SWPAW

SolidWorks PDM Add-In Wrapper

A wrapper making possible to create SolidWorks Professional PDM add-ins in any programming language, including scripting languages.

Why

Actually I developed this PDM Add-In for my own prototype programming. After a short time it turned out that it is also suitable for everyday use. That's why I decided to make it available to the public to allow every PDM administrator developing own add-ins in the preferred language.

Workflow

Before the script is executed, a set of default information for the executed event will be created and given to the script. Simple evaluations are possible without having access to the PDM-API. Further information can be collected via SQL and PDM-API. A prerequisite to use the PDM-API is that the chosen language supports COM.

Further information about this project

Limitations

It is important to know that for time-critical add-ins or actions that cannot be executed outside the current thread, programming in .NET or C++ cannot be avoided. Nevertheless, there are a lot of tasks that can also be implemented without .NET or C++ knowledge. And this, from my point of view, with less code in a short time. The prerequisite is that you master your chosen language.

Minimum Prerequisites

• C# 6
• .NET 2
• SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2014 SP0

Getting Started

.NET 2.0

• Add the EPDM Interop.epdm.dll/Runtime Version: v2.0.50727 to the references.

• Comment out the following in SWPAWSourceCode\SWPAW.cs

  using EdmLib;

  public void OnCmd(ref EdmCmd poCmd, ref Array ppoData)

  System.Array user8Groups = null;

.NET 4.0

• Add the EPDM EPDM.Interop.epdm.dll/Runtime Version: v4.0.30319 to the references.

• Comment out the following in SWPAWSourceCode\SWPAW.cs

  using EPDM.Interop.epdm;

  public void OnCmd(ref EdmCmd poCmd, ref file mdData[] ppoData)

  object[] user8Groups = null;

Both versions

• Sign the assembly.
• Compile the add-in.
• Create the user environment variable SWPAW.ini and assign the full filename to it.
• Log out and log in again to apply changes.
• Fit the SWPAW.ini to your needs.
• Add the add-in to the vault.
• Restart the system.
• Write your own scripts to extend SolidWorks PDM.

How to debug DLLs

Hitting breakpoints in .NET Class Libraries while debugging with Visual Studio 2010

How to use the demo script for AutoHotkey

The demo script intercepts button clicks and extends the context menu of the right mouse button for selected files and folders.

• Create the directory C:\SWPAW and copy all files and directories into it.
• Create a button with the following properties on a PDM data card.
  • Command type: Run Add-in
  • Name of add-in: AHK:HelloWorld - The entry EdmCmd_CardButtonExecutionCondition=.<@1>^AHK:.*$ in the SWPAW.ini ensures that only buttons beginning with the name AHK: are used by the add-in.

How to debug scripts in AutoHotkey

• Set the value DebugMode=true in the [System] section in SWPAW.ini.
• Execute the action to be debugged in PDM.
• Use the new created temp file and the name of the executed hook by filling in the required information in the </Only for debugging> area in BiIMainScript.ahk.
• Run the debugger for AutoHotkey.

Where to find an IDE for AutoHotkey

• Have a look here.

How to start with SQL and AutoHotkey

• Have a look here or here.

How to start with PDM and AutoHotkey

• Logs in to the specified vault.

_vault := ComObjCreate("ConisioLib.EdmVault")			
_vault.LoginAuto[<vault name>, 0]

• Gets the PDM file object via file id.

_file := _vault.GetObject(EdmObject_File, <file id>)

• Gets a variable value by ref. This script is required.

_objVarValue := ComVar()
_var := _file.GetEnumeratorVariable("")
_var.GetVar(<variable name>, <configuration name>, _objVarValue.ref)
_varValue := _objVarValue[]
ComVarDel(_objVarValue)

• Gets a list of names of the configurations for the specified version of this file.

_configList := _file.GetConfigurations()
_pos := _configList.GetHeadPosition()
while(!_pos.IsNull){
	_configurationName := _configList.GetNext(_pos)
}

• Searches the vault for files with specific conditions. Have a look at EdmSearchToken Enumeration for possible tokens.

_search := _vault.CreateSearch()
_search.SetToken(1, 1)
;~ Set all required tokens.
_searchResult := _search.GetFirstResult()
while(_searchResult){
	_searchResult := _search.GetNextResult()
}

How to run scripts in AutoHotkey

To work correctly executed scripts have to return an ErrorLevel for the evaluation in AutoHotkey. All integers except 0 are errors.

• Starts a VBScript and waits for its completion. To return an ErrorLevel it ends with WScript.Quit(0).

cscript := "C:\Windows\System32\cscript.exe"
vbscript := "C:\SWPAW\VBS\Demo.vbs"	
RunWait, %cscript% %vbscript%,, Hide UseErrorLevel, scriptPid

• Starts a batch script and waits for its completion. To return an ErrorLevel it ends with Exit 0.

batchscript := "C:\SWPAW\BAT\tmp.bat"
RunWait, %batchscript%,, Show UseErrorLevel, scriptPid

The calling of scripts and programs always follows the above pattern.

• After completion of the script, you can evaluate the ErrorLevel and handle errors. Error code and error message will be passed to SWPAW.

if(ErrorLevel != 0)
{
	errorCode := ErrorLevel
	if(errorCode = 1)
	{
		errorMsg := "Error 1 in script."
	}
	else if(errorCode = 2)
	{
		errorMsg := "Error 2 in script."
	}		
	else
	{
		errorMsg := "Unknown error " . errorCode . " in script."		
	}		
	return		
}