error Messages

Message Cause
No document is open. Inventor has no file open
Open a Part (.ipt) or Assembly (.iam) file first. Macro works only with .ipt and .iam
Save the file before running the macro. Unsaved files can’t be located
No drawing file found in folder or subfolders. Matching drawing file not found

📈 Performance

  • Uses breadth-first search to avoid excessive memory use
  • Limited to 5 folder levels for speed and reliability

💼 Use It Like a Pro

  • Keep drawings in the same folder as models, or inside logical subfolders
  • Ensure filenames match exactly — including case and extension
  • Extend this macro to include:
    • Autodesk Vault search
    • Logging
    • Automatic drawing creation (if not found)

📦 Download the Macro

👉 Click here to download the macro (OpenAssociatedDrawing.bas)

(Make sure to subscribe if download is gated)

🌍 Multilingual Support

This macro package includes README guides in multiple languages:

  • 🇬🇧 English
  • 🇩🇪 German
  • 🇨🇳 Chinese
  • 🇯🇵 Japanese

🗂 You’ll find the README guides inside the download folder to help users across different regions easily understand and use the macro.

📬 Need Help?

If you have questions or want to suggest improvements:

  • 💌 Leave a comment below
  • 📧 Reach out via the Contact page

🔒 License

This macro is provided as-is, without any warranty. You may freely modify and redistribute it for internal or client use.

✨ Happy Automating!

Updated: