SolidWorks Visual Basic and API Programming Course

The SolidWorks VB & API course teaches you how to use the SolidWorks API (Application Programming Interface) to automate and customize SolidWorks.

VB 2-Day Course Outline

Course topics include:

VBA Introduction

• Around the room
• Course Objectives
• Prerequisites

Lesson 1 - Introduction to the VBA Development Environment

• The Menu Bar and Toolbar
• The Form Window
• The Toolbox
• The Project Explorer Window
• The Properties Window
• Help

Lesson 2 - Analyzing a Visual Basic Program

• Event-Driven Programs
• Control Events
• Analyzing a Sample Application
• Naming Objects
• Running Applications
• The Toolbox
• The Code
• Event Procedures
• Properties and Event Procedures

Lesson 3 - Controls and Properties

• Creating New Applications
• Controls Provide the Interface
• Placing Controls
• Sizing and Moving Controls
• Setting Properties
• Giving Your Users Help
• Named Literals
• Creating an Application from Scratch

Lesson 4 - Labels, Buttons and Text Boxes

• Control Focus
• The Mouse and Hotkeys Need No Focus
• Related Properties
• Tab Order
• Command Buttons
• Labels             
• Text Boxes
• Form Properties

  Lesson 5 - Putting Code into Visual Basic

• Coding Basics
• Data Basics
• Scientific Notation
• Specifying Values
• Variables Hold Data
• The Dim Statements Location
• Putting Data in Variables
• Expressions and Math Operators

Lesson 6 - Making decisions with VBA

• Comparison Operators
• Keep Each Sides Data Type Consistent
• The If Statement
• The If Statements Else Branch
• Compound Comparisons with the Logical Operators
• Multiple Choice with Select Case
• The Select Case Statement
• Two More Select Case Formats

Lesson 7 - Looping with VBA

• The Do While Loops
• The Loops Termination
• The Do Until Loop
• Which Loop Is Best?
• The Other Do Loops
• The For Loop
• Terminating Loops Early

Lesson 8 - Modular Programming

• Structured Programming
• Calling Procedures and Returning from Them
• Why Code External Modules?
• Coding Subroutines
• Coding Functions
• Coding Arguments
• Receiving by Reference and by Value

Lesson 9 - Built-In Functions

• Numeric Functions
• String Functions
• A Mid Statement?
• Date and Time Functions
• Data-Testing Functions
• Data Conversion Functions
• Format Function
• You'll Rarely Need Format Codes

Lesson 10 - Debugging Techniques

• Kinds of Errors
• The Debugger
• Setting Breakpoints
• Stepping Through Code
• The Call Stack Shows Where You’ve Been
• The Immediate Window
• Tips on Trouble Shooting

API 3-Day Course Outline

Introduction

• About This Course
• Windows® XP
• Use of Color
• Getting Started
• Macro Recording Tips

Lesson 1: Using the Macro Recorder

• Macro Recording
• Macro Toolbar
• Understanding How Macro Code Works
• Understanding How to Call Members on API Interfaces
• Passing Parameters
• Cleaning Up Code
• Adding Forms to a Macro

Lesson 2: The API Object Model

• SolidWorks API Object Model
• Application Objects
• Case Study: Connecting to New Documents
• Case Study: Connecting to Existing Documents

Lesson 3: Setting System Options and Document Properties

• User Preferences - System Options
• User Preferences - Document Properties
• Locating the Correct APIs and Enumeration Values
• UserPreference Tables For System Options
• UserPreference Tables For Document Properties

Lesson 4: Automating Part Design

• Case Study: Automation Tool for Parts

Lesson 5: Assembly Automation

• Case Study: Automation Tool for Assemblies
• Exercise: Automation Tool for Assemblies

Lesson 6: Drawing Automation

• Case Study: Automating Drawing Creation

Lesson 7: Selection and Traversal Techniques

• Case Study: Programming With a Selected Object
• The SolidWorks BREP Model
• Case Study: Body and Face Traversal
• Case Study: Feature Manager Traversal

Lesson 8: Adding Custom Properties and Attributes

• Case Study: Custom Properties
• Case Study: Configurations With Custom Properties
• Case Study: File Summary Information
• Case Study: Document Attributes
• The Attribute Objects
• Case Study: Face Attributes