PDM, How to check out a Drawing file already open using API (VBA)

Which PDM are you using?

Have you downloaded the API Example as suggested in the API Help?  Basically, you register as a listener for the FileCloseNotify event.  In your event handler function, check that the reason for the event is swFileCloseNotifyReason_CloseForReload, and if so, do whatever you need to do to the file.  If you want to open a different file than the one you closed, you can call the ISldWorks::SetPromptFileName2 method and pass in the appropriate file path.  When your event handler function returns 1, the file will then be re-opened.

Having said that, I must warn you that I have no luck getting CloseAndReopen to work when dealing with files in an EPDM vault in my C# add-in.  See  SOLIDWORKS Crash Using CloseAndReopen in Conjunction with EPDM.

If in the end this bug affects you, be sure to vote for SPR 967430.

This won't work on drawings but works on models

Hope this helps

Tim CEPA

Believe in The Q!

Option Explicit

Sub main()

    Dim swApp                               As SldWorks.SldWorks
    Dim swDoc                               As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
    Dim strOldDocPath                       As String


    Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
    Set swDoc = swApp.ActiveDoc
    
    strOldDocPath = swDoc.GetPathName
    Dim vault As EdmVault5
    Set vault = New EdmVault5
    Debug.Print "Vault object was set to new EdmVault5"
    Dim vaultname As String
    vaultname = vault.GetVaultNameFromPath(strOldDocPath)
    Debug.Print "Vault name = " & vaultname
    vault.LoginAuto vaultname, 0
    Debug.Print "Vault was logged in"
   
    Dim file As IEdmFile5
    Dim folder As IEdmFolder5
    
    Set file = vault.GetFileFromPath(strOldDocPath, folder)
    Debug.Print "File object was set: " & file.Name
    Debug.Print "Folder object was set: " & folder.LocalPath
    
    If file.IsLocked = False Then
        Debug.Print "File was not locked"
        Dim iRelease As Integer
        iRelease = swDoc.ForceReleaseLocks
        Debug.Print "swDoc.ForceReleaseLocks was issued"
        If iRelease = 1 Then
            Debug.Print "swDoc.ForceReleaseLocks = 1"
            file.LockFile folder.ID, 0
            Debug.Print "File was checked out"
            Dim nRetVal As Long
            nRetVal = swDoc.ReloadOrReplace(False, swDoc.GetPathName, True)
            Debug.Print "File = " & swDoc.GetPathName
            Debug.Print "  ReloadOrReplace (0 = swComponentReloadError_e.swReloadOkay) = " & nRetVal
        ElseIf iRelease = 0 Then
            Debug.Print "swDoc.ForceReleaseLocks = 0"
            MsgBox "Unable to check out the file " & file.Name, vbOKOnly, "Error!"
        End If
    End If
   
End Sub