I need to expand the functionality of this project to encompass more commands (you may notice in GetSelectedFilePaths() I have a case that is not currently used, this is to support additional commands I plan to add in my next sprint). So, before going further with this project I thought I'd post it up here for review.
General Overview:
Solidworks EPDM is a data management tool. It is essentially a shell extension which uses a database to store file data/metadata and act as a file vault. Here is the API documentation.
EPDM add-ins are mostly used to extend functionality by adding additional menu commands, toolbar buttons, buttons on data cards, etc. which can run procedures from the add-in.
My add-in so far encompasses just a couple menu commands. I chose these commands to do first as they are similar and related, but I plan to extend this add-in with more commands, menu buttons, etc. in the next development sprint.
Project Info:
What I hope to get from this review:
I'm particularly interested in how/where I can refactor this for improved readability and/or performance before I continue to extend this add-in. My main concern is readability for future maintenance (I'm not a programmer by trade, so once this is finished it might be a year before I jump back into it or even do any coding), but I don't want to sacrifice major performance gains for the sake of readability.
I've done about 3 refactorings now myself, and it's coming along well I think, but I'm sure it could be better as I'm no expert in programming.
Particularly, I think there is room for improvement in:
Field/property use
I suspect my field/property structure could be better. E.g. I have a lot of private properties which maybe would be better as fields? I tried to follow the guidelines here, but I suspect I may be better off using more fields and less private properties.
VerifiedPaths property
I considered making
RunCommand(currently a local variable within theOnCmdouterTryblock) aPrivate Property, then making theGetprocedure forVerifiedPathscall theGetValidSelectionPathsprocedure usingRunCommand.ValidatorIndexbut I'm not sure if that would be better or worse for readability and efficiency.Use of properties and the
ResetMyPropertiesprocedureI'm using properties of this class to hold data used by the given command, and then resetting it afterwards so each property is ready for the next command received. I'm not sure if this is good practice, or if I'd be better off splitting this into another class to act as a variable container.
General "chunking" of procedures
Not really sure how to describe this, but basically am I using enough small procedures? Too many? Could I make this simpler by doing more/less chunking off of the work done?
Exception capturing/handling
I'm still new to this, so I could probably be doing better here. I'm not entirely sure what exceptions to expect in most cases, so I'm basically just finding them as I debug and then adding ways to eliminate or handle them as I find them. As a result, my exception trapping and handling could probably be setup better or be more comprehensive.
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports EPDM.Interop.EPDMResultCode
Imports EdmLib
Imports System.Reflection
Imports System.Runtime.CompilerServices
Module MyExtensions
<Extension()>
Public Function IsAllocated(ByVal input As System.Array) As Boolean
Return Not ((input Is Nothing) OrElse (input.Length = 0) OrElse (input.GetValue(0) Is Nothing))
End Function
End Module
Public Class EngChangeProcess
Implements IEdmAddIn5
Private Structure MenuCommand
Dim Index As Long
Dim CommandName As String
Dim MenuFlags As Integer
Dim ExecutingTemplate As String
Dim ValidatorIndex As Long
Dim CreateReferences As Boolean
End Structure
Private Enum ValidatorIndex
NewDRR
NewNPR
NewECN
End Enum
Private Const pathDRR As String = "\_DRR\"
Private Const pathNPR As String = "\_NPR\"
Private Const pathECRN As String = "\_ECRN\"
Private Const extDRR As String = ".LokDRR"
Private Const extNPR As String = ".LokNPR"
Private Const extECRN As String = ".LokECRN"
Private NewDRR As MenuCommand
Private NewNPR As MenuCommand
Private NewECN As MenuCommand
Private Commands As Dictionary(Of Long, MenuCommand)
Private mVault As EdmVault5
Private mCommand As EdmCmd
Private mSelected As System.Array
Private mTemplate As System.String
Private mPaths As List(Of String)
Private Property SourceVault As EdmVault5
Get
Return mVault
End Get
Set(value As EdmVault5)
mVault = value
End Set
End Property
Private Property SourceCommand As EdmCmd
Get
Return mCommand
End Get
Set(value As EdmCmd)
mCommand = value
End Set
End Property
Private Property SourceSelection As System.Array
Get
Return mSelected
End Get
Set(value As System.Array)
mSelected = value
End Set
End Property
Private Property TargetTemplate As System.String
Get
Return mTemplate
End Get
Set(value As System.String)
mTemplate = value
End Set
End Property
Private Property VerifiedPaths As List(Of String)
Get
Return mPaths
End Get
Set(value As List(Of String))
mPaths = value
End Set
End Property
Private Sub ResetMyProperties()
SourceVault = Nothing
SourceCommand = Nothing
SourceSelection = Nothing
TargetTemplate = String.Empty
VerifiedPaths = Nothing
End Sub
Private Sub DefineMenuCommands()
If Commands Is Nothing Then Commands = New Dictionary(Of Long, MenuCommand)
If Commands.ToArray.IsAllocated Then Exit Sub
NewDRR = New MenuCommand
With NewDRR
.Index = 0
.CommandName = "Create new Document Revision Request"
.ExecutingTemplate = "New Document Revision Request (DRR)"
.ValidatorIndex = ValidatorIndex.NewDRR
.MenuFlags = EdmMenuFlags.EdmMenu_MustHaveSelection + EdmMenuFlags.EdmMenu_OnlyFiles + EdmMenuFlags.EdmMenu_OnlyInContextMenu
.CreateReferences = True
Commands.Add(.Index, NewDRR)
End With
NewNPR = New MenuCommand
With NewNPR
.Index = 1
.CommandName = "Create new New Product Request"
.ExecutingTemplate = "New New Product Request (NPR)"
.ValidatorIndex = ValidatorIndex.NewNPR
.MenuFlags = EdmMenuFlags.EdmMenu_MustHaveSelection + EdmMenuFlags.EdmMenu_OnlyFiles + EdmMenuFlags.EdmMenu_OnlyInContextMenu
.CreateReferences = True
Commands.Add(.Index, NewNPR)
End With
NewECN = New MenuCommand
With NewECN
.Index = 2
.CommandName = "Issue new Engineering Change Notice"
.ExecutingTemplate = "New Engineering Change Notice (ECN)"
.ValidatorIndex = ValidatorIndex.NewECN
.MenuFlags = EdmMenuFlags.EdmMenu_MustHaveSelection + EdmMenuFlags.EdmMenu_OnlyFiles + EdmMenuFlags.EdmMenu_OnlyInContextMenu
.CreateReferences = True
Commands.Add(.Index, NewECN)
End With
End Sub
Public Sub GetAddInInfo(ByRef poInfo As EdmAddInInfo,
ByVal poVault As IEdmVault5,
ByVal poCmdMgr As IEdmCmdMgr5) Implements IEdmAddIn5.GetAddInInfo
Try
'Make sure menu command structures are ready to use:
DefineMenuCommands()
'Specify add-in information for EPDM to display
With poInfo
.mbsAddInName = "Engineering Document Change Management Add-in by Ssoeder"
.mbsCompany = "Lokring Technology LLC"
.mbsDescription = "This add-in provides the functionality for the Engineering document change process."
.mlAddInVersion = GetVersionAsInt()
'Specify minimum version of SolidWorks Enterprise PDM
.mlRequiredVersionMajor = 15
.mlRequiredVersionMinor = 1
End With
'Register menu commands with the EPDM shell extension.
'The command ID (lCmdID) is provided to OnCmd when the command is executed
For Each kvp In Commands
With kvp.Value
poCmdMgr.AddCmd(lCmdID:=.Index,
bsMenuString:=.CommandName,
lEdmMenuFlags:=.MenuFlags)
End With
Next
Catch ex As Runtime.InteropServices.COMException
Select Case ex.ErrorCode
Case EPDM.Interop.EPDMResultCode.EdmResultSuccessCodes_e.S_EDM_32BIT_ADDIN
MessageBox.Show("Succesfully registered 32bit addin.")
Case EPDM.Interop.EPDMResultCode.EdmResultSuccessCodes_e.S_EDM_64BIT_ADDIN
MessageBox.Show("Successfully registered 64bit addin")
Case Else
MessageBox.Show("An unhandled COMException has ocurred. Details: " & vbNewLine & _
"HRESULT = 0x" & ex.ErrorCode.ToString("X") & ": " & ex.Message)
End Select
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
End Try
End Sub
Public Sub OnCmd(ByRef poCmd As EdmCmd, ByRef ppoData As System.Array) Implements IEdmAddIn5.OnCmd
Try
'Set private properties to hold the data passed with the command
SourceVault = poCmd.mpoVault
SourceCommand = poCmd
SourceSelection = ppoData
'Get the command structure for the command ID
Dim RunCommand As MenuCommand = Commands(poCmd.mlCmdID)
'Verify the selection meets requirements of the command
VerifiedPaths = GetValidSelectionPaths(RunCommand.ValidatorIndex)
If Not VerifiedPaths.ToArray.IsAllocated Then Throw New Exception("No valid files selected. Cannot execute command.")
'Set the template to execute
TargetTemplate = RunCommand.ExecutingTemplate
'Execute the template
TryRunTemplate(CreateReferences:=RunCommand.CreateReferences)
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
Finally
ResetMyProperties()
End Try
MessageBox.Show("Complete")
End Sub
Private Function GetValidSelectionPaths(ByRef Index As ValidatorIndex) As List(Of String)
Try
Dim Exceptions As New List(Of Exception)
Dim RawPaths As List(Of String) = GetSelectedFilePaths(Exceptions)
For Each ex As Exception In Exceptions
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
Next
Select Case Index
Case ValidatorIndex.NewDRR, ValidatorIndex.NewNPR
'Just make sure we have at least one file
If RawPaths.Count > 0 Then Return RawPaths
Case ValidatorIndex.NewECN
'We want to verify we have at least one NPR or DRR file to be the target of the ECN
Try
Dim ValidPaths As New List(Of String)
For Each Path As String In RawPaths
If (Path.Contains(pathNPR) AndAlso Path.Contains(extNPR)) _
OrElse (Path.Contains(pathDRR) AndAlso Path.Contains(extDRR)) _
Then ValidPaths.Add(Path)
Next
If ValidPaths.Count > 0 Then Return ValidPaths
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
End Try
End Select
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
End Try
Return Nothing
End Function
Private Function GetVersionAsInt() As Integer
Dim v As Version = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version()
Debug.Assert(v.Major >= 0 And v.Major < 100)
Debug.Assert(v.Minor >= 0 And v.Minor < 100)
Debug.Assert(v.Build >= 0 And v.Build < 10000)
Debug.Assert(v.Revision >= 0 And v.Revision < 100)
Dim longVersion As Long = v.Major * 100000000L + _
v.Minor * 1000000L + _
v.Build * 100L + _
v.Revision
Return CInt(longVersion)
End Function
Private Sub TryRunTemplate(Optional ByVal CreateReferences As Boolean = True)
'Must be logged into the vault to run the template
Try
If Not SourceVault.IsLoggedIn Then
SourceVault.LoginAuto(SourceVault.Name, SourceCommand.mlParentWnd)
End If
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString, Application.ProductName, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Exclamation)
End Try
'Run the template and get the files created
Dim NewFiles As List(Of String) = GetFilesFromTemplate()
Try
If Not NewFiles.ToArray.IsAllocated Then Throw New Exception("No files returned by" & "" & TargetTemplate & """." & vbNewLine & "Please contact the EPDM administrator.")
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
End Try
'Create the references if required
If CreateReferences Then
Try
Dim Exceptions As New List(Of Exception)
CreateTheReferences(NewFiles:=NewFiles,
ReferenceFiles:=VerifiedPaths,
ExceptionBuffer:=Exceptions)
If Exceptions.ToArray.IsAllocated Then
For Each ex As Exception In Exceptions
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
Next
End If
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
End Try
End If
End Sub
Private Function GetFilesFromTemplate() As List(Of String)
Try
Dim TheTemplate As IEdmTemplate53 = GetTemplate()
Dim DataReturn As System.Array
'Execute the template
Dim RefreshFlag As Long = TheTemplate.RunEx(hParentWnd:=SourceCommand.mlParentWnd,
lCurrentFolderID:=SourceVault.RootFolderID,
ppoRetData:=DataReturn)
'Refresh the folder view if required
If RefreshFlag = EdmRefreshFlag.EdmRefresh_FileList Then SourceVault.RefreshFolder(SourceVault.RootFolderPath)
'Check that the execution returned some data
If Not DataReturn.IsAllocated Then Throw New Exception("No data was returned from template " &
"" & TargetTemplate & "" & "." & vbNewLine &
"Contact the EPDM administrator if you continue to have problems.")
'Return the path(s) of the newly created file(s)
Dim NewFilePaths As New List(Of String)
Dim path As String = String.Empty
For Each data As EdmData In DataReturn
Select Case data.Type
Case EdmDataType.EdmData_File
path = data.Get(EdmDataPropertyType.EdmProp_Path)
If path.Length > 0 Then NewFilePaths.Add(path)
path = String.Empty
End Select
Next
Return NewFilePaths
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
Return Nothing
End Try
End Function
Private Function GetTemplate() As IEdmTemplate53
Try
Dim TheTemplate As IEdmTemplate53 = Nothing
Dim TemplateMgr As IEdmTemplateMgr5 = SourceVault.CreateUtility(EdmUtility.EdmUtil_TemplateMgr)
Dim Position As IEdmPos5 = TemplateMgr.GetFirstTemplatePosition
Dim Match As Boolean = False
While (Not Position.IsNull) And (Not Match)
TheTemplate = TemplateMgr.GetNextTemplate(Position)
If TheTemplate.GetMenuString.ToLower = TargetTemplate.ToLower Then Match = True
End While
If Match Then Return TheTemplate
Throw New Exception("Template " & "" & TargetTemplate & "" & " was not found on the vault " &
"" & SourceVault.Name & "" & ". Please contact the EPDM administrator.")
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
End Try
Return Nothing
End Function
Private Function GetSelectedFilePaths(ByRef ExceptionBuffer As List(Of Exception)) As List(Of String)
Dim FilePaths As New List(Of String)
For Each SelectedItem As EdmCmdData In SourceSelection
'Reference: http://help.solidworks.com/2015/english/api/epdmapi/epdm.interop.epdm~epdm.interop.epdm.edmcmddata.html
Try
Select Case SourceCommand.meCmdType
Case EdmCmdType.EdmCmd_Menu
If SelectedItem.mlObjectID1 > 0 Then
Dim SelectedFile As IEdmFile6 = SourceVault.GetObject(EdmObjectType.EdmObject_File, SelectedItem.mlObjectID1)
FilePaths.Add(SelectedFile.GetLocalPath(SelectedItem.mlObjectID3))
SelectedFile = Nothing
End If
Case EdmCmdType.EdmCmd_CardButton
If SelectedItem.mlObjectID1 > 0 Then
FilePaths.Add(SelectedItem.mbsStrData2)
End If
End Select
Catch ex As Exception
ExceptionBuffer.Add(ex)
End Try
Next
Return FilePaths
End Function
Private Sub CreateTheReferences(ByVal NewFiles As List(Of String),
ByVal ReferenceFiles As List(Of String),
ByRef ExceptionBuffer As List(Of Exception))
Try
Dim ReferenceBuilder As IEdmAddCustomRefs = SourceVault.CreateUtility(EdmUtility.EdmUtil_AddCustomRefs)
For Each NewPath As String In NewFiles
Try
Dim ParentFile As IEdmFile6 = SourceVault.GetFileFromPath(NewPath)
Dim ParentFolder As IEdmFolder6 = SourceVault.GetFolderFromPath(Left(NewPath, InStrRev(NewPath, "\")))
Dim UnlockLater As Boolean = False
With ParentFile
If Not .IsLocked Then
UnlockLater = True
.LockFile(ParentFolder.ID, SourceCommand.mlParentWnd, CInt(EdmLockFlag.EdmLock_Simple))
End If
End With
'Add the file references - they are not committed to the database yet at this step
ReferenceBuilder.AddReferencesPath(ParentFile.ID, ReferenceFiles.ToArray)
'Compute the reference tree. Returns True or False to indicate if the method executed successfully
Dim Success As Boolean = ReferenceBuilder.CreateTree(0)
#If CONFIG = "Debug" Then
'When debugging, it can be helpful to show the reference dialog before comitting the references:
Success = ReferenceBuilder.ShowDlg(SourceCommand.mlParentWnd)
#End If
'Commit the references to the database. Returns True or False to indicate if the method executed successfully
If Success Then Success = ReferenceBuilder.CreateReferences()
'Throw a new exception explaining that references couldn't be added to the file.
If Not Success Then Throw New Exception("ERROR: Could not create the file reference(s) on " &
"" & ParentFile.Name & "" & "." & vbNewLine &
"Check the template to ensure it is NOT set to check-in newly created files." &
vbNewLine & "If still having problems after ensuring files are not being checked-in " &
"then contact the EPDM administrator.")
'Refreshes the shell folder view.
SourceVault.RefreshFolder(ParentFolder.LocalPath)
If UnlockLater Then ParentFile.UnlockFile(lParentWnd:=SourceCommand.mlParentWnd,
bsComment:="System: Added reference(s) for " & String.Join(";", ReferenceFiles.ToArray) & " created by " & TargetTemplate,
lEdmUnlockFlags:=0)
Catch ex As Exception
ExceptionBuffer.Add(ex)
End Try
Next
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString)
End Try
End Sub
End Class
