# SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional API Help

# Find Data Cards with Description Variable Example (C#)

This example shows how to find the data cards in your vault that have a Description variable.

NOTE: If using the primary interop assembly provided with SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional, see Using .NET Framework 4.0 in Stand-alone Applications.

    //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    // Preconditions:
    //  1. Start Microsoft Visual Studio.
    //  2. Click File > New > Project > C# > Windows Forms Application.
    //  3. Type CardsVariableCSharp in Name.
    //  4. Click the Browse button and browse to the folder where to create the project.
    //  5. Click OK.
    //  6. Create a form similar to the form shown above and change:
    //     a. Label to VaultsLabel.
    //     b. Combo box to VaultsComboBox.
    //     c. Button to FindCardsButton.
    //  7. Replace the code in Form1.cs with this code.
    //  8. Replace the code in Form1.Designer.cs with this code.
    //  9. Add EPDM.Interop.epdm.dll as a reference (right-click the project
    //     name in the Solution Explorer, click Add Reference, click
    //     Framework in the left-side panel, browse to the top folder of your
    //     SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional installation, locate and select
    //     EPDM.Interop.epdm.dll, click Open, click Add, and click Close).
    // 10. Right-click EPDM.Interop.epdm in References, click Properties, and set
    //     Embed Interop Types to False to handle methods that pass arrays of
    //     structures.
    // 11. Open the Immediate window.
    // 12. Switch back to the Form1.cs code window.
    // 13. Click Debug > Start Debugging or press F5.
    //
    // Postconditions:
    //  1. Displays a dialog.
    //  2. Select a vault.
    //  3. Click the Find cards with Description variable button.
    //     The cards in your vault with a Description variable are
    //     printed to the Immediate window.
    //  4. Examine the Immediate window.
    //  5. Close the dialog.
    //----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    //Form1.cs

    using System;
    using System.Diagnostics;
    using System.Windows.Forms;
    using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
    using EPDM.Interop.epdm;
    using System.Collections;

    namespace CardsVariableCSharp
    {
    	public partial class Form1 : Form
    	{
    		public Form1()
    		{
    			InitializeComponent();
    		}

    		void CardsVariableCSharp_Load(System.Object sender, System.EventArgs e)
    		{

    			try
    			{
    				//Declare and create an instance of IEdmVault5
    				IEdmVault5 vault1 = new EdmVault5();

    				//Cast IEdmVault5 to IEdmVault8
    				IEdmVault8 vault = (IEdmVault8)vault1;

    				EdmViewInfo[] Views = null;

    				vault.GetVaultViews(out Views, false);

    				VaultsComboBox.Items.Clear();
    				foreach (EdmViewInfo View in Views)
    				{
    					VaultsComboBox.Items.Add(View.mbsVaultName);
    				}
    				if (VaultsComboBox.Items.Count > 0)
    				{
    					VaultsComboBox.Text = (string)VaultsComboBox.Items[0];
    				}

    			}
    			catch (System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException ex)
    			{
    				MessageBox.Show("HRESULT = 0x" + ex.ErrorCode.ToString("X") + " " + ex.Message);
    			}
    			catch (Exception ex)
    			{
    				MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
    			}
    		}

    		private void FindCardsButton_Click(System.Object sender, System.EventArgs e)
    		{

    			try
    			{
    				//Declare and create an instance of IEdmVault5 object
    				IEdmVault5 vault = new EdmVault5();

    				//Log into selected vault as the current user
    				vault.LoginAuto(VaultsComboBox.Text, this.Handle.ToInt32());

    				ArrayList Cards = new ArrayList();
    				Cards.Clear();

    				IEdmFolder5 Folder = default(IEdmFolder5);
    				Folder = vault.RootFolder;

    				IEdmVariableMgr5 VarMgr = default(IEdmVariableMgr5);
    				VarMgr = (IEdmVariableMgr5)vault;

    				//You could get the "Description" variable directly,
    				//but get it by enumerating through all
    				//the variables until it's found -
    				//Dim DescVar As IEdmVariable5
    				//DescVar = VarMgr.GetVariable("Description")

    				IEdmPos5 VarPos = default(IEdmPos5);
    				VarPos = VarMgr.GetFirstVariablePosition();
    				while (!VarPos.IsNull)
    				{
    					IEdmVariable5 Var = default(IEdmVariable5);
    					Var = VarMgr.GetNextVariable(VarPos);
    					if (!(Var.Name == "Description"))
    						continue;
    					IEdmPos5 AttPos = default(IEdmPos5);
    					AttPos = Var.GetFirstAttributePosition("");
    					while (!AttPos.IsNull)
    					{
    						IEdmAttribute5 Att = default(IEdmAttribute5);
    						Att = Var.GetNextAttribute(AttPos);
    						string[] Extensions = null;
    						Extensions = Att.Extensions.Split(',');
    						string Extension = null;
    						foreach (string Extension_loopVariable in Extensions)
    						{
    							Extension = Extension_loopVariable;
    							IEdmCard5 Card = default(IEdmCard5);
    							IEdmCard6 Card1 = default(IEdmCard6);
    							try
    							{
    								Card = Folder.GetCard(Extension);
    								Card1 = (IEdmCard6)Card;
    								if (Card1.CardType == EdmCardType.EdmCard_File)
    								{
    									if (!Cards.Contains(Card.Name))
    									{
    										Cards.Add(Card.Name);
    									}
    								}
    							} catch (System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException ex)
    							{
    								//E_EDM_INVALID_NAME
    								if (!(ex.ErrorCode == unchecked((int)0x8004021d)))
    								{
    									throw new System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException(ex.Message, ex.ErrorCode);
    								}
    							}
    						}
    					}
    				}

    				string CardName = null;
    				foreach (string CardName_loopVariable in Cards)
    				{
    					CardName = CardName_loopVariable;
    					Debug.Print(CardName);
    				}

    			}
    			catch (System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException ex)
    			{
    				MessageBox.Show("HRESULT = 0x" + ex.ErrorCode.ToString("X") + " " + ex.Message);
    			}
    			catch (Exception ex)
    			{
    				MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
    			}
    		}

    	}
    }

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    //Form1.Designer.cs

    namespace CardsVariableCSharp
    {
        partial class Form1
        {
            /// <summary>
            /// Required designer variable
            /// </summary>
            private System.ComponentModel.IContainer components = null;

            /// <summary>
            /// Clean up any resources being used
            /// </summary>
            /// <param name="disposing">True if managed resources should be disposed; otherwise false.</param>
            protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
            {
                if (disposing && (components != null))
                {
                    components.Dispose();
                }
                base.Dispose(disposing);
            }

            #region Windows Form Designer generated code

            /// <summary>
            /// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
            /// the contents of this method with the code editor
            /// </summary>
            private void InitializeComponent()
            {
                this.VaultsLabel = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
                this.VaultsComboBox = new System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox();
                this.FindCardsButton = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
                this.SuspendLayout();
                //
                // VaultsLabel
                //
                this.VaultsLabel.AutoSize = true;
                this.VaultsLabel.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(86, 23);
                this.VaultsLabel.Name = "VaultsLabel";
                this.VaultsLabel.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(91, 13);
                this.VaultsLabel.TabIndex = 0;
                this.VaultsLabel.Text = "Select vault view:";
                //
                // VaultsComboBox
                //
                this.VaultsComboBox.FormattingEnabled = true;
                this.VaultsComboBox.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(70, 55);
                this.VaultsComboBox.Name = "VaultsComboBox";
                this.VaultsComboBox.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(121, 21);
                this.VaultsComboBox.TabIndex = 1;
                //
                // FindCardsButton
                //
                this.FindCardsButton.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(70, 95);
                this.FindCardsButton.Name = "FindCardsButton";
                this.FindCardsButton.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(121, 50);
                this.FindCardsButton.TabIndex = 2;
                this.FindCardsButton.Text = "Find cards with Description variable";
                this.FindCardsButton.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
                this.FindCardsButton.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.FindCardsButton_Click);
                //
                // Form1
                //
                this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(6F, 13F);
                this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
                this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(272, 173);
                this.Controls.Add(this.FindCardsButton);
                this.Controls.Add(this.VaultsComboBox);
                this.Controls.Add(this.VaultsLabel);
                this.Name = "Form1";
                this.Text = "Find cards with Description";
                this.Load += new System.EventHandler(this.CardsVariableCSharp_Load);
                this.ResumeLayout(false);
                this.PerformLayout();

            }

            #endregion

            private System.Windows.Forms.Label VaultsLabel;
            private System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox VaultsComboBox;
            private System.Windows.Forms.Button FindCardsButton;
        }
    }

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