Selecting when Addin is visible - API

I've created an Addin by using the VB.net Addin template from the SW
website.

It seems to be working fine, but i can't figure out how to change it's
availability. if SW has no file open, or a part file open, the menu is
visible. as soon as i open an assembly, the menu disappears.

i did find the 'CommandGroup' object, and it's methods, in the help
file, but none of the links there work, and the 'ShowInDocumentType'
property didn't help me either...

has anyone worked with the addin template? do you know where in the
code it determines what type of document it's available for? It doesn't
even use the 'ShowInDocumentType' property anywhere.

Any ideas?

 

I.M.O it is "documented" in the API help, altough with no details:

Output: (long ) *ShowInDocumentType
Types of documents in which to show this CommandGroup as defined in
swDocTemplateTypes_e

When the addin loads, you get a command manager for the addin
(SldWorks::GetCommandManager). Then you can create command groups by calling
CommandManager::CreateCommandGroup. After adding individual command items
(CommandManager::CreateCommandItems) you can define the document types in
which the command group should be visible
(CommandGroup::ShowInDocumentType). For example,

Dim foo as SldWorks.CommandGroup
....
foo.ShowInDocumentType = swConst.swDocTemplateTypes_e.swDocTemplateTypePART

As swDocTemplateTypes_e is a bitmask, you can combine document types by
ORring them together.

I have used the command manager api, and IMO it works rather well; it is
much better than the original SldWorks::AddMenu and SldWorks::AddMenuItem
methods since you can easily create both menus and toolbars with same
function calls.

Hope this helps!

-h-

 

i tried the ShowInDocumentType, setting it to the assembly option, but
it didn't work. with that setting it should ONLY show in assembly
documents, but it still shows in everything BUT assembly documents.

the stranger thing is that the Addin template you can download from
solidworks is available in all document types except assemblies, but
ShowInDocumentType is never used. i can't find in their code how it's
decided when it's shown and when it's not.

has anyone successfully changed the template to show in assemblies?

here's a link to the template:
http://www.solidworks.com/downloads/API/Downloads/00000/0300s/0373/VBTemplate.zip

Allan

 

Hello,

Check if you have used swDocumentTypes_e.swDocAssembly instead of
swDocTemplateTypes_e.swDocTemplateTypeAssembly. It is mentioned in the API
help that

swDocTemplateTypes_e.swDocTemplateTypeAssembly equals 4, whereas
swDocumentTypes_e.swDocAssembly equals 2. Quite confusing, huh?
swDocumentTypes_e is a normal enum (1, 2, 3, ..) but swDocTemplateTypes_e is
a bitmask (1, 2, 4, 8...).

I tested with Visual Studio 2005 and SW 2006 Add-In template and it works as
expected.

-h-

 

getting closer, but still no luck... i can now control wether it's
shown in parts, or if nothing's open, but i still can't get it to show
in assemblies.

in AddCommandMgr(), I've add a line just before:
cmdGroup.HasToolbar = True
which is now:
cmdGroup.ShowInDocumentType =
swDocTemplateTypes_e.swDocTemplateTypeASSEMBLY +
swDocTemplateTypes_e.swDocTemplateTypeNONE

which should mean, the addin is visible in assemblies, and when nothing
is open, but it's only visible when nothing is open.

i think somehow my ShowInDocumentType is overridden in the
eventhandling section. when an assembly is opened, it goes through a
load of modelview connections that i don't understand, and the menu
disappears.

Ok, revelation... the toolbar works as expected, but the 'VBAddin' Menu
still disappears.

need to find out how that happens....

 

This is how to do it using a command group
Vb.Net 2005 Example

Public Sub AddCommandMgr()

Dim cmdGroup As ICommandGroup
Dim iBmp As New BitmapHandler
Dim thisAssembly As Assembly

thisAssembly =
System.Reflection.Assembly.GetAssembly(Me.GetType())

cmdGroup = iCmdMgr.CreateCommandGroup(1, "FireWorks",
"FireWorks", "", -1)
cmdGroup.LargeIconList =
iBmp.CreateFileFromResourceBitmap("FireWorks.Prop-n-ExcelLarge.bmp")
cmdGroup.SmallIconList =
iBmp.CreateFileFromResourceBitmap("FireWorks.Prop-n-ExcelSmall.bmp")
cmdGroup.LargeMainIcon =
iBmp.CreateFileFromResourceBitmap("FireWorks.AE-Logo.bmp")
cmdGroup.SmallMainIcon =
iBmp.CreateFileFromResourceBitmap("FireWorks.AE-Logo.bmp")

cmdGroup.AddCommandItem("Edit Material", -1, "Allows you to
select a material to apply to the active document", "Edit Material", 0,
"EditMaterial", "EnableEditMaterial", 0)
cmdGroup.AddCommandItem("Estimate material", -1, "Estimates the
material used in this body and saves the data to Excel", "Estimate
Material", 2, "EstimateMaterial", "EnableEstimateMaterial", 2)

cmdGroup.HasToolbar = True
cmdGroup.HasMenu = True
cmdGroup.Activate()

thisAssembly = Nothing
iBmp.Dispose()
End Sub


''' <summary>
''' This method is used to Enable Edit Materials controls depending
on the open document
''' </summary>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function EnableEditMaterial() As Integer
Dim MD As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
MD = iSwApp.ActiveDoc
Select Case MD.GetType
Case SwConst.swDocumentTypes_e.swDocPART
Return 1
Case Else
Return 0
End Select
If MD Is Nothing Then
Return 0
End If
End Function