Need Help with Macros

[sloth4z]

I just started experimenting with macros. I figured out how to record a macro fairly easily, but I was curious about the programming aspect. I've begun experimenting with different recordings and looking at the resulting macro to discover various commands. Where can a beginner get help with learning the language? This is the first program I have used a macro with, so I will need an extremely basic tutorial on macros.

 

[ctopher]

thread559-121749
Do a search here, there are more.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP2.0 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

 

[MrMiller]

I knew nothing about API like you a couple years ago and was curious to learn about it. I took the VB API Class offered by SolidWorks to learn at least something about it. The rest I learned on my own using online info, the SolidWorks API help files, and any VB API code example I could find.

Today, I'm not a wizard by any means but I know enough to manipulate the software by use of a macro. Some of the macro's I've made save us tremendous time.

Good luck! And keep with it.
Jeff

 

[TheTick]

Buy a book.

The best place to start is to learn VBA (the language of macros). It is also the language for MS Office macros. A solid understanding of VB goes a long way toward sorting out advanced API calls (like SW). I started out by learning straight VB (VB6) from books/CD's found at B&N.

Don't forget SW has its own API help available right there in the help menu. It has its shortcomings, but it is about the best API documentation of any kind that I have come across.

I could be the world's greatest underachiever, if I could just learn to apply myself.

http://www.EsoxRepublic.com

-SolidWorks API VB programming help

 

[alexit]

Make sure you learn the right VB, don't get a book on VB.net or VB9 as SW2005 only uses VB6...

 

[EvanBasalik]

Small correction, alexit - SW only uses VBA. Yes, VB6 and VBA are almost identical, but there are some syntactical differences (for example in the string manipulation area). However, you can use VB, VB.NET, C#, etc. to automate SW or to develop SW add-ins. However, if you want to use the more powerful languages, you have to buy the appropriate development tool. I have even seen a project in Java.

Evan T. Basalik, MCSD
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