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macros and layers

Question asked by David Spilka on Oct 7, 2016
Latest reply on Nov 24, 2016 by Justin Logan

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i am trying to make macros that will save endless time for us. i can get the macros to work if there are drop down menus (like save as to PDF or send to printer), but the macro record will not recognize the layer box in the command manager. if i click on it and open it up and turn a layer on or off, the recording of the macro does not understand what is going on. how do i solve this? also, if the macro opens the print dialog box and i change the print quantity to 2 from 1, how do i get the macro to do this for me?

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Deepak Gupta Oct 8, 2016 2:21 AM
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Try these codes and use as needed

'Demonstrates how to open the layer and print windows
'Preconditions: Active file is a Drawing

Option Explicit
Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim swModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2

Sub main()
    Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
    Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc

    If (swModel Is Nothing) Then
        MsgBox " Please open a drawing document. "
        End
    End If

     If (swModel.GetType <> swDocDRAWING) Then
        MsgBox " Please open a drawing document. "
        End
    End If

    'Open SOLIDWORKS Layers Window
   swModel.Extension.RunCommand swCommands_LayerProperties, ""

    'Open SOLIDWORKS Print Window
    swModel.Extension.RunCommand swCommands_Print, ""

End Sub
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Peter Brinkhuis Oct 8, 2016 3:54 AM
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Deepak's answer highlights the fact that the macro recorder can't record all actions, but that the API does have functions for most of the possibilities of SolidWorks. It seems that any sketching, modeling and drawing creation work can be recorded (albeit poorly) and any work regarding windows and screens cannot be recorded.
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Keith Rice Oct 10, 2016 12:56 PM
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The macro recorder is not an effective way to create a macro in many instances, since it:
- Can't record certain actions
- Can't record logic
- Can't get user input
Other downsides:
- The resulting code is usually messy and might not use the best API calls or show you the ideal way to automate via API a certain task
In short, it isn't a tool that professional API developers like myself use very often. But in your case, I understand why you want to use it, since it gives the impression of being able to record the macro you need. The name "Macro Recorder", then is somewhat of a misnomer.

Here are some API calls that might be necessary in the macro you are looking for:
- IDrawingDoc::SetCurrentLayer
- IDrawingDoc::CreateLayer2
- IModelDocExtension::PrintOut4
The names should be self-explanatory. Needless to say, these API calls will perform the same actions you would normally do in GUI, but without the GUI. The options you set in the GUI are passed in as arguments to those API calls, roughly speaking.

If you need help writing this, please explain more thoroughly what you are trying to automate. Please see How to ask a good question in the API forum for reference.

Keith
SolidWorks API Training and Services
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Justin Logan Nov 24, 2016 9:56 PM
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I came across this Sub (can't remember what post it came from on the Forum but thank you to whoever posted it!) that can be put into the standard Print and Convert tasks (though I am not sure of your final application):

Sub LayerVisibility()
    Dim Part As Object
    Dim swLayerMgr As Object
    Dim swLayer As Object

    Set swApp = CreateObject("SldWorks.Application")
    Set Part = swApp.ActiveDoc
    Set swLayerMgr = Part.GetLayerManager

    ' Selecting QC-Balloons Layer (Layer name can be changed to whatever layer is desired)
    Set swLayer = swLayerMgr.GetLayer("QC-Balloons")

    ' Turn layer OFF (False) or ON (True)
    swLayer.Visible = False

    Set swLayer = Nothing
    Set swLayerMgr = Nothing
    Set Part = Nothing
End Sub

Paste this entire Sub into the script of the Task and call on it as needed.

For the Print Task I put it into the Open Document with an If statement - though not sure if the If this is required:

    ' Open document
    If docType = swDocNONE Then
        Set swModel = swApp.LoadFile4(docFileName, "", Nothing, errors)
    Else
        Set swDocSpecification = swApp.GetOpenDocSpec(docFileName)
        swDocSpecification.DocumentType = docType
        swDocSpecification.ReadOnly = True
        swDocSpecification.Silent = True
        swDocSpecification.ConfigurationName = ""
        swDocSpecification.DisplayState = ""
        Set swModel = swApp.OpenDoc7(swDocSpecification)
        errors = swDocSpecification.Error

        'Set swModel = swApp.OpenDoc6(docFileName, docType, swOpenDocOptions_Silent Or swOpenDocOptions_ReadOnly, "", errors, warnings)

        If docType = swDocDRAWING Then
                LayerVisibility
        End If

    End If

For the Convert Task it was a bit simpler:

    If docType = swDocDRAWING Then
        Dim vSheetNames As Variant
        Set swDrawing = swModel

        QCLayerVisibilityOn

....

Please note, Red Text is existing scripting in the Task, Green Text is what should be added.

Hope this helps!
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