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Macro to load and unload add-in using SOLIDWORKS API

This macro allows to trigger the load state of the specified add-in using the ISldWorks::LoadAddIn and ISldWorks::UnloadAddIn SOLIDWORKS API.

This can be useful to provide a short-cut for loading and unloading the add-in with one button click. It is recommended to use Macro Buttons to create a button for add-in in the toolbar.

Macro requires the add-in Global Unique Identifier (GUID) to be specified at the beginning of the macro.

Const ADD_IN_GUID As String = "{1730410d-85ad-4be8-aa2d-ed977b93fe5d}"

Locate the guid of the required SOLIDWORKS add-in in the registry at HKLM\SOFTWARE\SolidWorks\AddIns. Each sub-key of this registry key represents the add-in. Select each key to see the title and description of the add-in. Copy the name of the key which represents the add-in guid.

Available add-ins presented in the registry{ width=450 }

It is optionally required to specify the path to the add-in in the ADD_IN_PATH variable. In some cases macro cannot retrieve the path to the add-in from its guid and can fail. You can find the path to the add-in in the SOLIDWORKS add-ins dialog:

Add-ins list in SOLIWORKS menu{ width=450 }

Const ADD_IN_PATH As String = "C:\Program Files\CodeStack\MyToolbar\CodeStack.Sw.MyToolbar.dll"

If this option is not used set the value to an empty string

Const ADD_IN_PATH As String = ""
Const ADD_IN_GUID As String = "{63496b16-e9ad-4d3a-8473-99d124a1672b}"
Const ADD_IN_PATH As String = "C:\Program Files\CodeStack\MyToolbar\CodeStack.Sw.MyToolbar.dll"

Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks

Sub main()

Set swApp = Application.SldWorks

Dim isLoaded As Boolean

isLoaded = IsAddInLoaded(ADD_IN_GUID)

Debug.Print "AddIn Loaded: " & isLoaded

Dim addInPath As String

If ADD_IN_PATH <> "" Then
addInPath = ADD_IN_PATH
Else
addInPath = GetAddInPath(ADD_IN_GUID)
End If

Debug.Print LoadAddIn(addInPath, Not isLoaded)

End Sub

Function IsAddInLoaded(addInGuid As String) As Boolean

Dim addIn As Object
Set addIn = swApp.GetAddInObject(addInGuid)

IsAddInLoaded = Not addIn Is Nothing

End Function

Function LoadAddIn(addInGuid As String, load As Boolean) As Boolean

Const SUCCESS As Long = 0

Dim res As Long
If True = load Then
res = swApp.LoadAddIn(addInGuid)
Else
res = swApp.UnloadAddIn(addInGuid)
End If

LoadAddIn = (res = SUCCESS)

End Function

Function GetAddInPath(addInGuid As String) As String

Dim addInUri As String
addInUri = CreateObject("WScript.Shell").RegRead("HKCR\CLSID\" & addInGuid & "\InprocServer32\CodeBase")

GetAddInPath = UriToLocalPath(addInUri)

End Function

Function UriToLocalPath(uri As String) As String
UriToLocalPath = Right(uri, Len(uri) - Len("file:///"))
UriToLocalPath = Replace(UriToLocalPath, "/", "\")
End Function