Add and read attributes with parameters to components using SOLIDWORKS API

This example adds attributes with string values as the parameters to the selected components via IAttributeDef SOLIDWORKS API interface. Rebuilds the model and reads the attributes back by finding them with IComponent2::FindAttribute method.

Attributes are lightweight features which can be attached to SOLIDWORKS entities and store the custom data.

Two attributes features created in the Feature Manager Tree using SOLIDWORKS API

Enum CreateAtttributeOptions_e
    Visible = 0
    Hidden = 1
End Enum

Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim swSelMgr As SldWorks.SelectionMgr
Dim swAssy As SldWorks.AssemblyDoc
Dim swAttDef As SldWorks.AttributeDef

Const ATT_DEF_NAME As String = "SampleAtt"
Const ATT_PARAM_NAME As String = "RefData"

Sub main()

    Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
    
    Set swAttDef = swApp.DefineAttribute(ATT_DEF_NAME)
    
    'add single string parameter
    swAttDef.AddParameter ATT_PARAM_NAME, swParamType_e.swParamTypeString, 0, 0

    If False = swAttDef.Register Then
        MsgBox "Failed to register attribute"
        End
    End If
    
    Set swAssy = swApp.ActiveDoc
    
    Set swSelMgr = swAssy.SelectionManager
    
    'Create attributes for all selected components
    AddAttributes
    
    swAssy.EditRebuild
    
    'reading the data from attributes
    ReadAttributes
    
End Sub

Sub AddAttributes()
    
    Dim swComp As SldWorks.Component2
    Dim swAtt As SldWorks.Attribute
    Dim i As Integer
    
    For i = 1 To swSelMgr.GetSelectedObjectCount2(-1)

        Set swComp = swSelMgr.GetSelectedObjectsComponent3(i, -1)
        
        If Not swComp Is Nothing Then
            
            Set swAtt = swAttDef.CreateInstance5(swAssy, swComp, ATT_DEF_NAME & i, CreateAtttributeOptions_e.Visible, swInConfigurationOpts_e.swAllConfiguration)

            Dim swParam As SldWorks.Parameter

            Set swParam = swAtt.GetParameter(ATT_PARAM_NAME)
            
            swParam.SetStringValue2 "Data for " & swComp.Name2 & " at index " & i, swInConfigurationOpts_e.swAllConfiguration, ""
            
        End If
        
    Next
    
End Sub

Sub ReadAttributes()
    
    Dim swComp As SldWorks.Component2
    Dim swAtt As SldWorks.Attribute
    Dim i As Integer
    
    For i = 1 To swSelMgr.GetSelectedObjectCount2(-1)

        Set swComp = swSelMgr.GetSelectedObjectsComponent3(i, -1)
        
        If Not swComp Is Nothing Then
            
            Dim j As Integer

            For j = 0 To 10
            
                Set swAtt = swComp.FindAttribute(swAttDef, j)
                
                If Not swAtt Is Nothing Then
                    
                    Set swParam = swAtt.GetParameter(ATT_PARAM_NAME)
                    Debug.Print swParam.GetStringValue()
                    
                End If
            
            Next
            
        End If
        
    Next

End Sub