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Video Tutorials - What would you like?

Question asked by Luke Malpass on Nov 20, 2016
Latest reply on Mar 12, 2017 by Luke Malpass

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Hi guys,

It's been a few years since I disappeared from the forums, and still to this day I get 10s to hundreds of emails a week on SolidWorks API questions, BatchProcess and general software questions, which I reply to and still help out as much as I can.

Long story short, I setup a few companys that took off very well and consumed my time. I am still growing a company thats taking up 99% of my time, but with the 1% I am now getting free, I've starting making videos of software tutorials.

I'm currently doing general C# videos (C# Programming Tutorials: Beginners - YouTube ), and then I would like to move into intermediate C# videos as well as start SolidWorks API tutorial videos.

I plan to create a C# open-source API for the crappy SolidWorks interop dll's that wraps them up and makes them work as expected, easy to use and fully documented with video tutorials of them.

My question is, when I get around to those videos shortly, what content would you like to see? I'll basically take the highest suggestions first, and work my way through. The overall goal is I will have tutorial videos for everything in the entire API over time, and it will all be open source and free to use for any purpose, but I want to start with whatever people are trying to do in the API the most, or what would be the most useful/popular to the community?

Thanks

Luke

AngelSix.com

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Christian Chu Nov 20, 2016 11:48 AM
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Welcome back, Luke and surely many have been missing you too
I think VB .NET is more popular and many here still have trouble making their first Add-in. It'd be nice if you have some video tutorials about this.
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Luke Malpass @ Christian Chu on Nov 20, 2016 11:59 AM
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Yeah... VB.Net... I would really prefer people to learn C#. There is no reason to use VB.Net other than the fact of it being an easier transition from VBA.

Certainly my first few videos will be about recording some VBA Macros, and converting them to C#, as well as one or two videos on making a basic C# application that connects to the active SolidWorks and then can run code against it. Future videos would then do taskpane integration, and then specifics.

It's mainly the specifics I'm thinking of. The videos I will definitely make first are:

1. Converting a VBA macro to C# and general getting started
2. Creating your first C# program that interacts with the active SolidWorks
3. Creating a taskpane integrated add-in

Beyond that, other than me blindly going through every function of the API, I feel it's better to simply go off demand for what people want, and make videos on them.

Hopefully I should be able to push out a video a week, ideally starting in 2-3 weeks as I fly out on business again in a week and will be gone for another few weeks, but I definitely plan to start this ball rolling.
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Jaja Jojo Nov 20, 2016 12:05 PM
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i like to see the basic, intermediate, advanced and highly advanced tutorials in C# programming because im not a programmer and i like to learn how to use it to create program that is usefull to me
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Deepak Gupta Nov 20, 2016 12:10 PM
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Hi Luke, welcome back.

Great idea on the video and thanks for sharing your thoughts about them. I would suggest to go from basic level with simple tasks first, like save as PDF, DXF from drawing or export models as step, iges, etc. This would help people with no or little expertise with programming and specially with C# to absorb the information at an adequate pace.
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Luke Malpass @ Jaja Jojo on Nov 20, 2016 12:21 PM
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My current videos will cover all C# language anyway so they will be coming in time just subscribe to my YouTube and you will get an email every time I post a video
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Luke Malpass @ Deepak Gupta on Nov 20, 2016 12:23 PM
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Good ideas. I'll start with some basic exporting type examples.
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Jaja Jojo @ Luke Malpass on Nov 20, 2016 7:26 PM
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yap already done that, cool tutorials thanks
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Adam Hoffman Nov 21, 2016 8:25 AM
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Hello Luke,
I've done a couple of simple taskpane add ins and would was thinking of trying to play around with the PropertyManagerPage. It would be nice to see a detailed video on utilizing this for beginners.
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Luke Malpass @ Adam Hoffman on Nov 21, 2016 8:53 AM
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Sure I can do the PMP stuff. I think my books covered PMPs a little too (free now here Folder Viewer - Fasetto )

PMPs are really a step backwards from add-in's though, there is nothing you cannot do with an add-in. Perhaps instead of spending time on PMP, I make a video showing how to easily mimic the entire PMP behaviour in an add-in?
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Daen Hendrickson @ Adam Hoffman on Nov 21, 2016 11:23 AM
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Adam Hoffman beat me to it... Property Tab would be great.

My ideal goal would be to create my own version of the Property Tab in the task pain that had capability above and beyond the SW version. I have several Top 10 entries addressing this topic.

A brief listing:
- Consistent navigation among elements of every type
- BUTTON to enter today's date
- Linked elements - enter specific data in this one and corresponding data automatically fills in the other one(s)
- Ability to add NON-material database items to Material such as N/A, None
- Ability to "pause" or suppress data updates but still have tab visible
  Currently if the tab is left open SW performance is hugely bogged down if you are switching between between files as the Property tab is constantly trying to update.
- Tool Tips for elements (text and graphics)
Daen
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Adam Hoffman @ Luke Malpass on Nov 21, 2016 11:48 AM
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Sounds good. I usually design my own forms for us to interact with, I was just curious about integrating it into a few of the add ins I've written.
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Luke Malpass @ Daen Hendrickson on Nov 21, 2016 1:59 PM
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Yep all of the above is possible and much easier in an add-in. I think I will make a video around the PMP style add-in.

It will likely use WPF so styling is easy, modern and super clean. This will be a good few videos ahead though as I have to cover lots of the basics first
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John Stoltzfus @ Luke Malpass on Nov 21, 2016 3:06 PM
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When I saw the name I was like "Hey", Luke's back, awesome, loved your insight over the years. Elementary User Forms would be my interest, not sure if it would be better or quicker than CPTB though...
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Bernie Daraz Nov 21, 2016 4:36 PM
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Luke,
That sounds great! You have already helped me in the past. But please, what is your YouTube channel ID?
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Luke Malpass @ Bernie Daraz on Dec 23, 2016 6:46 AM
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Old one was angelsixtube, new one is here AngelSix - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ3AxeCHGPZkMi3kRfCuiHw

I will get a new youtube short URL after 30 days once the new channel has been open long enough
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Bernie Daraz @ Luke Malpass on Nov 21, 2016 4:44 PM
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Subscribed and Thanks!
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Nilesh Patel Nov 22, 2016 2:29 AM
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Hi Luke,

Great idea. Why not start with SolidWorks SDK template itself? I mean:

1. Explaining how DLL is registered.
2. Creating Command Manger and Command Group.
3. Addition to Menu Bar.
4. Adding Add-in buttons and flyout group.
5. Adding custom bitmap images for add-in buttons.
6. Embedding resources and finally,
7. Set up and Deployment of the add-in.

These are the basic stuffs need to be learned for any beginner to start writing an add-in. Once they understand these points it will be lot more easier for them.

Regards,
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Luke Malpass Dec 5, 2016 4:54 PM
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Ok guys I started doing a remastered blank add-in ready for the first video. I then got to the stage of registering the Dll, and I know all the issue so many people have with doing that, between 32bit/64bit, regasm location, command, running as admin and so on.

So, I made a visual tool to do it for you, simply open it, browse to your dll and click Install or Uninstall to register and unregister any SolidWorks Add-in dll.

I've open-sourced the entire code as well, which is well documented if anyone wants it (all my code going forward is 100% open source)

Find the compiled tool here if you just want to run it and try it out Folder Viewer - Fasetto

Find the source code here GitHub - angelsix/solidworks-api: C# SolidWorks API stuff in the Tools folder

Let me know what you guys think. I will be making the first video soon, and the registering part can now easily be done by this tool, so I will focus on creating the basic blank add-in C# project and getting it opening in SolidWorks ready for creating some UI and doing some of the requested API code. I'll post this tool in a seperate thread too as it will be handy to a lot of people
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Jaja Jojo @ Luke Malpass on Dec 6, 2016 3:01 AM
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thanks
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Luke Malpass Dec 6, 2016 5:18 AM
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The first video is live. Let me know what you think, more to follow soon

C# SolidWorks API Tutorial - 01 Getting Started Creating Taskpane - YouTube
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Jaja Jojo @ Luke Malpass on Dec 6, 2016 11:46 AM
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i really like it, it helps me as im starting to learning programming language
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Luke Malpass Dec 14, 2016 11:51 AM
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I've started creating the SDK I wanted to create years and years ago, making the SolidWorks API really easy and work right.

I've called it SolidDNA, its free, open source and you can do what you like with it.

I've made a video showing off compared to the first video now how easy it is to create an SolidWorks Add-in with a Taskpane and a WPF UI embedded in it.

C# SolidWorks API Tutorial - 02 SolidDNA Creating Taskpane and WPF - YouTube

Next video will start doing some actual API stuff like messing with the opened files, custom properties, UI and more

Remember if you like the video, please like and subscribe it and many more will come!
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Daen Hendrickson Dec 14, 2016 12:06 PM
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Luke,

A little off topic, but watched your video on the rapid fire mod to the game controller. Your solder-in overlay is REALLY a slick approach!

Daen
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Deepak Gupta @ Luke Malpass on Dec 14, 2016 12:13 PM
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Great Luke, keep them coming
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Oleg Bezyaev Dec 14, 2016 3:57 PM
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I plan to create a C# open-source API for the crappy SolidWorks interop dll's that wraps them up and makes them work as expected, easy to use and fully documented with video tutorials of them.
What exactly wrong with current API?
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