{"id":1889,"date":"2019-04-21T10:26:26","date_gmt":"2019-04-21T17:26:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.plm.automation.siemens.com\/t5\/Solid-Edge-Blog\/Extension-Methods-in-the-Solid-Edge-API\/ba-p\/587333"},"modified":"2026-03-26T07:29:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T11:29:03","slug":"extension-methods-in-the-solid-edge-api","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/extension-methods-in-the-solid-edge-api\/","title":{"rendered":"Extension Methods in the Solid Edge API"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prolog<\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P><\/p>\n

Maintaining a library of commonly used functions and re-using them across projects is one of the best practices of programming especially with Solid Edge.<\/SPAN><\/P>
\n

  <\/SPAN><\/P>
\n

Did you know it is possible to add methods to both intrinsic and Solid Edge objects and call them the same way as the built-in methods? For example, if you frequently use a function to convert an angle in degrees to radians by calling a function similar to the one below:<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

 \"EB04.png\"<\/span><\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

Then it can be easily restructured and called as an intrinsic or built-in function as below:<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

 \"EB05.png\"<\/span><\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

It is possible to add a method to the Double data type or class such that it appears in the IntelliSense as shown below:<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

\"EB10.png\"<\/span><\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

and call it directly on the variables without the need to pass arguments.<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

Definition<\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P><\/p>\n

Extension methods enable you to create a method in a module decorated with an attribute and have that method appear as if it was an instance method defined on another type. <\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

To create such extension methods to both .Net and Solid Edge objects, follow these steps:<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

VB.Net<\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P><\/p>\n

1. Add a module to your project and include the 2 statements as shown in the image below:<\/P>
\n

\"EB01.png\"<\/span><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

2. Now in any other module of the project, for example, the main module, you may start using the extension methods as below:<\/SPAN><\/P>
\n

 <\/SPAN> <\/SPAN><\/P>
\n

\"EB02.png\"<\/span><\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

Note how the extension method can be called directly on the variable instead of passing the variable as an argument to the function.<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

This, however, does not mean you must write all of the extension methods in every project. Create a class library and compile it as a DLL and simply referring to the library in the project will do the job.<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

Let’s see how to create a library and also how to create extension methods using CSharp both in the next step.<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

CSharp<\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P>
\n

 <\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P>
\n

1. Create a class library in a CSharp<\/P><\/p>\n

\"EB03.png\"<\/span><\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

2. <\/SPAN>Add a public static class:<\/P><\/p>\n

\"EB06.png\"<\/span><\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

3. <\/SPAN>Note that the methods are also static.<\/P><\/p>\n

4. Finally, note the keyword this<\/STRONG> in the function argument, which denotes the method is an extension method for the data type or class following it.<\/P><\/p>\n

Compile the project and reference the library generated in either a CSharp or VB.Net project from the pulldown menu Project – Add Reference.<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

In the Reference Manager dialog, select ‘Browse Category’ in the left pane and then click the Browse… button at the bottom.<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

Extension Method Rules:<\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P><\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n
  1. The type of the first parameter is the data type that is being extended.<\/li>\n
  2. Return type could be any. <\/li>\n
  3. Need not be a returning function – a Sub\/void is OK.<\/li>\n
  4. <Extension()> attribute should be specified in VB.Net.<\/li>\n
  5. The this<\/STRONG> keyword should be used in CSharp.<\/li>\n
  6. static class and static methods in CSharp.<\/li>\n

    <\/OL>
    \n

    \"TipIcon.png\"<\/span> One way to \u2018extend\u2019 a class is to create a new class that inherits the old one. This doesn’t work if the class is ‘sealed’; that means it can’t be inherited.<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

    Extension Methods in Solid Edge <\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P><\/p>\n

    Extension methods can be added to Solid Edge objects too. For example, the Layer object.<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

    Here are two functions <\/SPAN>ShowOrHideInViews<\/EM> and ShowOrHideEverywhere<\/EM> that extend the existing functions list for the Layer object and show up in the IntelliSense for a Layer object:<\/SPAN><\/P><\/p>\n

    <Extension()><\/STRONG>
    \nPublic Sub ShowOrHideInViews(ByVal oLayer As SolidEdgeFramework.Layer, ByVal bShowOrHide As Boolean)
    \n  Dim oDoc As DraftDocument = CType(oLayer.Parent, DraftDocument)
    \n  Dim sLayerName As String = oLayer.Name
    \n  Dim oSheet As Sheet = oDoc.ActiveSheet<\/p>\n
      For Each oView As DrawingView In oSheet.DrawingViews
    \n    If bShowOrHide = True Then
    \n\toView.ShowLayer(sLayerName)
    \n\tElseIf bShowOrHide = False Then
    \n\t  oView.HideLayer(sLayerName)
    \n\tEnd If
    \n  Next
    \nEnd Sub<\/p>\n
    <Extension()><\/STRONG>
    \nPublic Sub ShowOrHideEverywhere(ByVal oLayer As SolidEdgeFramework.Layer, ByVal bShowOrHide As Boolean)
    \n  Dim oDoc As SolidEdgeDraft.DraftDocument = CType(oLayer.Parent, SolidEdgeDraft.DraftDocument)
    \n  Dim sLayerName As String = oLayer.Name
    \n  Dim oSections As SolidEdgeDraft.Sections = oDoc.Sections
    \n  Dim oSection As SolidEdgeDraft.Section = oSections.WorkingSection
    \n  Dim oSheets As SolidEdgeDraft.SectionSheets = oSection.Sheets<\/p>\n
      For Each oSheet As SolidEdgeDraft.Sheet In oSheets
    \n    If bShowOrHide Then
    \n\toSheet.Layers.Item(sLayerName).ShowInContext(oSheet)
    \n    Else
    \n\toSheet.Layers.Item(sLayerName).HideInContext(oSheet)
    \n    End If<\/p>\n
        For Each oView As DrawingView In oSheet.DrawingViews
    \n\tIf bShowOrHide = True Then
    \n\t  oView.ShowLayer(sLayerName)
    \n\tElseIf bShowOrHide = False Then
    \n\t  oView.HideLayer(sLayerName)
    \n\tEnd If
    \n    Next
    \n  Next
    \nEnd Sub<\/PRE><\/p>\n
    The methods follow all the rules mentioned above and add to the Layer object’s functions as below:<\/P><\/p>\n
    \"EB09.png\"<\/span><\/P><\/p>\n
    \"TipIcon.png\"<\/span> Observe that in the image above, extension methods have a downward pointing blue arrow in their icon.<\/P><\/p>\n
    \"EB07.png\"<\/span><\/P><\/p>\n
    After calling the ShowOrHideEverywhere method, the Layers panel in the Edgebar appears like this, where the layer ‘Dimensions’ is hidden in all drawing views:<\/P><\/p>\n
    \"EB08.png\"<\/span><\/STRONG><\/P><\/p>\n
    \"TipIcon.png\"<\/span> Note:<\/STRONG> The Visual Studio 2015 project files are attached to this article. Note the three modules:<\/P>
    \n
    Myextensions.vb<\/P>
    \n
    Form1 [Design]<\/P>
    \n
    Form1 .vb<\/P><\/p>\n
    Advantages of Extension Methods:<\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P><\/p>\n
      <\/p>\n
    1. Changes the syntax for calling a method.<\/li>\n
    2. It makes a non-Class method look like a Class method. <\/li>\n
    3. Clearer Syntax.<\/li>\n
    4. Simpler programs that are easier to read.<\/li>\n
      <\/OL><\/p>\n
      Summary of Extension Methods in Solid Edge<\/SPAN><\/STRONG><\/P><\/p>\n
        <\/p>\n
      1. Extension methods, as the name suggests, are additional methods.<\/li>\n
      2. Extension methods allow you to inject additional methods without modifying, deriving or recompiling the original class, struct or interface.<\/li>\n
      3. Extension methods can be added to your own custom class, .NET framework classes, third-party classes or interfaces and to Solid Edge objects.<\/li>\n
        <\/OL><\/p>\n
        Tushar Suradkar<\/SPAN><\/P>
        \n
        www.CADVertex.com<\/A><\/SPAN><\/P>
        \n
        www.SurfAndCode.IN<\/SPAN><\/A><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
         
        \n  Prolog  <\/p>\n
          Maintaining a library of commonly used functions and re-using them across projects is one of the best practices of programming especially with Solid Edge.
        \n  …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42979,"featured_media":1925,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spanish_translation":"","french_translation":"","german_translation":"","italian_translation":"","polish_translation":"","japanese_translation":"","chinese_translation":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,96],"tags":[],"industry":[],"product":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-1889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-tips-tricks"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2019\/09\/TipIcon-45.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42979"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1889"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1889\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1926,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1889\/revisions\/1926"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1925"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1889"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=1889"},{"taxonomy":"product","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product?post=1889"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.sw.siemens.com\/solidedge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}