solidEdgeMacroTutorial

A step-by-step tutorial for creating and running Solid Edge macros using Python and COM automation. This guide covers environment setup, script execution, and integration with Solid Edge's COM API.

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🔧 Installation

1. Create and activate a virtual environment

Using Conda:

conda create -n solidEdgeEnv python=3.11
conda activate solidEdgeEnv

Using venv:

python -m venv solidEdgeEnv
solidEdgeEnv\Scripts\activate.bat  # Windows

2. Install dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/RylanBosquez/solidEdgeMacroTutorial.git
cd solidEdgeMacroTutorial

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📁 Folder Structure

solidEdgeMacroTutorial/
├── assets/                         # Exported files (PDF, DXF, DWG, JT)
├── scripts/                        # Python automation scripts
│   ├── AssemblyDocumentAutomation/ # Scripts for assemblies (insert, traverse, constrain)
│   ├── BOMAndMetadata/             # Scripts for BOM export and metadata extraction
│   ├── DraftDocumentAutomation/    # Scripts for drawing views, dimensions, title block
│   ├── PartDocumentAutomation/     # Scripts for part creation and feature access
│   ├── PrintingAndExport/          # Scripts for printing and sheet/image export
│   ├── Utilities/                  # Scripts for general automation tasks
├── requirements.txt                # Python dependencies
└── README.md                       # This file

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🚀 Usage

1. Open Solid Edge and load a document.
2. Run any script from the scripts/ folder to automate tasks like:
   • Exporting to PDF, DXF, DWG, JT
   • Reading document properties
   • Creating parts or drawings programmatically

Example:

cd scripts/Utilities
python solidEdgeVersion.py

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📚 Features Covered

• Launch and connect to Solid Edge
• Open existing documents
• Create new part documents
• Export drawings to PDF, DXF, DWG, JT
• Read standard and custom document properties
• Extract parts list (BOM) from Draft documents
• Create drawing views (e.g., front, side, isometric)
• Extract dimensions from Draft documents
• Read and modify title block text
• Export sheet thumbnails as images

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🧩 Requirements

• Solid Edge installed
• Windows OS (COM automation is Windows-only)
• Python 3.11
• comtypes package

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📌 Notes

• Most scripts assume Solid Edge is already running.
• Only Draft documents support DXF/DWG/JT export.
• All exports are saved to the assets/ folder.

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