how to get a list of dimensions and gtols?

Hi,

I am trying to prepare a list of all the Dimensions
in a drawing and all the GTols attached to them (if there are any).
Below you will find a code that does that. It uses the API to get
the data you see on SolidWorks and copies it into a class private
members.

However, I have a few acute problems.
1. Assuming I have "n" annotations in a drawing
and each annotation has "k" fields, it means I have to
perform O(n*k) calls to a COM object. This, on its own has an
overhead. Since I am using .NET to call the COM object, it means
I have O(n*k) calls to the RCW (COM wrapper in .NET).

How do I minimize the overhead and save my users a lot
of time waiting for the application to run?

2. There is an API function "GetAttachedEntities2" which works
when I call and select a GTol, it then tells me which
dimension it is connected to.
However, I think there is a bug since this function does not work
when I select a GTol and look for its Dimensions.

Is this indeed a bug? how do I connect between a Dimension and
its GTol? I need a code that works.

Looking at the attached file: Is there a better way to code
what I do there?


Thanks in advance,

Howard





' ------------------------------------------------------------------------


Private Function SetAnnotation(ByVal swAnnotationToParse As
SldWorks.Annotation, ByVal IsAnnNumberingOn As Boolean) As Boolean
Dim swDimension As SldWorks.DisplayDimension
Dim swAttachedEntitiesArray As Object
Dim Linear, Angular As Object
Const PI As Double = 3.14159265359
Static miDimensionCounter As Integer
Dim LinearFactorArray As Double() = {1000, 100, 1, 1000 /
25.4, 1000 / 25.4 / 12, 1000 / 25.4, _
10000000000.0#, 1000000000,
1000000, 1000 / 25.4 * 1000, 1 / 25.4 * 1000000000}
Dim AngularFactorArray As Double() = {180 / PI, 1 / 60, 1 / 60
/ 60, 1}

' --------------------------------------------------
' on the first part of the function - adding a dimension
'
' --------------------------------------------------

swDimension = swAnnotationToParse.GetSpecificAnnotation
' FindTolOfAnnotationAddToObject(swAnnotationToParse)

Linear = swDrawingDoc.GetUnits()
Angular = swDrawingDoc.GetAngularUnits()
mdDimLinearFactor = LinearFactorArray(Linear(0))
mdDimAngularFactor = AngularFactorArray(Angular(0))

' get the text out of a dimension. Start with "Non Angular"
dimension
msPrefixText =
swDimension.GetText(SwConst.swDimensionTextParts_e.swDimensionTextPrefix)
msSuffixText =
swDimension.GetText(SwConst.swDimensionTextParts_e.swDimensionTextSuffix)
msAboveText =
swDimension.GetText(SwConst.swDimensionTextParts_e.swDimensionTextCalloutAbove)
msBelowText =
swDimension.GetText(SwConst.swDimensionTextParts_e.swDimensionTextCalloutBelow)
mlngToleranceType = swDimension.GetDimension.GetToleranceType

If (True = swDimension.GetUseDocPrecision()) Then
mdPrecision = swDimension.GetPrimaryPrecision2()
Else
mdPrecision = swDimension.GetAlternatePrecision2()
If mdPrecision =
SwConst.swDimensionPrecisionSettings_e.swTolerancePrecisionFollowsNominal
Then
mdPrecision = swDimension.GetPrimaryPrecision2()
End If
End If

If mdPrecision =
SwConst.swDimensionPrecisionSettings_e.swPrecisionFollowsDocumentSetting
Then
mdPrecision =
swDrawingDoc.GetUserPreferenceIntegerValue(SwConst.swDrawingProjectionType_e.swDrawing1stAngleProjection)
End If


mdarrToleranceValues =
swDimension.GetDimension.GetToleranceValues
mobjToleranceFitValues =
swDimension.GetDimension.GetToleranceFitValues()
If swDimension.GetType <>
SwConst.swDimensionType_e.swAngularDimension Then
mdValue =
swDimension.GetDimension.GetUserValueIn(swDrawingDoc)
Else ' swAngularDimension
mdValue = swDimension.GetDimension.value
End If

' exit this function when incurring a bracket annotation
return FALSE
If Left(msPrefixText, 1) = "(" And msSuffixText = ")" Then
Return False
' if annotation already numbered don't renumber it, but add to
counter
If IsAnnNumberingOn = True Then
miDimensionCounter = miDimensionCounter + 1
If Not Regex.IsMatch(msAboveText, "^(.*?)\[(.*?)\](.*?)?")
Then
swDimension.SetText(3, msAboveText & " " & "[" &
miDimensionCounter & "]")
End If
End If

mstr_xPosition =
swAnnotationToParse.GetDisplayData.GetTextPositionAtIndex(0)(0)
mstr_yPosition =
swAnnotationToParse.GetDisplayData.GetTextPositionAtIndex(0)(1)

' --------------------------------------------------
' the below is a very interesting part of the application
' it returns the location/position of the selected annotation
' for example "A-5".
' --------------------------------------------------

Dim swDrawingWidth =
swDrawingDoc.GetCurrentSheet().GetProperties()(5)
Dim swDrawingHeight =
swDrawingDoc.GetCurrentSheet().GetProperties()(6)
Dim iHorizSection, iVertSection As Integer
Dim dTemp As Double
Dim dXSectionNum As Double = NumOfHorzSections(swDrawingWidth,
swDrawingHeight)
Dim dYSectionNum As Double = NumOfVertSections(swDrawingWidth,
swDrawingHeight)

If (dXSectionNum = 21 Or dXSectionNum = 17) Then
iHorizSection = Math.Round(mstr_xPosition /
(swDrawingWidth / dXSectionNum)) + 1
Else
dTemp = mstr_xPosition / (swDrawingWidth / dXSectionNum)
iHorizSection = Int(mstr_xPosition / (swDrawingWidth /
dXSectionNum))
End If
iVertSection = NumOfVertSections(swDrawingWidth,
swDrawingHeight) - Int(mstr_yPosition / (swDrawingHeight /
NumOfVertSections(swDrawingWidth, swDrawingHeight)))
mstr_yPosition = (Chr(iVertSection + 64))
mstr_xPosition = CStr(iHorizSection + 1)

End Function
'-----------------------------------------------------------------------------