Copy Surface Macro

SOLIDWORKS API
1

So…
There had been some macro idea in my personal backlog for quite some times and I finally have some times to start working on them recently…

Before i start working on the macro from scratch, I thought i should ask around here first whether is there an existing macro that i can reuse…

1. Copy Surface macro
So.. i am kind of annoyed with the amount of mouse click i need to copy a surface (entering 0 as value, and then accept), I will be great if i can just copy all the selected surface with 1 click/key without going into the interface…

The macro should:
i. Offset all selected surface by 0 (User will select the surface before clicking the macro)
ii. (Optional) Apply a preset color to the copied surfaces

2

Hi Zhen-Wei Tee

you also could achieve this by using “knit surface”
there is an API example in the help files:
“Create Surface Knit Feature Example”
https://help.solidworks.com/2016/english/api/sldworksapi/create_surface_knit_feature_example_vb6.htm

An advantage here can be that you can merge the resulting surfaces

Eddy

3

There are already 3 functions that copy surfaces:

  1. move copy bodies - for solid/surface bodies
  2. knit, as mentioned by Eddy Alleman
  3. offset (at 0 distance).

Move bodies only works if you don’t have it set to using mates.
Knit won’t work for a single face

If your macro gets around these and can be initiated with a hotkey, that would be cool.

4

This thread might give you a head-start:

https://forum.solidworks.com/thread/219694

5

Hi @Zhen-Wei Tee

I just uploaded a VBA macro to Codestack that does what you asked:

https://github.com/EddyAlleman/codestack/tree/master/solidworks-api/geometry/surface-offset-equal

It could take some days before you can find it on the Codestack website. This way you can look into it already.

Happy coding!

Eddy

6

Sorry for the late reply, the last few days was really busy for me
I had tested out the marco and it was really FANTASTIC
It even include the number of faces being copied in the feature which is really nice :slight_smile:

Thanks alot!

7

You´re welcome.
Glad you like it !
The macro has been published on Codestack today.
Go to Goodies > Geometry > copy surfaces
image.png
direct link:
https://www.codestack.net/solidworks-api/geometry/surface-offset-equal/

Eddy