SOLIDWORKS C# API - Insert Solidworks Sketch

6 minute read

Objective

I want to:

Insert Sketch into Solidworks Part Document using Solidworks C# API
We will continue from previous article 🚀 Insert Solidworks Sketch UI.
Extend article by adding Solidworks C# API to previous code.

Demo Video

Please see below video on how to “Insert Sketch into Solidworks Part Document” using Solidworks C# API from WPF Application.

Please note that there are no explanation in the video.
Explanation of each step and why we write code this way is given in this post.

Add [Solidworks References]

For opening Solidworks we need to add some references into our project.
Please see below 👇🏻 image for how to add Solidworks reference.

Please see below 👇🏻 image from 🚀 Browse Solidworks Document article for how to add reference files.

Update ViewModel

In this section, we update MainWindowViewModel for inserting Sketch.

Check Plane Selected

Before proceeding, we need to confirm, if any Plane is selected.

Function needs to update: ExecuteInsertSketchCommand()
Please see below 👇🏻 image for reference.

Please see below 👇🏻 code sample for reference.

                        if(string.IsNullOrEmpty(SelectedPlane))
{
    this.eventAggregator.GetEvent<ErrorMessagesService>().Publish("No Plane selected in application. Please select a Plane.");
    return;
}

                      

In above code, we are checking, if any Plane is selected.
Condition: string.IsNullOrEmpty(SelectedPlane)
- We check if value of SelectedPlane variable is null or empty by IsNullOrEmpty() method.
- When this condition is true, then we Publish ErrorMessagesService event.
- This ErrorMessagesService, then display message to user.
- Message to show: “No Plane selected in application. Please select a Plane.”
- After showing message we exit the function.

Add New Function

Now we add a new function which we use for Inserting Sketch.
Please see below 👇🏻 image for reference.

Please see below 👇🏻 code sample for reference.

                        bool insertSketch = await Task.Run(InsertSketch);

                      

In above line, we are are doing following.
- Creating a new variable.
- Type of new variable: bool
- Name of variable: insertSketch
- Value of this variable is get by InsertSketch() method.
- We are also waiting for this InsertSketch() method to complete in different backgroud Thread.

                        private bool InsertSketch()
{
    throw new NotImplementedException();
}

                      

In above line of code, we create a new InsertSketch() method.
This method currently throw NotImplementedException() exception.

Get Default Part Template

In InsertSketch() method, we get Default Part Template.

                        SldWorks.SldWorks swApp = new SldWorks.SldWorks();

                      

Purpose: In above line, we create variable for Solidworks application.
Variable Name: swApp
Type: SldWorks.SldWorks

                        string defaultTemplate = swApp.GetUserPreferenceStringValue((int)swUserPreferenceStringValue_e.swDefaultTemplatePart);

                      

Purpose: In above line, we create variable for default part template.
Variable Name: defaultTemplate
Type: string
Value: We get this value by GetUserPreferenceStringValue() method.
- This method is part of swApp variable.
- GetUserPreferenceStringValue() method take Integer as parameter.
- We pass swUserPreferenceStringValue_e.swDefaultTemplatePart enumerable as parameter.
- Since GetUserPreferenceStringValue() method, takes Integer as parameter, we cast swUserPreferenceStringValue_e.swDefaultTemplatePart to (int).
- Final Parameter: (int)swUserPreferenceStringValue_e.swDefaultTemplatePart

                        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(defaultTemplate))
{
    this.eventAggregator.GetEvent<ErrorMessagesService>().Publish("Default part template is empty.");
    return false;
}

                      

In above code, we check if “Default Part template” is null or empty.
Condition: string.IsNullOrEmpty(defaultTemplate)
- We check if value of defaultTemplate variable is null or empty by IsNullOrEmpty() method.
- When this condition is true, then we Publish ErrorMessagesService event.
- This ErrorMessagesService, then display message to user.
- Message to show: “Default part template is empty.”
- After showing message we exit the function and return false.

Get Solidworks Document

Now we create Solidworks Document object.

                        ModelDoc2 swDoc = swApp.NewDocument(defaultTemplate, 0, 0, 0);

                      

Purpose: In above line, we create variable for Solidworks Document object.
Variable Name: swDoc
Type: ModelDoc2

                        if (swDoc == null)
{
    this.eventAggregator.GetEvent<ErrorMessagesService>().Publish("Failed to create new Part document.");
    return false;
}

                      

In above code, we check if “Solidworks Document object” is null.
Condition: swDoc == null
- We check if value of defaultTemplate variable is null.
- When this condition is true, then we Publish ErrorMessagesService event.
- This ErrorMessagesService, then display message to user.
- Message to show: “Failed to create new Part document.”
- After showing message we exit the function and return false.

Select Plane

Now we select Plane in Solidworks document.
We get selected plane name from drop down.

                        bool boolStatus = swDoc.Extension.SelectByID2(SelectedPlane, "PLANE", 0, 0, 0, false, 0, null, (int)swSelectOption_e.swSelectOptionDefault);

                      

Purpose: In above line, we create variable for checking plane is selected or not.
Variable Name: boolStatus
Type: bool

Value: We get this value by SelectByID2() method.

This method is part of swDoc.Extension variable.

SelectByID2() method takes following as parameter.

Name: Name of object to select or an empty string.
Type: Type of object (uppercase) as defined in swSelectType_e or an empty string.

For full list of swSelectType_e object types, please visit 🚀 Solidworks SelectByID2 API Help
X: X selection location or 0.
Y: Y selection location or 0.
Z: Z selection location or 0.
Append: please visit 🚀 Solidworks SelectByID2 API Help
Mark: Value that you want to use as a mark.
Callout: Pointer to the associated callout.
SelectOption: Selection option as defined in swSelectOption_e in below table.

Member	Description
`swSelectOptionDefault`	0
`swSelectOptionExtensive`	1

Return Value: True if item was successfully selected, False if not.
In our code, I have used following values:

Parameter Name	Value Used
Name	`SelectedPlane`
Type	`PLANE`
X	`0`
Y	`0`
Z	`0`
Append	`false`
Mark	`0`
Callout	`null`
SelectOption	`(int)swSelectOption_e.swSelectOptionDefault`

                        if (boolStatus == false)
{
    this.eventAggregator.GetEvent<ErrorMessagesService>().Publish($"Failed to select [{SelectedPlane}].");
    swApp.CloseAllDocuments(true);
    swApp.ExitApp();
    return false;
}

                      

In above code, we check if plane is selected or not.
Condition: boolStatus == false
- We check if value of boolStatus variable is false.

                        this.eventAggregator.GetEvent<ErrorMessagesService>().Publish($"Failed to select [{SelectedPlane}].");

                      

When this condition is true, then we Publish ErrorMessagesService event.
This ErrorMessagesService, then display message to user.
Message to show: “Failed to select [{SelectedPlane}].”

                        swApp.CloseAllDocuments(true);

                      

After showing message, we close all open document in Solidworks.
We close all documents including all dirty documents.
We close all documents by CloseAllDocuments() method.

This method is part of swApp variable.

CloseAllDocuments() method takes following as parameter.

IncludeUnsaved: As define in below table.

Member	Description
`True`	Close all documents, including dirty documents.
`False`	Close all documents, excluding dirty documents.

Return Value: True if item was successfully execute, False if not.

Reference: 🚀 Solidworks CloseAllDocuments Method API Help

                        swApp.ExitApp();

                      

After closing all document in Solidworks application, we exit Solidworks application.
We do this by calling ExitApp() method.
This ExitApp() method is part swApp variable.
This ExitApp() method did not take any parameter.

                        return false;

                      

After closing Solidworks application, we exit the function and return false.

Insert Sketch

Now, we add Solidworks Sketch segment into selected plane.

                        swDoc.Visible = true;

                      

In above code, we make Solidworks visible.
We make Solidworks visible by setting value of Visible property.
This Visible property is part of swDoc variable.
We set the value of Visible property to true.

                        swDoc.SketchManager.InsertSketch(false);

                      

In above code, we insert Solidwork Sketch into selected plane.
We insert plane by InsertSketch() method.
This InsertSketch() method is part of swDoc.SketchManager object.
This InsertSketch() method takes following parameter:
- UpdateEditRebuild: True to rebuild the part with any changes made to the sketch and exit sketch mode, False to not.
Return Value: This InsertSketch() method did not return any value.
Reference: 🚀 Solidworks InsertSketch Method API Help

                        return true;

                      

After inserting sketch we return true and exit InsertSketch() function in our application.
In ExecuteInsertSketchCommand() method we add below lines.

                        if (insertSketch == false)
    return;

In above code, we check if Sketch is inserted successfully.
Condition: insertSketch == false
- We check if value of insertSketch variable is false.
- In above condition is true, then we exit function from here.
- This also means we got some error while inserting Solidworks Sketch into document.

                        this.eventAggregator.GetEvent<InformationMessagesService>().Publish("Sketch inserted successfully.");

                      

After this we Publish InformationMessagesService event.
This InformationMessagesService, then display message to user.
Message to show: “Sketch inserted successfully.”

FINAL RESULT

Now, we have done everything needed to Insert Solidwork Sketch into Solidworks Document through our application.

Please see below image for final result of our work.

This is it !!!

I hope my efforts will helpful to someone!

If you found anything to add or update, please let me know on my e-mail.

Hope this post helps you to Insert Solidworks Sketch from WPF PRISM Application.

If you like the post then please share it with your friends also.

Do let me know by you like this post or not!

Till then, Happy learning!!!