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Macro Crashing Solidworks when adding configuration

Question asked by Rob Edwards on Jan 28, 2021
Latest reply on Jan 29, 2021 by Rob Edwards

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Hi Guys

I've been working on a macro that's been working great, but then it started crashing when I added an InsertAxis Feature.

The axis is added perfectly, it is only later when the second new configuration is added that the crash happens.

I've written a simpler example that illustrates the problem..

this works just fine

As Does This

But run both together and I get this splendid error

and then a hard crash!

full code below

TIA

Option Explicit
Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim swModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
Dim swPart As SldWorks.PartDoc
Sub main()
Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc
Set swPart = swModel

Dim RightPlane As SldWorks.Feature
Dim TopPlane As SldWorks.Feature
Set RightPlane = swPart.FeatureByName("Right Plane")
Set TopPlane = swPart.FeatureByName("Top Plane")

Dim newPlane As SldWorks.Feature
Set newPlane = RightPlane

Dim swConfig As SldWorks.Configuration

Dim i As Long
For i = 1 To 10

Set swConfig = swModel.AddConfiguration3("C" & CStr(i), "", "", swConfigOption_SuppressByDefault)

newPlane.Select2 Append:=False, Mark:=0
Set newPlane = swModel.FeatureManager.InsertRefPlane(swRefPlaneReferenceConstraint_Distance, 0.01, 0, 0#, 0, 0#)

newPlane.Select2 Append:=False, Mark:=0
TopPlane.Select2 Append:=True, Mark:=0
swModel.InsertAxis2 True
Next i
End Sub

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Rob Edwards Jan 28, 2021 6:38 PM

Well I've got it working but not sure exactly why..

My hunch was that I shouldn't hang on to the feature objects, so I rewrote it using feature IDs and it works.

Here's my revised code.

Option Explicit
Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim swModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
Dim swPart As SldWorks.PartDoc
Sub main()
Set swApp = Application.SldWorks

Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc

Set swPart = swModel

Dim swfeature As SldWorks.Feature

Dim RightPlaneID As Long
Dim TopPlaneID As Long
Dim PlaneID As Long
Set swfeature = swPart.FeatureByName("Right Plane")
RightPlaneID = swfeature.GetID

Set swfeature = swPart.FeatureByName("Top Plane")
TopPlaneID = swfeature.GetID

PlaneID = RightPlaneID

Dim swConfig As SldWorks.Configuration

Dim configName As String

Dim i As Long
For i = 1 To 10

configName = "C" & CStr(i)

Set swConfig = swModel.AddConfiguration3(configName, "", "", swConfigOption_SuppressByDefault)

SelectFeatureByID PlaneID, False
Set swfeature = swModel.FeatureManager.InsertRefPlane(swRefPlaneReferenceConstraint_Distance, 0.01, 0, 0#, 0, 0#)

PlaneID = swfeature.GetID

SelectFeatureByID TopPlaneID, False
SelectFeatureByID PlaneID, True
swModel.InsertAxis2 True

Set swfeature = Nothing
Next i
End Sub
Private Sub SelectFeatureByID(ID As Long, Append As Boolean, Optional Mark As Long = 0)
Dim swfeature As SldWorks.Feature
Set swfeature = swPart.FeatureById(ID)
swfeature.Select2 Append, Mark
End Sub

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Jim Sculley @ Rob Edwards on Jan 29, 2021 1:07 PM

The API docs for InsertRefPlane say this:

While looking into this I trimmed the code down to just adding a config and adding a plane in a loop. The crash occurred on inserting the plane, not adding the config. Changing the code to use SelectByID eliminates the crash. Here's the C# code:

public void Main()
        {
            ModelDoc2 swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc as ModelDoc2;
            ModelDocExtension mExt = swModel.Extension;
            String currentName = "";
            for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) {
                swModel.AddConfiguration3("C" + i, "", "", (int)swConfigurationOptions2_e.swConfigOption_SuppressByDefault);
                if (currentName == "")
                {
                    currentName = "Right Plane";
                }
                mExt.SelectByID2(currentName, "PLANE", 0, 0, 0, false, 0, null, 0);
                Feature nextPlane = swModel.FeatureManager.InsertRefPlane((int)swRefPlaneReferenceConstraints_e.swRefPlaneReferenceConstraint_Distance, 0.01, 0, 0, 0, 0) as Feature;
                currentName = nextPlane.Name;
            }
            return;
        }

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Austin Schukar Jan 29, 2021 1:26 PM

Apologies in advance as I can't offer any insight into the cause(s) of your crash. I'd just like to offer an alternative primary reference geometry selection method (thanks to Artem Taturevych).

Select standard reference geometry (e.g. Front plane or origin) by type using SOLIDWORKS API

Incorporating this method seems to have avoided crashes in your code. , in addition to your fix!

Edit: corrected above

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Rob Edwards @ Austin Schukar on Jan 29, 2021 12:36 PM

Nice! Thankyou

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Austin Schukar @ Rob Edwards on Jan 29, 2021 1:34 PM

I corrected my statement above...I didn't try a combination of your fix (FeatureById) and the above selection method. Simply replaced your select commands with Artem's method.

Definitely curious as to why your and Artem's methods work, but FeatureByName doesn't. One thing I noticed was that the Axis feature selection box was populated by "Plane @ <Part>" instead of "Plane." No clue what distinction that offers WRT the crash...

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Rob Edwards @ Austin Schukar on Jan 29, 2021 2:01 PM

Hi Austin

I don't think the problem was the selection method, my hunch is that hanging onto the feature when a new config is added is a no-no.. so instead keep track of the feature id and then use that to get the feature again.

The crash happened during the addconfig call, I think the thing that stopped it crashing was probably the set swfeature = nothing line.

The funny thing is this was working for other features that I was adding.. an offset surface as an example.

so much to learn

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6 Replies

Rob Edwards Jan 28, 2021 6:38 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Well I've got it working but not sure exactly why..

My hunch was that I shouldn't hang on to the feature objects, so I rewrote it using feature IDs and it works.

Here's my revised code.

Option Explicit
Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim swModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
Dim swPart As SldWorks.PartDoc
Sub main()
Set swApp = Application.SldWorks

Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc

Set swPart = swModel

Dim swfeature As SldWorks.Feature

Dim RightPlaneID As Long
Dim TopPlaneID As Long
Dim PlaneID As Long
Set swfeature = swPart.FeatureByName("Right Plane")
RightPlaneID = swfeature.GetID

Set swfeature = swPart.FeatureByName("Top Plane")
TopPlaneID = swfeature.GetID

PlaneID = RightPlaneID

Dim swConfig As SldWorks.Configuration

Dim configName As String

Dim i As Long
For i = 1 To 10

configName = "C" & CStr(i)

Set swConfig = swModel.AddConfiguration3(configName, "", "", swConfigOption_SuppressByDefault)

SelectFeatureByID PlaneID, False
Set swfeature = swModel.FeatureManager.InsertRefPlane(swRefPlaneReferenceConstraint_Distance, 0.01, 0, 0#, 0, 0#)

PlaneID = swfeature.GetID

SelectFeatureByID TopPlaneID, False
SelectFeatureByID PlaneID, True
swModel.InsertAxis2 True

Set swfeature = Nothing
Next i
End Sub
Private Sub SelectFeatureByID(ID As Long, Append As Boolean, Optional Mark As Long = 0)
Dim swfeature As SldWorks.Feature
Set swfeature = swPart.FeatureById(ID)
swfeature.Select2 Append, Mark
End Sub
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- Jim Sculley @ Rob Edwards on Jan 29, 2021 1:07 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  The API docs for InsertRefPlane say this:
  
  While looking into this I trimmed the code down to just adding a config and adding a plane in a loop. The crash occurred on inserting the plane, not adding the config. Changing the code to use SelectByID eliminates the crash. Here's the C# code:
  public void Main() { ModelDoc2 swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc as ModelDoc2; ModelDocExtension mExt = swModel.Extension; String currentName = ""; for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i++) { swModel.AddConfiguration3("C" + i, "", "", (int)swConfigurationOptions2_e.swConfigOption_SuppressByDefault); if (currentName == "") { currentName = "Right Plane"; } mExt.SelectByID2(currentName, "PLANE", 0, 0, 0, false, 0, null, 0); Feature nextPlane = swModel.FeatureManager.InsertRefPlane((int)swRefPlaneReferenceConstraints_e.swRefPlaneReferenceConstraint_Distance, 0.01, 0, 0, 0, 0) as Feature; currentName = nextPlane.Name; } return; }
  Like • Show 1 Like1
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Austin Schukar Jan 29, 2021 1:26 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Apologies in advance as I can't offer any insight into the cause(s) of your crash. I'd just like to offer an alternative primary reference geometry selection method (thanks to Artem Taturevych).

Select standard reference geometry (e.g. Front plane or origin) by type using SOLIDWORKS API

Incorporating this method seems to have avoided crashes in your code. , in addition to your fix!

Edit: corrected above
Like • Show 1 Like1
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- Rob Edwards @ Austin Schukar on Jan 29, 2021 12:36 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Nice! Thankyou
  Like • Show 1 Like1
  Actions
  - Austin Schukar @ Rob Edwards on Jan 29, 2021 1:34 PM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    I corrected my statement above...I didn't try a combination of your fix (FeatureById) and the above selection method. Simply replaced your select commands with Artem's method.
    
    Definitely curious as to why your and Artem's methods work, but FeatureByName doesn't. One thing I noticed was that the Axis feature selection box was populated by "Plane @ <Part>" instead of "Plane." No clue what distinction that offers WRT the crash...
    Like • Show 1 Like1
    Actions
    - Rob Edwards @ Austin Schukar on Jan 29, 2021 2:01 PM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Hi Austin
      
      I don't think the problem was the selection method, my hunch is that hanging onto the feature when a new config is added is a no-no.. so instead keep track of the feature id and then use that to get the feature again.
      
      The crash happened during the addconfig call, I think the thing that stopped it crashing was probably the set swfeature = nothing line.
      
      The funny thing is this was working for other features that I was adding.. an offset surface as an example.
      
      so much to learn
      Like • Show 2 Likes2
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Macro Crashing Solidworks when adding configuration

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