SLDPRT/SLDASM files formats?

Hi everybody,

First, do not take care of my english, I'm french

I'm working on a project for which we need to parse sldprt and sldasm files
without use of SolidWorks API.

I know these formats are based on Microsoft OLE2 Document so we can access
these with IStorage/IStream COM API, but I can't find anywhere a complete
description (structure, data, etc...) of these formats.

Does someone know where I can get these?

Thanks

Olivier.

 

:
First, do not take care of my english, I'm french
ok... do the same for me, I'm swiss (french too)

Good luck...

When I asked SW Corp, thy said "This is not public, and varies with
versions".
Nobody to my knowledge could manage to reverse engineer the format.
Products like www.okino.com and www.modelpress.com claim "native" support of
SW formats, but require the product to be installed (in fact they start a
hidden SW session)
My suggestion is to use another format to store the data you need and keep
it synchronized.
My www.cadml.org project is just about this subject. e-mail me for more
info.

 

When I asked SW Corp, thy said "This is not public, and varies with

I have asked this too, SW corp is not willing to give public specifications
about their files. In my opinion this is quite acceptable, because if the SW
file format would be public, they would have to stay in that format. Now
they have the freedom to tinker with the format whenever they wish. Nothing
prevents you from reading SW files, someone even mentioned that he was able
to read configuration specific custom properties without SW application. But
if SW corp decides to change the format somehow, it is your headache...

It is indeed possible to read something from SW files, I believe that for
example the preview images, parasolid & edrawing data can be read rather
easily.

-h-

 

Why do you consider that a good thing?

Jim S.

 

It is indeed possible to read something from SW files, I believe that for

I do a partial (selective ?) read on a near-daily basis. I have to
"nest" large assemblies/ export flat patterns over a slow internet
connection, and I do a quick verify of all related documents by
peeking into the IStorage beforehand,
checking for config names/mod dates, etc, before running this long
operation.

There is a .TLB, and related source code, at :
http://www.vbbyjc.com/index.htm
that reads Storage/Stream info.

All the storage names are "man-readable", and can give you an
overview, but you'll have to do a bit of reverse-engineering to
translate the data out of the streams.

I found the inconsistent use of UniCode in the streams, of pre-2004
documents
a bit hard to work around.

 

Why do you consider that a good thing?

Well, it was just my opinion, you don't have to agree. Maybe I was thinking
the subject from their point of view. I'd be very happy to be able to read
SW files directly, too.

-h-

 

"Someone" could always use the API to write, say an XML file with all the
info in it, then rebuild the model from the XML on a previous version... or
on a different CAD.
All it takes is a lot of work.
You're welcome to contribute the www.cadml.org open source project.

 

Why can't your site be used with mozilla 1.6 Al new standards are
availible (CSS, etc...)

Johnny

 

Actually, the code to read the native SolidWorks drawings, parts, and
assemblies is available to anyone who is a part of the SolidWorks
Partnership program. There are a number of software vendors who take
part in this program.

Applications like the ModelPress Publisher do in fact support the
reading of the native SolidWorks files without the requirement of any
SolidWorks CAD session, SolidWorks CAD installation, or SolidWorks API
components installed. ModelPress Publisher, like the Myriad viewing
product(also produced by the makers of ModelPress), extracts the
geometry and other attribute information directly from the SolidWorks
files.

To my knowledge, SolidWorks does not provide the code that reads the
part and assembly files unless you (your company) has signed up with
their Partnership program. I'm not sure what all is involved with
signing up with this program. You should contact SolidWorks to find
out.

 

I think you can use SolidWorks Viewer to view a SW file. However, you
can not modify it. Or, you can ask your design supplier to give you
the eDrawings format file, then you can view it with eDrawing
software, it is free.

Raymond