runswmacro

FreeSince 2.0.83

Description

The runswmacro command executes a SOLIDWORKS macro against files selected from a search or from a CSV list. This is useful for automating repetitive SOLIDWORKS tasks or applying custom logic to many files.

Syntax

runswmacro -filePath macro_path (-search search_query | -list csv_path) [-recursive] [-skip number] [-count number] [-timeout seconds] [-version year] [-csv report_path]

Parameters

Parameter	Required	Description
`-filePath`	Yes	Path to the SOLIDWORKS macro file. Supports `.swp`, `.swb`, and DLL macros implementing `IPDMShellSOLIDWORKSMacro`.
`-search`	No	Search query, or a `<Path.csv>` search-query CSV, used to find files to run the macro on. Use exactly one of `-search` or `-list`.
`-list`	No	CSV file with a header and target file paths in the first column. Use exactly one of `-search` or `-list`.
`-recursive`	No	Includes subfolders for search-based selection.
`-skip`	No	Skips the specified number of items. Only valid with `-list`.
`-count`	No	Only processes the specified number of items. Only valid with `-list`.
`-timeout`	No	Positive number of seconds for each file attempt. Default is `30`.
`-version`	No	SOLIDWORKS year version. Example 2023. Default is latest.
`-csv`	No	CSV report path. Reports successful, failed, and interrupted attempts.

Selection input

Specify -filePath for the macro and exactly one selection method: -search or -list.

Both selection methods support .swp, .swb, and DLL macros implementing IPDMShellSOLIDWORKSMacro.

Vault-based macro and list inputs are retrieved locally before execution. Checked-out working copies are preserved; unlocked writable files are not silently overwritten.

Search input

Use -search for one search query or for a search-query CSV:

runswmacro -filePath "C:\Macros\Process.swp" -search "<C:\Temp\queries.csv>" -recursive -timeout 120 -csv "C:\Temp\macro-results.csv"

Search-query CSVs use a header row. Each value in the first column is treated as a search query.

Search
Name=%.sldprt
StateName=Released;Name=%.sldasm

-recursive works with search-based selection.

List input

Use -list for a CSV that contains target file paths. The CSV must have a header, and file paths are read from the first column. Quoted fields are supported. Duplicate rows remain separate attempts.

File Path
C:\TestVault\part1.sldprt
C:\TestVault\assembly2.sldasm
C:\TestVault\drawing3.slddrw
C:\TestVault\bracket4.sldprt

-skip and -count apply only to -list.

Warning

If you only have a list of filenames, use the SOLIDWORKS VBA complete-path helper macro to create full file paths from filenames.

Execution and timeout

Standalone, PDM task, and MCP execution use pdmcli.macroworker.exe for isolated macro execution.

-timeout is a positive number of seconds. The default is 30.
The per-file deadline includes worker and SOLIDWORKS startup, target-file caching, macro execution, and cleanup.
Failure or timeout discards the worker. The failed file is not automatically retried.
Subsequent files can use a fresh worker. If termination cannot be verified, the batch stops.
The worker's vault-view login must match the parent command's PDM user.
Unknown dialogs are not automatically confirmed.
Macros must explicitly save intended changes. Unsaved documents in an owned worker cause failure.

This improves isolation and recovery, but it does not guarantee crash-free macro execution.

Existing SOLIDWORKS session

When runswmacro is called inside the user's existing SOLIDWORKS session, PDMShell reuses that application. It does not terminate or restart SOLIDWORKS, and it does not close the user's open documents.

In this mode, there is no forced execution timeout. Cancellation is checked between files, and a macro failure stops the batch for inspection.

Reports and recovery

The -csv report uses this structure:

Path,Result

Reports include successful, failed, and interrupted attempts. An incremental recovery CSV is also retained, and its location is written to the command log.

Existing vault reports must be checked out on the current machine. Reports are not automatically added to the vault or checked in. Output cannot overwrite input files.

What version of SOLIDWORKS will PDMShell use?

PDMShell will use the latest SOLIDWORKS version installed on your system by checking the Windows Registry at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SolidWorks

Note

If you have multiple SOLIDWORKS versions installed, PDMShell will automatically select the most recent version found in the registry.

SWP Macro

Warning

Please read the remarks below to properly call your macro.

The macro procedure name must be called main.
The macro module name must be called the file name of the macro appended by 1. Example: If the macro called print.swp the module name must be called print1.

Important

runswmacro does not check out files automatically. It opens the file in SOLIDWORKS and runs the selected macro.

If your macro needs to modify and save files inside SOLIDWORKS PDM, the macro itself must handle the check-out and check-in process.

The example below shows a generic pattern that:

Gets the active SOLIDWORKS document.
Logs in to the PDM vault.
Checks out the active file.
Runs your custom macro logic.
Saves the file.
Closes the document.
Checks the file back into the vault.

Before using this macro, enable the SOLIDWORKS PDM reference from:

Tools > References > PDMWorks Enterprise Type Library

Then update the vaultName constant with your vault name.

Make sure there are no missing references.

Option Explicit

Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim pdmVault As EdmVault5
Dim handle As Long

Const vaultName As String = "Your vault name"

Sub main()

    On Error GoTo CleanExit

    Dim swFrame As SldWorks.Frame
    Dim swModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
    Dim docType As Integer
    Dim filePath As String
    Dim docTitle As String

    Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
    Set swFrame = swApp.Frame

    handle = swFrame.GetHWnd

    Set pdmVault = New EdmVault5
    pdmVault.LoginAuto vaultName, handle

    Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc

    If swModel Is Nothing Then GoTo CleanExit

    docType = swModel.GetType
    filePath = swModel.GetPathName

    If Len(filePath) = 0 Then GoTo CleanExit

    checkOutFile pdmVault, docType

    Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc

    If swModel Is Nothing Then GoTo CleanExit

    RunCustomLogic swModel

    Dim errors As Long
    Dim warnings As Long

    swModel.Save3 swSaveAsOptions_Silent, errors, warnings

    docTitle = swModel.GetTitle

    swApp.CloseDoc docTitle

    checkInClosedFile pdmVault, filePath

CleanExit:

End Sub

Private Sub checkOutFile(ByVal pdmVault As EdmVault5, ByVal docType As Integer)

    On Error GoTo Done

    Dim swModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
    Dim pdmFile As IEdmFile5
    Dim pdmFolder As IEdmFolder5
    Dim ret As Integer

    Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc

    If swModel Is Nothing Then GoTo Done

    Set pdmFile = pdmVault.GetFileFromPath(swModel.GetPathName, pdmFolder)

    If pdmFile Is Nothing Then GoTo Done
    If pdmFolder Is Nothing Then GoTo Done

    If pdmFile.IsLocked Then GoTo Done

    If swModel.ForceReleaseLocks Then
        pdmFile.LockFile pdmFolder.ID, handle
    End If

    If docType = swDocDRAWING Then
        ret = swApp.CloseAndReopen(swModel, swCloseReopenOption_DiscardChanges, swModel)
    Else
        ret = swModel.ReloadOrReplace(False, swModel.GetPathName, True)
    End If

Done:

End Sub

Private Sub checkInClosedFile(ByVal pdmVault As EdmVault5, ByVal filePath As String)

    On Error GoTo Done

    Dim pdmFile As IEdmFile5
    Dim pdmFolder As IEdmFolder5

    Set pdmFile = pdmVault.GetFileFromPath(filePath, pdmFolder)

    If pdmFile Is Nothing Then GoTo Done
    If pdmFolder Is Nothing Then GoTo Done

    If Not pdmFile.IsLocked Then GoTo Done

    pdmFile.UnlockFile handle, "Updated by SOLIDWORKS macro", EdmUnlock_OverwriteLatestVersion

Done:

End Sub

Private Sub RunCustomLogic(ByVal swModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2)

    On Error GoTo Done

    If swModel Is Nothing Then GoTo Done

    ' Add your custom SOLIDWORKS macro logic here.
    ' Examples:
    ' - Update custom properties
    ' - Rebuild the model
    ' - Update drawing views
    ' - Export files
    ' - Change configurations
    ' - Run geometry checks

    swModel.ForceRebuild3 False
    swModel.ViewZoomtofit2

Done:

End Sub

## DLL Macro
>[!WARNING]
> Please read the requirements below to properly create your DLL macro.

### Requirements
- The macro class must implement the `IPDMShellSOLIDWORKSMacro` interface
- The class must be decorated with the `PDMShellMacro` attribute
- The interface can be found in the NuGet package `BlueByte.PDMShell.SOLIDWORKSMacro` on nuget.org

### Required NuGet Package Versions

>[!IMPORTANT]
> Your project must use these specific versions of the NuGet packages:

```xml
<PackageReference Include="BlueByte.PDMShell.SOLIDWORKSMacro" Version="1.0.0" />
<PackageReference Include="BlueByte.SOLIDWORKS.Interops" Version="2019.0.0" />
<PackageReference Include="BlueByte.SOLIDWORKS.PDMProfessional.Interops" Version="2024.5.50" />

Install using Package Manager Console:

Install-Package BlueByte.PDMShell.SOLIDWORKSMacro -Version 1.0.0
Install-Package BlueByte.SOLIDWORKS.Interops -Version 2019.0.0
Install-Package BlueByte.SOLIDWORKS.PDMProfessional.Interops -Version 2024.5.50

Note

Using different versions may result in compatibility issues or runtime errors. These specific versions are tested and guaranteed to work with PDMShell.

Example Implementation

using PDMShellSOLIDWORKSMacro;
using SolidWorks.Interop.sldworks;
using EPDM.Interop.epdm;

[PDMShellMacro]
public class MyMacro : IPDMShellSOLIDWORKSMacro
{
    public bool Execute(
        SldWorks swApp, 
        IEdmFile5 pdmFileObject, 
        IEdmFolder5 pdmFolderObject, 
        int handle, 
        string progress, 
        IPDMCmdLineCallback callback, 
        out string error)
    {
        error = string.Empty;
        // Update progress using the callback
        callback.AppendMessage("Starting macro execution...");
        
        // Your macro implementation here
        callback.AppendMessage($"Processing file: {pdmFileObject.Name}");
        
        // Report completion
        callback.AppendMessage("Macro execution completed successfully");

        return true;
    }
}

Note

Use the callback.AppendMessage() method to provide progress updates and status messages during macro execution. These messages will be displayed in the PDMShell output.

Running the Macro

# runswmacro
runswmacro -filePath "Macros/MyMacro.dll" -search "%.sldprt" -timeout 12000

Note

The DLL must be built against .NET Framework 4.7.2 or higher

Examples

# runswmacro
 runswmacro -filePath "Macros/BatchExport.swp" -search "%.sldprt"

Important

You can use the token edit in the search to force a check out and a check in of the search results. The check out uses the default checkout settings specified in the reference dialog of your PDM user settings (ie: this might check out the file itself and its references too). The check in will only check in the document itself (not the references).

# runswmacro
 runswmacro -filePath "Macros/BatchExport.swp" -search "Name=%.sldprt;Edit"

Table of Contents

runswmacro

Description

Syntax

Parameters

Selection input

Search input

List input

Warning

Execution and timeout

Existing SOLIDWORKS session

Reports and recovery

What version of SOLIDWORKS will PDMShell use?

Note

SWP Macro

Warning

Important

Note

Example Implementation

Note

Running the Macro

Note

Examples

Important