Macro for Toggling Transparency of Components

SOLIDWORKS Macro Library
1

Hello forum,

My 1st post here! looking for a macro which I think might be helpful for all actually.

So you know how you can use tab and shift-tab to hide & unhide hovered components; love that feature, super convenient, right?

Can something like that be done but for transparency (basically a toggle)? Hover would be best, but I assume it won’t be as easy? How about pre-selecting the component, press a key (assigned to the said macro), make the part transparent, click again and make it opaque? I searched for such a macro a bit, no luck.


Thanks in advance!
Vahid

2

There’s no need for a macro. Toggle transparency is already a button in the UI. You can map the command to a shortcut key.

3

Hi Josh,

I’m using 2020 and transparency toggle or anything like that won’t shop up in the commands (under keyboard tab in customize menu) when you search for it.

4

I think this shows up by default when you click on a part
image.png

5

According to the swamp the answer is no. It is an old thread, but has replies from the last few months.

https://r1132100503382-eu1-3dswym.3dexperience.3ds.com/#community:yUw32GbYTEqKdgY7-jbZPg/iquestion:NX3vPl18Rma-9ijKAr-pKg

If you are trying to write a macro, I think this is the call you are looking for.

https://help.solidworks.com/2020/english/api/sldworksapi/solidworks.interop.sldworks~solidworks.interop.sldworks.imodeldocextension~transparency.html?verRedirect=1

6

Yeah I am aware of that, but I’m trying to avoid the extra clicks. I like to be able to assign a key to it and toggle quickly between opaque and transparent, solidworks currently doesn’t allow that, hence my inquiry about a macro that can do that.

7

Thanks for the link…for a second I thought I’m missing something after josh comment, but yeah definitely you can’t assign a hotkey to this command without a macro.

As for the api link, unfortunately I am not knowledgeable enough to write the macro :frowning:

8

I went through the settings in SW and couldn’t find it either.

9

SPR184416 – Unable to assign a hot key to “Change transparency” (short cut key quick )

10

Found this thread from eng-tips which is about same request; but the link referenced there to the macro is dead

https://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=140985

11

Hello JSculley, where can I see a list of these SPRs. Do you have a link?

12

This will take you to the knowledge base. From there you can search for that SPR.

https://support.3ds.com/knowledge-base/

13

Based on that link, it is possible the creator of these forums could be the author of that macro.

matt
image.png

14

This is a one-liner macro. You can easily assign it to a hot key. Pre-selection of one or more components is required.

Dim swApp As Object
Sub main()
    Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
    swApp.RunCommand swCommands_e.swCommands_ChangeTransparency, ""
End Sub
15

Nothing will show up when I look up this SPR:
image.png

16

Thanks! I will give it a try, hopefully SOLIDWORKS add it with the hover functionality!

17

That’s a really REALLY old link. 20 years old or more. I think that’s an address I had when I lived in Rochester. REALLY old. 20+ years.

18

Verizon.net as your first website host Matt… <()> :laughing:

19

Can you dig up that macro for me please? Just kidding.

20

At least it wasn’t a MySpace page. :slight_smile: