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Use Safe Entity Example (VBA)

This example shows how to use IEntity::GetSafeEntity.

 

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

'

' Problem:

'       In general, an entity is something that can

'       be selected through the user interface.

'       Examples of entities include:

'               * vertex

'               * edge

'               * face

'               * feature

'

'       An entity is useful because you can add an attribute

'       to it to store arbitrary user information. Entities are

'       also useful because they support direct selection through

'       IEntity::Select4.

'

'       Unfortunately, under normal circumstances, an entity is

'       transient and is not valid if the model is rebuilt.

'       Thus, if a rebuild occurs, the entity must be reacquired.

'       This can be  time consuming and error prone. Furthermore,

'       it increases the programming complexity.

'

'       There is now the concept of a safe entity that is

'       valid across rebuilds of the model. However, this type of

'       entity is not valid across sessions of SolidWorks.

'

'       This sample code shows how to correctly use the new

'       safe entity.

'

' Preconditions:

'       (1) Part, assembly or drawing is open.

'       (2) In the case of an assembly, the assembly is fully

'           resolved.

'       (3) One of the following is selected:

'               * vertex

'               * edge

'               * face

'               * feature

'

' Postconditions:

'       (1) Model is rebuilt.

'       (2) Entity is reselected.

'

' NOTE: This code does not work for a feature selected from the

'        FeatureManager design tree in a drawing.

'

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

Option Explicit

 

Sub main()

    Dim swApp                       As SldWorks.SldWorks

    Dim swModel                     As SldWorks.ModelDoc2

    Dim swSelMgr                    As SldWorks.SelectionMgr

    Dim swSelData                   As SldWorks.SelectData

    Dim swEnt                       As SldWorks.entity

    Dim swSafeEnt                   As SldWorks.entity

    Dim bRet                        As Boolean

    

    

    Set swApp = CreateObject("SldWorks.Application")

    Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc

    Set swSelMgr = swModel.SelectionManager

    Set swEnt = swSelMgr.GetSelectedObject5(1)

    Set swSafeEnt = swEnt.GetSafeEntity

    

    ' Clear any selections

    bRet = swModel.ForceRebuild3(False)

    

   ' Selection still works because entity is safe

    Set swSelData = swSelMgr.CreateSelectData

    bRet = swSafeEnt.Select4(True, swSelData)

    Debug.Assert bRet

    

    Debug.Print "SelCount = " & swSelMgr.GetSelectedObjectCount

End Sub

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



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