Offline SolidWorks API Documentation

Enhanced IntelliSense and AI-Assisted Development for SolidWorks API

This project provides two comprehensive documentation packages for the SolidWorks API:

1. XMLDoc Package - Visual Studio IntelliSense support with tooltips, parameter info, and examples
2. LLM Documentation Package - AI-optimized markdown documentation for use with Claude, ChatGPT, and other LLMs

Quick Start

Option 1: LLM Documentation for AI-Assisted Development

Use with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or other AI coding assistants:

1. Download the latest LLM docs package from releases

   • File: SolidWorks.LLM.Docs.v{version}.zip

2. Extract the ZIP file to your preferred location

3. Use with your AI assistant:

   • Claude Code: Point to the extracted folder as context
   • Cursor: Add to workspace and use @docs to reference
   • ChatGPT: Upload relevant markdown files for context
   • Manual search: Use grep/ripgrep to find specific APIs

Option 2: XMLDoc for Visual Studio IntelliSense

Get IntelliSense tooltips and documentation in Visual Studio:

1. Download the latest XMLDoc package from releases

   • File: SolidWorks.Interop.xmldoc.v{version}.zip

2. Extract the ZIP file to get 10 XML files:

   SolidWorks.Interop.sldworks.xml
   SolidWorks.Interop.swconst.xml
   SolidWorks.Interop.swpublished.xml
   SolidWorks.Interop.swdocumentmgr.xml
   SolidWorks.Interop.swmotionstudy.xml
   SolidWorks.Interop.cosworks.xml
   SolidWorks.Interop.swcommands.xml
   SolidWorks.Interop.SwSelectionManager.xml
   SolidWorks.Interop.StructuralAnalysisDoc.xml
   SolidWorks.Interop.SWRoutingLib.xml
   

3. Copy the XML files to your SolidWorks SDK DLL location:

   • SOLIDWORKS 3DEXPERIENCE: C:\Program Files\Dassault Systemes\SOLIDWORKS 3DEXPERIENCE\SOLIDWORKS\api\redist
   • Standard SOLIDWORKS: C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\api\redist

4. Restart Visual Studio

5. Enjoy! Hover over any SolidWorks API type or method to see full documentation

What's Included

XMLDoc Package (~2 MB compressed, ~15 MB uncompressed)

Contains 10 XML files providing IntelliSense documentation for all SolidWorks API assemblies:

• Comprehensive coverage: 2,518 types, 11,523 members
• Full descriptions: Type and member documentation
• Parameter details: Complete parameter information
• Return values: Detailed return type documentation
• Code examples: 3,708+ examples (VBA, C#, VB.NET, C++)
• Remarks: Usage notes and best practices

LLM Documentation Package (~50 MB compressed, ~200 MB uncompressed)

Contains 26,902 markdown files optimized for AI consumption:

Folder Structure

📁 SolidWorks.LLM.Docs/
├── 📄 README.md                    # Guide for using with LLMs
│
├── 📁 types/                       # API Types (1,563 types)
│   ├── 📁 IModelDoc2/              # One folder per type
│   │   ├── _overview.md            # Type description, remarks, counts
│   │   ├── CreateArc.md            # Individual method documentation
│   │   ├── CreateArc2.md
│   │   ├── Save.md
│   │   ├── GetPathName.md          # Individual property documentation
│   │   └── ... (721 members)
│   ├── 📁 ISldWorks/
│   │   ├── _overview.md
│   │   └── ... (methods and properties)
│   └── ... (1,563 type folders)
│
├── 📁 enums/                       # Enumerations (955 enums)
│   ├── 📁 swDocumentTypes_e/
│   │   ├── _overview.md
│   │   ├── swDocPART.md            # Part document type
│   │   ├── swDocASSEMBLY.md        # Assembly document type
│   │   └── swDocDRAWING.md         # Drawing document type
│   └── ... (955 enum folders)
│
├── 📁 index/                       # Navigation & Discovery
│   ├── by_category.md              # Types by functional category
│   ├── by_assembly.md              # Types by .NET assembly
│   └── statistics.md               # Quick stats and largest types
│
├── 📁 examples/                    # Code Examples (3,708 examples)
│   ├── Create_Advanced_Hole_Example_CSharp.md
│   ├── Create_Assembly_Example_VBA.md
│   └── ... (all examples, flat structure)
│
└── 📁 docs/                        # Programming Guide (125 pages)
    ├── Overview.md
    ├── SOLIDWORKS Partner Program.md
    └── 📁 Programming with the SOLIDWORKS API/
        ├── Getting Started.md
        ├── Object Model.md
        └── ... (hierarchical structure)

Key Features

• File-per-member: Each method, property, and enum gets its own file (easy to grep/search)
• YAML frontmatter: Machine-readable metadata in every file
• Simplified links: [[IModelDoc2]] instead of XML-style cross-references
• Flat structure: types/TypeName/ instead of deep nesting
• Index files: Browse by category or assembly
• Full examples: Complete code samples with syntax highlighting
• Programming guide: Comprehensive tutorials and best practices

Usage Examples

Using LLM Docs with AI Assistants

With Claude Code

# Add to your project context
claude --context /path/to/SolidWorks.LLM.Docs

# Then ask questions
"How do I create an arc in a SolidWorks sketch?"
"Show me examples of working with assemblies"

With Cursor

1. Add the LLM docs folder to your workspace
2. Use @docs to reference documentation:

   @docs How do I save a SolidWorks document?
   

Manual Grep/Search

# Find all CreateArc methods
grep -r "CreateArc" types/IModelDoc2/

# Find methods in a specific category
grep -l "category: Assembly Interfaces" types/*/_.overview.md

# Search examples for specific topics
grep -r "advanced hole" examples/

# Find all methods that return a specific type
grep -r "Returns.*ISketchArc" types/

Using XMLDoc in Visual Studio

Once installed, you'll see documentation when:

• Hovering over types and members

  ISldWorks swApp = ...;  // Hover shows: "Allows access to top-level SolidWorks functionality"

• Writing code with IntelliSense

  IModelDoc2 model = swApp.  // IntelliSense shows all methods with descriptions

• Viewing parameters

  model.CreateArc2(  // Parameter tooltip shows each parameter's purpose

Common Use Cases

Finding the Right API

Problem: "I want to create a hole feature, but don't know which API to use"

Solution:

1. Check index/by_category.md for "Feature Interfaces"
2. Look for hole-related types
3. Read the _overview.md for each type
4. Check examples/ for hole creation examples

Understanding Parameters

Problem: "What does the Options parameter in SaveAs3 mean?"

Solution:

1. Open types/IModelDoc2/SaveAs3.md
2. Read the parameter descriptions
3. Check remarks for usage notes
4. Look for examples showing SaveAs3 usage

Learning from Examples

Problem: "How do I properly initialize a SolidWorks connection?"

Solution:

1. Search examples/ for initialization patterns
2. Look at multiple language examples (C#, VBA, VB.NET)
3. Check docs/Getting Started.md for tutorials

Documentation Quality

Coverage Statistics

• Types: 2,518 total

  • With descriptions: ~1,568 (93%)
  • With examples: ~561 (33%)
  • With remarks: ~455 (27%)

• Members: 11,523 total

  • Methods with parameters: ~8,000+
  • Properties with descriptions: ~3,000+
  • All with return value documentation

• Examples: 3,708 total

  • C#: ~1,100
  • VBA: ~1,000
  • VB.NET: ~900
  • C++: ~700

• Programming Guide: 125 pages

  • Tutorials and walkthroughs
  • Best practices
  • Architecture documentation

Building From Source

Want to regenerate the documentation yourself or contribute improvements?

See DEVELOPING.md for:

• Complete pipeline architecture (13 phases)
• Setup and installation instructions
• Running the crawlers and extractors
• Testing and validation
• Contributing guidelines

Legal Notice

IMPORTANT: This tool is for personal, educational, and fair use only.

• You may: Use these packages for personal development with SolidWorks API
• You may: Share these generated packages (XMLDoc and LLM docs)
• You must not: Use for commercial redistribution
• You must not: Claim ownership of SolidWorks documentation

The SolidWorks API documentation content is copyrighted by Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation. These packages are generated under fair use for educational purposes.

License

• Pipeline code: MIT License (see LICENSE file)
• Documentation content: Copyright Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation

Contributing

Contributions welcome! See DEVELOPING.md for:

• How to set up the development environment
• Running the pipeline
• Adding new features
• Submitting improvements

Additional Resources

• SolidWorks API Help: https://help.solidworks.com/2026/english/api/
• Issues & Feedback: https://github.com/pedropaulovc/offline-solidworks-api-docs/issues
• Developer Guide: DEVELOPING.md

Acknowledgments

This project makes SolidWorks API development easier by providing:

• Offline documentation access
• Enhanced IDE integration
• AI-assisted development capabilities
• Searchable, well-organized reference materials

Built with respect for Dassault Systèmes' documentation and the developer community.

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Version: Check releases for latest version Last Updated: 2025-11-23