VBA OR .NET

[Olid]

Hello All,
I know that are a lot of SolidWorks users and programmers here that have posted some very useful code and macros. I use them but unfortunately, don't understand how they work or what the code means. I think programming is something that I would like to learn. Soon, I might have an opportunity to get some programming training. Which brings me to my question, I would like to know which language is best for Solidworks and which is best to learn/know in general.




Regards,
Dan Olid
SW2007 SP2.2
PDMW 2007 SP2.2
Cad Designer/PDMW Admin

 

[TheTick]

SW macros are currently in VBA. I recommend start w/ VBA. There's plenty of free tutorial material on the www. Also, go get a book or two. Also, you already have VBA as part of SW and also w/ MS Excel & Word.

Start w/ general VBA until you are comfortable with basic object-oriented programming principles. Then get into SW macros.

Honesty may be the best policy, but insanity is a better defense.

http://www.EsoxRepublic.com

-SolidWorks API VB programming help

 

[fcsuper]

How much programming how you ever been exposed to?

Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[Olid]

Tick,
Thanks for the reply. I picked a VB for dummies book a while back. However, I think it is really out of date.
Do you have any recommendations?

Matt,
I do not have any exposure to programming other than the macros I pick up from here or the net. I know you and the Tick have written some macros or posted some code here and I see it but it is all Greek to me. I don't just want to use the macros or progamming, I also want to understand it and perhaps even write some of my own.



Regards,
Dan Olid
SW2007 SP2.2
PDMW 2007 SP2.2
Cad Designer/PDMW Admin

 

[gwubs]

Jump in! There is a lot to learn, but the API help in SW is great. You will be amased at the things you can do. Also, use the macro recorder, it will get you started with most of what you need. Above all, an interest in learning, and having time are essential.

Gerald

P.S. Alot of the older VB stuff still applies. You should use the latest APIs in SW, because obsoleted ones are not supported (although most of the still work just fine)