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Can I force SW to include normal add-ins when starting programmatically?

Question asked by Jim Sculley on Mar 30, 2020
Latest reply on Mar 30, 2020 by Jim Sculley

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I've noticed that when I start SW via API methods or by using Activator.CreateInstance, many add-ins are not loaded. For instance, here is the Task Pane when I start SW normally (e.g. from its shortcut):

Note that the PDM add-in is loaded and the full list of available add-ins is extensive:

When I start it from code, the PDM add-in is not loaded

and the list of available add-ins is much shorter

Is there any way to ensure that SW starts in the same way from code as it does when starting it normally? I see that there is SPR 453529 (Starting SolidWorks from third-party application and bringing it to foreground does not load the active add-ins), but no workaround is provided.

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Artem Taturevych Mar 30, 2020 4:04 PM

Check the second part of this article: Create C# stand-alone application for SOLIDWORKS API automation

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Jim Sculley @ Artem Taturevych on Mar 30, 2020 4:16 PM

I'm familiar with most of the content of the article, andit looks like it is the automatic /embed flag that is causing the problem. Unfortunately, I need a solution that doesn't involve writing any code. I have an add-in that I want to ensure is loaded regardless of how SW is started. In particular, I need the SW instances started by the PDM File Version Upgrade Tool to include my add-in.

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Artem Taturevych @ Jim Sculley on Mar 30, 2020 4:40 PM

Can this tool run any macros or scripts? If so you can stil programmatically load tequired add-in: Macro to load and unload add-in using SOLIDWORKS API

If not, you can try the following trick:

One of the limitation/features of /embed is that it can't start new instance but only connects to existing. So you can create new /embed instance yourself (from simple console app), load add-in with sample code above and keep it running, hopefully pdm convert tool will use this instance of sw with preloaded addin.

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Jim Sculley @ Artem Taturevych on Mar 30, 2020 5:31 PM

Nope. The File Version Upgrade Tool is a standalone app that starts SOLIDWORKS, checks out files, opens them in SOLIDWORKS, saves them to the latest version, closes them, and then checks them in. And since SOLIDWORKS developers knows they have horrible problems managing resources, the upgrade tool will periodically restart SOLIDWORKS during the process to avoid crashes and such.

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Artem Taturevych Mar 30, 2020 4:04 PM
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Correct Answer
Check the second part of this article: Create C# stand-alone application for SOLIDWORKS API automation
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- Jim Sculley @ Artem Taturevych on Mar 30, 2020 4:16 PM
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  I'm familiar with most of the content of the article, andit looks like it is the automatic /embed flag that is causing the problem. Unfortunately, I need a solution that doesn't involve writing any code. I have an add-in that I want to ensure is loaded regardless of how SW is started. In particular, I need the SW instances started by the PDM File Version Upgrade Tool to include my add-in.
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  - Artem Taturevych @ Jim Sculley on Mar 30, 2020 4:40 PM
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    Correct Answer
    Can this tool run any macros or scripts? If so you can stil programmatically load tequired add-in: Macro to load and unload add-in using SOLIDWORKS API
    
    If not, you can try the following trick:
    
    One of the limitation/features of /embed is that it can't start new instance but only connects to existing. So you can create new /embed instance yourself (from simple console app), load add-in with sample code above and keep it running, hopefully pdm convert tool will use this instance of sw with preloaded addin.
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    - Jim Sculley @ Artem Taturevych on Mar 30, 2020 5:31 PM
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      Correct Answer
      Nope. The File Version Upgrade Tool is a standalone app that starts SOLIDWORKS, checks out files, opens them in SOLIDWORKS, saves them to the latest version, closes them, and then checks them in. And since SOLIDWORKS developers knows they have horrible problems managing resources, the upgrade tool will periodically restart SOLIDWORKS during the process to avoid crashes and such.
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Can I force SW to include normal add-ins when starting programmatically?

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