SolidWorks MCP — run, test & auto-fix VBA macros

An MCP server that connects to a running SolidWorks 2022 over COM (pywin32), runs your VBA macros (or inline VBA), inspects the resulting model, and returns structured diagnostics so Claude can fix errors and re-run until the model builds clean. It also ships an API-documentation pipeline that renders the JavaScript-only help.solidworks.com/2022 pages headlessly and extracts the method/enum facts that keep generated code correct.

Built to pair with the solidworks-vba skill: the skill writes verified-style macros; this server runs, tests and repairs them.

How it works

Claude (+ solidworks-vba skill)
        │  writes / fixes VBA
        ▼
  run_and_verify ──► COM worker thread (STA) ──► SolidWorks 2022
        │                                              │
        │   ◄── verdict: ran? rebuild errors?  ◄───────┘
        ▼        errored features? VBA error?
   if not success: read errors, regenerate, call again   (Claude-driven loop)

• Inline VBA is written to a temporary .swb and executed with RunMacro2 (SolidWorks compiles .swb text on the fly — no .swp authoring, no VBA trust-access setting needed).
• All COM access runs on one STA worker thread (COM objects are apartment-bound).
• Generated/automated macros use a silent log (SWMCP_Log) instead of MsgBox, and a dialog watchdog auto-dismisses stray modal dialogs so a macro can never deadlock the server.
• The server never edits your VBA. It returns rich errors; Claude fixes them.

Requirements

• Windows + SolidWorks 2022 (COM ProgID SldWorks.Application).
• Python 3.10+.
• A default part/assembly/drawing template configured in SolidWorks (Tools ▸ Options ▸ Default Templates) — macros abort cleanly if none is set.

Install

pip install -e .
python -m playwright install chromium   # one-time, for the docs pipeline

Register with Claude Code

Already registered at user scope during setup:

claude mcp add solidworks -s user -- C:/Python313/python.exe -m sw_mcp.server

Or, for a project-scoped, shareable config, drop a .mcp.json in the project root (see install/register-mcp.md). Confirm with claude mcp list (look for solidworks: ... ✓ Connected).

Tools

Connection — sw_status

Execute & verify

• run_macro(path, module, procedure) — run an existing .swp/.swb.
• run_vba(code, procedure, module) — run an inline VBA string.
• run_and_verify(code | macro_path, …) — run → rebuild → scan → one verdict. The auto-fix-loop primitive.

Diagnostics — rebuild_model, get_build_errors, get_feature_tree, get_mass_properties, get_bounding_box, capture_screenshot

Documents — new_document, open_model, save_model, close_model, export_file (STEP/IGES/STL/X_T/PDF/PNG by extension)

Feature generators (verified-style VBA, each built → run → rebuilt → error-scanned): create_extrusion, create_cylinder, create_fillet, create_chamfer, create_shell, create_draft, create_rib (L-bracket + gusset), create_revolve (tube), create_sweep (swept groove), create_loft (lofted cut), create_hole_wizard (metric counterbore), create_thread (real cut thread), create_spring (helix + sweep), create_linear_pattern, create_mirror, create_circular_pattern, create_assembly (2 components fully mated). Surface modeling: create_surface_extrude, create_surface_planar, create_surface_revolve, create_surface_thicken (surface→solid). Sheet metal: create_sheet_base_flange (flat plate), create_sheet_lbracket (bent, real bend). Extend by adding builders to feature_tools.py (see below). Pattern variants not yet given a one-call tool (curve/sketch/table/fill), sheet-metal edge flange/hem/miter, and any other feature are fully buildable via run_vba + the solidworks-vba skill + the auto-fix loop.

Self-improving knowledge base — learn_rule, list_rules. Every fixed error becomes a persistent rule (resources/knowledge/rules.json, human-readable LESSONS.md). On failure, run_and_verify returns suggested_fixes matched from past rules, so the same mistake is never solved twice.

API docs — docs_lookup_method(interface, method), docs_lookup_enum(enum_name), docs_get(url). Read the remarks field — it holds the selection-mark/precondition details that separate working from crashing code.

The auto-fix loop

1. Claude writes a macro (via the solidworks-vba skill) and calls run_and_verify.
2. The verdict comes back: {success, ran, run_error, log[], log_errors[], errors[], errored_features[], suppressed_features[], feature_count}.
3. If success == false, Claude reads log_errors/errors (and looks up the exact API via docs_lookup_method), regenerates the corrected VBA, and calls run_and_verify again — until success == true.

Writing more feature generators

Generators emit VBA in the verified solidworks-vba style and run through run_and_verify. Two non-negotiable rules for inline .swb code (learned the hard way — see src/sw_mcp/vba/helpers.vba):

1. Never test an API boolean with bitwise If Not x. In an on-the-fly .swb, API VARIANT_BOOL returns arrive as +1, and VBA's Not is bitwise (Not 1 = -2, truthy). Always write If x = False Then. Object checks (Is Nothing) are fine.
2. Create*Rectangle returns a Variant array, not an object. Capture with Dim v As Variant: v = ... and check IsArray(v) — never Set seg = … (raises run-time error 424).

Add a build_<feature>() to feature_tools.py (reuse assemble_part_macro) and a thin @mcp.tool() wrapper in server.py.

Diagnostic scripts

scripts/ contains the standalone spikes used to validate each layer (spike_connect, spike_runmacro, spike_build, spike_autofix, …). They are handy for debugging the COM link without going through the MCP transport.