12 Replies Latest reply on Jan 19, 2017 3:10 PM by Janos Gyerman

Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)

Janos Gyerman Jan 19, 2017 7:15 AM

Hi everyone,

Could anyone help me with this?

I have to update old drawings and I would minimize repeating tasks - time, so I thought I would record the following macros:

1. open an old drawing and change the old GREY color to BLACK for all dimensions. So I hit record macro, then filter dimensions then ctrl+A to select all , and finally changed the color to black. Stop macro and save.

If I open a different drawing (diff. name) the saved macro does not seem to work properly, I checked the coding and it used the name of the last models name (drawing number), so I am looking for some solution if it is possible to select all dimension in the active sheet, and not in a specific file name.

I have also a similar need for inserting a view (current view or pre-saved view), for a drawing using its reference model. here was the same, after hitting the macro (recorded for this operation too),it inserts the current view for that previous model where the macro was recorded, and not in the current active drawing.

Many thanks if anyone can help!!!

Regards

Janos

Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)

Deepak Gupta Jan 19, 2017 7:23 AM (in response to Janos Gyerman)

For first, you can use the codes form this macro: API: How to move all dimensions in a drawing to another layer (VBA, VB.NET, C#)

For second, you can use the codes from this macro to open the model referenced by the drawing: Get Document Referenced by Drawing View Example (VBA)
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- Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)
  
  Janos Gyerman Jan 19, 2017 8:50 AM (in response to Deepak Gupta)
  
  Hi Deepak,
  
  thanks a lot, here you can find what I generated originally.As you can see there is a path (X:\Scharniere 095-.....) for the reference and it is not relevant for other files obviously.
  
  Sub main()
  
  Set swApp = _
  Application.SldWorks
  
  Set Part = swApp.ActiveDoc
  boolstatus = Part.ActivateView("Zeichenansicht6")
  boolstatus = Part.Extension.SelectByID2("Zeichenansicht6", "DRAWINGVIEW", 0.255774246575342, 0.163758082191781, 0, False, 0, Nothing, 0)
  Set Part = swApp.OpenDoc6("X:\Scharniere 095---\Kunststoff\095 ks--- (Kunststoff-Scharnier schwer)\095 ks 3060 f00 (---0810) (00S01) (0810S02)\095KS3060F00_a_Tab.SLDASM", 2, 0, "", longstatus, longwarnings)
  Set Part = swApp.ActiveDoc
  Dim myModelView As Object
  Set myModelView = Part.ActiveView
  myModelView.FrameLeft = 652
  myModelView.FrameTop = 25
  Set myModelView = Part.ActiveView
  myModelView.FrameState = swWindowState_e.swWindowMaximized
  swApp.ActivateDoc2 "095KS3060F00_a_Tab", False, longstatus
  Set Part = swApp.ActiveDoc
  Part.ClearSelection2 True
  Set myModelView = Part.ActiveView
  myModelView.FrameState = swWindowState_e.swWindowMaximized
  Set Part = swApp.ActiveDoc
  Set myModelView = Part.ActiveView
  myModelView.FrameLeft = 0
  myModelView.FrameTop = 22
  Set myModelView = Part.ActiveView
  myModelView.FrameState = swWindowState_e.swWindowMaximized
  swApp.ActivateDoc2 "095KS3060F00_a_Tab - Blatt1", False, longstatus
  Set Part = swApp.ActiveDoc
  Set myModelView = Part.ActiveView
  myModelView.FrameState = swWindowState_e.swWindowMaximized
  boolstatus = Part.ActivateSheet("Blatt1")
  boolstatus = Part.Extension.SelectByID2("Blatt1", "SHEET", 0.207652602739726, 8.35553424657534E-02, 0, False, 0, Nothing, 0)
  Dim myView As Object
  Set myView = Part.CreateDrawViewFromModelView3("X:\Scharniere 095---\Kunststoff\095 ks--- (Kunststoff-Scharnier schwer)\095 ks 3060 f00 (---0810) (00S01) (0810S02)\095KS3060F00_a_Tab.SLDASM", "Current Model View", 0.345002796919206, 0.146854690953313, 0)
  Part.ClearSelection2 True
  boolstatus = Part.ActivateView("Drawing View2")
  End Sub
  
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  - Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)
    
    Deepak Gupta Jan 19, 2017 10:07 AM (in response to Janos Gyerman)
    
    Try these codes. The macro would insert the current view of the model referenced by first view on the active sheet. The view would be inserted on sheet named Blatt1 and in the center of the sheet. Also if the current sheet doesn't have any view then macro would throw error but again, this can be changed to a warning message telling user that no view on the current sheet.
    
    Option Explicit Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks Dim swModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2 Dim swView As SldWorks.View Dim swDrawModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2 Dim swSheet As SldWorks.Sheet Dim sheetProperties As Variant Sub main() Set swApp = Application.SldWorks Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc Set swView = swModel.GetFirstView Set swView = swView.GetNextView Set swDrawModel = swView.ReferencedDocument swModel.ActivateSheet "Blatt1" 'Change Sheet name here Set swSheet = swModel.GetCurrentSheet sheetProperties = swSheet.GetProperties swModel.CreateDrawViewFromModelView3 swDrawModel.GetPathName, "Current Model View", sheetProperties(5) / 2, sheetProperties(6) / 2, 0 End Sub
    
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    - Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)
      
      Janos Gyerman Jan 19, 2017 10:49 AM (in response to Deepak Gupta)
      
      Hi Deepak,
      that is absolutely superb. Great job, thanks a lot for your efforts.
      I appreciate it!
      Regards
      Janos
      
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Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)

Christian Chu Jan 19, 2017 10:43 AM (in response to Janos Gyerman)

I know this problem has been solved using macro to change dimension color; however, have you thought of a simple approach of using layer for dim which you can change color
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- Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)
  
  Janos Gyerman Jan 19, 2017 11:06 AM (in response to Christian Chu)
  
  Hi Christian,
  Deepak has helped a lot to find solution, and the model view inserting was brilliant, now I am trying to use the macro for the layer changing (he also attached for me previously) but I do not relay know how to do it, after I extract the files the are folders and copying swp file, after this I cannot run through Solidworks, (it is probably my bad)...
  Thanks a lot
  Regards
  Janos
  
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  - Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)
    
    Deepak Gupta Jan 19, 2017 11:21 AM (in response to Janos Gyerman)
    
    Open the macro and make these changes:
    
    Change layer name in this line
    Const ToLayer As String = "HIDE"
    Change
    Set swApp = CreateObject("SldWorks.Application")
    
    to
    
    Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
    And finally update macro reference as shown in this video:Fix-Update SOLIDWORKS Macro References
    
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    - Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)
      
      Janos Gyerman Jan 19, 2017 11:57 AM (in response to Deepak Gupta)
      
      Hi Deepak,
      
      I am afraid I cannot find the macro file. there are folders :
      
      bin
      - with lots of dll files
      my project
      - vb files
      - resources .net managed resources
      obj
      Debug
      -dll file
      
      which file is exactly to open?
      
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      - Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)
        
        Deepak Gupta Jan 19, 2017 12:11 PM (in response to Janos Gyerman)
        
        The SWP file
        
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        Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)
        
        Janos Gyerman Jan 19, 2017 3:10 PM (in response to Deepak Gupta)
        
        Hi Deepak,
        I used it and it works perfectly after the changes.
        
        Thanks a lot!
        PS: I hope I will be able to help you in the future too!
        
        Regards
        Janos
        
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  - Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)
    
    Christian Chu Jan 19, 2017 11:24 AM (in response to Janos Gyerman)
    
    Jano,
    Using a macro to change dim color is fine
    What I mean is, in the future, would you consider using layer for dimension which you can change the color easier - see below image
    
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    - Re: Macro to change all dimension color in the active document (drawing)
      
      Janos Gyerman Jan 19, 2017 11:57 AM (in response to Christian Chu)
      
      Hi Christian,
      you are absolutely right, hence I am updating old drawings (templates, dimensions, views, file properties, etc) I need to make this extra step.
      On the new templates we are using dimension layer.
      
      Thanks a lot!
      Best Wishes
      Janos Gyerman
      
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