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Installation Guide

This page is beginner-focused and platform-specific.

Core Rule

SolidWorks COM automation only runs on Windows.

  • Windows host: required for real SolidWorks control.
  • Linux/WSL/container: great for development, docs, tests, and remote-client usage.

Choose Your Setup Path

  1. Windows only: full local SolidWorks automation.
  2. Linux/WSL only: mock-mode development and docs.
  3. WSL/Linux + Windows host: remote control of SolidWorks from Linux/WSL.

What You Need

  • Python 3.11+
  • One environment manager: conda, mamba, or micromamba
  • make (recommended for Linux/WSL workflows)
  • SolidWorks installed and opened at least once (Windows only)

1. Install Prerequisites

Python and PATH

In PowerShell, verify your Python installation:

python --version
pip --version

If python is not found, reinstall Python and enable "Add python.exe to PATH".

Conda (Environment Manager)

Install Conda using one of these options:

After installation, close and reopen PowerShell, then verify:

conda --version
conda info
conda env list

If conda is not found, initialize PowerShell and restart:

conda init powershell

SolidWorks (Windows only)

  1. Install SolidWorks and find a valid license. Maker details are available at SolidWorks Makers.
  2. Maker licenses are generally non-commercial/personal and commonly described as limited to $2,000 USD annual profit. Always verify the current official terms before use.
  3. Launch SolidWorks once manually.
  4. Keep this Windows machine as the host for real automation.

2. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/andrewbartels1/SolidworksMCP-python.git
cd SolidworksMCP-python

git clone https://github.com/andrewbartels1/SolidworksMCP-python.git
cd SolidworksMCP-python

3. Create Environment and Install Dependencies

Option A: Windows (Conda + PowerShell)

# Create environment
conda create -n solidworks_mcp python=3.11

# Activate environment
conda activate solidworks_mcp

# Install package and dependencies
pip install -e ".[dev,test,docs]"

If activation fails in a new PowerShell session, initialize conda first:

conda init powershell

Option B: Linux / WSL (Make)

make install

4. Run Tests

Tests default to mock mode.

pytest
pytest --cov=solidworks_mcp

make test

5. Start the MCP Server

Local stdio mode (default)

python -m solidworks_mcp.server

Mock mode (for testing without SolidWorks)

python -m solidworks_mcp.server --mock

make run

Remote HTTP mode (for remote clients)

Run on the Windows host:

python -m solidworks_mcp.server --mode remote --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000

Remote clients can then connect to http://<windows-host-ip>:8000.

For Linux/WSL clients, continue running tests/docs locally while targeting the Windows host for real SolidWorks operations.

6. Verify SolidWorks Connectivity

Verify the COM bridge on Windows:

python -c "import win32com.client; print('win32com OK')"

If this fails, ensure SolidWorks is installed and the pywin32 module is properly configured.

From Linux/WSL, verify the Windows host port is reachable:

python - <<'PY'
import socket
host, port = "<windows-host-ip>", 8000
s = socket.socket()
s.settimeout(3)
s.connect((host, port))
print(f"Connected to {host}:{port}")
s.close()
PY

7. Optional: .env Configuration

Create a .env file from .env.example and set values for your machine.

Useful environment variables:

  • SOLIDWORKS_MCP_DEPLOYMENT_MODE (local, remote, hybrid)
  • SOLIDWORKS_MCP_HOST (default 127.0.0.1)
  • SOLIDWORKS_MCP_PORT (default 8000)
  • SOLIDWORKS_MCP_MOCK_SOLIDWORKS (true or false)
  • SOLIDWORKS_MCP_LOG_LEVEL (DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR)

Troubleshooting

Conda environment not found

Ensure conda is initialized and the environment is created:

conda init powershell
conda create -n solidworks_mcp python=3.11
conda activate solidworks_mcp

make install fails on Linux/WSL

  • Confirm make is installed (sudo apt install make on Debian/Ubuntu).
  • Confirm one of conda, mamba, or micromamba is on PATH.
  • Re-run with shell init loaded, then run make install again.

SolidWorks does not connect

  • Ensure SolidWorks is installed and has been launched at least once.
  • You must be on Windows with SolidWorks COM available.
  • Re-run COM check: python -c "import win32com.client".
  • If pywin32 is not working, reinstall it: pip install --force-reinstall pywin32.

Import errors or missing dependencies

Reinforce the full environment reinstall:

conda env remove -n solidworks_mcp
conda create -n solidworks_mcp python=3.11
conda activate solidworks_mcp
pip install -e ".[dev,test,docs]"

Linux/WSL cannot reach Windows host

  • Start server on Windows with --mode remote --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000.
  • Confirm Windows firewall allows inbound traffic on port 8000.
  • Use Windows host IP address instead of localhost when required by your network setup.