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Overview of the SolidWorks VBA Macro Object Library & Model

The Tech Thinker

May 31, 2025

Table of Contents

SolidWorks VBA Macro Object Library

When you write a macro in VBA for SolidWorks, you’re essentially telling the software,
“Hey SolidWorks, here’s what I want you to do.”
To make that possible, SolidWorks exposes a huge set of objects, methods, and properties called the API (Application Programming Interface) — and this is what you access via VBA.

Let’s break down how the SolidWorks Object Model works in VBA, and what objects you’ll use 90% of the time.

🧩 What is the SolidWorks VBA Object Library?

The SolidWorks VBA Object Library is a collection of predefined objects like:

Application (SldWorks)
Documents (ModelDoc2, PartDoc, AssemblyDoc, DrawingDoc)
Sketches (SketchManager, SketchSegment)
Features (FeatureManager, Feature)
Selections (SelectionMgr)
Views & Sheets
Export, Config, Dimension Objects
…and many more

You declare these objects in your VBA macro and then call methods/functions on them to control SolidWorks.

📘 Core Object Hierarchy (Object Model)

Here’s a simplified object hierarchy of a SolidWorks macro:

SldWorks (application)
│
├── ModelDoc2 (active document - part/asm/drw)
│   ├── SketchManager (to create sketches)
│   ├── FeatureManager (to add features)
│   ├── Extension (advanced functions: selection, property, etc.)
│   └── SelectionMgr (user selection context)
│
└── Documents (collection of open docs)

This means:

You start with SldWorks to connect to the application.
From there, you get the active document using ActiveDoc.
Then you dive deeper—like opening a sketch, drawing a circle, and making a feature.

🔑 Most Common Objects (with Purpose)

Object	Description
`SldWorks`	Root object that controls the app (open, close, new doc)
`ModelDoc2`	Base object for part, assembly, or drawing
`PartDoc`, `AssemblyDoc`, `DrawingDoc`	Type-specific document extensions
`SketchManager`	Used to draw geometry like lines, circles, rectangles
`FeatureManager`	Used to add features like extrudes, fillets
`SelectionMgr`	Handles selections made by user or program
`ModelDocExtension`	Advanced operations (e.g., custom props, selections)
`ConfigurationManager`	Handles configurations of the model

🔁 Common Object Patterns You’ll Use Often

These are reusable code patterns that appear in almost every macro:

Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc
Set swSketchMgr = swModel.SketchManager
Set swFeatMgr = swModel.FeatureManager
Set swSelMgr = swModel.SelectionManager
Set swExt = swModel.Extension

Each line sets up a different layer of control:

swApp connects you to SolidWorks
swModel gives access to the active file
swSketchMgr lets you draw
<strong>swFeatMgr</strong> lets you create extrudes, fillets, etc.
<strong>swSelMgr</strong> helps you pick or filter selections
swExt gives you access to advanced tools like renaming features, custom properties, and saving files

📌 Additional Object Layer Tips

ModelDoc2 is your base: You can typecast it to PartDoc, AssemblyDoc, or DrawingDoc as needed.
Use .Extension for extras: Custom properties, feature renaming, and advanced selections.
Explore object methods: For example, swModel.GetTitle or swSketchMgr.CreateLine(...)

🧠 You’re now using:

SketchManager to draw
FeatureManager to extrude
ModelDocExtension to select planes

Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
Set swModel = swApp.NewDocument("C:\Path\Part.prtdot", 0, 0, 0)
swModel.Extension.SelectByID2 "Front Plane", "PLANE", 0, 0, 0, False, 0, Nothing, 0

Set swSketchMgr = swModel.SketchManager
swSketchMgr.InsertSketch True
swSketchMgr.CreateCircleByRadius 0, 0, 0, 0.05
swSketchMgr.InsertSketch True

Set swFeatMgr = swModel.FeatureManager
swFeatMgr.FeatureExtrusion2 True, False, False, 0, 0, 0.1, 0, False, False, False, False, _
    0, 0, False, False, False, False, True, True, True, 0, 0, False

🧪 Example: Real Macro Showing Object Flow

Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim swModel As ModelDoc2
Dim swSketchMgr As SketchManager
Dim swFeatMgr As FeatureManager

Sub main()
    Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
    Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc

    ' Access sketch and feature managers
    Set swSketchMgr = swModel.SketchManager
    Set swFeatMgr = swModel.FeatureManager

    MsgBox "Using VBA Object Model Successfully!"
End Sub

This small macro:

Connects to SolidWorks
Accesses the open document
Loads the two most common managers: sketch and feature

🧠Tips

Use swApp.ActiveDoc to always get the currently open model.
Always check if the doc is Nothing to avoid errors.
Use ObjectBrowser (F2 in VBA Editor) to explore all SolidWorks API objects.
Reference the SOLIDWORKS XX Type Library under Tools → References.