Methods Introduced:

The method IpfcBaseSession.ListFiles() returns a list of files in a directory, given the directory path. You can filter the list to include only files of a particular type, as specified by the file extension.

Starting with Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 M040, the method IpfcBaseSession.ListFiles() can also list instance objects when accessing Windchill workspaces or folders. A PDM location (for workspace or commonspace) must be passed as the directory path. The following options have been added in the EpfcFileListOpt enumerated type:

The method IpfcBaseSession.ListSubdirectories() returns the subdirectories in a given directory location.

Methods Introduced:

You can access configuration options programmatically using the methods described in this section.

Use the method IpfcBaseSession.GetConfigOptionValues() to retrieve the value of a specified configuration file option. Pass the Name of the configuration file option as the input to this method. The method returns an array of values that the configuration file option is set to. It returns a single value if the configuration file option is not a multi-valued option. The method returns a null if the specified configuration file option does not exist.

The method IpfcBaseSession.SetConfigOption() is used to set the value of a specified configuration file option. If the option is a multi-value option, it adds a new value to the array of values that already exist.

The method IpfcBaseSession.LoadConfigFile() loads an entire configuration file into Creo Parametric.

Method Introduced:

The method IpfcBaseSession.RunMacro() runs a macro string. A VB API macro string is equivalent to a Creo Parametric mapkey minus the key sequence and the mapkey name. To generate a macro string, create a mapkey in Creo Parametric. Refer to the Creo Parametric online help for more information about creating a mapkey.

Copy the Value of the generated mapkey Option from the Tools ▶ Options dialog box. An example Value is as follows:

$F2 @MAPKEY_LABELtest;
~ Activate `main_dlg_cur` `ProCmdModelNew.file`;
~ Activate `new` `OK`;

The key sequence is $F2. The mapkey name is @MAPKEY_LABELtest. The remainder of the string following the first semicolon is the macro string that should be passed to the method IpfcBaseSession.RunMacro().

In this case, it is as follows:

~ Activate `main_dlg_cur` `ProCmdModelNew.file`;
~ Activate `new` `OK`;

Macros are executed from synchronous mode only when control returns to Creo Parametric from the VB API program. Macros are stored in reverse order (last in, first out).

Macros are executed as soon as they are registered. Macros are run in the same order that they are saved.

Methods Introduced:

These methods control the general display of a Creo Parametric session.

Use the method IpfcBaseSession.SetStdColorFromRGB() to customize any of the Creo Parametric standard colors.

To change the color of any text in the window, use the method IpfcBaseSession.SetTextColor().

To change the appearance of nonsolid lines (for example, datums) use the method IpfcBaseSession.SetLineStyle().

A text message file is where you define strings that are displayed in the Creo Parametric user interface. This includes the strings on the command buttons that you add to the Creo Parametric number, the help string that displays when the user’s cursor is positioned over such a command button, and text strings that you display in the Message Window. You have the option of including a translation for each string in the text message file.

Method Introduced:

The method IpfcSession.UIShowMessageDialog() displays the UI message dialog. The input arguments to the method are:

The following sections describe how to access the message window using the VB API. The topics are as follows:

Messages displayed in the VB API include a symbol that identifies the message type. Every message type is identified by a classification that begins with the characters %C. A message classification requires that the message key line (line one in the message file) must be preceded by the classification code.

the VB API applications can now display any or all of the following message symbols:

Method Introduced:

The method IpfcSession.UIDisplayFeatureParams() forces Creo Parametric to show dimensions or other parameters stored on a specific feature. The displayed dimensions may then be interactively selected by the user.

Methods and Properties Introduced:

The method IpfcSession.UIOpenFile() opens the relevant dialog box for browsing directories and opening files. The method lets you specify several options through the input arguments IpfcFileOpenOptions and IpfcFileUIOptions.

Use the method CCpfcFileOpenOptions.Create() to create a new instance of the IpfcFileOpenOptions object. This object contains the following options:

The IpfcFileUIOptions object contains the following options:

The method IpfcSession.UIOpenFile() returns the file selected by you. The application must use other methods or techniques to perform the desired action on the file.

The method IpfcSession.UISaveFile() opens the relevant dialog box for saving a file. The method accepts options similar to IpfcSession.UIOpenFile() through the IpfcFileSaveOptions and IpfcFileUIOptions objects. Use the method CCpfcFileSaveOptions.Create() to create a new instance of the IpfcFileSaveOptions object. When using the Save dialog box, you can set the name to a non-existent file. The method IpfcSession.UISaveFile() returns the name of the file selected by you; the application must use other methods or techniques to perform the desired action on the file.

The method IpfcSession.UISelectDirectory() prompts the user to select a directory using the Creo Parametric dialog box for browsing directories. The method accepts options through the IpfcDirectorySelectionOptions object which is similar to the IpfcFileUIOptions object (described for the method IpfcSession.UIOpenFile()). Specify the default directory path, the title of the dialog box, and a set of shortcuts to other directories to start browsing. If the default path is specified as NULL, the current directory is used. Use the method CCpfcDirectorySelectionOptions.Create() to create a new instance of the IpfcDirectorySelectionOptions object. The method IpfcSession.UISelectDirectory() returns the selected directory path; the application must use other methods or techniques to perform other relevant tasks with this selected path.

The method IpfcBaseSession.UIRegisterFileOpen() registers a new file type in the File ▶ Open dialog box in Creo Parametric. This method takes the IpfcFileOpenRegisterOptions and IpfcFileOpenRegisterListener objects as its input arguments. These objects are as follows:

The method IpfcBaseSession.UIRegisterFileSave() registers a new file type in the File ▶ Save a Copy dialog box in Creo Parametric. This method takes the IpfcFileSaveRegisterOptions and IpfcFileSaveRegisterListener objects as its input arguments. These objects are described as follows:

The Creo Parametric navigation area includes the Model and Layer Tree pane, Folder browser pane, and Favorites pane. The methods described in this section enable the VB API applications to add custom panes that contain Web pages to the Creo Parametric navigation area.