Keep SOLIDWORKS Invisible While Activating Documents Example (VBA)

This example shows how to keep SOLIDWORKS invisible while activating SOLIDWORKS documents, including assembly component files, and saving those documents as PDF files.

'------------------------------------------------------
' Preconditions:
' 1. Verify that the specified assembly file exists.
' 2. Verify that c:\temp exists.
' 3. Open the Immediate window.
'
' Postconditions:
' 1. Saves the specified assembly file and its
'    component files as PDF files to the c:\temp.
' 2. Examine the Immediate window and c:\temp.
'--------------------------------------------------------
Option Explicit

Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim swModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
Dim swExtension As SldWorks.ModelDocExtension
Dim swAssembly As SldWorks.AssemblyDoc
Dim doctype As Long
Dim errors As Long
Dim warnings As Long
Dim modelpath As String
Dim modelFileName As String
Dim convFileName As String
Dim Success As Boolean
Dim vComponents As Variant
Dim i As Long
Dim outputpath As String

Sub SaveToPDF(docFileName As String, outputpath As String)
    ' Determine the type of SOLIDWORKS file based on
    ' its filename extension
    If LCase(Right(docFileName, 7)) = ".sldprt" Then
        doctype = swDocPART
    ElseIf LCase(Right(docFileName, 7)) = ".sldasm" Then
        doctype = swDocASSEMBLY
    ElseIf LCase(Right(docFileName, 7)) = ".slddrw" Then
        doctype = swDocDRAWING
    Else
        doctype = swDocNONE
    End If

    ' Open document
    Set swModel = swApp.OpenDoc6(docFileName, doctype, swOpenDocOptions_Silent Or swOpenDocOptions_ReadOnly, "", errors, warnings)
    If swModel Is Nothing Then
        Debug.Print "Failed to open document " + modelpath + ". Errors: " & errors
    End If

    ' Activate the document, which should remain invisible    
    ' due to earlier call to IFrame::KeepInvisible
    Set swModel = swApp.ActivateDoc2(docFileName, True, errors)

    ' Build destination file name
    modelpath = swModel.GetPathName()
    modelFileName = Mid(modelpath, InStrRev(modelpath, "\") + 1)
    modelFileName = Left(modelFileName, InStrRev(modelFileName, ".") - 1)
    convFileName = outputpath + modelFileName + ".pdf"
    
    ' Save document as PDF
    Set swExtension = swModel.Extension
    Success = swExtension.SaveAs(convFileName, swSaveAsCurrentVersion, swSaveAsOptions_Silent, Nothing, errors, warnings)
    

    If Success Then
       Debug.Print "Document, " + modelpath + ", saved as " + convFileName + ". "
    Else
       Debug.Print "Document not saved: "
       Debug.Print "  Errors: " & errors + modelpath + " as " + convFileName + ". "
    End If
                    

    ' Process all components
    If doctype = swDocASSEMBLY Then
        Set swAssembly = swModel
        vComponents = swAssembly.GetComponents(True)
        For i = 0 To UBound(vComponents)
            Dim swComponent As SldWorks.Component2
            Set swComponent = vComponents(i)
            SaveToPDF swComponent.GetPathName(), outputpath
        Next i
    End If

End Sub

Sub main()    

    On Error GoTo Fail:

    ' Get SOLIDWORKS
    Set swApp = Application.SldWorks

    ' Allow SOLIDWORKS to run in the background
    ' and be invisible
    swApp.UserControl = False
    
    ' If the following property is true, then the
    ' SOLIDWORKS frame will be visible on a call to
    ' ISldWorks::ActivateDoc2; so set it to false
    swApp.visible = False
    

    ' Keep SOLIDWORKS frame invisible when
    ' ISldWorks::ActivateDoc2 is called
    Dim pFrame As Frame
    Set pFrame = swApp.Frame
    pFrame.KeepInvisible = True

    Dim Document As String
    Dim Output As String    
    Document = "C:\Users\Public\Documents\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS 2018\samples\tutorial\advdrawings\blade shaft.sldasm"
    Output = "c:\temp\"
    

    Debug.Print "--- Save files as PDF ---"
    SaveToPDF Document, Output
    swApp.CloseAllDocuments True
    Debug.Print "--- Done ---"
    
    ' Show SOLIDWORKS frame and SOLIDWORKS
    pFrame.KeepInvisible = False
    swApp.visible = True
    Exit Sub  
    

Fail:
    Debug.Print "Execution failed with error " & Err.Number & ": '" & Err.Description & "'"
 

End Sub