Creo® Parametric

[Link]™ User’s Guide

[Link]
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 Contents

About This Guide ........................................................................................................8

Introduction............................................................................................................... 11
Overview............................................................................................................12
Loading Application Web Pages ..........................................................................14
Object Types ......................................................................................................15
Programming Considerations ..............................................................................20
Parent-Child Relationships Between [Link] Objects .........................................22
Setting Up [Link]..................................................................................................29
Supported Hardware...........................................................................................30
Supported Software ............................................................................................30
Security on Windows ..........................................................................................30
Running [Link] On Your Machine ....................................................................35
Change in Location of DLL and Manifest Files.......................................................35
Troubleshooting..................................................................................................35
The Basics of [Link] .............................................................................................37
Examples using [Link] ...................................................................................38
Error Codes........................................................................................................39
Model and File Management ...............................................................................41
Windows and Views............................................................................................45
Views.................................................................................................................47
Selection............................................................................................................47
Parts Materials ...................................................................................................50
Assemblies ........................................................................................................52
Features ............................................................................................................55
Parameters ........................................................................................................62
Designating Parameters......................................................................................68
Parameter Example ............................................................................................69
Dimensions ........................................................................................................82
Simplified Representations..................................................................................94
Solids ................................................................................................................97
Family Tables .....................................................................................................98
Layers ............................................................................................................. 104
Notes............................................................................................................... 107
Utilities............................................................................................................. 110
Superseded Methods........................................................................................ 113
[Link] Constants.......................................................................................... 114
The [Link] Online Browser .................................................................................. 123
Online Documentation [Link] APIWizard ....................................................... 124

3
Session Objects ...................................................................................................... 126
Overview of Session Objects ............................................................................. 127
Getting the Session Object ................................................................................ 127
Compatibility of Deprecated Methods ................................................................. 129
Directories ....................................................................................................... 130
Accessing the Creo Parametric Interface ............................................................ 133
Selection ................................................................................................................ 142
Interactive Selection ......................................................................................... 143
Accessing Selection Data.................................................................................. 144
Programmatic Selection .................................................................................... 146
Selection Buffer ................................................................................................ 147
Models ................................................................................................................... 150
Overview of Model Objects ................................................................................ 151
Getting a Model Object...................................................................................... 151
Model Descriptors............................................................................................. 151
Retrieving Models............................................................................................. 153
Model Information............................................................................................. 154
Model Operations ............................................................................................. 157
Running Creo ModelCHECK ............................................................................. 158
Drawings ................................................................................................................ 161
Overview of Drawings in [Link] ..................................................................... 162
Creating Drawings from Templates..................................................................... 162
Obtaining Drawing Models ................................................................................ 164
Drawing Information.......................................................................................... 164
Drawing Operations .......................................................................................... 165
Drawing Sheets ................................................................................................ 166
Drawing Views ................................................................................................. 169
Drawing Dimensions ......................................................................................... 174
Drawing Tables................................................................................................. 180
Detail Items ...................................................................................................... 188
Detail Entities ................................................................................................... 189
OLE Objects..................................................................................................... 192
Detail Notes ..................................................................................................... 192
Detail Groups ................................................................................................... 196
Detail Symbols ................................................................................................. 197
Detail Attachments............................................................................................ 207
Solid....................................................................................................................... 210
Getting a Solid Object ....................................................................................... 211
Solid Information .............................................................................................. 211
Solid Operations ............................................................................................... 211
Solid Units........................................................................................................ 214
Mass Properties ............................................................................................... 220
Annotations...................................................................................................... 222
Cross Sections ................................................................................................. 222
Materials .......................................................................................................... 223

4 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Solid Bodies............................................................................................................ 229
Solid Body Information ...................................................................................... 230
Windows and Views ................................................................................................ 232
Windows .......................................................................................................... 233
Embedded Browser .......................................................................................... 235
Views............................................................................................................... 236
Coordinate Systems and Transformations .......................................................... 237
ModelItem .............................................................................................................. 243
Solid Geometry Traversal .................................................................................. 244
Getting ModelItem Objects ................................................................................ 244
ModelItem Information ...................................................................................... 245
Duplicating ModelItems ..................................................................................... 246
Layer Objects ................................................................................................... 246
Features................................................................................................................. 248
Access to Features ........................................................................................... 249
Feature Information .......................................................................................... 250
Feature Operations........................................................................................... 251
Feature Groups and Patterns............................................................................. 253
User Defined Features ...................................................................................... 255
Creating Features from UDFs ............................................................................ 256
Datum Features ...................................................................................................... 264
Datum Plane Features ...................................................................................... 265
Datum Axis Features ........................................................................................ 266
General Datum Point Features .......................................................................... 268
Datum Coordinate System Features................................................................... 269
Geometry Evaluation ............................................................................................... 273
Geometry Traversal .......................................................................................... 274
Curves and Edges ............................................................................................ 275
Contours .......................................................................................................... 278
Surfaces .......................................................................................................... 279
Axes, Coordinate Systems, and Points ............................................................... 283
Interference...................................................................................................... 283
Dimensions and Parameters .................................................................................... 286
Overview.......................................................................................................... 287
The ParamValue Object .................................................................................... 287
Parameter Objects............................................................................................ 288
Dimension Objects............................................................................................ 294
Relations ................................................................................................................ 297
Accessing Relations ......................................................................................... 298
Accessing Post Regeneration Relations ............................................................. 298
Assemblies and Components................................................................................... 300
Structure of Assemblies and Assembly Objects................................................... 301
Assembling Components .................................................................................. 306
Redefining and Rerouting Assembly Components............................................... 310

Contents 5
 Exploded Assemblies........................................................................................ 310
Skeleton Models ............................................................................................... 311
Family Tables.......................................................................................................... 313
Working with Family Tables ............................................................................... 314
Creating Family Table Instances ........................................................................ 316
Creating Family Table Columns ......................................................................... 316
Interface ................................................................................................................. 318
Exporting Files and 2D Models .......................................................................... 319
Exporting to PDF and U3D ................................................................................ 326
Exporting 3D Geometry..................................................................................... 333
Shrinkwrap Export ............................................................................................ 335
Importing Files.................................................................................................. 340
Importing 3D Geometry ..................................................................................... 342
Plotting Files .................................................................................................... 344
Printing Files .................................................................................................... 344
Solid Operations ............................................................................................... 352
Window Operations .......................................................................................... 353
Simplified Representations ...................................................................................... 354
Overview.......................................................................................................... 355
Retrieving Simplified Representations ................................................................ 356
Creating and Deleting Simplified Representations ............................................... 357
Extracting Information About Simplified Representations ..................................... 357
Modifying Simplified Representations................................................................. 358
Simplified Representation Utilities ...................................................................... 360
Task Based Application Libraries .............................................................................. 362
Managing Application Arguments....................................................................... 363
Launching a Creo Parametric TOOLKIT DLL ...................................................... 364
Launching Tasks from J-Link Task Libraries ........................................................ 366
Graphics................................................................................................................. 368
Overview.......................................................................................................... 369
Getting Mouse Input.......................................................................................... 369
Displaying Graphics .......................................................................................... 370
External Data .......................................................................................................... 373
External Data ................................................................................................... 374
Exceptions ....................................................................................................... 377
Windchill Connectivity APIs...................................................................................... 378
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 379
Accessing a Windchill Server from a Creo Parametric Session............................. 379
Accessing Workspaces ..................................................................................... 382
Workflow to Register a Server............................................................................ 383
Aliased URL ..................................................................................................... 384
Server Operations ............................................................................................ 385
Utility APIs ....................................................................................................... 395
Technical Summary of Changes for Creo [Link] ....................................................... 397

6 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 New Functions ................................................................................................. 398
Full Version of Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes .............................. 398
Technical Summary of Changes for Creo [Link] ....................................................... 399
New Functions ................................................................................................. 400
Full Version of Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes .............................. 400
Technical Summary of Changes for Creo [Link] ....................................................... 401
Miscellaneous Technical Changes ..................................................................... 402
Full Version of Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes .............................. 402
Technical Summary of Changes for Creo [Link] ....................................................... 403
Miscellaneous Technical Changes ..................................................................... 404
Full Version of Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes .............................. 404
Sample Applications ................................................................................................ 405
Installing [Link]............................................................................................ 406
Sample Applications ......................................................................................... 406
Geometry Traversal................................................................................................. 410
Example 1........................................................................................................ 411
Example 2........................................................................................................ 411
Example 3........................................................................................................ 412
Example 4........................................................................................................ 412
Example 5........................................................................................................ 413
Geometry Representations ...................................................................................... 414
Surface Parameterization .................................................................................. 415
Edge and Curve Parameterization ..................................................................... 424
Index...................................................................................................................... 428

Contents 7
 1
About This Guide
This section contains information about the contents of this user’s guide and the
conventions used.

Purpose
This manual describes how to use [Link], a tool that links the World Wide Web
(WWW, or Web) to Creo Parametric, enabling you to use the Web as a tool to
automate and streamline parts of your engineering process.

Note
[Link] is supported only with Creo Parametric. It is not supported with the
other Creo applications.

Audience
This manual is intended for experienced Creo Parametric users who know
HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and JavaScript.

Prerequisites
This manual assumes you have the following knowledge:
• Creo Parametric
• HTML
• JavaScript

Documentation
The documentation for [Link] includes the following:
• [Link] User’s Guide

8 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• An online browser that describes the syntax of the [Link] functions and
provides a link to the online version of this manual. This includes the
Embedded Browser-based [Link] User’s Guide.

Conventions
The following table lists conventions and terms used throughout this book.
Convention Description
UPPERCASE Creo Parametric-type menu name (for example,
PART).
Boldface Windows-type menu name or menu or dialog box
option (for example, View), or utility. Boldface
font is also used for keywords, [Link] methods,
names of dialog box buttons, and Creo Parametric
commands.
Monospace (Courier) Code samples appear in courier font like
this. [Link] aspects (methods, classes, data
types, object names, and so on) also appear in
Courier font.
Emphasis Important information appears in italics like this.
Italic font is also used for file names and uniform
resource locators (URLs).
Choose Highlight a menu option by placing the arrow cursor
on the option and pressing the left mouse button.
Select A synonym for “choose” as above, Select also
describes the actions of selecting elements on a
model and checking boxes.
Element An element describes redefinable characteristics of a
feature in a model.
Mode An environment in Creo Parametric in which you
can perform a group of closely related functions
(Drawing, for example).
Model An assembly, part, drawing, format, notebook, case
study, sketch, and so on.
Option An item in a menu or an entry in a configuration file
or a setup file.
Solid A part or an assembly.
<creo_loadpoint> The location where the Creo applications are
installed, for example, C:\Program Files\
PTC\Creo 1.0.
<creo_weblink_loadpoint> The location where the [Link] application is
installed, that is, <creo_loadpoint>\
<datecode>\Common Files\weblink.

About This Guide 9

 Note
• Important information that should not be overlooked appears in notes like
this.
• All references to mouse clicks assume use of a right-handed mouse.

Software Product Concerns and Documentation Comments

For resources and services to help you with PTC software products, see the PTC
Customer Service Guide. It includes instructions for using the World Wide Web or
fax transmissions for customer support.
In regard to documentation, PTC welcomes your suggestions and comments. You
can send feedback in the following ways:
• Send comments electronically to MCAD-documentation@[Link].
• Fill out and mail the PTC Documentation Survey in the customer service
guide.

10 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 2
Introduction
Overview ..................................................................................................................12
Loading Application Web Pages .................................................................................14
Object Types.............................................................................................................15
Programming Considerations .....................................................................................20
Parent-Child Relationships Between [Link] Objects ................................................22

This chapter describes the fundamentals of [Link]. For information on how to

set up your environment, see the chapter Setting Up [Link] on page 29.

11
Overview
[Link] links the World Wide Web to Creo Parametric, enabling you to use the
Web as a tool to automate and streamline parts of your engineering process.
Pro/[Link] in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire has been simplified and enhanced with
new capabilities by the introduction of an embedded web browser in Pro/
ENGINEER. [Link] pages can be loaded directly into the embedded browser
of Creo Parametric.
Creo Parametric is always connected to the contents of the embedded browser and
there is no need to start or connect to Creo Parametric from [Link] compared
to the old version of [Link], where web pages had to try to start or connect to
Creo Parametric.
Creo Parametric supports the embedded browser versions of [Link] on
Windows platforms using Microsoft Internet Explorer or the Chromium browser.
The configuration option windows_browser_type allows you to configure
the Creo Parametric browser using the following values:
• ie_browser— This is the default value. Specifies that Creo Parametric will
use the Internet Explorer browser engine in a Creo agent process initiated from
the Creo process.
• chromium_browser—Specifies that Creo Parametric will use the
Chromium browser engine in a Creo agent process initiated from the Creo
process.
Although [Link] still supports the old 'PWL' style methods, PTC does not
recommend the use of PWL. Instead you should use JavaScript version of 'PFC'
(Parametric Foundation Classes), which is the basis for the J-Link interface as
well. This guide provides instructions on how to switch from ‘PWL’ to ‘PFC’.
The embedded browser version of [Link] is as shown in the following figure.

12 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Introduction 13
Loading Application Web Pages
To load and run a [Link] application web page:
1. Ensure that [Link] is set up to run properly. See the section Setting Up
[Link] on page 29 for more details.
2. Type the URL for the page directly into the embedded browser address bar,
follow a link in the embedded browser to a [Link] enabled page, or load
the web page into the embedded browser via the navigation tools in the Creo
Parametric navigator. The Creo Parametric navigator contains the following
navigation tools:
• Folders—(Default) Provides navigation of the local file system, the local
network, and Internet data.
• Favorites—Contains user-selected Web locations (bookmarks) and paths to
Creo Parametric objects, database locations, or other points of interest.
• Search—Provides search capability for objects in the data management
system.

Note
The Search option appears when you declare a Windchill system as
your primary data management system.

• History—Provides a record of Creo Parametric objects you have opened

and Web locations you have visited. Click the History icon on the browser
toolbar to add the option to the Creo Parametric navigator.
• Connections—Provides access to connections and built-in PTC solutions,
such as Pro/COLLABORATE, PartsLink, and the PTC User area.
3. Depending upon how the application web page is constructed, the [Link]
code may run upon loading of the page, or may be invoked by changes in the
forms and components embedded in the web page.
4. Navigate to a new [Link] enabled page using the same techniques defined
above.

Note
The [Link] pages do not stay resident in the Creo Parametric session;
the application code is only accessible while the page is loaded in the
embedded browser.

14 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Object Types
[Link] is made up of a number classes in many packages. The following are
the seven main class types:
• Creo Parametric-Related Classes—Contain unique methods and
properties that are directly related to the functions in Creo Parametric. See the
section Pro/ENGINEER-Related Classes on page 15 for more information.
• Compact Data Classes—Classes containing data needed as arguments to
some [Link] methods. See the section, Compact Data Classes on page 16,
for additional information.
• Union Classes—A class with a potential for multiple types of values. See
the section Unions on page 17 for additional information.
• Sequence Classes—Expandable arrays of objects or primitive data types.
See the section Sequences on page 18 for more information.
• Array Classes—Arrays that are limited to a certain size. See the section
Arrays on page 19 for more information.
• Enumeration Classes—Defines enumerated types. See the section
Enumeration Classes on page 19 for more information.
• Module-Level Classes—Contains static methods used to initialize
certain [Link] objects. See the Module-Level Classes on page 20 section
for more information.
Each class shares specific rules regarding initialization, attributes, methods,
inheritance, or exceptions. The following seven sections describe these classes in
detail.

Creo Parametric-Related Classes

The Creo Parametric-Related Classes contain methods that directly
manipulate objects in Creo Parametric. Examples of these objects include models,
features, and parameters.

Initialization
You cannot construct one of these objects explicitly using JavaScript syntax.
Objects that represent Creo Parametric objects cannot be created directly but are
returned by a Get or Create method.
For example, [Link] returns a pfcModel
object set to the current model and [Link]
returns a newly created Parameter object for manipulation.

Introduction 15
Properties
Properties within Creo Parametric-related objects are directly accessible. Some
attributes that have been designated as read can only be accessed, but not modified
by [Link].

Methods
You must invoke Methods from the object in question and you must first initialize
that object. For example, the following calls are illegal:
var window;
[Link] (0.0);// The window has not yet
//been initialized.

Repaint(); // There is no invoking object.

The following calls are legal:
var session = pfcCreat ("MpfcCOMGlobal").GetProESession();
var window = [Link];
// You have initialized the window object.
[Link] (0.0);
[Link]();

Inheritance
Many Creo Parametric related objects inherit methods from other interfaces.
JavaScript allows you to invoke any method or property assigned to the object or
its parent. You can directly invoke any property or method of a subclass, provided
you know that the object belongs to that subclass.
For example, a component feature could use the methods and properties as
follows:
• pfcObject
• pfcChild
• pfcActionSource
• pfcModelItem
• pfcFeature
• pfcComponentFeat

Compact Data Classes

Compact data classes are data-only classes. They are used for arguments and
return values for some [Link] methods. They do not represent actual objects in
Creo Parametric.

16 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Initialization
You can create instances of these classes using a static create method. In order to
call a static method on the class, you must first instantiate the appropriate class
object:
var instrs = pfcCreate ("pfcBOMExportInstructions").Create();

Properties
Properties within compact data related classes are directly accessible. Some
attributes that have been designated as read can only be accessed, but not modified
by [Link].

Methods
You must invoke non-static methods from the object in question and you must
first initialize that object.

Inheritance
Compact objects can inherit methods from other compact interfaces. To use these
methods, call them directly (no casting needed).

Unions
Unions are classes containing potentially several different value types. Every
union has a discriminator property with the pre-defined name discr. This
method returns a value identifying the type of data that the union object holds. For
each union member, a separate property is used to access the different data types.
It is illegal to attempt to read any property except the one that matches the value
returned from the discriminator. However, any property that switches the
discriminator to the new value type can be modified.
The following is an example of a [Link] union:
class ParamValue
{
pfcParamValueType discr;
string StringValue;
integer IntValue;
boolean BoolValue;
number DoubleValue;
integer NoteId;
};

Introduction 17
Sequences
Sequences are expandable arrays of primitive data types or objects in [Link].
All sequence classes have the same methods for adding to and accessing the array.
Sequence classes are typically identified by a plural name, or the suffix seq.

Initialization
You can create instances of these classes directly by instantiating the appropriate
class object:
var models = pfcCreate ("pfcModels");

Properties
The read-only Count attribute identifies how many members are currently in the
sequence.

Methods
Sequence objects always contain the same methods. Use the following methods to
access the contents of the sequence:
• Item()
• Set()
• Append()
• Insert()
• InsertSeq()
• Remove()
• Clear()

Inheritance
Sequence classes do not inherit from any other [Link] classes. Therefore, you
cannot use sequence objects as arguments where any other type of [Link]
object is expected, including other types of sequences. For example, if you have a
list of pfcModelItems that happen to be features, you cannot use the sequence
as if it were a sequence of pfcFeatures.
To construct the array of features, you must insert each member of the
pfcModelItems list into the new pfcFeatures list.

Exceptions
If you try to get or remove an object beyond the last object in the sequence, an
exception will be thrown.

18 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Arrays
Arrays are groups of primitive types or objects of a specified size. An array can be
one or two dimensional. The online reference documentation indicates the exact
size of each array class.

Initialization
You can create instances of these classes directly by instantiating the appropriate
class object:
var point = pfcCreate ("pfcPoint3D");

Methods
Array objects always contain the same methods: Item and Set, used to access the
contents of the array.

Inheritance
Array classes do not inherit from any other [Link] classes.

Exceptions
If you try to access an object that is not within the size of the array, an exception
will be thrown.

Enumeration Classes
In [Link], an enumeration class defines a limited number of values which
correspond to the members of the enumeration. Each value represents an
appropriate type and may be accessed by name. In the pfcFeatureType
enumeration class the value FEATTYPE_HOLE represents a Hole feature in Creo
Parametric. Enumeration classes in [Link] generally have names of the form
pfcXYZType or pfcXYZStatus.

Initialization
You can create instances of these classes directly by instantiating the appropriate
class object:
var modelType = pfcCreate ("pfcModelType");

Attributes
An enumeration class is made up of constant integer properties. The names of
these properties are all uppercase and describe what the attribute represents. For
example:

Introduction 19
• PARAM_INTEGER—A value in the pfcParamValueType enumeration
class that is used to indicate that a parameter stores an integer value.
• ITEM_FEATURE—An value in the pfcModelItemType enumeration
class that is used to indicate that a model item is a feature.
An enumeration class always has an integer vale named <type>_nil, which is
one more than the highest acceptable numerical value for that enumeration class.

Module-Level Classes
Some modules in [Link] have one class that contains special static functions
used to create and access some of the other classes in the package. These module
classes have the naming convention: "M"+ the name of the module, as in
MpfcSelect.

Initialization
You can create instances of these classes directly by instantiating the appropriate
class object:
var session = pfcCreate ("MpfcCOMGlobal").GetProESession();

Properties
Module-level classes do not have any accessible attributes.

Methods
Module-level classes contain only static methods used for initializing certain
[Link] objects.

Inheritance
Module-level classes do not inherit from any other [Link] classes.

Programming Considerations
The items in this section introduce programming tips and techniques used for
programming [Link] in the embedded browser.

Creating Platform Independent Code

PTC recommends constructing web pages in a way that will work for Windows.

20 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The mechanism for [Link] library on Windows is ActiveX on Internet
Explorer. References to ActiveX should be encapsulated in a platform-
independent manner. The example below shows how to instantiate the [Link]
classes for Internet Explorer:
new ActiveXObject ("pfc."+className);

For Chromium browser, the [Link] classes must be instantiated in the

following way:
pfcCefCreate (className);

Use the function pfcCreate() in any situation where a [Link] object or

class must be initialized using its string name. For convenience, these and other
useful [Link] utilities are provided in a file in the example set located at:
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples /jscript/[Link]

Variable Typing
Although JavaScript is not strongly typed, the interfaces in [Link] do expect
variables and arguments of certain types. The following primitive types are used
by [Link] and its methods:
• boolean—a JavaScript Boolean, with valid values true and false.
• integer—a JavaScript Number of integral type.
• number—a JavaScript Number; it need not be integral.
• string—a JavaScript String object or string literal.
These variable types, as well as all explicit object types, are listed in the [Link]
documentation for each property and method argument.
PTC recommends that [Link] applications ensure that values passed to
[Link] classes are of the correct type.

Optional arguments and tags

Many methods in [Link] are shown in the online documentation as having
optional arguments.
For example, the [Link]() method takes an
optional Type argument.
pfcModelItems ListItems (/*optional*/ pfcModelItemType Type);
You can pass the JavaScript value keyword void null in place of any such
optional argument. The [Link] methods that take optional arguments provide
default handling for void null parameters which is described in the online
documentation.

Introduction 21
 Note
You can only pass void null in place of arguments that are shown in the
documentation to be "optional".

Optional Returns for [Link] Methods

Some methods in [Link] have an optional return. Usually these correspond to
lookup methods that may or may not find an object to return. For example, the
[Link]() method returns an optional model:
/*optional*/ pfcModel GetModel(string Name,
pfcModelType Type);
[Link] might return void null in certain cases where these methods are called.
You must use appropriate value checks in your application code to handle these
situations.

Parent-Child Relationships Between Web.

Link Objects
Some [Link] objects inherit from either the module [Link] or
[Link]. These interfaces are used to maintain a relationship
between the two objects. This has nothing to do with Java or JavaScript
inheritance. In [Link], the Child is owned by the Parent.
Property Introduced:
• [Link]
The [Link] property returns the owner of the child object. The
application developer must know the expected type of the parent in order to use it
in later calls. The following table lists parent/child relationships in [Link].
Parent Child
pfcSession pfcModel
pfcSession pfcWindow
pfcModel pfcModelItem
pfcSolid pfcFeature
pfcModel pfcParameter
pfcModel pfcExternalDataAccess
pfcPart pfcMaterial
pfcModel pfcView
pfcModel2D pfcView2D
pfcSolid pfcXSection

22 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Parent Child
pfcSession pfcDll (Creo Parametric TOOLKIT)
pfcSession pfcApplication (J-Link)

Run-Time Type Identification in [Link]

[Link] and the JavaScript language provides several methods to identify the
type of an object.
Many [Link] classes provide read access to a type enumerated class. For
example, the pfcFeature class has a [Link] property,
returning a pfcFeatureType enumeration value representing the type of the
feature. Based upon the type, a user can recognize that the pfcFeature object
is actually a particular subtype, such as pfcComponentFeat, which is an
assembly component.

Exceptions
[Link] signals error conditions via exceptions. Exceptions may be caught and
handled via a try/catch block surrounding [Link] code. If exceptions are not
caught, they may be ignored by the web browser altogether, or may present a
debug dialog box to the user.
Descriptions for [Link] exceptions may be accessed in a platform-independent
way using the JavaScript utility function
pfcGetExceptionDescription(), included in the example files in
[Link]. This function returns the full exception description as
[Exception type]; [additional details]. The exception type will be
the module and exception name, for example,
[Link].
The additional details will include details which were contained in the exception
when it was thrown by the PFC layer, like conflict descriptions for exceptions
caused by server operations and error details for exceptions generated during
drawing creation.

PFC Exceptions
The methods that make up [Link]'s public interface may throw the PFC
exceptions. The following table describes some of these exceptions.
Exception Purpose
[Link] An attempt to read contents of an external data object
which has been terminated.
[Link] Indicates attempt to read the wrong type of data from
the pfcArgValue union.
[Link] Indicates attempt to read the wrong type of data from
the pfcExternalData union.

Introduction 23
Exception Purpose
[Link] Indicates attempt to read the wrong type of data from
the pfcParamValue union.
[Link] Indicates an invalid type of item was passed to the
Type outline calculation method.
[Link] The contents of a [Link] object cannot be
accessed in this situation.
[Link] An empty string was passed to a method that does
not accept this type of input.
[Link] Indicates an invalid value for a specified
enumeration class.
[Link] Indicates a file name passed to a method was
incorrectly structured.
[Link] Indicates a model descriptor contained an invalid file
type for a requested operation.
[Link] Indicates that the item requested to be used is no
longer usable (for example, it may have been
deleted).
[Link] Indicates that the pfcSelection passed is invalid
or is missing a needed piece of information. For
example, its component path, drawing view, or
parameters.
[Link] Contains the details when an attempt to call code in
ception an external J-Link application failed due to an
exception.
[Link] Unable to operate on the requested
tive pfcJLinkApplication object because it has
been shut down.
[Link] Indicates that the J-Link task with the given name
could not be found and run.
[Link] Indicates that the model is no longer in session; it
may have been erased or deleted.
[Link] Numeric argument was negative.
[Link] Numeric argument was too large.
[Link] The Creo Parametric session is not available so the
operation failed.
[Link] Sequence argument was too long.
[Link] String argument was too long.
[Link] Indicates unimplemented method.
[Link] Indicates that a file extension does not match a
sion known Creo Parametric model type.

Creo Parametric TOOLKIT Errors

The [Link] exception provides access to error
codes from Creo Parametric TOOLKIT functions that [Link] uses internally
and to the names of the functions returning such errors.
[Link] is the exception you are most likely to
encounter because [Link] is built on top of Creo Parametric TOOLKIT. The

24 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

following table lists the integer values that can be returned by the
[Link] method and shows the corresponding
Creo Parametric TOOLKIT constant that indicates the cause of the error. Each
specific [Link] exception is represented by an
appropriately named child class. The child class name (for example
[Link], will be returned by the error's
description property.
pfcXToolkitError Child Creo Parametric TOOLKIT #
Class Error
[Link] PRO_TK_GENERAL_ERROR -1
GeneralError
[Link] PRO_TK_BAD_INPUTS -2
BadInputs
[Link] PRO_TK_USER_ABORT -3
serAbort
[Link] PRO_TK_E_NOT_FOUND -4
NotFound
[Link] PRO_TK_E_FOUND -5
Found
[Link] PRO_TK_LINE_TOO_LONG -6
tLineTooLong
[Link] PRO_TK_CONTINUE -7
Continue
[Link] PRO_TK_BAD_CONTEXT -8
BadContext
[Link] PRO_TK_NOT_IMPLEMENTED -9
NotImplemented
[Link] PRO_TK_OUT_OF_MEMORY -10
tOutOfMemory
[Link] PRO_TK_COMM_ERROR -11
CommError
[Link] PRO_TK_NO_CHANGE -12
NoChange
[Link] PRO_TK_SUPP_PARENTS -13
SuppressedParents
[Link] PRO_TK_PICK_ABOVE -14
PickAbove
[Link] PRO_TK_INVALID_DIR -15
tInvalidDir
[Link] PRO_TK_INVALID_FILE -16
tInvalidFile
[Link] PRO_TK_CANT_WRITE -17
CantWrite
[Link] PRO_TK_INVALID_TYPE -18
tInvalidType
[Link] PRO_TK_INVALID_PTR -19
tInvalidPtr
[Link] PRO_TK_UNAV_SEC -20
navailableSection
[Link] PRO_TK_INVALID_MATRIX -21
tInvalidMatrix

Introduction 25
pfcXToolkitError Child Creo Parametric TOOLKIT #
Class Error
[Link] PRO_TK_INVALID_NAME -22
validName
[Link] PRO_TK_NOT_EXIST -23
NotExist
[Link] PRO_TK_CANT_OPEN -24
CantOpen
[Link] PRO_TK_ABORT -25
bort
[Link] PRO_TK_NOT_VALID -26
NotValid
[Link] PRO_TK_INVALID_ITEM -27
tInvalidItem
[Link] PRO_TK_MSG_NOT_FOUND -28
kitMsgNotFound
[Link] PRO_TK_MSG_NO_TRANS -29
kitMsgNoTrans
[Link] PRO_TK_MSG_FMT_ERROR -30
kitMsgFmtError
[Link] PRO_TK_MSG_USER_QUIT -31
kitMsgUserQuit
[Link] PRO_TK_MSG_TOO_LONG -32
kitMsgTooLong
[Link] PRO_TK_CANT_ACCESS -33
CantAccess
[Link] PRO_TK_OBSOLETE_FUNC -34
tObsoleteFunc
[Link] PRO_TK_NO_COORD_SYSTEM -35
NoCoordSystem
[Link] PRO_TK_E_AMBIGUOUS -36
tAmbiguous
[Link] PRO_TK_E_DEADLOCK -37
DeadLock
[Link] PRO_TK_E_BUSY -38
kitBusy
[Link] PRO_TK_E_IN_USE -39
nUse
[Link] PRO_TK_NO_LICENSE -40
NoLicense
[Link] PRO_TK_BSPL_UNSUITABLE_ -41
kitBsplUnsuitableDegree DEGREE
[Link] PRO_TK_BSPL_NON_STD_ -42
kitBsplNonStdEndKnots END_KNOTS
[Link] PRO_TK_BSPL_MULTI_ -43
kitBsplMultiInnerKnots INNER_KNOTS
[Link] PRO_TK_BAD_SRF_CRV -44
BadSrfCrv
[Link] PRO_TK_EMPTY -45
tEmpty
[Link] PRO_TK_BAD_DIM_ATTACH -46
BadDimAttach

26 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

pfcXToolkitError Child Creo Parametric TOOLKIT #
Class Error
[Link] PRO_TK_NOT_DISPLAYED -47
NotDisplayed
[Link] PRO_TK_CANT_MODIFY -48
CantModify
[Link] PRO_TK_CHECKOUT_ -49
kitCheckoutConflict CONFLICT
[Link] PRO_TK_CRE_VIEW_BAD_ -50
CreateViewBadSheet SHEET
[Link] PRO_TK_CRE_VIEW_BAD_ -51
CreateViewBadModel MODEL
[Link] PRO_TK_CRE_VIEW_BAD_ -52
CreateViewBadParent PARENT
[Link] PRO_TK_CRE_VIEW_BAD_ -53
CreateViewBadType TYPE
[Link] PRO_TK_CRE_VIEW_BAD_ -54
CreateViewBadExplode EXPLODE
[Link] PRO_TK_UNATTACHED_FEATS -55
nattachedFeats
[Link] PRO_TK_REGEN_AGAIN -56
tRegenerateAgain
[Link] PRO_TK_DWGCREATE_ERRORS -57
DrawingCreateErrors
[Link] PRO_TK_UNSUPPORTED -58
tUnsupported
[Link] PRO_TK_NO_PERMISSION -59
NoPermission
[Link] PRO_TK_AUTHENTICATION_ -60
tAuthenticationFailure FAILURE
[Link] PRO_TK_MULTIBODY_ -69
MultibodyUnsupported UNSUPPORTED
[Link] PRO_TK_APP_NO_LICENSE -92
tAppNoLicense
[Link] PRO_TK_APP_XS_CALLBACKS -93
tAppExcessCallbacks
[Link] PRO_TK_APP_STARTUP_FAIL -94
tAppStartupFailed
[Link] PRO_TK_APP_INIT_FAIL -95
tAppInitialization
Failed
[Link] PRO_TK_APP_VERSION_ -96
tAppVersionMismatch MISMATCH
[Link] PRO_TK_APP_COMM_FAILURE -97
tAppCommunicationFai
lure
[Link] PRO_TK_APP_NEW_VERSION -98
tAppNewVersion

Introduction 27
The exception [Link] represents a general error
that occurred while executing a Pro/DEVELOP function and is equivalent to a
[Link]. (PTC does not recommend the
use of Pro/DEVELOP functions.)
The exception [Link] and it's children
are thrown from External Data methods. See the chapter on External Data on page
373 for more information.

28 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 3
Setting Up [Link]
Supported Hardware .................................................................................................30
Supported Software...................................................................................................30
Security on Windows .................................................................................................30
Running [Link] On Your Machine...........................................................................35
Change in Location of DLL and Manifest Files .............................................................35
Troubleshooting ........................................................................................................35

This chapter describes instructions to setup [Link].

See the Creo Parametric Installation and Administration Guide for information
on how to install [Link].

29
Supported Hardware
On Windows you can use [Link] in the embedded browser.

Supported Software
[Link] in the embedded browser supports the browsers supported by Creo
Parametric, specified at [Link]

Security on Windows
Operations performed using [Link] in the embedded browser can read and
write information in the Creo Parametric session and from the local disk. Because
of this, [Link] in Creo Parametric uses three levels of security:
• [Link] code only functions in web pages loaded into the Creo Parametric
embedded browser. Pages containing [Link] code will not work if the user
browses to them using external web browsers.
• [Link] is disabled by default using a Creo Parametric configuration option.
• The [Link] ActiveX control has been created as not safe for scripting. This
requires that security settings be enabled in Internet Explorer, allowing only
certain sites access to the [Link] methods and objects.

Note
The support of [Link] for the Chromium browser is not based on
ActiveX technology. Therefore, the section on browser security and
security settings are applicable only to the Internet Explorer.

Enabling [Link]
The configuration option web_enable_javascript controls whether the
Creo Parametric session is able to load the ActiveX control. Set web_
enable_javascript to ON to enable [Link], and set it to OFF to disable
it. The default value for the Creo Parametric session is OFF. If [Link]
applications are loaded into the embedded browser with the configuration option
turned off, the applications will throw a pfcXNotConnectedToProE
exception.

Setting Up Browser Security

Follow the procedure below to change the security settings:

30 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

1. In Internet Explorer, select Tools ▶ Internet Options. Click the Security tab as
shown in the following figure.

2. Select a zone for which you want to change security settings.

3. Click Custom Level….
4. Change the setting for Initialize and Script ActiveX controls not marked as safe
under ActiveX controls and plugins to Enable, as shown in the following
figure.

Setting Up [Link] 31
5. Change the setting for Active Scripting under Scripting to Enable as shown
in the following figure.

32 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Add and Remove Sites to Security Zones
Follow the procedure below to add sites to the security zones:
1. In Internet Explorer, select Tools ▶ Internet Options.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. Select the security zone to which you want to add sites.
4. Click Sites….
5. Click Advanced…, this option is available only for the local intranet.
6. Enter the name of site.
7. Click Add.
The site is added to the security zone as shown in the figure below:

Setting Up [Link] 33
Enabling Security Settings
To run [Link] in the embedded browser security set the following in Microsoft
Internet Explorer:
• Allow scripting of ActiveX controls not marked as safe
• Allow active scripting
These security features can be set to the following values:
• Disable—The activity is not permitted. Attempting to load a [Link] page
will result in the following exception:
"Automation server can’t create object"
• Prompt—Each time the browser loads a web page that tries to access
[Link] methods and objects, you are prompted to allow the interaction
activity as shown in the following figure.

34 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• Enable—The interaction activity is always permitted
Script security can be independently assigned to four domains:
• Intranet—The organization’s local intranet, including all access via
file:// URLs and selected internal web servers.
• Trusted sites—Web sites designated as trusted.
• Restricted sites—Web sites designated as untrusted.
• Internet—All other sites accessed via the Internet.

Running [Link] On Your Machine

To run [Link] on your machine do the following:
• Edit your [Link] file to enable [Link] on the local machine.
• Optionally setup browser security for your local intranet settings.
• Run Creo Parametric.
Load web pages containing [Link] functions and application code into the
embedded browser of Creo Parametric.

Change in Location of DLL and Manifest

Files
From Creo Parametric 4.0 onward, the following [Link] installation files are
available in <creo_loadpoint>/Common Files/x86e_win64/obj
folder instead of <creo_loadpoint>/Common Files/x86e_win64/lib
folder:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

Troubleshooting
The following table describes some common errors and how to resolve them.

Setting Up [Link] 35
Error Explanation
pfcXNotConnectedToProE exception The web page was loaded into a web browser that is
not the Creo Parametric embedded web browser.

OR

The web page was loaded into the embedded web

browser but the configuration option web_
enable_javascript is not on.
Nothing happens when JavaScript is invoked; or The Internet Explorer security is not configured to
"Automation server can't create object.” allow the web page to run [Link], or the
[Link] license is not configured.

36 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 4
The Basics of [Link]
Examples using [Link] ..........................................................................................38
Error Codes ..............................................................................................................39
Model and File Management ......................................................................................41
Windows and Views ..................................................................................................45
Views .......................................................................................................................47
Selection ..................................................................................................................47
Parts Materials ..........................................................................................................50
Assemblies ...............................................................................................................52
Features ...................................................................................................................55
Parameters ...............................................................................................................62
Designating Parameters ............................................................................................68
Parameter Example...................................................................................................69
Dimensions...............................................................................................................82
Simplified Representations.........................................................................................94
Solids .......................................................................................................................97
Family Tables............................................................................................................98
Layers .................................................................................................................... 104
Notes ..................................................................................................................... 107
Utilities ................................................................................................................... 110
Superseded Methods .............................................................................................. 113
[Link] Constants ................................................................................................ 114

This chapter explains the basics of [Link].

37
Examples using [Link]
Most of the examples include a standard header that includes some standard
options on every page. The header has buttons to start, connect, and stop Creo
Parametric. Some file operations are also provided. The header is a JavaScript file
loaded using the following lines of HTML:
<script src = "wl_header.js">
[Link] ("Error loading [Link] header<p>");
</script>
The first line includes the header file in your source file. If an error occurs (for
example, the header file is not in the current directory), the second line causes an
error message to be displayed.

Note
To avoid redundancy, the header is included but not explicitly listed in the
examples themselves.

The following sections describe the header files used in the example programs:
• wl_header.js—Contains only the JavaScript functions. This file is
included in the head of the HTML page.

JavaScript Header
The header file wl_header.js is located at <creo_weblink_
loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript.

Note
The header wl_header.js, as well as other code in the examples, may
refer to utilities which recognize the browser type:
• pfcIsWindows for Internet Explorer
• pfcIsMozilla for Mozilla
• pfcIsChrome for Chromium
The code of these utilities is not shipped by PTC. If you always use a certain
type of browser, for example Internet Explorer, you do not need to use these
utilities, and calls to them should be removed. If you need to recognize the
browser type, you have to reimplement the utilities. Please refer to the browser
supplier documentation for more information.

38 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The following figure shows the header as it appears in the browser.

Error Codes
Error codes are used to test the conditions in your code. You can use the [Link]
error codes as constants. This enables you to use symbolic constants in the form
[Link], which is a good coding practice. For example:
if (![Link] && [Link] != pwl.PWL_E_NOT_FOUND)
The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following error codes:
• PWL_NO_ERROR
• PWL_EXEC_NOT_FOUND
• PWL_NO_ACCESS
• PWL_GENERAL_ERROR
• PWL_BAD_INPUTS
• PWL_USER_ABORT
• PWL_E_NOT_FOUND
• PWL_E_FOUND
• PWL_LINE_TOO_LONG
• PWL_CONTINUE
• PWL_BAD_CONTEXT
• PWL_NOT_IMPLEMENTED
• PWL_OUT_OF_MEMORY

The Basics of [Link] 39

• PWL_COMM_ERROR
• PWL_NO_CHANGE
• PWL_SUPP_PARENTS
• PWL_PICK_ABOVE
• PWL_INVALID_DIR
• PWL_INVALID_FILE
• PWL_CANT_WRITE
• PWL_INVALID_TYPE
• PWL_INVALID_PTR
• PWL_UNAV_SEC
• PWL_INVALID_MATRIX
• PWL_INVALID_NAME
• PWL_NOT_EXIST
• PWL_CANT_OPEN
• PWL_ABORT
• PWL_NOT_VALID
• PWL_INVALID_ITEM
• PWL_MSG_NOT_FOUND
• PWL_MSG_NO_TRANS
• PWL_MSG_FMT_ERROR
• PWL_MSG_USER_QUIT
• PWL_MSG_TOO_LONG
• PWL_CANT_ACCESS
• PWL_OBSOLETE_FUNC
• PWL_NO_COORD_SYSTEM
• PWL_E_AMBIGUOUS
• PWL_E_DEADLOCK
• PWL_E_BUSY
• PWL_NOT_IN_SESSION
• PWL_INVALID_SELSTRING

40 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Model and File Management
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access and
manipulate models.

Model Management
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
To retrieve the current model in session, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlCurrentGet();
Additional return fields:
string MdlNameExt; // The full name of the
// current model
The function [Link]() provides a list of all the
models with the specified type that are in session. The syntax is as follows:
pwlSessionMdlsGet (
integer MdlType // The type of model to list.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumMdls; // The number of models in
// the list.
string MdlNameExt[]; // The full names of the
// models of the specified
// type.
The valid model types are as follows:
• PWL_ASSEMBLY
• PWL_PART
• PWL_DRAWING
• PWL_2DSECTION
• PWL_LAYOUT
• PWL_DWGFORM
• PWL_MFG
• PWL_REPORT

The Basics of [Link] 41

• PWL_MARKUP
• PWL_DIAGRAM
The function [Link]() lists all the top-
level dependencies for the specified model (that is, all the models upon which the
given model depends). If any of these models is an assembly, the function does
not list the dependencies for that assembly. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlDependenciesGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
// whose dependencies you want
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumMdls; // The number of models in the
// returned array
string MdlNameExt[]; // The array of models upon
// which the specified model
// depends
For the specified model, the function [Link]()
provides the generic name and model type. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlInfoGet (
string NameExt // The full name of the model
);
Additional return fields:
string ImmediateGeneralName; // The immediate
// general name
string TopGenericName; // The top-level
// generic name of
// the model
integer MdlType; // The model type
The [Link]() function regenerates the specified
model. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlRegenerate (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);

File Management Operations

Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() retrieves the specified model. The
syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlOpen (

42 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
string Path, // The full directory
// path to the model.
boolean DisplayInWindow // If this is true, display
// the retrieved model in
// a Creo Parametric window.
);
Additional return field:
integer WindowID; // The identifier of the
// window in which the
// model is displayed.
The Path argument is the full directory path to the model. If the model is already
in memory, the function ignores this argument. If you try to open a model that is
already in memory and supply an invalid Path, [Link]()
successfully opens the model anyway.
If Path is an empty string, the function uses the default Creo Parametric search
path.
You can use the function [Link]() to open a family table
instance by specifying the name of the generic instance as the MdlNameExt
argument.
The function [Link]() saves the model in memory to
disk, under a new name. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlSaveAs (
string OrigNameExt, // The original name of the
// model, including the
// extension
string NewPath, // The new path to the model
string NewNameExt // The new name of the model,
// including the extension
);

Note
[Link] does not currently support the Creo Parametric methods of saving
subcomponents under new names, so NewPath and NewNameExt are
optional.

The function [Link]() removes the specified model from

memory. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlErase (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
// to erase from memory
);

The Basics of [Link] 43

To rename a model in memory and on disk, use the function
[Link](). Note that the model must be in the current
directory for the model to be renamed on disk. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlRename (
string OrigNameExt, // The original name of the
// model, including the
// extension
string NewNameExt // The new name of the model,
// including the extension
);

Model Items
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() returns the identifier of the
specified model item, given its name. The syntax is as follows:
pwlItemNameToID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string ItemName, // The name of the model item
integer ItemType // The type of model item
);
Additional return field:
integer ItemID; // The identifier of the
// model item
Similarly, to get the name of a model item given its identifier, use the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlItemIDToName (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
integer ItemID, // The item identifier
integer ItemType // The type of model item
);
Additional return field:
string ItemName; // The name of the model item
You can change the name of an item using the function
[Link]() function. The syntax is as follows:
pwlItemNameSetByID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
integer ItemID, // The identifier of the
// model item
integer ItemType, // The type of model item
string ItemName // The new name for the model
// item
);

44 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The value of the ItemType argument should be PWL_FEATURE.

Windows and Views

This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access and
manipulate windows and views.

Windows
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() repaints the window and
removes highlights. Use the value –1 for the WindowID to repaint the current
window. The syntax is as follows:
pwlWindowRepaint (
integer WindowID // The window identifier. Use -1
// to repaint the current window.
// Use parseInt with this argument.
);
The function [Link]() provides a count
and the list of window identifiers for the current Creo Parametric session. The
syntax is as follows:
pwlSessionWindowsGet();
Additional return fields:
integer NumWindows; // The number of windows
integer WindowIDs[]; // The list of window identifiers
The function [Link]() retrieves the model
associated with the specified window. Use the value –1 for the current window.
The syntax is as follows:
pwlWindowMdlGet (
integer WindowID // The window identifier.
// Use -1 for the current
// window. Use parseInt with
// this argument.
);
Additional return field:
string MdlNameExt; // The full name of the
// model associated with

The Basics of [Link] 45

 // the specified window.
The function [Link]() provides the identifier
of the currently active window. The syntax is as follows:
pwlWindowActiveGet();
Additional return field:
integer WindowID; // The identifier of the currently
// active window. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
The function [Link]() makes the specified
window active. This is equivalent to selecting Window, Activate from the Creo
Parametric menu bar. The syntax is as follows:
pwlWindowActivate (
integer WindowID // The identifier of the window to
// make active. Use parseInt with
// this argument.
);
To close a window, call [Link](). Use the value –1
to close the current window. The syntax is as follows:
pwlWindowClose (
integer WindowID // The identifier of the window
// to close. Use parseInt with this
// argument.
);

Note
If you are in the middle of an operation, such as creating a feature, Creo
Parametric might display a dialog box asking you to confirm the cancellation
of that operation.

Use any of the following functions to get the window identifier:

• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]

46 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Views
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() sets the view for the
specified model. The syntax is as follows:
pwlViewSet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string NamedView // The name of the view
);
The [Link]() function sets the specified model
to the default view for that model. The syntax is as follows:
pwlViewDefaultSet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);
The function [Link]() provides the number and
names of all the views in the specified model. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlViewsGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumViews; // The number of views
string ViewNames[]; // The list of view names

Selection
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to highlight and
select objects.

Selection Functions
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() enables the user to perform
interactive selection on a Creo Parametric object. The syntax is as follows:
pwlSelect (
string SelectableFilter, // The selection filter.
integer MaxSelectable // The maximum number
// of items that can be

The Basics of [Link] 47

 // selected. If this is
// a negative number,
// there is an unlimited
// number of selections.
// Use parseInt with
// this argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumSelections; // The number of
// selections made.
string Selections[]; // The selections.
The valid selection filter is one or more of the following in a comma-separated list
(with no spaces):
• “feature”
• “dimension”
• “part”
• “prt_or_asm”
Any other filter option causes a PWL_GENERAL_ERROR.
The function [Link]() creates a selection
string. The function syntax is as follows:
pwlSelectionCreate (
string TopModel, // The top-level model.
integer NumComponents, // The number of
// components in the
// component path. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
string ComponentPath[], // The model names for
// each level of the
// component path.
integer ComponentIDs[], // The model identifiers
// for each level of the
// component path. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
integer ItemType, // The type of selection
// item. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
integer ItemID // The identifier of
// the selection item.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Additional return field:
string Selection; // The selection string.

48 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The “component path” is the path down from the root assembly to the model that
owns the database item being referenced.
The possible values for ItemType are as follows:
• PWL_DIMENSION
• PWL_FEATURE
• PWL_TYPE_UNUSED
Note that you must always pass the TopModel. If the selection does not involve an
assembly, NumComponents should be 0, and ComponentPath and ComponentIDs
can be null. The ComponentIDs argument can also be null if the ComponentPath
is enough to describe the selection. If ItemType and ItemID are PWL_TYPE_
UNUSED, the selection will be the model itself.
The function [Link]() separates the specified
selection string. The syntax is as follows:
pwlSelectionParse (
string SelString // The selection string
// to parse
);
Addition return fields:
string TopModel; // The top-level model
integer NumComponents; // The number of
// components in the
// component path
string ComponentPath[]; // The model names for
// each level of the
// component path
integer ComponentIDs[]; // The model identifiers
// for each level of the
// component path
integer ItemType; // The type of selection
// item
integer ItemID; // The identifier of the
// selection item

Highlighting
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() highlights the specified
item, whereas [Link]() removes the
highlighting. Each function requires the full path to the item, and returns no
additional fields. The syntax of the two functions is as follows:
pwlItemHighlight (
string SelString // The selection string that

The Basics of [Link] 49

 // identifies the item
);

pwlItemUnhighlight (
string SelString // The selection string that
// identifies the item
);

Parts Materials
This chapter describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access and
manipulate part materials.

Setting Materials
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The material properties functions are used to manipulate material properties and
material property data for a Creo Parametric part.
The function [Link]() gets the
name of the current material used by the specified model. (The function
[Link]() is identical to
[Link](), and is maintained for
backward compatibility.) The syntax of the function is as follows:
pwlPartMaterialCurrentGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);
Additional return field:
string MaterialName; // The name of the current
// material
To set the material for a part from a file, call the function
[Link](). The material must be defined, or the
function will fail. The syntax is as follows:
pwlPartMaterialSet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string MaterialName // The name of the material
// file
);

50 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

To set the material for a part, call the function
[Link](). Note that the material
must already be associated with the part, or the function will fail. The syntax is as
follows:
pwlPartMaterialCurrentSet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string MaterialName // The name of the material
);
The function [Link]() provides the number
and the list of all the materials used in the specified part. The syntax is as follows:
pwlPartMaterialsGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the
// model
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumMaterials; // The number of materials
// used in the part
string Materials[]; // The list of materials
The [Link]() function gets the material
data for the specified part and material. The syntax is as follows:
pwlPartMaterialdataGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model
string MaterialName // The name of the
// material
);
Additional return fields:
number YoungModulus; // The young modulus
number PoissonRatio; // The Poisson ratio
number ShearModulus; // The shear modulus
number MassDensity; // The mass density
number ThermExpCoef; // The thermal expansion
// coefficient
number ThermExpRefTemp; // The thermal expansion
// reference temperature
number StructDampCoef; // The structural
// damping coefficient
number StressLimTension; // The stress limit
// for tension
number StressLimCompress; // The stress limit for
// compression
number StressLimShear; // The stress limit for
// shear
number ThermConductivity; // The thermal
// conductivity
number Emissivity; // The emissivity
number SpecificHeat; // The specific heat
number Hardness; // The hardness
string Condition; // The condition

The Basics of [Link] 51

 number InitBendYFactor; // The initial bend
// Y factor
string BendTable; // The bend table
To set the values of the material data elements, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlPartMaterialdataSet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model
string MaterialName, // The name of the
// material
number YoungModulus, // The young modulus
number PoissonRatio, // The Poisson ratio
number ShearModulus, // The shear modulus
number MassDensity, // The mass density
number ThermExpCoef, // The thermal expansion
// coefficient
number ThermExpRefTemp, // The thermal expansion
// reference temperature
number StructDampCoef, // The structural
// damping coefficient
number StressLimTension, // The stress limit
// for tension
number StressLimCompress, // The stress limit for
// compression
number StressLimShear, // The stress limit for
// shear
number ThermConductivity, // The thermal
// conductivity
number Emissivity, // The emissivity
number SpecificHeat, // The specific heat
number Hardness, // The hardness
string Condition, // The condition
number InitBendYFactor, // The initial bend
// Y factor
string BendTable // The bend table
);

Assemblies
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access
assemblies and their components.

Assembly Components
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

52 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The function [Link]() provides a list
of all the components in the specified assembly. This is a subset of the dependency
list. (To get the entire list of dependencies, use the function
[Link]().) The syntax is as follows:
pwlAssemblyComponentsGet (
string AsmNameExt // The full name of the
// assembly
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumMdls; // The number of components
string MdlNameExt[]; // The full names of the
// assembly components
integer ComponentID[]; // The array of component
// identifiers
The function [Link]() enables
you to replace one component for another. The syntax is as follows:
pwlAssemblyComponentReplace (
string AsmNameExt, // The full name of
// the assembly.
string NewComponentNameExt,// The full name of the
// new component.
integer NumComponentIDs, // The number of
// components to be
// replaced. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
integer ComponentIDs[]) // The identifiers of
// the components to
// be replaced. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
The ComponentIDs argument is an array of component identifiers. If the parent
has multiple occurrences of the component, this argument specifies which
components to replace. The component identifiers are the feature identifiers. If
this argument is an empty or null array, the function replaces all occurrences of the
component.
The [Link]() function uses the
following techniques, in order of precedence:
1. Automatic assembly from notebook mode
2. Family table membership
3. Interchange assembly

The Basics of [Link] 53

 Note
If you want to use an interchange assembly, you must first load it into
memory. Use the function [Link]() and set the
argument DisplayInWindow to false.

Exploded Assemblies
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These functions deal with the explode status and explode states of assemblies. The
“explode status” specifies whether the given assembly is exploded, whereas the
“explode state” describes what the assembly looks like when it is exploded.
The function [Link]() provides
the explode status of the specified assembly. The ExplodeStatus is a Boolean
value. If it is true, the assembly is exploded.
The syntax is as follows:
pwlAssemblyExplodeStatusGet (
string AsmNameExt // The full name of the
// assembly.
);
Additional return field:
boolean ExplodeStatus; // If this is true, the
// assembly is exploded.
Similarly, the [Link]() function
enables you to set the explode status for the specified assembly. The syntax is as
follows:
pwlAssemblyExplodeStatusSet (
string AsmNameExt, // The full name of the
// assembly
boolean ExplodeStatus // The new explode status
);
The function [Link]() sets the
assembly’s explode state to use the default component locations. The syntax is as
follows:
pwlAssemblyExplodeDefaultSet (

54 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 string AsmNameExt // The full name of the assembly
);
The function [Link]() provides
the number and list of explode states for the specified assembly. The syntax is as
follows:
pwlAssemblyExplodeStatesGet (
string AsmNameExt // The full name of the
// assembly
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumExpldstates; // The number of explode
// states
string ExpldstateNames[]; // The names of the
// explode states
To set the explode state for a given assembly, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as
follows:
pwlAssemblyExplodeStateSet (
string AsmNameExt, // The full name of the
// assembly
string ExpldstateName // The name of a predefined
// explode state
);

Features
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access and
manipulate features in Creo Parametric.

Feature Inquiry
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The [Link]() function returns all the features
that are known to the end user, including suppressed features. The syntax is as
follows:
pwlMdlFeaturesGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.

The Basics of [Link] 55

 integer FeatureType // The type of feature to
// list. Use parseInt with
// this argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumFeatures; // The number of features.
integer FeatureIDs[]; // The list of feature
// identifiers.
Use –1 for the FeatureType argument to get a list of all the features. See the
section Pro/[Link] Constants on page 114 for a complete list of the possible
feature types.
The function [Link]() gets the
information about the specified feature, given its identifier. The syntax is as
follows:
pwlFeatureInfoGetByID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer FeatureID // The feature identifier.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer FeatureType; // The feature type.
integer FeatureID; // The feature identifier.
string FeatureName; // The name of the feature.
string FeatTypeName; // The string name of the
// feature type, such as
// "Hole."
The [Link]() is identical to
[Link](), except you specify the name of
the feature instead of its identifier. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFeatureInfoGetByName (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string FeatureName // The name of the feature
);
Additional return fields:
integer FeatureType; // The feature type
integer FeatureID; // The feature identifier
string FeatureName; // The name of the feature
string FeatTypeName; // The string name of the
// feature type, such as
// "Hole"
To get the parents of a feature, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlFeatureParentsGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer FeatureID // The identifier of the
// child feature. Use
// parseInt with this

56 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 // argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumParents; // The number of parents.
integer ParentIDs[]; // The list of feature
// identifiers for the
// parents.
Similarly, the function [Link]() provides
the children of the specified feature. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFeatureChildrenGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer FeatureID // The identifier of the
// parent feature. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumChildren; // The number of children.
integer ChildIDs[]; // The list of feature
// identifiers for the
// children.
The function [Link]() gets the status of the
specified feature. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFeatureStatusGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer FeatureID // The feature identifier.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer FeatureStatus; // The feature status.
integer PatternStatus; // The pattern status.
integer GroupStatus; // The group status.
integer GroupPatternStatus; // The group pattern
// status.
The return fields are as follows:
• FeatureStatus—The feature status. The defined constants are as follows:
○ PWL_FEAT_ACTIVE—An ordinary feature.
○ PWL_FEAT_INACTIVE—A feature that is not suppressed, but is not
currently in use for another reason. For example, a family table instance
that excludes this feature.
○ PWL_FEAT_FAMTAB_SUPPRESSED—A feature suppressed by family
table functionality.
○ PWL_FEAT_SIMP_REP_SUPPRESSED—A feature suppressed by
simplified representation functionality.

The Basics of [Link] 57

 ○ PWL_FEAT_PROG_SUPPRESSED—A feature suppressed by Pro/
PROGRAMTM functionality.
○ PWL_FEAT_SUPPRESSED—A suppressed feature.
○ PWL_FEAT_UNREGENERATED—A feature that is active, but not
regenerated due to a regeneration failure that has not been fixed. This
regeneration failure might result from an earlier feature.
• PatternStatus—The pattern status. The defined constants are as follows:
○ PWL_NONE—The feature is not in a pattern.
○ PWL_LEADER—The feature is the leader of a pattern.
○ PWL_MEMBER—The feature is a member of the pattern.
• GroupStatus—The group status. The defined constants are as follows:
○ PWL_NONE—The feature is not in a group pattern.
○ PWL_MEMBER—The feature is in a group that is a group pattern member.
• GroupPatternStatus—The group pattern status. The defined constants are as
follows:
○ PWL_NONE—The feature is not in a group pattern.
○ PWL_LEADER—The feature is the leader of the group pattern.
○ PWL_MEMBER—The feature is a member of the group pattern.

Feature Names
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() provides the name
of the specified feature, given its identifier. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFeatureNameGetByID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer FeatureID // The feature identifier. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Additional return field:
string FeatureName; // The name of the feature.
To change the name of a feature, use the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlFeatureNameSetByID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer FeatureID, // The feature identifier.

58 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 // Use parseInt with this
// argument.
string FeatureName // The new name of the
// feature.
);

Manipulating Features
The following sections describe the [Link] functions that enable you to
suppress, resume, and delete features.

Suppressing Features
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These functions enable you to suppress features by specifying their identifiers,
identifier lists, layers, or names. The syntax for the functions is as follows:
pwlFeatureSuppressByID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer FeatureID // The identifier of the
// feature to suppress. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
);
pwlFeatureSuppressByIDList (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer NumFeatures, // The number of feature
// identifiers in the list.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
integer FeatureIDs[] // The list of identifiers
// of features to suppress.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
);
pwlFeatureSuppressByLayer (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string LayerName // The name of the layer
// to suppress
);
pwlFeatureSuppressByName (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model
string FeatureName // The name of the feature

The Basics of [Link] 59

 // to suppress
);

Resuming Features
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These functions allow you to resume features by specifying their identifiers,
identifier lists, layers, or names. These functions take the additional argument
ResumeParents, of type Boolean. If you set this argument to true, the functions
also resume the parents of the specified feature, if they are suppressed.
The syntax of the functions is as follows:
pwlFeatureResumeByID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
integer FeatureID, // The identifier of the
// feature to resume. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
boolean ResumeParents // Specifies whether to
// resume the parents of
// the feature.
);

pwlFeatureResumeByIDList (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
integer NumFeatures, // The number of identifiers
// in the list. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
integer FeatureIDs[], // The list of identifiers
// of features to resume.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
boolean ResumeParents // Specifies whether to
// resume the parents of
// the features.
);

pwlFeatureResumeByLayer (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model
string LayerName, // The name of the layer
// to resume

60 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 boolean ResumeParents // Specifies whether to
// resume the parents of
// the features
);

pwlFeatureResumeByName (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model
string FeatureName, // The name of the feature
// to resume
boolean ResumeParents // Specifies whether to
// resume the parents of
// the feature
);

Deleting Features
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These functions enable you to delete features by specifying their identifiers,
identifier lists, layers, or names.

Note
If the feature has children, the children are also deleted.

The syntax of the functions is as follows:

pwlFeatureDeleteByID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer FeatureID // The identifier of the
// feature to delete. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
);
pwlFeatureDeleteByIDList (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer NumFeatures, // The number of identifiers
// in the list. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
integer FeatureIDs[] // The list of identifiers
// of features to delete. Use
// parseInt with this

The Basics of [Link] 61

 // argument.
);
pwlFeatureDeleteByLayer (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string LayerName // The name of the layer to
// delete
);
pwlFeatureDeleteByName (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string FeatureName // The name of the feature
// to delete
);

Displaying Parameters
Function introduced:
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() shows the
specified parameter types for a feature in the graphics window. The syntax is as
follows:
pwlFeatureParametersDisplay (
string SelString, // The selection string that
// identifies the feature.
integer ItemType // The type of parameter to
// display. Use parseInt with
// this argument.
);
The possible values for ItemType are as follows:
• PWL_USER_PARAM
• PWL_DIM_PARAM
• PWL_PATTERN_PARAM
• PWL_REFDIM_PARAM
• PWL_ALL_PARAMS
• PWL_GTOL_PARAM
• PWL_SURFFIN_PARAM

Parameters
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access and
manipulate user parameters.

62 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Listing Parameters
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() retrieves all model
parameters, given the name of the model. This does not include parameters on a
feature. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlParametersGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumParams; // The number of parameters
// in the array ParamNames
string ParamNames[]; // The list of parameter
// names
The function [Link]() retrieves the
parameters for the specified feature. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFeatureParametersGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model (part or assembly).
integer FeatureID // The identifier for which
// parameters should be
// found. Use parseInt with
// this argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumParams; // The number of parameters
// in the array ParamNames.
string ParamNames[]; // The list of parameter
// names.

Note
This function applies only to parts and assemblies.

Identifying Parameters
Uniquely identifying a parameter requires more than the model and parameter
names because the parameter name could be used by the model and several
features. Therefore, two additional arguments are required for all parameter
functions—the item type and item identifier. The item type is either PWL_
FEATURE or PWL_MODEL.

The Basics of [Link] 63

The item identifier does not apply to model parameters, but contains the feature
identifier for feature parameters. The item identifier must be an integer value even
if it is not used.

Reading and Modifying Parameters

Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
To retrieve the value of a parameter, use the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlParameterValueGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
integer ItemType, // Specifies whether it
// is a model (PWL_MODEL)
// or a feature parameter
// (PWL_FEATURE). Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
integer ItemID, // The feature identifier.
// This is unused for
// model parameters. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
string ParamName // The name of the
// parameter.
);
Additional return fields:
integer ParamType; // Specifies the data
The function returns five additional fields, but only two will be set. The field
ParamType is always set, and its value determines what other field should be used,
according to the following table.
Value of the ParamType Additional Fields
PWL_VALUE_INTEGER ParamIntVal
PWL_VALUE_DOUBLE ParamDoubleVal
PWL_VALUE_STRING ParamStringVal
PWL_VALUE_BOOLEAN ParamBooleanVal

The following code fragment shows how to use this function.

64 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

<script language = "JavaScript">
function WlParameterGetValue()
{
var mdl_ret = [Link] (
document.get_value.[Link]);
if (!mdl_ret.Status)
{
alert ("pwlMdlInfoGet failed (" + mdl_ret.ErrorCode + ")");
return;
}
var ret = [Link] (
document.get_value.[Link], parseInt (mdl_ret.
MdlType),
0 /* unused */, document.get_value.[Link]);
if (![Link])
{
alert ("pwlParameterValueGet failed (" + [Link] + ")");
return;
}
if ([Link] == parseInt ([Link].PWL_VALUE_DOUBLE))
{
document.get_value.[Link] = [Link];
}
else if ([Link] == parseInt ([Link].PWL_VALUE_
STRING))
{
document.get_value.[Link] = [Link];
}
else if ([Link] == parseInt ([Link].PWL_VALUE_
INTEGER))
{
document.get_value.[Link] = [Link];
}
else if ([Link] == parseInt ([Link].PWL_VALUE_
BOOLEAN))
{
document.get_value.[Link] = [Link];
}
}
</script>

<form name = "get_value">

<h4>Get a Value for a Parameter (Model Parameters Only)</h4>
<p>
<center>
<!-- Input arguments -->
Model: <input type = "text" name = "ModelNameExt">
Parameter: <input type = "text" name = "ParamName">
<p>
<!-- Buttons -->
<input type = "button" value = "Get Value"

The Basics of [Link] 65

 onclick = "WlParameterGetValue()">
<p>
<!-- Output arguments -->
Value: <input type = "text" name = "Value">
</center>
<hr>
</form>
Setting a parameter using the function
[Link]() requires several arguments to
allow for all the possibilities. The syntax is as follows:
pwlParameterValueSet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer ItemType, // Specifies whether it is a
// model (PWL_MODEL) or a
// feature parameter
// (PWL_FEATURE). Use parseInt
// with this argument.
integer ItemID, // The feature identifier.
// This is unused for model
// parameters. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
string ParamName, // The name of the parameter.
integer ValueType, // Specifies the data type of
// the value. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
integer IntVal, // The integer value. Use
// parseInt with this argument.
number DoubleVal, // The number value. Use
// parseFloat with this
// argument.
string StringVal, // The string value.
Boolean BooleanVal // The Boolean value.
);
The value of ValueType determines which of the other four values will be used.
Although only one of IntVal, DoubleVal, StringVal, and BooleanVal will be used,
all must be the proper data types or an error will occur.
Creating and setting parameters are very similar. The function
[Link]() takes the same arguments and has
the same return fields as [Link]().
However, creation fails if the parameter already exists, whereas setting the value
succeeds only on existing parameters.
The following code fragment shows how to create a string parameter.
<script language = "JavaScript">
function WlParameterCreate()
{
var mdl_ret = [Link] (
[Link]);

66 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 if (!mdl_ret.Status)
{
alert ("pwlMdlInfoGet failed (" + mdl_ret.ErrorCode + ")");
return;
}
var ret = [Link] (
[Link], parseInt (mdl_ret.
MdlType),
0 /* unused */, [Link],
parseInt ([Link].PWL_VALUE_STRING), 0 /* unused */,
0.0 /* unused */, [Link], false /*
unused */);
if (![Link])
{
alert ("pwlParameterCreate failed (" + [Link] + ")");
return;
}
}
</script>

<form name = "create">

<h4>Create Parameter (Model Parameter with string Value Only)</h4>
<p>
<center>
<!-- Input arguments -->
Model: <input type = "text" name = "ModelNameExt">
Parameter: <input type = "text" name = "ParamName">
Value: <input type = "text" name = "Value">
<p>
<!-- Buttons -->
<input type = "button" value = "Create Parameter"
onclick = "WlParameterCreate()">
<p>
</center>
<hr>
</form>
The function [Link]() deletes the specified
parameter. The syntax is as follows:
pwlParameterDelete (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
integer ItemType, // Specifies whether it is
// a model (PWL_MODEL) or
// a feature parameter
// (PWL_FEATURE). Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
integer ItemID, // The feature identifier.
// This is unused for model
// parameters. Use parseInt

The Basics of [Link] 67

 // with this argument.
string ParamName // The name of the parameter.
);
To rename a parameter, call the [Link]()
function. The syntax is as follows:
pwlParameterRename (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
integer ItemType, // Specifies whether it is
// a model (PWL_MODEL) or
// a feature parameter
// (PWL_FEATURE). Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
integer ItemID, // The feature identifier.
// This is unused for model
// parameters. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
string ParamName, // The old name of the
// parameter.
string NewName // The new name of the
// parameter.
);
The function [Link]() restores the parameter's
value to the one it had at the end of the last regeneration. The syntax is as follows:
pwlParameterReset (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
integer ItemType, // Specifies whether it is
// a model (PWL_MODEL) or
// a feature parameter
// (PWL_FEATURE). Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
integer ItemID, // The feature identifier.
// This is unused for model
// parameters. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
string ParamName // The name of the parameter.
);

Designating Parameters
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

68 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]()
These functions control the designation of model parameters for Windchill. A
designated parameter will become visible within Windchill as an attribute when
the model is next submitted.
The function [Link]() designates
an existing parameter. The syntax is as follows:
pwlParameterDesignationAdd (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string ParamName // The name of the parameter
);
The [Link]() function
removes the designation. The syntax is as follows:
pwlParameterDesignationAdd (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string ParamName // The name of the parameter
);
To verify whether a parameter is currently designated, call
[Link](). The syntax is as
follows:
pwlParameterDesignationVerify (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
string ParamName // The name of the parameter.
);
Additional return field:
boolean Exists; // If this is true, the
// parameter is currently
// designated.

Parameter Example
The following example shows how to use the [Link] parameter functions.
<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml"
xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word"
xmlns="[Link]

<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-
ascii">
<meta name=ProgId content=[Link]>
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 9">
<meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 9">
<link rel=File-List href="./parameters_files/[Link]">
<link rel=Edit-Time-Data href="./parameters_files/[Link]">
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}

The Basics of [Link] 69

o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]-->

<title>[Link] Parameters Test</title>

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Author>Scott Conover</o:Author>
<o:LastAuthor>Scott Conover</o:LastAuthor>
<o:Revision>5</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>7</o:TotalTime>
<o:Created>2002-11-22T[Link]Z</o:Created>
<o:LastSaved>2002-11-22T[Link]Z</o:LastSaved>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>151</o:Words>
<o:Characters>863</o:Characters>
<o:Company>PTC</o:Company>
<o:Lines>7</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1059</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>9.3821</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
</xml><![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
[Link], [Link], [Link]
{mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
p
{margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}

70 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>

<script src="../jscript/[Link]">
</script>

<script src="../jscript/wl_header.js">
</script>

<script>

function WlParametersGet()
// Get the parameter list from the model or feature.
{
var ret;
var FunctionName;
var ItemType;
var FeatureID;

if (document.list_parm.[Link] == "")
{
return ;
}
ItemType = [Link](document.list_parm.ParmType.
options[
document.list_parm.[Link]].
value);
if (parseInt(ItemType) == parseInt([Link].PWL_FEATURE))
{
if (document.list_parm.[Link] == "")
{
return ;
}

FeatureID = parseInt(document.list_parm.FeatureID.
value);
if (isNaN (FeatureID))
{
alert ("Invalid feature ID!");
return;
}
ret = [Link](
document.list_parm.[Link],
parseInt(document.list_parm.[Link]));
FunctionName = "pwlFeatureParametersGet";
}
else
{
FeatureID = -1;

The Basics of [Link] 71

 ret = [Link](
document.list_parm.[Link]);
FunctionName = "pwlMdlParametersGet";
}
if (![Link])
{
alert(FunctionName + " failed (" + [Link] + ")");
return ;
}
document.list_parm.[Link] = "";
for (var i = 0; i < [Link]; i++)
{
var val_ret = [Link](
document.list_parm.[Link],
parseInt(ItemType),
FeatureID,
[Link](i));
if (!val_ret.Status)
{
alert("pwlParameterValueGet failed (" + val_ret.
ErrorCode + ")");
return ;
}
var answer = "Undefined";
if (val_ret.ParamType == parseInt([Link].PWL_VALUE_
DOUBLE))
{
answer = val_ret.ParamDoubleVal;
}
else if (val_ret.ParamType == parseInt([Link].PWL_
VALUE_STRING))
{
answer = val_ret.ParamStringVal;
}
else if (val_ret.ParamType == parseInt([Link].PWL_
VALUE_INTEGER))
{
answer = val_ret.ParamIntVal;
}
else if (val_ret.ParamType == parseInt([Link].PWL_
VALUE_BOOLEAN))
{
answer = (val_ret.ParamBooleanVal) ? "true" : "false";
}
document.list_parm.[Link] += [Link]
(i) + ": " +
answer +"\n";
}
}

function WlParameterSetValue(FunctionName)

72 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

// Set a parameter or create a new parameter, depending on the
function
// name.
{
var ItemType;
var StringValue = document.set_value.[Link];
var FloatValue = parseFloat(document.set_value.[Link]);
var IntValue = parseInt(document.set_value.[Link]);
var BoolValue = (document.set_value.[Link]()
== "true") ?
true : false;
var ValueType = [Link](document.set_value.
[Link][
document.set_value.ValueType.
selectedIndex].value);

// In order to create usable trail file FloatValue cannot be

NaN
if (isNaN(FloatValue))
{
FloatValue = 1.1;
}
if (isNaN (IntValue))
{
IntValue = -5;
}

ItemType = [Link](document.set_value.ParmType.
options[
document.set_value.[Link]].
value);
if (ItemType == [Link].PWL_MODEL)
featureID = -1;
else
featureID = parseInt(document.set_value.FeatureID.
value);

if (FunctionName == "pwlParameterCreate")
{

var ret = [Link] (

document.set_value.[Link],
ItemType,
featureID,
document.set_value.[Link], ValueType,
IntValue, FloatValue, StringValue, BoolValue);
}
else
{
var ret = [Link] (
document.set_value.[Link],

The Basics of [Link] 73

 ItemType,
featureID,
document.set_value.[Link], ValueType,
IntValue, FloatValue, StringValue, BoolValue);
}

if (![Link])
{
alert(FunctionName + " failed (" + [Link] + ")");
return ;
}
}

function WlParameterMisc(FunctionName)
// Run miscellaneous parameter functions that take only model
name,
// item type, item ID, and parameter name as arguments.
{
var ItemType;

ItemType = [Link](document.misc_parm.ParmType.
options[
document.misc_parm.[Link]].
value);
if (ItemType == [Link].PWL_MODEL)
{
FeatureID = -1;
}
else
{
FeatureID = parseInt(document.misc_parm.FeatureID.
value);
if (isNaN (FeatureID))
{
alert ("Invalid feature id: "+FeatureID);
return;
}
}
if (FunctionName == "pwlParameterReset")
{
var ret = [Link](
document.misc_parm.[Link],
ItemType,
FeatureID,
document.misc_parm.[Link]);
}
else
{
var ret = [Link](
document.misc_parm.[Link],
ItemType,

74 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 FeatureID,
document.misc_parm.[Link]);

if (![Link])
{
alert(FunctionName + " failed (" + [Link] + ")");
return ;
}
}

function WlParameterRename()
// Rename a parameter.
{
var ItemType;

ItemType = [Link](document.misc_parm.ParmType.
options[
document.misc_parm.[Link]].
value);
if (ItemType == [Link].PWL_MODEL)
{
FeatureID = -1;
}
else
{
FeatureID = parseInt(document.misc_parm.FeatureID.
value);
if (isNaN (FeatureID))
{
alert ("Invalid feature id: "+FeatureID);
return;
}
}

var ret = [Link](

document.misc_parm.[Link],
ItemType,
FeatureID,
document.misc_parm.[Link],
document.misc_parm.[Link]);
if (![Link])
{
alert("pwlParameterRename failed (" + [Link] +
")");
return ;
}
}

The Basics of [Link] 75

function WlParameterDesignate(FunctionName)
// Run designate parameter functions that take only the model
name
// and parameter name as arguments and don't return anything.
{
if (FunctionName == "pwlParameterDesignationAdd")
{
var ret = [Link](
document.desg_parm.[Link],
document.desg_parm.[Link]);
}
else
{
var ret = [Link](
document.desg_parm.[Link],
document.desg_parm.[Link]);
}

if (![Link])
{
alert(FunctionName + " failed (" + [Link] + ")");
return ;
}
}

function WlParameterVerifyDesignation()
// Verify that a parameter has been designated.
{
var ret = [Link](
document.desg_parm.[Link],
document.desg_parm.[Link]);
if (![Link])
{
alert("pwlParameterDesignationVerify failed (" + ret.
ErrorCode + ")");
return ;
}
document.desg_parm.[Link] = [Link];
}

function NotApplicable(form)
// Print N\A in the feature ID field when a model is selected.
{
if ([Link][[Link]].value
== "PWL_MODEL")
{
[Link] = "N\\A";
}
else if ([Link] == "N\\A")
{
[Link] = "";

76 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 }
}
</script>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1027"/>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1"/>
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>

<body lang=EN-US style='tab-interval:.5in'>

<div class=Section1>
<form name="list_parm">
<h4>List Parameters<o:p></o:p></h4>
<div align=center>
<table border=0 cellpadding=0 style='mso-cellspacing:1.5pt;mso-
padding-alt:
0in 0in 0in 0in'>
<tr>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><!-- Input arguments
-->Model:</p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'>Display:</p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'>Feature ID:</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="ModelNameExt"><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:
center'><SELECT NAME="ParmType"
onchange="NotApplicable(document.list_parm)">
<OPTION SELECTED VALUE="PWL_MODEL">By Model
<OPTION VALUE="PWL_FEATURE">By Feature ID
</SELECT></p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><INPUT
TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="FeatureID" VALUE="N\A"></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>

The Basics of [Link] 77

<!-- Buttons -->
<p align=center style='text-align:center'>
<input type=button value="Get Parameters" onclick="WlParametersGet
()">

<!-- Output arguments -->Parameters:<br>

<TEXTAREA COLS="50" NAME="Parameters"></TEXTAREA></p>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>
</div>
</form>
<form name="set_value">
<h4>Create or Set a Parameter<o:p></o:p></h4>
<div align=center>
<table border=0 cellpadding=0 style='mso-cellspacing:1.5pt;mso-
padding-alt:
0in 0in 0in 0in'>
<tr>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><!-- Input arguments -->Model:</p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME=
"ModelNameExt"></p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal>Parameter Type:<o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><SELECT NAME="ParmType"
onchange="NotApplicable(document.set_value)">
<OPTION SELECTED VALUE="PWL_MODEL">By Model
<OPTION VALUE="PWL_FEATURE">By Feature ID
</SELECT></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal>Feature ID:</p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="FeatureID"
VALUE="N\A"></p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal>Parameter:</p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME=
"Parameter"></p>
</td>

78 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 </tr>
<tr>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal>Value Type:</p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><SELECT NAME="ValueType">
<OPTION VALUE="PWL_VALUE_BOOLEAN">Boolean
<OPTION VALUE="PWL_VALUE_DOUBLE">Double
<OPTION VALUE="PWL_VALUE_INTEGER">Integer
<OPTION VALUE="PWL_VALUE_STRING">String
</SELECT></p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal>Value:</p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="Value"></
p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>

<!-- Buttons -->

<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>
<input type=button value=Create onclick="WlParameterSetValue
('pwlParameterCreate')">
<input type=button value="Set Value" onclick="WlParameterSetValue
('pwlParameterValueSet')">
</div>
</form>
<form name="misc_parm">
<h4>Misc Parameters<o:p></o:p></h4>
<div align=center>
<table border=0 cellpadding=0 style='mso-cellspacing:1.5pt;mso-
padding-alt:
0in 0in 0in 0in'>
<tr>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><!-- Input arguments
-->Model:</p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'>Display:</p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'>Feature ID:</p>
</td>
</tr>

The Basics of [Link] 79

 <tr>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="ModelNameExt"><o:p></o:p></p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:
center'><SELECT NAME="ParmType"
onchange="NotApplicable(document.misc_parm)">
<OPTION SELECTED VALUE="PWL_MODEL">By Model
<OPTION VALUE="PWL_FEATURE">By Feature ID
</SELECT></p>
</td>
<td style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="FeatureID" VALUE="N\A"></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'>Parameter:
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="Parameter"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><!-- Buttons -->
<input type=button value=Delete onclick="WlParameterMisc
('pwlParameterDelete')">
<input type=button value=Reset onclick="WlParameterMisc
('pwlParameterReset')">
<input type=button value=Rename onclick="WlParameterRename()">

<!-- Extra input arguments and a button for rename -->New Name:
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="NewName">
<spacer size=20>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>
</div>
</form>
<form name="desg_parm">
<h4>Designate Model Parameters<o:p></o:p></h4>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><!-- Input arguments
-->Model:
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="ModelNameExt">
<spacer size=20>
Parameter: <INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="Parameter"><o:p></o:
p></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><!-- Buttons -->
<input type=button value="Add Designation" onclick=
"WlParameterDesignate('pwlParameterDesignationAdd')">
<input type=button value="Remove Designation" onclick=
"WlParameterDesignate('pwlParameterDesignationRemove')">
<br>

80 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

<!-- Extra output arguments and a button for verifying
designations -->
<input type=button value="Verify Designation" onclick=
"WlParameterVerifyDesignation()">
<spacer size=20>
Exists: <INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="20" NAME="Exist"></p>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center>
</div>
</form>
</div>
</body>
</html>
The following figures show the results of this example, as seen in the browser.
Note that the first figure does not include the standard header. See the section
JavaScript Header on page 38 for more information on the wl_header.js
header.

The Basics of [Link] 81

Dimensions
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access and
manipulate dimensions in Creo Parametric.

Note
These functions are supported for parts, assemblies, and drawings, but are not
supported for sections.

Reading and Modifying Dimensions

Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()

82 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
To retrieve the dimensions or reference dimensions on a model, use the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlDimensionsGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
// to which the dimensions
// belong.
integer DimType // The dimension type. Use
// parseInt with this argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumDims; // The number of dimensions.
integer DimIDs[]; // The dimension identifiers.
The valid values for DimType are PWL_DIMENSION and PWL_REF_
DIMENSION, which determine whether the function should retrieve standard
(geometry) or reference dimensions, respectively.
The function [Link]() gets the
dimensions for the specified feature. Note that this function does not return any
reference dimensions. (Features do not own reference dimensions—the model
does.) The syntax is as follows:
pwlFeatureDimensionsGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
// to which the dimensions
// belong.
integer FeatID // The feature to which the
// dimensions belong. Use
// parseInt with this argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumDims; // The number of dimensions.
integer DimIDs[]; // The dimension identifiers.
[Link] provides two powerful functions to retrieve information about
dimensions— [Link]() and
[Link](). The syntax for the
functions is as follows:
pwlDimensionInfoGetByID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model to which the
// dimension belongs.
integer DimensionID, // The integer identifier
// of the dimension. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.

The Basics of [Link] 83

 integer DimensionType // The dimension type
// (PWL_DIMENSION or
// PWL_REF_DIMENSION). Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
);

pwlDimensionInfoGetByName (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model to which the
// dimension belongs.
string DimensionName, // The name of the
// dimension.
integer DimensionType // The dimension type
// (PWL_DIMENSION or
// PWL_REF_DIMENSION). Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Both functions return the following additional fields:
number DimValue; // The value of the dimension
integer DimID; // The dimension identifier
string DimName; // The name of the dimension
integer DimStyle; // The dimension style
integer TolType, // The tolerance type
number TolPlus; // The tolerance amount above
// the nominal value
number TolMinus // The tolerance amount below
// the nominal value
The possible values for the DimStyle field are as follows:
• PWL_LINEAR_DIM—Linear dimension
• PWL_RADIAL_DIM—Radial dimension
• PWL_DIAMETRICAL_DIM—Diametrical dimension
• PWL_ANGULAR_DIM—Angular dimension
The possible values for TolType are as follows:
• PWL_TOL_DEFAULT—Displays the nominal tolerance.
• PWL_TOL_PLUS_MINUS—Displays the nominal tolerance with a plus/
minus.
• PWL_TOL_LIMITS—Displays the upper and lower tolerance limits.
• PWL_TOL_PLUS_MINUS_SYM—Displays the tolerance as +/-x, +/-,
where x is the plus tolerance. The value of the minus tolerance is irrelevant
and unused.

84 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The function [Link]() enables you to
set the value of a dimension. The syntax is as follows:
pwlDimensionValueSetByID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
// to which the dimension
// belongs.
integer DimensionID, // The integer identifier of
// the dimension. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
number Value // The new value of the
// dimension. Use parseFloat
// with this argument.
);
The function [Link]() does not
require a dimension type because you cannot set reference dimensions.

Note
This function works for solids only (parts, assemblies, and derivative types).

Dimension Tolerance
Function introduced:
• [Link]()
To set the dimension tolerance, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as
follows:
pwlDimensionToleranceSetByID (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
// to which the dimension
// belongs.
integer DimensionID, // The integer identifier
// of the dimension. Use
// parseInt with this argument.
number TolPlus, // The positive element of
// the tolerance. Use
// parseFloat with this
// argument.
number TolMinus // The negative element of
// the tolerance. Use
// parseFloat with this
// argument.
);

The Basics of [Link] 85

 Note
This function works for solids only (parts, assemblies, and derivative types).

Dimension Example
The following example shows how to use the [Link] dimension functions.
<html>
<head>
<title>[Link] Dimensions Test</title>

<script src="../jscript/[Link]">
</script>
<script src="../jscript/wl_header.js">
[Link] ("Error loading [Link] header!");
</script>

<script language="JavaScript">
function WlDimensionGet()
// Gets the dimensions, reference dimensions, or feature
dimensions.
{
var ret;
var FunctionName;
var DimType;

if (document.list_dim.[Link] == "")
{
return ;
}

if (document.list_dim.[Link][
document.list_dim.[Link]].value == "BY_
FEATURE")
{
if (document.list_dim.[Link] == "")
{
return ;
}
FeatureID = parseInt (document.list_dim.FeatureID.
value);
if (isNaN (FeatureID))
{
alert ("Feature ID invalid: "+document.list_
[Link]);
return;
}

86 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 ret = [Link](
document.list_dim.[Link],
FeatureID);
FunctionName = "pwlFeatureDimensionsGet";
DimType = [Link].PWL_DIMENSION_STANDARD;
}
else
{
DimType = [Link](document.list_dim.DimType.
options[
document.list_dim.DimType.
selectedIndex].value);
if (isNaN (DimType) || DimType == -10001)
{
alert ("Could not recognize dim type");
}
/*
if (DimType == [Link].PWL_DIMENSION_STANDARD)
{
pfcDimType = 10; // pfcITEM_DIMENSION
}
else
{
pfcDimType = 11; // pfcITEM_REF_DIMENSION
}

var s = [Link] ();

var m = [Link] (document.list_dim.

[Link]);

if (m == void null)
{
alert ("Couldn't find model: "+document.list_dim.
[Link]);
return;
}
var items = [Link] (pfcDimType);
if (items == void null)
{
alert ("Model items were null!");
return;
}
if ([Link] == 0)
{
alert ("Empty items!");
}
else
alert ("Items :" + [Link]);
}
*/

The Basics of [Link] 87

 ret = [Link](
document.list_dim.[Link],
DimType);
FunctionName = "pwlMdlDimensionsGet";
}
if (![Link])
{
alert(FunctionName + " failed (" + [Link] + "): " +
[Link]);
return ;
}
document.list_dim.[Link] = "";
for (var i = 0; i < [Link]; i++)
{
var info_ret = [Link](
document.list_dim.[Link],
[Link](i), DimType);
if (!info_ret.Status)
{
alert("pwlDimensionInfoGetByID failed (" + info_ret.
ErrorCode +
")");
return ;
}
document.list_dim.[Link] += info_ret.DimName + "
(#" +
info_ret.DimID + "): " + info_ret.DimValue +
((info_ret.DimStyle == parseInt([Link].PWL_
ANGULAR_DIM)) ?
" degrees" : "") + " (-" + info_ret.TolMinus + "/+" +
info_ret.TolPlus + ")\n";
}
}

function WlDimensionGetByName()
// Gets a dimension by name.
{
if (document.get_value_name.[Link] == "" ||
document.get_value_name.[Link] == "")
{
return ;
}
var DimType = [Link](document.get_value_name.
[Link][
document.get_value_name.DimType.
selectedIndex].value);
if (isNaN (DimType) || DimType == -10001)
{
alert ("Could not recognize dim type");
}
var ret = [Link](

88 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 document.get_value_name.[Link],
document.get_value_name.[Link],
DimType);
if (![Link])
{
alert("pwlDimensionInfoGetByName failed (" + [Link]
+ ")");
return ;
}
document.get_value_name.[Link] = [Link] + " (#" +
[Link] + "): " + [Link] +
(([Link] == parseInt([Link].PWL_ANGULAR_DIM))
?
" degrees" : "") + " (-" + [Link] + "/+" + ret.
TolPlus + ")";
}

function WlDimensionSetByID()
// Sets the value of a dimension.
{
if (document.set_value_id.[Link] == "" ||
document.set_value_id.[Link] == "" ||
document.set_value_id.[Link] == "")
{
return ;
}
DimensionID = parseInt(document.set_value_id.[Link]);
if (isNaN (DimensionID))
{
alert ("Invalid dimension id: "+document.set_value_id.
[Link]);
return;
}

DimensionValue = parseFloat(document.set_value_id.DimValue.
value);
if (isNaN (DimensionValue))
{
alert ("Invalid dimension value: "+document.set_value_
[Link]);
return;
}

var ret = [Link](

document.set_value_id.[Link],
DimensionID,
DimensionValue);
if (![Link])
{

The Basics of [Link] 89

 alert("pwlDimensionValueSetByID failed (" + [Link]
+ ")");
return ;
}
}

function WlDimensionSetToleranceByID()
// Sets the tolerance of a dimension.
{
var ret = [Link](
document.set_tol.[Link],
parseInt(document.set_tol.[Link]),
parseFloat(document.set_tol.[Link]),
parseFloat(document.set_tol.[Link]));
if (![Link])
{
alert("pwlDimensionValueToleranceByID failed (" + ret.
ErrorCode + ")");
return ;
}
}

function NotApplicable(form)
// Prints N\A in the feature ID field when a model is
selected.
{
if ([Link][[Link]].value !=
"BY_FEATURE")
{
[Link] = "N\\A";
}
else if ([Link] == "N\\A")
{
[Link] = "";
}
}

</script>
</head>
<body>
<form name="list_dim">
<h4>List Dimensions</h4>
<div align="center"><center><p><!-- Input arguments --> </p>
</center></div><div align="center"><center><table>
<tr>
<td><div align="center"><center><p>Model:</td>
<td align="center"><div align="center"><center><p>Display:
</td>
<td align="center"><div align="center"><center><p>Feature
ID:</td>
</tr>

90 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 <tr align="center">
<td><input type="text" name="ModelNameExt" size="20"></td>
<td><select name="DimType" onchange="NotApplicable(document.
list_dim)" size="1">
<option value="PWL_DIMENSION_STANDARD"
selected>Dimensions</option>
<option value="PWL_DIMENSION_REFERENCE">Reference
Dimensions</option>
<option value="BY_FEATURE">By Feature ID</option>
</select></td>
<td><input type="text" name="FeatureID" value="N\A" size=
"20"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</center></div><!-- Buttons -->
<div align="center"><center><p><input type="button" value="Get
Dimensions"
onclick="WlDimensionGet()"></p>
</center></div><div align="center"><center><p><!-- Output
arguments --> Dimensions:<br>
<textarea name="DimValues" rows="4" cols="50"></textarea> </p>
</center></div><hr align="center">
</form>
<form name="get_value_name">
<h4>Get Dimension Value by Name</h4>
<div align="center"><center><p><!-- Input arguments --> </p>
</center></div><div align="center"><center><table>
<tr>
<td><div align="center"><center><p>Model:</td>
<td align="center"><div align="center"><center><p>Dimension
Name:</td>
<td align="center"><div align="center"><center><p>Type:</td>
</tr>
<tr align="center">
<td><input type="text" name="ModelNameExt" size="20"></td>
<td><input type="text" name="DimName" size="20"></td>
<td><select name="DimType" size="1">
<option value="PWL_DIMENSION_STANDARD"
selected>Dimensions</option>
<option value="PWL_DIMENSION_REFERENCE">Reference
Dimensions</option>
</select></td>
</tr>
</table>
</center></div><!-- Buttons -->
<div align="center"><center><p><input type="button"
value="Get Dimension Value" onclick="WlDimensionGetByName
()"></p>
</center></div><div align="center"><center><p><!-- Output
arguments -->
Value: <input type="text" name="DimValue"

The Basics of [Link] 91

 size="20"> </p>
</center></div><hr align="center">
</form>
<form name="set_value_id">
<h4>Set Dimension Value by ID</h4>
<div align="center"><center><p><!-- Input arguments --> </p>
</center></div><div align="center"><center><table>
<tr>
<td><div align="center"><center><p>Model:</td>
<td align="center"><div align="center"><center><p>Dimension
ID:</td>
<td align="center"><div align="center"><center><p>Value:
</td>
</tr>
<tr align="center">
<td><input type="text" name="ModelNameExt" size="20"></td>
<td><input type="text" name="DimID" size="20"></td>
<td><input type="text" name="DimValue" size="20"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</center></div><!-- Buttons -->
<div align="center"><center><p><input type="button"
value="Set Dimension Value" onclick="WlDimensionSetByID()"> </p>
</center></div><hr align="center">
</form>
<form name="set_tol">
<h4>Set Dimension Tolerance by ID</h4>
<div align="center"><center><p><!-- Input arguments --> </p>
</center></div><div align="center"><center><table>
<tr>
<td>Model:</td>
<td><input type="text" name="ModelNameExt" size="20"></td>
<td>Dimension ID:</td>
<td><input type="text" name="DimID" size="20"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Plus Tolerance:</td>
<td><input type="text" name="TolPlus" size="20"></td>
<td>Minus Tolerance:</td>
<td><input type="text" name="TolMinus" size="20"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</center></div><!-- Buttons -->
<div align="center"><center><p><input type="button"
value="Set Dimension Tolerance" onclick=
"WlDimensionSetToleranceByID()"> </p>
</center></div><hr>
</form>
</body>
</html>

92 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The following figures show the results of this example, as seen in the browser.
Note that the first figure does not include the standard header. Refer to the section
JavaScript Header on page 38 for more information on the wl_header.js
header.

The Basics of [Link] 93

Simplified Representations
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access and
manipulate simplified representations.

Retrieving Simplified Representations

Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() opens the specified
simplified representation. The syntax is as follows:
pwlSimprepOpen (
string AsmNameExt, // The full name of
// the part or assembly.
string Path, // The full path to the
// model.
string RepName, // The name of
// the simplified

94 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 // representation.
boolean DisplayInWindow // If this is true,
// display the simplified
// representation in a
// window.
);
Additional return field:
integer WindowID; // The identifier of
// the window in which
// the simplified
// representation is
// displayed.
There is a difference between opening a simplified representation and activating
it. Opening a simplified representation requires Creo Parametric to read from the
disk and open the appropriate representation of the specified model. Activating a
simplified representation does not require Creo Parametric to read from the disk
because the model containing the simplified representation is already open. This
operation is analogous to the Creo Parametric operation of setting a view to be
current (the model is already in session; only the model display changes).
The function [Link]() retrieves the
graphics of the specified assembly. The syntax is as follows:
pwlGraphicsSimprepOpen (
string AsmNameExt, // The full name of the
// part or assembly
string Path, // The full path to the
// model
boolean DisplayInWindow // Specifies whether to
// display the simplified
// representation in a
// window
);
Additional return field:
integer WindowID; // The identifier of the
// window in which
// the simplified
// representation is
// displayed
The [Link]() function provides the geometry
of the specified part or assembly. The syntax is as follows:
pwlGeomSimprepOpen (
string AsmNameExt, // The full name of
// the part or assembly
string Path, // The full path to
// the model
boolean DisplayInWindow // Specifies whether to
// display the simplified
// representation in a
// window

The Basics of [Link] 95

 );
Additional return field:
integer WindowID; // The identifier of the
// window in which
// the simplified
// representation is
// displayed
If you try to open a model that already exists in memory, the open functions
ignore the Path argument.

Note
The open functions will successfully open the simplified representation that is
in memory—even if the specified Path is incorrect.

Use the function [Link]() to list all the

simplified representations in the specified model. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlSimprepsGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumSimpreps; // The number of simplified
// representations
string Simpreps[]; // The list of simplified
// representations

Activating Simplified Representations

Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() activates the specified
simplified representation. The syntax is as follows:
pwlSimprepActivate (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string SimprepName // The name of the simplified
// representation
);
To activate the master simplified representation, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlSimprepMasterActivate (

96 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);
The function [Link]() activates the
geometry simplified representation of the specified model. The syntax is as
follows:
pwlGeomSimprepActivate (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);
The [Link]() function activates
the graphics simplified representation of the specified model. The syntax is as
follows:
pwlGraphicsSimprepActivate (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);

Solids
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access and
manipulate solids and their contents.

Mass Properties
Function introduced:
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() provides
information about the distribution of mass in the specified part or assembly. It can
provide the information relative to a coordinate system datum, which you name,
or the default one if you provide an empty string or null as the name. The syntax is
as follows:
pwlSolidMassPropertiesGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of
// the model.
string CoordinateSys // The coordinate
// system used to get
// the mass properties.
);
Additional return fields:
number Volume; // The volume.
number SurfaceArea; // The surface area.
number Density; // The density. The
// density value is
// 1.0, unless a
// material has been
// assigned.
number Mass; // The mass.

The Basics of [Link] 97

 number CenterOfGravity[3]; // The center of
// gravity (COG).
number Inertia[9]; // The inertia matrix.
number InertiaTensor[9]; // The inertia tensor.
number CogInertiaTensor[9]; // The inertia about
// the COG.
number PrincipalMoments[3]; // The principal
// moments of inertia
// (the eigenvalues
// of the COG inertia).
number PrincipalAxes[9]; // The principal
// axes (the
// eigenvectors of
// the COG inertia).

Cross Sections
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
To display a cross section, use the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlSolidXSectionDisplay (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of
// the model
string CrossSectionName // The name of the
// cross section to
// display
);
The function [Link]() returns all the cross
sections on the specified part or assembly. The syntax is as follows:
pwlSolidXSectionsGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the
// model (part or
// assembly)
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumCrossSections; // The number of cross
// sections
string CrossSectionNames[]; // The names of the
// cross sections

Family Tables
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access and
manipulate family tables.

98 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Overview
Family table functions are divided into three groups, distinguished by the prefix of
the function name:
• pwlFamtabItem—Functions that modify table-driven items
• pwlFamtabInstance—Functions that modify an instance in the family
table
• pwlInstance—Functions that perform file-management operations for
family table instances
The following sections describe these functional groups in detail.

Family Table Items

Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Every item in a family table is uniquely identified by two values—its name and
the family item type. The following table lists the possible values of the family
item type.
Constant Description
PWL_FAM_USER_PARAM A user-defined parameter
PWL_FAM_DIMENSION A dimension
PWL_FAM_IPAR_NOTE A parameter in a pattern
PWL_FAM_FEATURE A feature
PWL_FAM_ASMCOMP A single instance of a component in an assembly
PWL_FAM_UDF A user-defined feature
PWL_FAM_ASMCOMP_MODEL All instances of a component in an assembly
PWL_FAM_GTOL A geometric tolerance
PWL_FAM_TOL_PLUS The plus value of a tolerance
PWL_FAM_TOL_MINUS The minus value of a tolerance
PWL_FAM_TOL_PLUSMINUS A tolerance
PWL_FAM_SYSTEM_PARAM A system parameter
PWL_FAM_EXTERNAL_REFERENCE An external reference

The function [Link]() returns a list of all the

table-driven elements currently in the family table. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFamtabItemsGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the
// model
);
Additional return fields:

The Basics of [Link] 99

 integer NumItems; // The number of items
integer FamItemTypes[]; // The types of items
string Items[]; // The list of table-driven
// elements
The first item in the table would have the item type FamItemTypes[0] and name
Items[0]. Similar correspondence between the two arrays exist for every item in
the table.
To add or remove items from a family table, use the functions
[Link]() and pwlFamtabItemRemove(),
respectively. The syntax of the functions is as follows:
pwlFamtabItemAdd (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer FamItemType, // The type of family item.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
string Name // The name of the item to add.
);

pwlFamtabItemRemove (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
integer FamItemType, // The type of family item.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
string Name // The name of the item to
// remove.
);

Adding and Deleting Family Table Instances

Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
To get a list of all the instances of a generic, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlFamtabInstancesGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the
model
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumInstances; // The number of instances
string InstanceNames[]; // The names of the
// instances

100 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The function [Link]() creates a new
instance. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFamtabInstanceAdd (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string Name // The name of the instance
// to add
);
Initially, a new instance will have all asterisks in the family table, making it equal
to the generic.
To remove an existing instance from a family table, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlFamtabInstanceRemove (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string Name // The name of the instance to
// remove
);
If the instance has been opened, the object continues to exist but will no longer be
associated with the family table.

Family Table Instance Values

Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() provides the
value for the specified instance and item. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFamtabInstanceValueGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
string Name, // The name of the instance.
integer FamItemType, // The type of family item.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
string ItemName // The name of the item.
);
Additional return fields:
integer ValueType; // Specifies which value
// argument to use.
integer IntVal; // The integer value.
number DoubleVal; // The number value.
string StringVal; // The string value.
boolean BooleanVal; // The Boolean value.
The function returns five additional fields, but only two will be set to anything.
The field ValueType is always set and its value determines what other field should
be used, according to the following table.

The Basics of [Link] 101

Value of the ValueType Additional Field Used
PWL_VALUE_INTEGER IntVal
PWL_VALUE_DOUBLE DoubleVal
PWL_VALUE_STRING StringVal
PWL_VALUE_BOOLEAN BooleanVal

Setting the value of an instance item using the function

[Link]() requires several
arguments to allow for all the possibilities. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFamtabInstanceValueSet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
string Name, // The name of the instance.
integer FamItemType, // The type of the family
// table item. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
string ItemName, // The name of the item.
integer ValueType, // Specifies which value
// argument to use. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
integer IntVal, // The integer value. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
number DoubleVal, // The number value. Use
// parseFloat with this
// argument.
string StringVal, // The string value.
boolean BooleanVal // The Boolean value.
);
The value of ValueType determines which of the other four values will be used.
Although only one of IntVal, DoubleVal, StringVal, and BooleanVal will be used,
all must be the proper data types or the Java function will not be found, and an
error will occur.

Locking Family Table Instances

Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() determines
whether the specified model is locked for modification. The function returns this
information in the Boolean field Locked. A locked instance cannot be modified.
The syntax is as follows:
pwlFamtabInstanceLockGet (

102 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
string Name // The name of the instance.
);
Additional return fields:
boolean Locked; // If this is true, the model
// is locked for modification.
To add a lock, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlFamtabInstanceLockAdd (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string Name // The name of the instance
// to which to add the lock
);
Call the function [Link]() to
remove the specified lock. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFamtabInstanceLockRemove (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string Name // The name of the instance
// from which to remove the
// lock
);

File Management Functions for Instances

Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() enables you to open an
instance in a manner similar to [Link](). The syntax is as
follows:
pwlInstanceOpen (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
string InstanceName, // The name of the instance
// to open.
boolean DisplayInWindow // If this is true, display
// the instance in a window.
);
Additional return fields:
integer WindowID; // The identifier of the
// window in which the
// instance is displayed.
The generic must already reside in memory. The Boolean argument determines
whether the instance should be displayed. If the instance is to be displayed in a
window, the function returns the additional field, WindowID.

The Basics of [Link] 103

To erase an instance from memory, use the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlInstanceErase (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string Name // The name of the instance to
// erase from memory
);

Layers
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access and
manipulate layers.

Layer Functions
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() provides the number and a
list of all the layers in the specified model. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlLayersGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumLayers; // The number of layers in
// the returned array
string LayerNames[]; // The array of layer names
The function [Link]() enables you to create a new
layer. The syntax is as follows:
pwlLayerCreate (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string LayerName // The name of the layer to
// create
);
To delete a layer, call the function [Link]().
The syntax is as follows:

104 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 pwlLayerDelete (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string LayerName // The name of the layer to
// delete
);
The function [Link]() provides the display
type of the specified layer. The syntax is as follows:
pwlLayerDisplayGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string LayerName // The name of the layer
);
Additional return field:
integer DisplayType; // The display type
The valid values for DisplayType are as follows:
• PWL_DISPLAY_TYPE_NORMAL—A normal layer.
• PWL_DISPLAY_TYPE_DISPLAY—A layer selected for display.
• PWL_DISPLAY_TYPE_BLANK—A blanked layer.
• PWL_DISPLAY_TYPE_HIDDEN—A hidden layer. This applies to Assembly
mode only.
To set the display type of a layer, use the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlLayerDisplaySet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
string LayerName, // The name of the layer.
integer DisplayType // The new display type. Use
// parseInt with this argument.
);
The function [Link]() lists the items assigned to
the specified layer. The syntax is as follows:
pwlLayerItemsGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model
string LayerName // The name of the layer
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumItems; // The number of items in
// ItemIDs
ItemType ItemTypes[]; // The array of item types
integer ItemIDs[]; // The array of item
// identifiers
string ItemOwners[]; // The array of item owners
The possible values for ItemType are as follows:
• PWL_PART
• PWL_FEATURE

The Basics of [Link] 105

• PWL_DIMENSION
• PWL_REF_DIMENSION
• PWL_GTOL
• PWL_ASSEMBLY
• PWL_QUILT
• PWL_CURVE
• PWL_POINT
• PWL_NOTE
• PWL_IPAR_NOTE
• PWL_SYMBOL_INSTANCE
• PWL_DRAFT_ENTITY
• PWL_DIAGRAM_OBJECT
To add an item to a layer, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlLayerItemAdd (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
string LayerName, // The name of the layer.
integer ItemType, // The type of layer item. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
integer ItemID, // The identifier of the item
// to add. Use parseInt with
// this argument.
string ItemOwner // The owner of the item.
);
If ItemOwner is null or an empty string, the item owner is the same as the layer.
Otherwise, it is a selection string to the component that owns the item.
To delete an item from a layer, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlLayerItemRemove (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
string LayerName, // The name of the layer.
integer ItemType, // The type of layer item. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
integer ItemID, // The identifier of the item
// to remove. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
string ItemOwner // The item owner. If this is
// null or an empty string,
// the item owner is the same
// as the layer. Otherwise,
// it is a selection string

106 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 // to the component that
// owns the item.
);

Notes
This section describes the [Link] functions that enable you to access the notes
created in Creo Parametric.

Notes Inquiry
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() returns the number and a list
of all the note identifiers in the specified model. The syntax is as follows:
pwlMdlNotesGet (
string MdlNameExt // The full name of the model
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumNotes; // The number of notes in
// the array NoteIDs
integer NoteIDs[]; // The array of note
// identifiers
The function [Link]() provides the number
and a list of all the note identifiers for the specified feature in the model. Note that
this function does not apply to drawings. The syntax is as follows:
pwlFeatureNotesGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer FeatureID // The feature whose notes
// should be found. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumNotes; // The number of notes in
// the array NoteIDs.
integer NoteIDs[]; // The array of note
// identifiers.
The [Link]() function gets the owner of the
specified note. The syntax is as follows:
pwlNoteOwnerGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.

The Basics of [Link] 107

 integer NoteID // The identifier of the
// note whose owner you want.
// Use parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer ItemType; // The item type.
integer NoteOwnerID; // The identifier of the
// note’s owner. This
// field is not applicable
// if ItemType is PWL_MODEL.

Note
• You cannot modify the owner of the note.
• The function [Link]() does not apply to
drawings.

Note Names
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The [Link]() function returns the name of the
specified note, given its identifier. The syntax is as follows:
pwlNoteNameGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer NoteID // The note identifier. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Additional return field:
string NoteName; // The name of the note.
To set the name of a note, call the function
[Link](). The syntax is as follows:
pwlNoteNameSet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer NoteID, // The note identifier. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
string NewName // The new name of the note.
);

108 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 Note
These functions do not apply to drawings.

Note Text
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() returns the number of lines
and the text strings for the specified note in the model. Symbols are replaced by an
asterisk (*). The syntax is as follows:
pwlNoteTextGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer NoteID // The note identifier. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumTextLines; // The number of lines of
// text in the note.
string NoteText[]; // The text of the note.
To set the text of a note, call the function [Link]().
This function supports standard ASCII characters only. The syntax is as follows:
pwlNoteTextSet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the
// model.
integer NoteID, // The note identifier. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
integer NumTextLines, // The number of lines of
// text in the note. Use
// parseInt with this
// argument.
string NewNoteText[] // The text of the new note.
);

Note
You cannot set symbols.

The Basics of [Link] 109

Note URLs
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The [Link]() provides the Uniform Resource Locator
(URL) of the specified note, given its identifier. The syntax is as follows:
pwlNoteURLGet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer NoteID // The note identifier. Use
// parseInt with this argument.
);
Additional return field:
string NoteURL; // The URL of the note.
To set the URL, call the function [Link](). The
syntax is as follows:
pwlNoteURLSet (
string MdlNameExt, // The full name of the model.
integer NoteID, // The note identifier. Use
// parseInt with this argument.
string NoteURL // The URL of the note.
);

Note
These functions do not apply to drawings.

Utilities
This section describes the utility functions provided by the old [Link] module.
The utility functions enable you to manipulate directories and arrays, and to get
the value of a given environment variable.

Environment Variables
Function introduced:
• [Link]
The function [Link]() returns the value of the
specified environment variable. The syntax is as follows:
pwlEnvVariableGet (
string VarName // The name of the environment
// variable whose value you want

110 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 );
Additional return field:
string Value; // The value
The following code fragment shows how to get the value of the environment
variable NPX_PLUGIN_PATH.
<SCRIPT language = "JavaScript">
.
function EnvVar()
{
ret = [Link] ("NPX_PLUGIN_PATH");

if ([Link])
{
[Link] = "Success: Value is " + [Link];
}
else
{
[Link] = [Link]+": " + ret.
ErrorString;
}
}
</script>

Manipulating Directories
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The function [Link]() provides the path
to the current directory. The syntax is as follows:
pwlDirectoryCurrentGet();
Additional return field:
string DirectoryPath; // The path to the
// current directory
The [Link]() function sets the current
directory to the one specified by the argument DirectoryPath. The syntax is as
follows:
pwlDirectoryCurrentSet (
string DirectoryPath // The directory to make
// current
);

The Basics of [Link] 111

The function [Link]() lists the files and
subdirectories for the specified directory. Note that you can pass a filter to get only
those files that have the specified extensions. The function returns the number of
files found and a list of file names. The syntax is as follows:
pwlDirectoryFilesGet (
string DirectoryPath, // The directory whose
// files and subdirectories
// you want to find. If this
// is null, the function
// lists the files in the
// current Creo Parametric
// directory.
string Filter // The filter string for the
// file extensions,
// separated by commas. For
// example. "*.prt," "*.txt".
// If this is null, the
// function lists all the
// files and directories.
);
Additional return fields:
integer NumFiles; // The number of files in
// FileNames.
string FileNames[]; // The list of file names.
integer NumSubdirs; // The number of
// subdirectories.
string SubdirNames; // The list of subdirectory
// names.

Allocating Arrays
Functions Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These functions allocate arrays of Boolean values, doubles, integers, and strings,
respectively. Each function takes a single argument.

Note
These functions return the allocated array.

The syntax of the functions is as follows:

boolean pwluBooleanArrayAlloc (

112 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 integer ArraySize // The size of the Boolean
// array to allocate. Use
// parseInt with this argument.
);

number[] pwluDoubleArrayAlloc (
integer ArraySize // The size of the number array
// to allocate. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
);

integer[] pwluIntArrayAlloc (
integer ArraySize // The size of the integer array
// to allocate. Use parseInt
// with this argument.
);

string[] pwluStringArrayAlloc (
integer ArraySize // The size of the string array
// to allocate. Use parseInt with
// this argument.
);
Refer to section Features on page 55 for a code example that uses the
[Link]() function. See the section Selection on
page 47 for a code example that uses the
[Link]() function.

Superseded Methods
Due to the changes in the connection and security model in the embedded browser
version of [Link], the following methods belonging to the older version of Pro/
[Link] are obsolete:
• pwlProEngineerStartAndConnect
• pwlProEngineerConnect
• pwlProEngineerDisconnectAndStop
• pwlAccessRequest

Note
These functions are provided in the embedded browser [Link] in order
to avoid scripting errors. They are not useful in developing any
applications and can be removed.

The Basics of [Link] 113

[Link] Constants
This section lists the constants defined for [Link]. The constants are arranged
alphabetically in each category (Dimension Styles, Dimension Types, Family
Table Types, and so on).

Dimension Styles
The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Description
PWL_LINEAR_DIM Linear dimension
PWL_RADIAL_DIM Radial dimension
PWL_DIAMETRICAL_DIM Diametrical dimension
PWL_ANGULAR_DIM Angular dimension
PWL_UNKNOWN_STYLE_DIM Unknown dimension

Dimension Types
The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Description
PWL_DIMENSION_STANDARD Standard dimension
PWL_DIMENSION_REFERENCE Reference dimension

Family Table Types

The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Description
PWL_FAM_TYPE_UNUSED Unused
PWL_FAM_USER_PARAM User parameter
PWL_FAM_DIMENSION Dimension
PWL_FAM_IPAR_NOTE IPAR note
PWL_FAM_FEATURE Feature
PWL_FAM_ASMCOMP Assembly component
PWL_FAM_UDF User-defined feature
PWL_FAM_ASMCOMP_MODEL Assembly component model
PWL_FAM_GTOL Geometric tolerance
PWL_FAM_TOL_PLUS Displays the nominal tolerance with a plus
PWL_FAM_TOL_MINUS Displays the nominal tolerance with a minus
PWL_FAM_TOL_PLUSMINUS Displays the nominal tolerance with a plus/minus
PWL_FAM_SYSTEM_PARAM System parameter
PWL_FAM_EXTERNAL_REFERENCE External reference

114 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Feature Group Pattern Statuses
The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Description
PWL_GRP_PATTERN_INVALID Invalid group pattern.
PWL_GRP_PATTERN_NONE The feature is not in a group pattern.
PWL_GRP_PATTERN_LEADER The feature is the leader of the group pattern.
PWL_GRP_PATTERN_MEMBER The feature is a member of the group pattern.

Feature Group Statuses

The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Description
PWL_GROUP_INVALID Invalid group.
PWL_GROUP_NONE The feature is not in a group pattern.
PWL_GROUP_MEMBER The feature is in a group that is a group pattern
member.

Feature Pattern Statuses

The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Description
PWL_PATTERN_INVALID Invalid pattern.
PWL_PATTERN_NONE The feature is not in a pattern.
PWL_PATTERN_LEADER The feature is the leader of a pattern.
PWL_PATTERN_MEMBER The feature is a member of the pattern.

Feature Types
The class pfcPWLFeatureConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Feature Type
PWL_FEAT_FIRST_FEAT First feature
PWL_FEAT_HOLE Hole
PWL_FEAT_SHAFT Shaft
PWL_FEAT_ROUND Round
PWL_FEAT_CHAMFER Chamfer
PWL_FEAT_SLOT Slot
PWL_FEAT_CUT Cut
PWL_FEAT_PROTRUSION Protrusion
PWL_FEAT_NECK Neck
PWL_FEAT_FLANGE Flange
PWL_FEAT_RIB Rib

The Basics of [Link] 115

Constant Feature Type
PWL_FEAT_EAR Ear
PWL_FEAT_DOME Dome
PWL_FEAT_DATUM Datum
PWL_FEAT_LOC_PUSH Local push
PWL_FEAT_FEAT_UDF User-defined feature (UDF)
PWL_FEAT_DATUM_AXIS Datum axis
PWL_FEAT_DRAFT Draft
PWL_FEAT_SHELL Shell
PWL_FEAT_DOME2 Second dome
PWL_FEAT_CORN_CHAMF Corner chamfer
PWL_FEAT_DATUM_POINT Datum point
PWL_FEAT_IMPORT Import
PWL_FEAT_COSMETIC Cosmetic
PWL_FEAT_ETCH Etch
PWL_FEAT_MERGE Merge
PWL_FEAT_MOLD Mold
PWL_FEAT_SAW Saw
PWL_FEAT_TURN Turn
PWL_FEAT_MILL Mill
PWL_FEAT_DRILL Drill
PWL_FEAT_OFFSET Offset
PWL_FEAT_DATUM_SURF Datum surface
PWL_FEAT_REPLACE_SURF Replacement surface
PWL_FEAT_GROOVE Groove
PWL_FEAT_PIPE Pipe
PWL_FEAT_DATUM_QUILT Datum quilt
PWL_FEAT_ASSEM_CUT Assembly cut
PWL_FEAT_UDF_THREAD Thread
PWL_FEAT_CURVE Curve
PWL_FEAT_SRF_MDL Surface model
PWL_FEAT_WALL Wall
PWL_FEAT_BEND Bend
PWL_FEAT_UNBEND Unbend
PWL_FEAT_CUT_SMT Sheetmetal cut
PWL_FEAT_FORM Form
PWL_FEAT_THICKEN Thicken
PWL_FEAT_BEND_BACK Bend back
PWL_FEAT_UDF_NOTCH UDF notch
PWL_FEAT_UDF_PUNCH UDF punch
PWL_FEAT_INT_UDF For internal use
PWL_FEAT_SPLIT_SURF Split surface
PWL_FEAT_GRAPH Graph
PWL_FEAT_SMT_MFG_PUNCH Sheetmetal manufacturing punch

116 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Constant Feature Type
PWL_FEAT_SMT_MFG_CUT Sheetmetal manufacturing cut
PWL_FEAT_FLATTEN Flatten
PWL_FEAT_SET Set
PWL_FEAT_VDA VDA
PWL_FEAT_SMT_MFG_FORM Sheetmetal manufacturing for milling
PWL_FEAT_SMT_PUNCH_PNT Sheetmetal punch point
PWL_FEAT_LIP Lip
PWL_FEAT_MANUAL Manual
PWL_FEAT_MFG_GATHER Manufacturing gather
PWL_FEAT_MFG_TRIM Manufacturing trim
PWL_FEAT_MFG_USEVOL Manufacturing use volume
PWL_FEAT_LOCATION Location
PWL_FEAT_CABLE_SEGM Cable segment
PWL_FEAT_CABLE Cable
PWL_FEAT_CSYS Coordinate system
PWL_FEAT_CHANNEL Channel
PWL_FEAT_WIRE_EDM Wire EDM
PWL_FEAT_AREA_NIBBLE Area nibble
PWL_FEAT_PATCH Patch
PWL_FEAT_PLY Ply
PWL_FEAT_CORE Core
PWL_FEAT_EXTRACT Extract
PWL_FEAT_MFG_REFINE Manufacturing refine
PWL_FEAT_SILH_TRIM Silhouette trim
PWL_FEAT_SPLIT Split
PWL_FEAT_EXTEND Extend
PWL_FEAT_SOLIDIFY Solidify
PWL_FEAT_INTERSECT Intersect
PWL_FEAT_ATTACH Attach
PWL_FEAT_XSEC Cross section
PWL_FEAT_UDF_ZONE UDF zone
PWL_FEAT_UDF_CLAMP UDF clamp
PWL_FEAT_DRL_GRP Drill group
PWL_FEAT_ISEGM Ideal segment
PWL_FEAT_CABLE_COSM Cable cosmetic
PWL_FEAT_SPOOL Spool
PWL_FEAT_COMPONENT Component
PWL_FEAT_MFG_MERGE Manufacturing merge
PWL_FEAT_FIXSETUP Fixture setup
PWL_FEAT_SETUP Setup
PWL_FEAT_FLAT_PAT Flat pattern
PWL_FEAT_CONT_MAP Contour map
PWL_FEAT_EXP_RATIO Exponential ratio

The Basics of [Link] 117

Constant Feature Type
PWL_FEAT_RIP Rip
PWL_FEAT_OPERATION Operation
PWL_FEAT_WORKCELL Workcell
PWL_FEAT_CUT_MOTION Cut motion
PWL_FEAT_BLD_PATH Build path
PWL_FEAT_DRV_TOOL_SKETCH Driven tool sketch
PWL_FEAT_DRV_TOOL_EDGE Driven tool edge
PWL_FEAT_DRV_TOOL_CURVE Driven tool curve
PWL_FEAT_DRV_TOOL_SURF Driven tool surface
PWL_FEAT_MAT_REMOVAL Material removal
PWL_FEAT_TORUS Torus
PWL_FEAT_PIPE_SET_START Piping set start point
PWL_FEAT_PIPE_PNT_PNT Piping point
PWL_FEAT_PIPE_EXT Pipe extension
PWL_FEAT_PIPE_TRIM Pipe trim
PWL_FEAT_PIPE_FOLL Follow (pipe routing)
PWL_FEAT_PIPE_JOIN Pipe join
PWL_FEAT_AUXILIARY Auxiliary
PWL_FEAT_PIPE_LINE Pipe line
PWL_FEAT_LINE_STOCK Line stock
PWL_FEAT_SLD_PIPE Solid pipe
PWL_FEAT_BULK_OBJECT Bulk object
PWL_FEAT_SHRINKAGE Shrinkage
PWL_FEAT_PIPE_JOINT Pipe joint
PWL_FEAT_PIPE_BRANCH Pipe branch
PWL_FEAT_DRV_TOOL_TWO_CNTR Driven tool (two centers)
PWL_FEAT_SUBHARNESS Subharness
PWL_FEAT_SMT_OPTIMIZE Sheetmetal optimize
PWL_FEAT_DECLARE Declare
PWL_FEAT_SMT_POPULATE Sheetmetal populate
PWL_FEAT_OPER_COMP Operation component
PWL_FEAT_MEASURE Measure
PWL_FEAT_DRAFT_LINE Draft line
PWL_FEAT_REMOVE_SURFS Remove surfaces
PWL_FEAT_RIBBON_CABLE Ribbon cable
PWL_FEAT_ATTACH_VOLUME Attach volume
PWL_FEAT_BLD_OPERATION Build operation
PWL_FEAT_UDF_WRK_REG UDF working region
PWL_FEAT_SPINAL_BEND Spinal bend
PWL_FEAT_TWIST Twist
PWL_FEAT_FREE_FORM Free-form
PWL_FEAT_ZONE Zone
PWL_FEAT_WELDING_ROD Welding rod

118 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Constant Feature Type
PWL_FEAT_WELD_FILLET Welding fillet
PWL_FEAT_WELD_GROOVE Welding groove
PWL_FEAT_WELD_PLUG_SLOT Welding plug slot
PWL_FEAT_WELD_SPOT Welding spot
PWL_FEAT_SMT_SHEAR Sheetmetal shear
PWL_FEAT_PATH_SEGM Path segment
PWL_FEAT_RIBBON_SEGM Ribbon segment
PWL_FEAT_RIBBON_PATH Ribbon path
PWL_FEAT_RIBBON_EXTEND Ribbon extend
PWL_FEAT_ASMCUT_COPY Assembly cut copy
PWL_FEAT_DEFORM_AREA Deform area
PWL_FEAT_RIBBON_SOLID Ribbon solid
PWL_FEAT_FLAT_RIBBON_SEGM Flat ribbon segment
PWL_FEAT_POSITION_FOLD Position fold
PWL_FEAT_SPRING_BACK Spring back
PWL_FEAT_BEAM_SECTION Beam section
PWL_FEAT_SHRINK_DIM Shrink dimension
PWL_FEAT_THREAD Thread
PWL_FEAT_SMT_CONVERSION Sheetmetal conversion
PWL_FEAT_CMM_MEASSTEP CMM measured step
PWL_FEAT_CMM_CONSTR CMM construct
PWL_FEAT_CMM_VERIFY CMM verify
PWL_FEAT_CAV_SCAN_SET CAV scan set
PWL_FEAT_CAV_FIT CAV fit
PWL_FEAT_CAV_DEVIATION CAV deviation
PWL_FEAT_SMT_ZONE Sheetmetal zone
PWL_FEAT_SMT_CLAMP Sheetmetal clamp
PWL_FEAT_PROCESS_STEP Process step
PWL_FEAT_EDGE_BEND Edge bend
PWL_FEAT_DRV_TOOL_PROF Drive tool profile
PWL_FEAT_EXPLODE_LINE Explode line
PWL_FEAT_GEOM_COPY Geometric copy
PWL_FEAT_ANALYSIS Analysis
PWL_FEAT_WATER_LINE Water line
PWL_FEAT_UDF_RMDT Rapid mold design tool
PWL_FEAT_USER_FEAT User feature

Layer Display Types

The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:

The Basics of [Link] 119

Constant Description
PWL_DISPLAY_TYPE_NONE No layer
PWL_DISPLAY_TYPE_NORMAL A normal layer
PWL_DISPLAY_TYPE_DISPLAY A layer selected for display
PWL_DISPLAY_TYPE_BLANK A blanked layer
PWL_DISPLAY_TYPE_HIDDEN A hidden layer

Object Types
The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Description
PWL_MODEL Model (for parameter functions)
PWL_TYPE_UNUSED Unused
PWL_ASSEMBLY Assembly
PWL_PART Part
PWL_FEATURE Feature
PWL_DRAWING Drawing
PWL_SURFACE Surface
PWL_EDGE Edge
PWL_3DSECTION Three-dimensional section
PWL_DIMENSION Dimension
PWL_2DSECTION Two-dimensional section
PWL_LAYOUT Notebook
PWL_AXIS Axis
PWL_CSYS Coordinate system
PWL_REF_DIMENSION Reference dimension
PWL_GTOL Geometric tolerance
PWL_DWGFORM Drawing form
PWL_SUB_ASSEMBLY Subassembly
PWL_MFG Manufacturing object
PWL_QUILT Quilt
PWL_CURVE Curve
PWL_POINT Point
PWL_NOTE Note
PWL_IPAR_NOTE IPAR note
PWL_EDGE_START Start of the edge
PWL_EDGE_END End of the edge
PWL_CRV_START Start of the curve
PWL_CRV_END End of the curve
PWL_SYMBOL_INSTANCE Symbol instance
PWL_DRAFT_ENTITY Draft entity
PWL_DRAFT_GROUP Draft group
PWL_DRAW_TABLE Drawing table

120 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Constant Description
PWL_VIEW View
PWL_REPORT Report
PWL_MARKUP Markup
PWL_LAYER Layer
PWL_DIAGRAM Diagram
PWL_SKETCH_ENTITY Sketched entity
PWL_DATUM_PLANE Datum plane
PWL_COMP_CRV Composite curve
PWL_BND_TABLE Bend table
PWL_PARAMETER Parameter
PWL_DIAGRAM_OBJECT Diagram object
PWL_DIAGRAM_WIRE Diagram wire
PWL_SIMP_REP Simplified representation
PWL_WELD_PARAMS Weld parameters
PWL_EXTOBJ External object
PWL_EXPLD_STATE Explode state
PWL_RELSET Set of relations
PWL_CONTOUR Contour
PWL_GROUP Group
PWL_UDF User-defined feature
PWL_FAMILY_TABLE Family table
PWL_PATREL_FIRST_DIR Pattern direction 1
PWL_PATREL_SECOND_DIR Pattern direction 2

Parameter Types
The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Description
PWL_USER_PARAM User parameter
PWL_DIM_PARAM Dimension parameter
PWL_PATTERN_PARAM Pattern parameter
PWL_DIMTOL_PARAM Dimension tolerance parameter
PWL_REFDIM_PARAM Reference dimension parameter
PWL_ALL_PARAMS All parameters
PWL_GTOL_PARAM Geometric tolerance parameter
PWL_SURFFIN_PARAM Surface finish parameter

ParamType Field Values

The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:

The Basics of [Link] 121

Constant Description
PWL_VALUE_DOUBLE Double value
PWL_VALUE_STRING String value
PWL_VALUE_INTEGER Integer value
PWL_VALUE_BOOLEAN Boolean value
PWL_VALUE_NOTEID Note identifier

ParamValue Values
The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Description
PWL_PARAMVALUE_DOUBLE Double value
PWL_PARAMVALUE_STRING String value
PWL_PARAMVALUE_INTEGER Integer value
PWL_PARAMVALUE_BOOLEAN Boolean value
PWL_PARAMVALUE_NOTEID Note identifier

Tolerance Types
The class pfcPWLConstants contains the following constants:
Constant Description
PWL_TOL_DEFAULT Displays the nominal tolerance.
PWL_TOL_PLUS_MINUS Displays the nominal tolerance with a plus/minus.
PWL_TOL_LIMITS Displays the upper and lower tolerance limits.
PWL_TOL_PLUS_MINUS_SYM Displays the tolerance as +/-x, where x is the plus
tolerance. The value of the minus tolerance is
irrelevant and unused.

122 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 5
The [Link] Online Browser
Online Documentation [Link] APIWizard .............................................................. 124

This chapter describes how to use the online browser provided with [Link].

123
Online Documentation [Link]
APIWizard
[Link] provides an online browser called the [Link] APIWizard that
displays detailed documentation. This browser displays information from the Web.
Link User’s Guide API specifications derived from [Link] header file data.
The [Link] APIWizard contains the following items:
• Definitions of [Link] modules.
• Definitions of [Link] classes and their hierarchical relationships.
• Descriptions of [Link] methods.
• Declarations of data types used by [Link] methods.
• The [Link] User’s Guide that you can browse by topic or class.
• Code examples for [Link] methods (taken from the sample applications
provided as part of the [Link] installation)
Read the Release Notes and README file for the most up-to-date information on
documentation changes.

Note
• The [Link] User’s Guide is also available in PDF format at the following
location:
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>\[Link]

• From Creo 4.0 F000, the applet based APIWizard is no longer supported. Use
the non-applet based APIWizard instead.

APIWizard Overview
The APIWizard supports Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chromium browsers.
Start the [Link] APIWizard by pointing your browser to:
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>\weblinkdoc\[Link]
A page containing links to the [Link] APIWizard and User’s Guide will open
in the web browser.

Non-Applet APIWizard Top Page

Start the [Link] APIWizard by pointing your browser to:
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>\weblinkdoc\[Link]

124 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Your web browser will display the [Link] APIWizard data in a new window.

Non-Applet APIWizard Top Page

The top page of non-applet based APIWizard has links to the [Link]
APIWizard and User’s Guide. The APIWizard opens an HTML page that contains
links to [Link] classes and related methods. The User’s Guide opens an HTML
page that displays the Table of Contents of the User’s Guide, with links to the
chapters, and sections under the chapters.
Click APIWizard to open the list of [Link] classes and related methods. Click a
class or method name to read more about it.
You can search for specified information in the APIWizard. Use the search field at
the top left pane to search for methods. You can search for information using the
following criteria:
• Search by method names
• Search using wildcard character *, where * (asterisk) matches zero or more
nonwhite space characters
The resulting method names are displayed in a drop down list with links to html
pages.

You can also hover the mouse over after you enter a string in the search field.
The following search options are displayed:
• Class/Methods—Searches for classes and methods.
• Exceptions—Searches only for exceptions.
• Enumeration—Searches only for enumerations.
Select an option and the search results are displayed based on this criteria.

User’s Guide
Click User’s Guide to access the [Link] User’s Guide.

The [Link] Online Browser 125

 6
Session Objects
Overview of Session Objects.................................................................................... 127
Getting the Session Object....................................................................................... 127
Compatibility of Deprecated Methods........................................................................ 129
Directories .............................................................................................................. 130
Accessing the Creo Parametric Interface................................................................... 133

This chapter describes how to program on the session level using [Link].

126 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Overview of Session Objects
The Creo Parametric Session object (contained in the class pfcSession) is
the highest level object in [Link] . Any program that accesses data from Creo
Parametric must first get a handle to the pfcSession object before accessing
more specific data.
The pfcSession object contains methods to perform the following operations:
• Accessing models and windows (described in the Models and Windows
chapters).
• Working with the Creo Parametric user interface.
• Allowing interactive selection of items within the session.
• Accessing global settings such as line styles, colors, and configuration options.
The following sections describe these operations in detail.

Getting the Session Object

Method Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
For every application, Creo assigns a unique session. The session contains license
information, the compatibility information as a pfcCreoCompatibility
object, and other additional data of the application. When a session is assigned to
an application, Creo sets the compatibility to CompatibilityUndefined in
the associated pfcAppInfo object. You must set the compatibility of the
application before working with sessions. To set the compatibility, call the method
[Link](). Use the
values defined in the enumerated data type pfcCreoCompatibility to set
the compatibility of the application. See Compatibility of Deprecated Methods on
page for more information on compatibility and AppInfo object. Use the method
[Link]() to get the current pfcSession
object in synchronous mode. If the compatibility is not set, the method throws the
exception pfcXCompatibilityNotSet.
The method [Link]() also gets the
pfcSession object. This method will be deprecated in a future release of Creo.
If you call this method without setting the compatibility, the method sets the
compatibility to C3Compatible. This setting ensures forward compatibility of
the Creo applications. If you set a specific compatibility using the method
[Link](), and call

Session Objects 127

the method [Link]() then all calls to
[Link]() return the session with the set
compatibility.

Note
You can make multiple calls to this method, but each call gives you a handle
to the same object.

Getting Session Information

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns an array
containing the command line arguments passed to Creo Parametric if these
arguments follow one of two formats:
• Any argument starting with a plus sign (+) followed by a letter character.
• Any argument starting with a minus (-) followed by a capitalized letter.
The first argument passed in the array is the full path to the Creo Parametric
executable.
The method [Link]() returns a string that
represent the Creo Parametric version, for example “Wildfire”.
The method [Link]() returns a string that
represents the build code of the Creo Parametric session.

Note
The preceding methods can only access information in synchronous mode.

Example: Accessing the Creo Parametric Command Line

Arguments
The sample code in the file [Link] located at
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript describes
the use of the GetProEArguments method to access the Creo Parametric
command line arguments. The first argument is always the full path to the Creo

128 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Parametric executable. For this application the next two arguments can be either
("+runtime" or "+development") or ("-Unix" or "-NT"). Based on these values 2
boolean variables are set and passed on to another method which makes use of this
information.

Compatibility of Deprecated Methods

In a release cycle, some methods are deprecated, and new methods are added. The
deprecated methods are supported in the current release, and then obsoleted in a
future release. You can either choose to let the deprecated methods work in the
current release, or allow only new methods to work. Use the methods explained in
this section along with the compatibility value to work with either deprecated or
new methods for the current release.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The methods [Link]() and
[Link]() get and set the compatibility value for
the specified application using the enumerated data type
pfcCreoCompatibility. The valid values are:
• CompatibilityUndefined—Specifies that compatibility value is not
set. The default compatibility value is used.
• C3Compatible—Specifies that the methods deprecated in [Link] 4.0 are
compatible and continue working in [Link] 4.0. By default the
compatibility is set to C3Compatible.
• C4Compatible—Specifies that the methods deprecated in [Link] 4.0
will not work in [Link] 4.0. If your application uses the deprecated
methods, you must replace these methods with new methods and rebuild you
applications.

Session Objects 129

 Note
If you rebuild or run [Link] applications from previous releases in the
current release, the compatibility is set C3Compatible to current release.
For example, if you rebuild a [Link] 3.0 application in release 4.0, the
compatibility is set to C3Compatible. To set the compatibility to the
current release, use the method [Link]().

The method [Link]() creates a new instance of the

pfcAppInfo object.
The methods [Link]() and
[Link]() get and set the information for an application in
terms of their compatibility value as a [Link]() object.

Directories
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns the
absolute path name for the current working directory of Creo Parametric.
The method [Link]() changes Creo
Parametric to another working directory.

File Handling
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() 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
[Link]() 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 pfcFileListOpt enumerated type:

130 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• FILE_LIST_ALL—Lists all the files. It may also include multiple versions
of the same file.
• FILE_LIST_LATEST—Lists only the latest version of each file.
• FILE_LIST_ALL_INST—Same as the FILE_LIST_ALL option. It returns
instances only for PDM locations.
• FILE_LIST_LATEST_INST—Same as the FILE_LIST_LATEST option.
It returns instances only for PDM locations.
The method [Link]() returns the
subdirectories in a given directory location.

Configuration Options
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
You can access configuration options programmatically using the methods
described in this section.
Use the method [Link]() 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 [Link]() 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 [Link]() loads an entire
configuration file into Creo Parametric.

Macros
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() runs a macro string. A
[Link] 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.

Session Objects 131

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` `[Link]`;
~ 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 [Link]().
In this case, it is as follows:
~ Activate `main_dlg_cur` `[Link]`;
~ Activate `new` `OK`;

Note
Creating or editing the macro string manually is not supported as the mapkeys
are not a supported scripting language. The syntax is not defined for users and
is not guaranteed to remain constant across different datecodes of Creo
Parametric.

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

Colors and Line Styles

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These methods control the general display of a Creo Parametric session.
Use the method [Link]() to customize
any of the Creo Parametric standard colors.
To change the color of any text in the window, use the method
[Link]().
To change the appearance of nonsolid lines (for example, datums) use the method
[Link]().

132 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Accessing the Creo Parametric Interface
The pfcSession object has methods that work with the Creo Parametric
interface. These methods provide access to the message window.

The Text Message File

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.

Note
Remember that [Link] applications, as unregistered web pages, do not
currently support setting of the Creo Parametric text directory. All the resource
files for messages must be located under $PRO_DIRECTORY/text folder.
You can force Creo Parametric to load a message file by registering a Creo
Parametric TOOLKIT or J-Link application via the web page, and calling a
function or method that requires the message file. Once the file has been
loaded by Creo Parametric, [Link] applications may use any of its
keystrings for displaying messages in the message window.

Restrictions on the Text Message File

You must observe the following restrictions when you name your message file:
• The name of the file must be 30 characters or less, including the extension.
• The name of the file must contain lower case characters only.
• The file extension must be three characters.
• The version number must be in the range 1 to 9999.
• All message file names must be unique, and all message key strings must be
unique across all applications that run with Creo Parametric. Duplicate
message file names or message key strings can cause Creo Parametric to
exhibit unexpected behavior. To avoid conflicts with the names of Creo
Parametric or foreign application message files or message key strings, PTC
recommends that you choose a prefix unique to your application, and prepend
that prefix to each message file name and each message key string
corresponding to that application

Session Objects 133

 Note
Message files are loaded into Creo Parametric only once during a session. If
you make a change to the message file while Creo Parametric is running you
must exit and restart Creo Parametric before the change will take effect.

Contents of the Message File

The message file consists of groups of four lines, one group for each message you
want to write. The four lines are as follows:
1. A string that acts as the identifier for the message. This keyword must be
unique for all Creo Parametric messages.
2. The string that will be substituted for the identifier.
This string can include placeholders for run-time information stored in a
stringseq object (shown in Writing Messages to the Message Window).
3. The translation of the message into another language (can be blank).
4. An intentionally blank line reserved for future extensions.

Writing a Message Using a Message Pop-up Dialog

Box
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() displays the UI
message dialog. The input arguments to the method are:
• Message—The message text to be displayed in the dialog.
• Options—An instance of the pfcMessageDialogOptions containing
other options for the resulting displayed message. If this is not supplied, the
dialog will show a default message dialog with an Info classification and an
OK button. If this is not to be null, create an instance of this options type with
[Link](). You can set the following
options:
○ Buttons—Specifies an array of buttons to include in the dialog. If not
supplied, the dialog will include only the OK button. Use the method
[Link] to set this option.

134 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 ○ DefaultButton—Specifies the identifier of the default button for the
dialog box. This must match one of the available buttons. Use the method
[Link] to set this option.
○ DialogLabel—The text to display as the title of the dialog box. If not
supplied, the label will be the english string Info. Use the method
[Link] to set this option.
○ MessageDialogType—The type of icon to be displayed with the
dialog box (Info, Prompt, Warning, or Error). If not supplied, an Info icon is
used. Use the method
[Link] to set this
option.

Accessing the Message Window

The following sections describe how to access the message window using
[Link]. The topics are as follows:
• Writing Messages to the Message Window on page 135
• Writing Messages to an Internal Buffer on page 135

Writing Messages to the Message Window

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These methods enable you to display program information on the screen.
The input arguments to the methods [Link]()
and [Link]() include the names of
the message file, a message identifier, and (optionally) a stringseq object that
contains upto 10 pieces of run-time information. For
[Link](), the strings in the stringseq are
identified as %0s, %1s, ... %9s based on their location in the sequence. For
[Link](), the strings in the
stringseq are identified as %0w, %1w, ... %9w based on their location in the
sequence. To include other types of run-time data (such as integers or reals) you
must first convert the data to strings and store it in the string sequence.

Writing Messages to an Internal Buffer

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()

Session Objects 135

• [Link]
The methods [Link]() and
[Link] enable you to
write a message to an internal buffer instead of the Creo Parametric message area.
These methods take the same input arguments and perform exactly the same
argument substitution and translation as the
[Link]() and
[Link] methods described
in the previous section.

Message Classification
Messages displayed in [Link] 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.

Note
Any message key string used in the code should not contain the classification.

[Link] applications can now display any or all of the following message
symbols:
• Prompt—This [Link] message is preceded by a green arrow. The user
must respond to this message type. Responding includes, specifying input
information, accepting the default value offered, or canceling the application.
If no action is taken, the progress of the application is halted. A response may
either be textual or a selection. The classification for Prompt messages is %CP
• Info—This [Link] message is preceded by a blue dot. Info message types
contain information such as user requests or feedback from [Link] or Creo
Parametric. The classification for Info messages is %CI

Note
Do not classify messages that display information regarding problems with
an operation or process as Info. These types of messages must be
classified as Warnings.

• Warning—This [Link] message is preceded by a triangle containing an

exclamation point. Warning message types contain information to alert users

136 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 to situations that could potentially lead to an error during a later stage of the
process. Examples of warnings could be a process restriction or a suspected
data problem. A Warning will not prevent or interrupt a process. Also, a
Warning should not be used to indicate a failed operation. Warnings must only
caution a user that the completed operation may not have been performed in a
completely desirable way. The classification for Warning messages is %CW
• Error—This [Link] message is preceded by a a broken square. An Error
message informs the user that a required task was not completed successfully.
Depending on the application, a failed task may or may not require
intervention or correction before work can continue. Whenever possible
redress this situation by providing a path. The classification for Error
messages is %CE
• Critical—This [Link] message is preceded by a red X. A Critical
message type informs the user of an extremely serious situation that is usually
preceeded by loss of user data. Options redressing this situation, if available,
should be provided within the message. The classification for a Critical
messages is %CC

Example Code: Writing a Message

The sample code in the file located at demonstrates how to write a message to the
message window. The program uses the message file [Link].

Reading Data from the Message Window

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These methods enable a program to get data from the user. The methods obtain
keyboard input from a text box in the Creo Parametric user interface.

Note
When the user presses Esc or clicks Cancel in the Creo Parametric user
interface, these methods throw the exception PFCXToolkitMsgUserQuit.

The [Link]() and

[Link]() methods contain optional arguments
that can be used to limit the value of the data to a certain range.

Session Objects 137

The method [Link]() includes an optional
Boolean argument that specifies whether to echo characters entered onto the
screen. You would use this argument when prompting a user to enter a password.

Note
A default value is displayed in the text box as input. When user presses the
Enter key as input in the user interface, the default value is not passed to the
[Link] method; instead, the method returns a constant string use_
default_string. When this string is returned, the application must
interpret that the user wants to use the default value.

Displaying Feature Parameters

Method Introduced:
• [Link]
The method [Link]() 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.

File Dialogs
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

138 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() opens the relevant dialog box for
browsing directories and opening files. The method lets you specify several
options through the input arguments pfcFileOpenOptions and
pfcFileUIOptions.
Use the method [Link]() to create a new instance
of the pfcFileOpenOptions object. This object contains the following
options:
• FilterString—Specifies the filter string for the type of file accepted by
the dialog box. Multiple file types should be listed with wildcards and
separated by commas, for example, *.prt, *.asm, *.txt, *.avi, and so
on. Use the property [Link] to set this
option.
• PreselectedItem—Specifies the name of an item to preselect in the
dialog box. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
The pfcFileUIOptions object contains the following options:
• DefaultPath—Specifies the name of the path to be opened by default in
the dialog box. Use the property [Link] to
set this option.
• DialogLabel—Specifies the title of the dialog box. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• Shortcuts—Specifies an array of file shortcuts of the type
pfcFileOpenShortcut. Create this object using the method
[Link](). This object contains the following
attributes:
○ ShortcutName—Specifies the name of shortcut path to be made
available in the dialog box.
○ ShortcutPath—Specifies the string for the shortcut path.
Use the property [Link] to set the array of file
shortcuts.
The method [Link]() returns the file selected by you.
The application must use other methods or techniques to perform the desired
action on the file.
The method [Link]() opens the relevant dialog box for
saving a file. The method accepts options similar to
[Link]() through the PFCFileSaveOptions and
pfcFileUIOptions objects. Use the method
[Link]() to create a new instance of the
pfcFileSaveOptions object. When using the Save dialog box, you can set

Session Objects 139

the name to a non-existent file. The method [Link]()
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 [Link]() prompts the user to
select a directory using the Creo Parametric dialog box for browsing directories.
The method accepts options through the pfcDirectorySelectionOptions
object which is similar to the pfcFileUIOptions object (described for the
method [Link]()). 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 [Link]() to create a new instance of the
pfcDirectorySelectionOptions object. The method
[Link]() returns the selected directory path;
the application must use other methods or techniques to perform other relevant
tasks with this selected path.

Customizing the Creo Parametric Navigation Area

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 [Link] applications to add custom panes that contain Web pages to the
Creo Parametric navigation area.

Adding Custom Web Pages

To add custom Web pages to the navigation area, the [Link] application must:
1. Add a new pane to the navigation area.
2. Set an icon for this pane.
3. Set the URL of the location that will be displayed in the pane.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() adds a new
pane that can display a Web page to the navigation area. The input parameters are:
• PaneName—Specify a unique name for the pane. Use this name in
subsequent calls to
[Link]() and
[Link]().
• IconFileName—Specify the name of the icon file, including the extension. A
valid format for the icon file is the PTC-proprietary format used by Creo

140 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 Parametric .BIF, .GIF, .JPG, or .PNG. The new pane is displayed with the
icon image. If you specify the value as NULL, the default Creo Parametric icon
is used.
The default search paths for finding the icons are:
○ <creo_loadpoint>\<datecode>\Common Files\text\
resource
○ <Application text dir>\resource
○ <Application text dir>\<language>\resource
The location of the application text directory is specified in the registry file.
• URL—Specify the URL of the location to be accessed from the pane.
Use the method [Link]() to set
or change the icon of a specified browser pane in the navigation area.
Use the method [Link]() to
change the URL of the page displayed in the browser pane in the navigation area.

Session Objects 141

 7
Selection
Interactive Selection ................................................................................................ 143
Accessing Selection Data ........................................................................................ 144
Programmatic Selection........................................................................................... 146
Selection Buffer....................................................................................................... 147

This chapter describes how to use Interactive Selection in [Link].

142 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Interactive Selection
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() activates the standard Creo
Parametric menu structure for selecting objects and returns a pfcSelection
sequence that contains the objects the user selected. Using the Options argument,
you can control the type of object that can be selected and the maximum number
of selections.
In addition, you can pass in a pfcSelection sequence to the method. The
returned pfcSelection sequence will contain the input sequence and any new
objects.
The method [Link]() and the property
[Link] take a String argument made
up of one or more of the identifiers listed in the table below, separated by commas.
For example, to allow the selection of features and axes, the arguments would be
feature, axis.
Creo Parametric Database String Identifier ModelItemType
Item
Datum point point ITEM_POINT
Datum axis axis ITEM_AXIS
Datum plane datum ITEM_SURFACE
Coordinate system datum csys ITEM_COORD_SYS
Feature feature ITEM_FEATURE
Edge (solid or datum surface) edge ITEM_EDGE
Edge (solid only) sldedge ITEM_EDGE
Edge (datum surface only) qltedge ITEM_EDGE
Datum curve curve ITEM_CURVE
Composite curve comp_crv ITEM_CURVE
Surface (solid or quilt) surface ITEM_SURFACE
Surface (solid) sldface ITEM_SURFACE
Surface (datum surface) qltface ITEM_SURFACE
Quilt dtmqlt ITEM_QUILT
Dimension dimension ITEM_DIMENSION
Reference dimension ref_dim ITEM_REF_DIMENSION
Integer parameter ipar ITEM_DIMENSION
Part part N/A
Part or subassembly prt_or_asm N/A
Assembly component model component N/A

Selection 143
Creo Parametric Database String Identifier ModelItemType
Item
Component or feature membfeat ITEM_FEATURE
Detail symbol dtl_symbol ITEM_DTL_SYM_INSTANCE
Note any_note ITEM_NOTE, ITEM_DTL_NOTE
Draft entity draft_ent ITEM_DTL_ENTITY
Table dwg_table ITEM_TABLE
Table cell table_cell ITEM_TABLE
Drawing view dwg_view N/A
Solid body 3d_body ITEM_BODY
Datum Curve End curve_end ITEM_CRV_START or ITEM_
CRV_END

When you specify the maximum number of selections, the argument to

[Link] must be an Integer.
The default value assigned when creating a pfcSelectionOptions object is
–1, which allows any number of selections by the user.

Accessing Selection Data

Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• pfcSelection.SelView2D
• [Link]
• [Link]
These properties return objects and data that make up the selection object. Using
the appropriate properties, you can access the following data:
• For a selected model or model item use [Link] or
[Link].
• For an assembly component use [Link].
• For UV parameters of the selection point on a surface use
[Link].

144 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• For the T parameter of the selection point on an edge or curve use
[Link].
• For a three-dimensional point object that contains the selected point use
[Link].
• For selection depth, in screen coordinates use [Link].
• For the selected drawing view, if the selection was from a drawing, use
pfcSelection.SelView2D.
• For the selected table cell, if the selection was from a table, use
[Link].
• For the selected table segment, if the selection was from a table, use
[Link].

Controlling Selection Display

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These methods cause a specific selection to be highlighted or dimmed on the
screen using the color specified as an argument.
The method [Link]() highlights the selection in the
current window. This highlight is the same as the one used by Creo Parametric
when selecting an item—it just repaints the wire-frame display in the new color.
The highlight is removed if you use the View, Repaint command or
[Link](); it is not removed if you use
[Link]().
The method [Link]() removes the highlight.
The method [Link]() causes a selected object to be
displayed on the screen, even if it is suppressed or hidden.

Note
This is a one-time action and the next repaint will erase this display.

Selection 145
Example Code: Using Interactive Selection
The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript demonstrates how
to use [Link] to allow interactive selection.

Programmatic Selection
[Link] provides methods whereby you can make your own Selection objects,
without prompting the user. These Selections are required as inputs to some
methods and can also be used to highlight certain objects on the screen.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• pfcSelection.SelView2D
The method [Link]() creates a
selection out of any model item object. It takes a pfcModelItem and optionally
a pfcComponentPath object to identify which component in an assembly the
Selection Object belongs to.
The method [Link]() creates a
selection out of any component in an assembly. It takes a ptcComponentPath
object. For more information about pfcComponentPath objects, see the
section Getting a Solid Object on page 211 in the Solid on page 210 chapter.
Use the method [Link]() to create a
pfcSelection object, based on a pfcModel object.
The method [Link]() creates a
new selection object, based on a [Link] style selection string specified as the
input.
Some [Link] properties require more information to be set in the selection
object. The methods allow you to set the following:
The selected item using the method [Link].
The selected table cell using the method [Link].
The selected drawing view using the method pfcSelection.SelView2D.

146 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Selection Buffer
Introduction to Selection Buffers
Selection is the process of choosing items on which you want to perform an
operation. In Creo Parametric, before a feature tool is invoked, the user can select
items to be used in a given tool's collectors. Collectors are like storage bins of the
references of selected items. The location where preselected items are stored is
called the selection buffer.
Depending on the situation, different selection buffers may be active at any one
time. In Part and Assembly mode, Creo Parametric offers the default selection
buffer, the Edit selection buffer, and other more specialized buffers. Other Creo
Parametric modes offer different selection buffers.
In the default Part and Assembly buffer there are two levels at which selection is
done:
• First Level Selection
Provides access to higher-level objects such as features or components. You
can make a second level selection only after you select the higher-level object.
• Second Level Selection
Provides access to geometric objects such as edges and faces.

Note
First-level and second-level objects are usually incompatible in the selection
buffer.

[Link] allows access to the contents of the currently active selection buffer.
The available functions allow your application to:
• Get the contents of the active selection buffer.
• Remove the contents of the active selection buffer.
• Add to the contents of the active selection buffer.

Reading the Contents of the Selection Buffer

Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]

Selection 147
The property [Link] returns the
selection buffer object for the current active model in session. The selection buffer
contains the items preselected by the user to be used by the selection tool and
popup menus.
Use the property [Link] to access the contents of
the current selection buffer. The method returns independent copies of the
selections in the selection buffer (if the buffer is cleared, this array is still valid).

Removing the Items of the Selection Buffer

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Use the method [Link]() to remove a
specific selection from the selection buffer. The input argument is the
IndexToRemove specifies the index where the item was found in the call to the
method [Link].
Use the method [Link]() to clear the currently
active selection buffer of all contents. After the buffer is cleared, all contents are
lost.

Adding Items to the Selection Buffer

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
Use the method [Link]() to add an item
to the currently active selection buffer.

Note
The selected item must refer to an item that is in the current model such as its
owner, component path or drawing view.

This method may fail due to any of the following reasons:

• There is no current selection buffer active.
• The selection does not refer to the current model.
• The item is not currently displayed and so cannot be added to the buffer.

148 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• The selection cannot be added to the buffer in combination with one or more
objects that are already in the buffer. For example: geometry and features
cannot be selected in the default buffer at the same time.

Selection 149
 8
Models
Overview of Model Objects....................................................................................... 151
Getting a Model Object ............................................................................................ 151
Model Descriptors ................................................................................................... 151
Retrieving Models ................................................................................................... 153
Model Information ................................................................................................... 154
Model Operations .................................................................................................... 157
Running Creo ModelCHECK .................................................................................... 158

This chapter describes how to program on the model level using [Link].

150 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Overview of Model Objects
Models can be any Creo Parametric file type, including parts, assemblies,
drawings, sections, and notebook. The classes in the module pfcModel provide
generic access to models, regardless of their type. The available methods enable
you to do the following:
• Access information about a model.
• Open, copy, rename, and save a model.

Getting a Model Object

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
These methods get a model object that is already in session.
The property [Link] returns the model that was
interactively selected.
The method [Link]() returns a model based on its
name and type, whereas [Link]() returns a
model in an assembly that has the specified integer identifier.
The property [Link] returns the current active
model.
The method [Link]() returns the active Creo
Parametric model.
Use the method [Link]() to return a sequence of
all the models in session.
For more methods that return solid models, refer to the chapter Solid on page 210.

Model Descriptors
Methods and Properties Introduced:

Models 151
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
Model descriptors are data objects used to describe a model file and its location in
the system. The methods in the model descriptor enable you to set specific
information that enables Creo Parametric to find the specific model you want.
The static utility method [Link]() allows you to
specify as data to be entered a model type, an instance name, and a generic name.
The model descriptor constructs the full name of the model as a string, as follows:
String FullName = InstanceName+"<"+GenericName+">";
// As long as the
// generic name is
// not an empty
// string ("")
If you want to load a model that is not a family table instance, pass an empty
string as the generic name argument so that the full name of the model is
constructed correctly. If the model is a family table interface, you should specify
both the instance and generic names.

Note
You are allowed to set other fields in the model descriptor object, but they may
be ignored by some methods.

The static utility method

[Link]() allows you to create a
new model descriptor from a given a file name. The file name is a string in the
form <name>.<extension>.

152 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Retrieving Models
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These methods cause Creo Parametric to retrieve the model that corresponds to
the pfcModelDescriptor argument.
The method [Link]() retrieves the specified
model into the Creo Parametric session given its model descriptor from a standard
directory. This method ignores the path argument specified in the model
descriptor. But this method does not create a window for it, nor does it display the
model anywhere.
The method [Link]() retrieves the
specified model into the Creo Parametric session based on the path specified by
the model descriptor. The path can be a disk path, a workspace path, or a
commonspace path. The Opts argument (given by the
pfcRetrieveModelOptions object) provides the user with the option to
specify simplified representations.
The method [Link]() brings the model into memory,
opens a new window for it (or uses the base window, if it is empty), and displays
the model.

Note
[Link]() actually returns a handle to the window
it has created.

The file version set by the [Link] property

is ignored by the [Link]() and
[Link]() methods. Instead, the latest file version of
the model is used by these two methods.
To get a handle to the model you need, use the property [Link].
The method [Link]() returns a true value if the
features in the solid model were suppressed during the RetrieveModel or OpenFile
operations. This method must be called immediately after the
[Link]() method or an equivalent retrieval
method.

Models 153
Model Information
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The property [Link] retrieves the model file name in the
"name"."type" format.
The property [Link] retrieves the common name for the
model. This name is displayed for the model in Windchill PDMLink.
Use the method [Link]() to identify if the
common name of the model can be modified. You can modify the name for
models that are not yet owned by Windchill PDMLink, or in certain situations if
the configuration option let_proe_rename_pdm_objects is set to yes.
The property [Link] retrieves the full name of the model in the
instance <generic> format.

154 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link] retrieves the name of the generic
model. If the model is not an instance, this name must be NULL or an empty
string.
The property [Link] retrieves the name of the model. If
the model is an instance, this method retrieves the instance name.
The property [Link] returns the complete path to the file from
which the model was opened. This path can be a location on disk from a
Windchill workspace, or from a downloaded URL.
The property [Link] retrieves the relation identifier of the
specified model. It can be NULL.
The property [Link] returns the descriptor for the specified model.
Model descriptors can be used to represent models not currently in session.

Note
From Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0 onwards, the properties
[Link], [Link], and
[Link] throw an exception pfcXtoolkitCantOpen if called
on a model instance whose immediate generic is not in session. Handle this
exception and typecast the model as pfcSolid, which in turn can be
typecast as pfcFamilyMember, and use the method
[Link]() to get the model
descriptor of the immediate generic model. The model descriptor can be used
to derive the full name or generic name of the model. If you wish to switch off
this behavior and continue to run legacy applications in the pre-Wildfire 4.0
mode, set the configuration option retrieve_instance_
dependencies to instance_and_generic_deps.

The property [Link] returns the type of model in the form of the
pfcModelType object. The types of models are as follows:
• MDL_ASSEMBLY—Specifies an assembly.
• MDL_PART—Specifies a part.
• MDL_DRAWING—Specifies a drawing.
• MDL_2D_SECTION—Specifies a 2D section.
• MDL_LAYOUT—Specifies a notebook.
• MDL_DWG_FORMAT—Specifies a drawing format.
• MDL_MFG—Specifies a manufacturing model.
• MDL_REPORT—Specifies a report.

Models 155
• MDL_MARKUP—Specifies a drawing markup.
• MDL_DIAGRAM—Specifies a diagram
• MDL_CE_SOLID—Specifies a Layout model.

Note
[Link] methods will only be able to read models of type Layout, but
will not be able to pass Layout models as input to other methods. PTC
recommends that you review all [Link] applications that use the object
pfcModelType and modify the code as appropriate to ensure that the
applications work correctly.

The property [Link] identifies whether the model has been

modified since it was last saved.
The property [Link] returns the version of the specified model
from the PDM system. It can be NULL, if not set.
The property [Link] returns the revision number of the
specified model from the PDM system. It can be NULL, if not set.
The property [Link] returns the branch of the specified model
from the PDM system. It can be NULL, if not set.
The property [Link] returns the release level of the
specified model from the PDM system. It can be NULL, if not set.
The property [Link] returns the version stamp of the
specified model. The version stamp is a Creo Parametric specific identifier that
changes with each change made to the model.
The method [Link]() returns a list of the first-
level dependencies for the specified model in the Creo Parametric workspace in
the form of the pfcDependencies object.
Use the method [Link]() to clean the
dependencies for an object in the Creo Parametric workspace.

Note
Do not call the method [Link]() during
operations that alter the dependencies, such as, restructuring components and
creating or redefining features.

The method [Link]() returns a list of all the

first-level objects declared for the specified model.

156 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() identifies if a given model
can be modified without checking for any subordinate models. This method takes
a boolean argument ShowUI that determines whether the Creo Parametric conflict
resolution dialog box should be displayed to resolve conflicts, if detected. If this
argument is false, then the conflict resolution dialog box is not displayed, and the
model can be modified only if there are no conflicts that cannot be overridden, or
are resolved by default resolution actions. For a generic model, if ShowUI is true,
then all instances of the model are also checked.
The method [Link]() identifies if a given
model can be saved along with all of its subordinate models. The subordinate
models can be saved based on their modification status and the value of the
configuration option save_objects. This method also checks the current user
interface context to identify if it is currently safe to save the model. Thus, calling
this method at different times might return different results. This method takes a
boolean argument ShowUI. Refer to the previous method for more information on
this argument.

Model Operations
Methods and Property Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
These model operations duplicate most of the commands available in the Creo
Parametric File menu.
The method [Link]() makes a backup of an object in memory to
a disk in a specified directory.
The method [Link]() copies the specified model to another file.
The method [Link]() copies the model to another
name, and retrieves that new model into session.
The method [Link]() renames a specified model.

Models 157
The method [Link]() stores the specified model to a disk.
The method [Link]() erases the specified model from the session.
Models used by other models cannot be erased until the models dependent upon
them are erased.
The method [Link]() erases the specified
model from the session and all the models on which the specified model depends
from disk, if the dependencies are not needed by other items in session.

Note
However, while erasing an active model, [Link]() and
[Link]() only clear the graphic display
immediately, they do not clear the data in the memory until the control returns
to Creo Parametric from the [Link] application. Therefore, after calling
them the control must be returned to Creo Parametric before calling any other
function, otherwise the behavior of Creo Parametric may be unpredictable.

The method [Link]() removes the specified model from memory

and disk.
The method [Link]() displays the specified model. You must
call this method if you create a new window for a model because the model will
not be displayed in the window until you call pfcDisplay.
The property [Link] modifies the common name of the
specified model. You can modify this name for models that are not yet owned by
Windchill PDMLink, or in certain situations if the configuration option let_
proe_rename_pdm_objects is set to yes.

Running Creo ModelCHECK

Creo ModelCHECK is an integrated application that runs transparently within
Creo Parametric. Creo ModelCHECK uses a configurable list of company design
standards and best modeling practices. You can configure Creo ModelCHECK to
run interactively or automatically when you regenerate or save a model.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

158 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
You can run Creo ModelCHECK from an external application using the method
[Link](). This method takes the model
Model on which you want to run Creo ModelCHECK and instructions in the form
of the object pfcModelCheckInstructions as its input parameters. This
object contains the following parameters:
• ConfigDir—Specifies the location of the configuration files. If this
parameter is set to NULL, the default Creo ModelCHECK configuration files
are used.
• Mode—Specifies the mode in which you want to run Creo ModelCHECK.
The modes are:
○ MODELCHECK_GRAPHICS—Interactive mode
○ MODELCHECK_NO_GRAPHICS—Batch mode
• OutputDir—Specifies the location for the reports. If you set this parameter
to NULL, the default Creo ModelCHECK directory, as per config_
[Link], will be used.
• ShowInBrowser—Specifies if the results report should be displayed in the
Web browser.
The method [Link]() creates the
pfcModelCheckInstructions object containing the Creo ModelCHECK
instructions described above.
Use the methods and properties
[Link],
[Link],
[Link], and
[Link] to modify the Creo
ModelCHECK instructions.
The method [Link]() returns the results
of the Creo ModelCHECK run in the form of the pfcModelCheckResults
object. This object contains the following parameters:
• NumberOfErrors—Specifies the number of errors detected.
• NumberOfWarnings—Specifies the number of warnings found.
• WasModelSaved—Specifies whether the model is saved with updates.

Models 159
Use the properties [Link],
[Link], and
[Link] to access the results obtained.

160 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 9
Drawings
Overview of Drawings in [Link]............................................................................ 162
Creating Drawings from Templates ........................................................................... 162
Obtaining Drawing Models ....................................................................................... 164
Drawing Information ................................................................................................ 164
Drawing Operations................................................................................................. 165
Drawing Sheets....................................................................................................... 166
Drawing Views ........................................................................................................ 169
Drawing Dimensions................................................................................................ 174
Drawing Tables ....................................................................................................... 180
Detail Items............................................................................................................. 188
Detail Entities.......................................................................................................... 189
OLE Objects ........................................................................................................... 192
Detail Notes ............................................................................................................ 192
Detail Groups.......................................................................................................... 196
Detail Symbols ........................................................................................................ 197
Detail Attachments .................................................................................................. 207

This chapter describes how to program drawing functions using [Link].

161
Overview of Drawings in [Link]
This section describes the functions that deal with drawings. You can create
drawings of all Creo Parametric models using the methods in [Link]. You can
annotate the drawing, manipulate dimensions, and use layers to manage the
display of different items.
Unless otherwise specified, [Link] functions that operate on drawings use
world units.

Creating Drawings from Templates

Drawing templates simplify the process of creating a drawing using [Link].
Creo Parametric can create views, set the view display, create snap lines, and
show the model dimensions based on the template. Use templates to:
• Define layout views
• Set view display
• Place notes
• Place symbols
• Define tables
• Show dimensions
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
Use the method [Link]() to
create a drawing from the drawing template and to return the created drawing. The
attributes are:
• New drawing name
• Name of an existing template
• Name and type of the solid model to use while populating template views
• Sequence of options to create the drawing. The options are as follows:
○ DRAWINGCREATE_DISPLAY_DRAWING—display the new drawing.
○ DRAWINGCREATE_SHOW_ERROR_DIALOG—display the error dialog
box.
○ DRAWINGCREATE_WRITE_ERROR_FILE—write the errors to a file.
○ DRAWINGCREATE_PROMPT_UNKNOWN_PARAMS—prompt the user on
encountering unknown parameters

162 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Drawing Creation Errors
The exception pfcXToolkitDrawingCreateErrors is thrown if an error is
encountered when creating a drawing from a template. This exception contains a
list of errors which occurred during drawing creation.

Note
When this exception type is encountered, the drawing is actually created, but
some of the contents failed to generate correctly.

The exception message will list the details for each error including its type, sheet
number, view name, and (if applicable) item name. The types of errors are as
follows:
• Type—The type of error as follows:
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_SAVED_VIEW_DOESNT_EXIST—Saved view does
not exist.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_X_SEC_DOESNT_EXIST—Specified cross section
does not exist.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_EXPLODE_DOESNT_EXIST—Exploded state did
not exist.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_MODEL_NOT_EXPLODABLE—Model cannot be
exploded.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_SEC_NOT_PERP—Cross section view not
perpendicular to the given view.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_NO_RPT_REGIONS—Repeat regions not available.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_FIRST_REGION_USED—Repeat region was unable
to use the region specified.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_NOT_PROCESS_ASSEM— Model is not a process
assembly view.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_NO_STEP_NUM—The process step number does not
exist.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_TEMPLATE_USED—The template does not exist.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_NO_PARENT_VIEW_FOR_PROJ—There is no
possible parent view for this projected view.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_CANT_GET_PROJ_PARENT—Could not get the
projected parent for a drawing view.

Drawings 163
 ○ DWGCREATE_ERR_SEC_NOT_PARALLEL—The designated cross
section was not parallel to the created view.
○ DWGCREATE_ERR_SIMP_REP_DOESNT_EXIST—The designated
simplified representation does not exist.

Example: Drawing Creation from a Template

The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript creates a new
drawing using a predefined template.

Obtaining Drawing Models

This section describes how to obtain drawing models.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]()l retrieves the drawing
specified by the model descriptor. Model descriptors are data objects used to
describe a model file and its location in the system. The method returns the
retrieved drawing.
The method [Link]() returns a drawing based on its
name and type, whereas [Link]()
returns a drawing specified by the model descriptor. The model must be in
session.
Use the method [Link]() to return a sequence of
all the drawings in session.

Drawing Information
Methods and Property Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]

164 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() returns a list of all the solid
models used in the drawing.
The method [Link]() returns the current solid
model of the drawing.
The method [Link]() returns the simplified
representations of a solid model that are assigned to the drawing.
The property [Link] returns the text height of the
drawing.

Drawing Operations
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() adds a new solid model to the
drawing.
The method [Link]() removes a model from the
drawing. The model to be deleted should not appear in any of the drawing views.
The method [Link]() replaces a model in the drawing
with a related model (the relationship should be by family table or interchange
assembly). It allows you to replace models that are shown in drawing views and
regenerates the view.
The method [Link]() assigns the current solid
model for the drawing. Before calling this method, the solid model must be
assigned to the drawing using the method [Link](). To see
the changes to parameters and fields reflecting the change of the current solid
model, regenerate the drawing using the method
[Link]().
The method [Link]() associates the drawing
with the simplified representation of an assembly

Drawings 165
The method [Link]() removes the
association of the drawing with an assembly simplified representation. The
simplified representation to be deleted should not appear in any of the drawing
views.
Use the method [Link]() to regenerate the drawing draft
entities and appearance.
The method [Link]() creates a new
drawing dimension based on the data object that contains information about the
location of the dimension. This method returns the created dimension. Refer to the
section Drawing Dimensions on page 174.
The method [Link]() creates a new drawing view based
on the data object that contains information about how to create the view. The
method returns the created drawing view. Refer to the section Creating Drawing
Views on page 169.

Example: Replace Drawing Model Solid with its

Generic
The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript replaces all solid
model instances in a drawing with its generic. Models are not replaced if the
generic model is already present in the drawing.

Drawing Sheets
A drawing sheet is represented by its number. Drawing sheets in [Link] are
identified by the same sheet numbers seen by a Creo Parametric user.

Note
These identifiers may change if the sheets are moved as a consequence of
adding, removing or reordering sheets.

Drawing Sheet Information

Methods and Properties Introduced
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

166 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
Superseded Method:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns the
transformation matrix for the sheet specified by the sheet number. This
transformation matrix includes the scaling needed to convert screen coordinates to
drawing coordinates (which use the designated drawing units).
The method [Link]() returns sheet data
including the size, orientation, and units of the sheet specified by the sheet
number.
The method [Link] and the class
pfcSheetData have been deprecated. Use the method
[Link]() and the class pfcSheetInfo instead.
The method [Link]() returns the scale of the
drawing on a particular sheet based on the drawing model used to measure the
scale. If no models are used in the drawing then the default scale value is 1.0.
The method [Link]() returns the drawing
format used for the sheet specified by the sheet number. It returns a null value if
no format is assigned to the sheet.
The method [Link]() returns the
model descriptor of the drawing format used for the specified drawing sheet.
The method [Link]() returns the
view object representing the background view of the sheet specified by the sheet
number.
The property [Link] returns the number of
sheets in the model.
The property [Link] returns the current
sheet number in the model.

Note
The sheet numbers range from 1 to n, where n is the number of sheets.

Drawings 167
The method [Link]() returns the units used by
the sheet specified by the sheet number.

Drawing Sheet Operations

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() adds a new sheet to the model
and returns the number of the new sheet.
The method [Link]() removes the sheet specified
by the sheet number from the model.
Use the method [Link]() to reorder the sheet
from a specified sheet number to a new sheet number.

Note
The sheet number of other affected sheets also changes due to reordering or
deletion.

The method [Link]() regenerates the sheet

specified by the sheet number.

Note
You can regenerate a sheet only if it is displayed.

Use the method [Link]() to set the scale of a

model on the sheet based on the drawing model to scale and the scale to be used.
Pass the value of the DrawingModel parameter as null to select the current
drawing model.
Use the method [Link]() to apply the specified
format to a drawing sheet based on the drawing format, sheet number of the
format, and the drawing model.

168 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The sheet number of the format is specified by the FormatSheetNumber
parameter. This number ranges from 1 to the number of sheets in the format. Pass
the value of this parameter as null to use the first format sheet.
The drawing model is specified by the DrawingModel parameter. Pass the value
of this parameter as null to select the current drawing model.

Example: Listing Drawing Sheets

The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript shows how to list
the sheets in the current drawing. The information is placed in an external browser
window.

Drawing Views
A drawing view is represented by the class pfcView2D. All model views in the
drawing are associative, that is, if you change a dimensional value in one view, the
system updates other drawing views accordingly. The model automatically reflects
any dimensional changes that you make to a drawing. In addition, corresponding
drawings also reflect any changes that you make to a model such as the addition
or deletion of features and dimensional changes.

Creating Drawing Views

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates a new view in the drawing.
Before calling this method, the drawing must be displayed in a window.
The clàss pfcView2DCreateInstructions contains details on how to
create the view. The types of drawing views supported for creation are:
• DRAWVIEW_GENERAL—General drawing views
• DRAWVIEW_PROJECTION—Projected drawing views

General Drawing Views

The class pfcGeneralViewCreateInstructions contains details on how
to create general drawing views.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]

Drawings 169
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates
the pfcGeneralViewCreateInstructions data object used for creating
general drawing views.
Use the property [Link]
to assign the solid model to display in the created general drawing view.
Use the property [Link] to
assign the location in a drawing sheet to place the created general drawing view.
Use the property
[Link] to set the
number of the drawing sheet in which the general drawing view is created.
The property [Link]
assigns the orientation of the model in the general drawing view in the form of the
pfcTransform3D data object. The transformation matrix must only consist of
the rotation to be applied to the model. It must not consist of any displacement or
scale components. If necessary, set the displacement to {0, 0, 0} using the method
[Link](), and remove any scaling factor by
normalizing the matrix.
Use the property [Link] to
set the created general drawing view to be an exploded view.
Use the property [Link] to
assign a scale to the created general drawing view. This value is optional, if not
assigned, the default drawing scale is used.
Use the property [Link]
to assign a scale to the created general drawing view. This value is optional, if not
assigned, the default drawing scale is used.

Projected Drawing Views

The class pfcProjectionViewCreateInstructions contains details on
how to create general drawing views.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]

170 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]
The method [Link]()
creates the pfcProjectionViewCreateInstructions data object used
for creating projected drawing views.
Use the property
[Link] to assign the
parent view for the projected drawing view.
Use the property
[Link] to assign the
location of the projected drawing view. This location determines how the drawing
view will be oriented.
Use the property
[Link] to set the
created projected drawing view to be an exploded view.

Example: Creating Drawing Views

The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript adds a new sheet
to a drawing and creates three views of a selected model.

Obtaining Drawing Views

Methods and Property Introduced:
• pfcSelection.SelView2D
• pfcModel2D.List2DViews()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The property pfcSelection.SelView2D returns the selected drawing view
(if the user selected an item from a drawing view). It returns a null value if the
selection does not contain a drawing view.
The method pfcModel2D.List2DViews() lists and returns the drawing
views found. This method does not include the drawing sheet background views
returned by the method [Link]().
The method [Link]() returns the drawing view
based on the name. This method returns a null value if the specified view does not
exist.

Drawings 171
The method [Link]() returns the drawing
view that displays a dimension. This method returns a null value if the dimension
is not displayed in the drawing.

Note
This method works for solid and drawing dimensions.

The method [Link]() returns the

drawing sheet background views.

Drawing View Information

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
The inherited property [Link], when called on a pfcView2D
object, provides the drawing model which owns the specified drawing view. The
return value of the method can be downcast to a pfcModel2D object.

Note
The property [Link] is reserved for internal use.

The method [Link]() returns the sheet number of

the sheet that contains the drawing view.

172 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link] returns a value that indicates
whether the view is a background view or a model view.
The method [Link]() returns the solid model displayed in the
drawing view.
The property [Link] returns the scale of the drawing view.
The method [Link]() specifies if the
drawing has a user-defined scale.
The property [Link] returns the position of the view in the
sheet in world units.
The method [Link]() returns the display
status of the specified layer in the drawing view.
The property [Link] returns an output structure that describes
the display settings of the drawing view. The fields in the structure are as follows:
• Style—Whether to display as wireframe, hidden lines, no hidden lines, or
shaded
• TangentStyle—Linestyle used for tangent edges
• CableStyle—Linestyle used to display cables
• RemoveQuiltHiddenLines—Whether or not to apply hidden-line-removal to
quilts
• ShowConceptModel—Whether or not to display the skeleton
• ShowWeldXSection—Whether or not to include welds in the cross-section
The method [Link]() returns a matrix that describes
the transform between 3D solid coordinates and 2D world units for that drawing
view. The transformation matrix is a combination of the following factors:
• The location of the view origin with respect to the drawing origin.
• The scale of the view units with respect to the drawing units
• The rotation of the model with respect to the drawing coordinate system.
The property [Link] returns the name of the specified view in the
drawing.
The simplified representations of assembly and part can be used as drawing
models to create general views. Use the method [Link]()
to retrieve the simplified representation for the specified view in the drawing.

Drawings 173
Example: Listing the Views in a Drawing
The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript creates an
information window about all the views in a drawing. The information is placed in
an external browser window.

Drawing Views Operations

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() deletes a specified drawing view. Set the
DeleteChildren parameter to true to delete the children of the view. Set this
parameter to false or null to prevent deletion of the view if it has children.
The method [Link]() erases the displayed view of the
current object, regenerates the view from the current drawing, and redisplays the
view.
The method [Link]() sets the display
status for the layer in the drawing view.

Drawing Dimensions
This section describes the [Link] methods that give access to the types of
dimensions that can be created in the drawing mode. They do not apply to
dimensions created in the solid mode, either those created automatically as a result
of feature creation, or reference dimension created in a solid. A drawing
dimension or a reference dimension shown in a drawing is represented by the
class pfcDimension2D.

Obtaining Drawing Dimensions

Methods and Property Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]

174 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() returns a list of drawing
dimensions specified by the parameter Type or returns null if no drawing
dimensions of the specified type are found. This method lists only those
dimensions created in the drawing.
The values of the parameter Type for the drawing dimensions are:
• ITEM_DIMENSION—Dimension
• ITEM_REF_DIMENSION—Reference dimension
Set the parameter Type to the type of drawing dimension to retrieve. If this
parameter is set to null, then all the dimensions in the drawing are listed.
The method [Link]() returns a drawing
dimension based on the type and the integer identifier. The method returns only
those dimensions created in the drawing. It returns a null if a drawing dimension
with the specified attributes is not found.
The property [Link] returns the value of the selected
drawing dimension.

Creating Drawing Dimensions

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates
an instructions object that describes how to create a drawing dimension using the
method [Link]().
The parameters of the instruction object are:
• Attachments—The entities that the dimension is attached to. The selections
should include the drawing model view.
• IsRefDimension—True if the dimension is a reference dimension, otherwise
null or false.

Drawings 175
• OrientationHint—Describes the orientation of the dimensions in cases where
this cannot be deduced from the attachments themselves.
• Senses—Gives more information about how the dimension attaches to the
entity, i.e., to what part of the entity and in what direction the dimension runs.
The types of dimension senses are as follows:
○ DIMSENSE_NONE
○ DIMSENSE_POINT
○ DIMSENSE_SPLINE_PT
○ DIMSENSE_TANGENT_INDEX
○ DIMSENSE_LINEAR_TO_ARC_OR_CIRCLE_TANGENT
○ DIMSENSE_ANGLE
○ DIMSENSE_POINT_TO_ANGLE
• TextLocation—The location of the dimension text, in world units.
The method [Link]() creates a
dimension in the drawing based on the instructions data object that contains
information needed to place the dimension. It takes as input an array of
pfcSelection objects and an array of pfcDimensionSense structures that
describe the required attachments. The method returns the created drawing
dimension.
The method [Link]() creates a new
dimension sense associated with the type DIMSENSE NONE. The sense field is
set to Type In this case no information such as location or direction is needed to
describe the attachment points. For example, if there is a single attachment which
is a straight line, the dimension is the length of the straight line. If the attachments
are two parallel lines, the dimension is the distance between them.
The method [Link]() creates a new
dimension sense associated with the type DIMSENSE POINT which specifies the
part of the entity to which the dimension is attached. The sense field is set to the
value of the parameter PointType.
The possible values of PointType are:
• DIMPOINT_END1— The first end of the entity
• DIMPOINT_END2—The second end of the entity
• DIMPOINT_CENTER—The center of an arc or circle
• DIMPOINT_NONE—No information such as location or direction of the
attachment is specified. This is similar to setting the PointType to DIMSENSE
NONE.
• DIMPOINT_MIDPOINT—The mid point of the entity

176 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() creates a
dimension sense associated with the type DIMSENSE_SPLINE_PT. This means
that the attachment is to a point on a spline. The sense field is set to
SplinePointIndex i.e., the index of the spline point.
The method [Link]() creates a
new dimension sense associated with the type DIMSENSE_TANGENT_INDEX.
The attachment is to a tangent of the entity, which is an arc or a circle. The sense
field is set to TangentIndex, i.e., the index of the tangent of the entity.
The method [Link]() creates a
new dimension sense associated with the type DIMSENSE_LINEAR_TO_ARC_
OR_CIRCLE_TANGENT. The dimension is the perpendicular distance between
the a line and a tangent to an arc or a circle that is parallel to the line. The sense
field is set to the value of the parameter TangentType.
The possible values of TangentType are:
• DIMLINAOCTANGENT_LEFT0—The tangent is to the left of the line, and is
on the same side, of the center of the arc or circle, as the line.
• DIMLINAOCTANGENT_RIGHT0—The tangent is to the right of the line, and
is on the same side, of the center of the arc or circle, as the line.
• DIMLINAOCTANGENT_LEFT1—The tangent is to the left of the line, and is
on the opposite side of the line.
• DIMLINAOCTANGENT_RIGHT1— The tangent is to the right of the line, and
is on the opposite side of the line.
The method [Link]() creates a
new dimension sense associated with the type DIMSENSE_ANGLE. The
dimension is the angle between two straight entities. The sense field is set to the
value of the parameter AngleOptions.
The possible values of AngleOptions are:
• IsFirst—Is set to TRUE if the angle dimension starts from the specified
entity in a counterclockwise direction. Is set to FALSE if the dimension ends
at the specified entity. The value is TRUE for one entity and FALSE for the
other entity forming the angle.
• ShouldFlip—If the value of ShouldFlip is FALSE, and the direction of
the specified entity is away from the vertex of the angle, then the dimension
attaches directly to the entity. If the direction of the entity is away from the
vertex of the angle, then the dimension is attached to the a witness line. The
witness line is in line with the entity but in the direction opposite to the vertex
of the angle. If the value of ShouldFlip is TRUE then the above cases are
reversed.

Drawings 177
The method [Link]() creates a
new dimension sense associated with the type DIMSENSE_POINT_TO_ANGLE.
The dimension is the angle between a line entity and the tangent to a curved entity.
The curve attachment is of the type DIMSENSE_POINT_TO_ANGLE and the line
attachment is of the type DIMSENSE POINT. In this case both the angle and the
angle_sense fields must be set. The field sense shows which end of the
curve the dimension is attached to and the field angle_sense shows the
direction in which the dimension rotates and to which side of the tangent it
attaches.

Drawing Dimensions Information

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The property [Link] returns whether the
dimension or reference dimension in a drawing is associative.
The method [Link]() determines whether
the drawing dimension is a reference dimension.
The method [Link] determines whether the
dimension will be displayed in the drawing.
The method [Link]() returns a
sequence of attachment points. The dimension senses array returned by the
method [Link]() gives more
information on how these attachments are interpreted.
The method [Link]() returns a
sequence of dimension senses, describing how the dimension is attached to each
attachment returned by the method
[Link]().

178 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() returns the
orientation hint for placing the drawing dimensions. The orientation hint
determines how Creo Parametric will orient the dimension with respect to the
attachment points.

Note
This methods described above are applicable only for dimensions created in
the drawing mode. It does not support dimensions created at intersection
points of entities.

The method [Link]() returns an

ordinate baseline drawing dimension. It returns a null value if the dimension is not
an ordinate dimension.

Note
The method updates the display of the dimension only if it is currently
displayed.

The property [Link] returns the placement location of

the dimension.
The method [Link]() returns the drawing view in
which the dimension is displayed. This method applies to dimensions stored in the
solid or in the drawing.
The method [Link]() retrieves the upper and
lower tolerance limits of the drawing dimension in the form of the
pfcDimTolerance object. A null value indicates a nominal tolerance.
Use the method [Link] determines
whether or not the dimension’s tolerance is displayed in the drawing.

Drawing Dimensions Operations

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

Drawings 179
• pfcDimension2D.EraseFromModel2D()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() converts an ordinate
drawing dimension to a linear drawing dimension. The drawing containing the
dimension must be displayed.
The method [Link]() converts a linear
drawing dimension to an ordinate baseline dimension.
The method [Link]() converts a
location on a linear drawing dimension to an ordinate baseline dimension. The
method returns the newly created baseline dimension.

Note
The method updates the display of the dimension only if it is currently
displayed.

The method [Link]() changes the view where a

dimension created in the drawing is displayed.
The method [Link]() assigns the upper and
lower tolerance limits of the drawing dimension.
The method pfcDimension2D.EraseFromModel2D() permanently erases
the dimension from the drawing.
The method [Link]() changes the view where
a dimension created in a solid model is displayed.

Example: Command Creation of Dimensions from Model

Datum Points
The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript shows a command
which creates vertical and horizontal ordinate dimensions from each datum point
in a model in a drawing view to a selected coordinate system datum.

Drawing Tables
A drawing table in [Link] is represented by the class pfcTable. It is a child
of the pfcModelItem class.

180 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Some drawing table methods operate on specific rows or columns. The row and
column numbers in [Link] begin with 1 and range up to the total number of
rows or columns in the table. Some drawing table methods operate on specific
table cells. The class pfcTableCell is used to represent a drawing table cell.

Creating Drawing Cells

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates the pfcTableCell object
representing a cell in the drawing table.
Some drawing table methods operate on specific drawing segment. A
multisegmented drawing table contains 2 or more areas in the drawing. Inserting
or deleting rows in one segment of the table can affect the contents of other
segments. Table segments are numbered beginning with 0. If the table has only a
single segment, use 0 as the segment id in the relevant methods.

Selecting Drawing Tables and Cells

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
Tables may be selected using the method [Link](). Pass
the filter dwg_table to select an entire table and the filter table_cell to
prompt the user to select a particular table cell.
The property [Link] returns the selected table handle. It is
a model item that can be cast to a pfcTable object.
The property [Link] returns the row and column
indices of the selected table cell.
The property [Link] returns the table segment
identifier for the selected table cell. If the table consists of a single segment, this
method returns the identifier 0.

Creating Drawing Tables

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()

Drawings 181
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates the
pfcTableCreateInstructions data object that describes how to construct
a new table using the method [Link]().
The parameters of the instructions data object are:
• Origin—This parameter stores a three dimensional point specifying the
location of the table origin. The origin is the position of the top left corner of
the table.
• RowHeights—Specifies the height of each row of the table.
• ColumnData—Specifies the width of each column of the table and its
justification.
• SizeTypes—Indicates the scale used to measure the column width and row
height of the table.
The method [Link]() creates a table in the
drawing specified by the pfcTableCreateInstructions data object.

Retrieving Drawing Tables

Methods Introduced
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() retrieves a table specified
by the pfcTableRetrieveInstructions data object from a file on the
disk. It returns the retrieved table. The data object contains information on the
table to retrieve and is returned by the method
[Link]().
The method [Link]() creates the
pfcTableRetrieveInstructions data object that describes how to
retrieve a drawing table using the methods

182 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

[Link]() and
[Link](). The method returns the
created instructions data object.
The parameters of the instruction object are:
• FileName—Name of the file containing the drawing table.
• Position—Coordinates of the point on the drawing sheet, where the retrieved
table must be placed. You must specify the value in screen coordinates.
You can also set the parameters for pfcTableRetrieveInstructions data
object using the following property:
• [Link]—Sets the name of the
drawing table. You must not specify the extension.
• [Link]—Sets the path to the
drawing table file. The path must be specified relative to the working
directory.
• [Link]—Sets the version of the
drawing table that must be retrieved. If you specify as NULL, the latest version
of the drawing table is retrieved.
• [Link]—Sets the coordinates
of the point on the drawing sheet, where the table must be placed. You must
specify the value in screen coordinates.
• [Link]—Sets the
model from which data must be copied into the drawing table. If this argument
is passed as NULL, an empty table is created.
• [Link]—Sets the
handle to the simplified representation in a solid, from which data must be
copied into the drawing table. If this argument is passed as NULL, and the
argument solid is not NULL, then data from the solid model is copied into the
drawing table
The method [Link]() retrieves a table specified
by the pfcTableRetrieveInstructions data object from a file on the
disk. It returns the retrieved table. The upper-left corner of the table is placed on
the drawing sheet at the position specified by the
pfcTableRetrieveInstructions data object.
The method [Link]() also retrieves
a table specified by the pfcTableRetrieveInstructions data object from
a file on the disk. The origin of the table is placed on the drawing sheet at the
position specified by the pfcTableRetrieveInstructions data object.
Tables can be created with different origins by specifying the option Direction, in
the Insert Table dialog box.

Drawings 183
Drawing Tables Information
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns a sequence of tables
found in the model.
The method [Link]() returns a table specified by the
table identifier in the model. It returns a null value if the table is not found.
The method [Link]() returns the number of rows in the
table.
The method [Link]() returns the number of columns
in the table.
The method [Link]() checks if the drawing
table was created using the format. The method returns a true value if the table
was created by applying the drawing format.
The method [Link]() returns the height of the drawing
table row specified by the segment identifier and the row number.
The method [Link]() returns the width of the drawing
table column specified by the segment identifier and the column number.
The method [Link]() returns the sequence of text in a drawing
table cell. Set the value of the parameter Mode to DWGTABLE_NORMAL to get the
text as displayed on the screen. Set it to DWGTABLE_FULL to get symbolic text,
which includes the names of parameter references in the table text.
The method [Link]() returns the detail note item
contained in the table cell.

Drawing Tables Operations

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()

184 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method pfcTable erases the specified table temporarily from the display. It
still exists in the drawing. The erased table can be displayed again using the
method [Link](). The table will also be redisplayed by a
window repaint or a regeneration of the drawing. Use these methods to hide a
table from the display while you are making multiple changes to the table.
The method [Link]() rotates a table clockwise by
the specified amount of rotation.
The method [Link]() inserts a new row in the drawing table.
Set the value of the parameter RowHeight to specify the height of the row. Set the
value of the parameter InsertAfterRow to specify the row number after which the
new row has to be inserted. Specify 0 to insert a new first row.
The method [Link]() inserts a new column in the
drawing table. Set the value of the parameter ColumnWidth to specify the width of
the column. Set the value of the parameter InsertAfterColumn to specify the
column number after which the new column has to be inserted. Specify 0 to insert
a new first column.
The method [Link]() merges table cells within a specified
range of rows and columns to form a single cell. The range is a rectangular region
specified by the table cell on the upper left of the region and the table cell on the
lower right of the region.
The method [Link]() removes merges from a region
of table cells that were previously merged. The region to remove merges is
specified by the table cell on the upper left of the region and the table cell on the
lower right of the region.
The methods [Link]() and
[Link]() delete any specified row or column from the
table. The methods also remove the text from the affected cells.
The method [Link]() sets text in the table cell.

Drawings 185
Use the method [Link]() to delete a specified
drawing table from the model permanently. The deleted table cannot be displayed
again.

Note
Many of the above methods provide a parameter Repaint If this is set to true
the table will be repainted after the change. If set to false or null Creo
Parametric will delay the repaint, allowing you to perform several operations
before showing changes on the screen.

Example: Creation of a Table Listing Datum Points

The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript creates a drawing
table that lists the datum points in a model shown in a drawing view.

Drawing Table Segments

Drawing tables can be constructed with one or more segments. Each segment can
be independently placed. The segments are specified by an integer identifier
starting with 0.
Methods and Property Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The property [Link] returns the value of the
segment identifier of the selected table segment. It returns a null value if the
selection does not contain a segment identifier.
The method [Link]() returns the number of
segments in the table.
The method [Link]() determines the sheet number
that contains a specified drawing table segment.
The method [Link]() moves a drawing table segment to a
new location. Pass the co-ordinates of the target position in the format x, y, z=0.

186 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 Note
Set the value of the parameter Repaint to true to repaint the drawing with the
changes. Set it to false or null to delay the repaint.

To get information about a drawing table pass the value of the segment identifier
as input to the method [Link](). The method returns the table
information including the rotation, row and column information, and the 3D
outline.

Repeat Regions
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The methods [Link](),
[Link](),
[Link](),
[Link](), and
[Link]() apply to repeat regions in drawing
tables.
The method [Link]() tells you whether a cell in a
repeat region contains a comment.
The method [Link]() returns the path to
the assembly component model that is being referenced by a cell in a repeat region
of a drawing table. It does not return a valid path if the cell attribute is set to NO
DUPLICATE or NO DUPLICATE/LEVEL.
The method [Link]() returns the reference
component that is being referred to by a cell in a repeat region of a drawing table,
even if cell attribute is set to NO DUPLICATE or NO DUPLICATE/LEVEL.
The method [Link]() returns the top model that is
being referred to by a cell in a repeat region of a drawing table, even if cell
attribute is set to NO DUPLICATE or NO DUPLICATE/LEVEL.
Use the method [Link]() to update the repeat
regions in all the tables to account for changes to the model. It is equivalent to the
command Table, Repeat Region, Update.

Drawings 187
Detail Items
The methods described in this section operate on detail items.
In [Link] you can create, delete and modify detail items, control their display,
and query what detail items are present in the drawing. The types of detail items
available are:
• Draft Entities—Contain graphical items created in Creo Parametric. The items
are as follows:
○ Arc
○ Ellipse
○ Line
○ Point
○ Polygon
○ Spline
• Notes—Textual annotations
• Symbol Definitions—Contained in the drawing’s symbol gallery.
• Symbol Instances—Instances of a symbol placed in a drawing.
• Draft Groups—Groups of detail items that contain notes, symbol instances,
and draft entities.
• OLE objects—Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) objects embedded in the
Creo Parametric drawing file.

Listing Detail Items

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns a list of detail
items specified by the parameter Type or returns null if no detail items of the
specified type are found.
The values of the parameter Type for detail items are:
• ITEM_DTL_ENTITY—Detail Entity
• ITEM_DTL_NOTE—Detail Note
• ITEM_DTL_GROUP—Draft Group

188 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• ITEM_DTL_SYM_DEFINITION—Detail Symbol Definition
• ITEM_DTL_SYM_INSTANCE—Detail Symbol Instance
• ITEM_DTL_OLE_OBJECT—Drawing embedded OLE object
If this parameter is set to null, then all the model items in the drawing are listed.
If the model has multiple bodies, the method
[Link]() returns the exception
pfcXToolkitMultibodyUnsupported.
The method [Link]() also lists the
detail items in the model. Pass the type of the detail item and the sheet number
that contains the specified detail items.
Set the input parameter Type to the type of detail item to be listed. Set it to null to
return all the detail items. The input parameter SheetNumberdetermines the sheet
that contains the specified detail item. Pass null to search all the sheets. This
argument is ignored if the parameter Type is set to DETAIL_SYM_DEFINITION.
The method returns a sequence of detail items and returns a null if no items
matching the input values are found.
The method [Link]() returns a detail item
based on the type of the detail item and its integer identifier. The method returns a
null if a detail item with the specified attributes is not found.

Creating a Detail Item

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates a new
detail item based on the instruction data object that describes the type and content
of the new detail item. The instructions data object is returned by the method
[Link](). The method returns the
newly created detail item.

Detail Entities
A detail entity in [Link] is represented by the
classpfcDetailEntityItem. It is a child of the pfcDetailItem class.
The class pfcDetailEntityInstructions contains specific information
used to describe a detail entity item.

Drawings 189
Instructions
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates an
instructions object that describes how to construct a detail entity, for use in the
methods [Link](),
[Link](), and
[Link]().
The instructions object is created based on the curve geometry and the drawing
view associated with the entity. The curve geometry describes the trajectory of the
detail entity in world units. The drawing view can be a model view returned by the
method pfcModel2D.List2DViews() or a drawing sheet background view
returned by the method [Link]().
The background view indicates that the entity is not associated with a particular
model view.
The method returns the created instructions object.

Note
Changes to the values of a pfcDetailEntityInstructions object do
not take effect until that instructions object is used to modify the entity using
[Link]().

The property [Link] returns the

geometry of the detail entity item.
The property [Link]
returns a value that specifies whether the entity is a construction entity.
The property [Link] returns the color
of the detail entity item.
The property [Link] returns the
line style used to draw the entity. The method returns a null value if the default
line style is used.

190 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link] returns the value
of the width of the entity line. The method returns a null value if the default line
width is used.
The property [Link] returns the drawing
view associated with the entity. The view can either be a model view or a drawing
sheet background view.

Example: Create a Draft Line with Predefined Color

The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript shows a utility that
creates a draft line in one of the colors predefined in Creo Parametric.

Detail Entities Information

Methods and Property Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The method [Link]() returns the
instructions data object that is used to construct the detail entity item.
The property [Link] returns the symbol
definition that contains the entity. This property returns a null value if the entity is
not a part of a symbol definition.

Detail Entities Operations

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() temporarily draws a detail
entity item, so that it is removed during the next draft regeneration.
The method [Link]() undraws a detail entity item
temporarily, so that it is redrawn during the next draft regeneration.
The method [Link]() modifies the definition of
an entity item using the specified instructions data object.

Drawings 191
OLE Objects
An object linking and embedding (OLE) object is an external file, such as a
document, graphics file, or video file that is created using an external application
and which can be inserted into another application, such as Creo Parametric. You
can create and insert supported OLE objects into a two-dimensional Creo
Parametric file, such as a drawing, report, format file, notebook, or diagram. The
functions described in this section enable you to identify and access OLE objects
embedded in drawings.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link] returns the type of
the OLE object as a string, for example, Microsoft Word Document.
The property [Link] returns the extent of the OLE
object embedded in the drawing.
The property [Link] returns the path to the external
file for each OLE object, if it is linked to an external file.
The property [Link] returns the sheet number for the
OLE object.

Detail Notes
A detail note in [Link] is represented by the class pfcDetailNoteItem. It
is a child of the pfcDetailItem class .
The class pfcDetailNoteInstructions contains specific information that
describes a detail note.
The class pfcDetailNoteInstructions and all the methods under this
interface are deprecated.

Instructions
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

192 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a data
object that describes how a detail note item should be constructed when passed to
the methods [Link](),
[Link](), or
[Link]. The parameter inTextLines
specifies the sequence of text line data objects that describe the contents of the
note.

Note
Changes to the values of apfcDetailNoteInstructions object do not
take effect until that instructions object is used to modify the note using
[Link]().
For creating a detail note item, the method
[Link]() is deprecated, as it
uses the deprecated interface pfcDetailNoteInstructions. Use the
methods [Link](),
[Link](),
[Link](), or
[Link]() instead.

The property [Link] returns the

description of text line contents in the note.
The property [Link] returns a
boolean indicating if the note is currently displayed.
The property [Link] determines
whether the note can be edited by the user.
The property [Link] determines
whether the note is mirrored.
The property [Link] returns the
value of the horizontal justification of the note.
The property [Link] returns the value
of the vertical justification of the note.

Drawings 193
The property [Link] returns the color of
the detail note item. The method returns a null value to represent the default
drawing color.
The property [Link] returns the locations
of the detail note item and information about the leaders.
The property [Link] returns the
value of the angle of the text used in the note. The method returns a null value if
the angle is 0.0.

Example: Create Drawing Note at Specified Location with

Leader to Surface and Surface Name
The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript creates a drawing
note at a specified location, with a leader attached to a solid surface, and displays
the name of the surface.

Detail Notes Information

Methods and Property Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns an
instructions data object that describes how to construct the detail note item. This
method takes a ProBoolean argument, GiveParametersAsNames, which
determines whether symbolic representations of parameters and drawing
properties in the note text should be displayed, or the actual text seen by the user
should be displayed.

Note
Creo Parametric does not resolve and replace symbolic callouts for notes
which are not displayed. Therefore, if the note is not displayed or is hidden in
a layer, the text retrieved may contain symbolic callouts, even when
GiveParametersAsNames is false.

The property [Link] returns the symbol

definition that contains the note. The method returns a null value if the note is not
a part of a symbol definition.

194 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() determines the
screen coordinates of the envelope around the detail note. This envelope is defined
by four points. The following figure illustrates how the point order is determined.

The ordering of the points is maintained even if the notes are mirrored or are at an
angle.
The method [Link]() returns the
model referenced by the parameterized text in a note. The model is referenced
based on the line number and the text index where the parameterized text appears.

Details Notes Operations

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() temporarily draws a detail note
item, so that it is removed during the next draft regeneration.
The method [Link]() displays the note item, such that
it is repainted during the next draft regeneration.
The method [Link]() undraws a detail note item
temporarily, so that it is redrawn during the next draft regeneration.
The method [Link]() undraws a detail note item
permanently, so that it is not redrawn during the next draft regeneration.
The method [Link]() allows you to
keep arrow type of the leader note as it is, after a note is modified. You must call
this method before the method [Link]() is called.
The method [Link]() modifies the definition of an
existing detail note item based on the instructions object that describes the new
detail note item.

Drawings 195
Detail Groups
A detail group in [Link] is represented by the class pfcDetailGroupItem.
It is a child of the pfcDetailItem class.
The class pfcDetailGroupInstructions contains information used to
describe a detail group item.

Instructions
Method and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates an
instruction data object that describes how to construct a detail group for use in
[Link]() and
[Link]().

Note
Changes to the values of a pfcDetailGroupInstructions object do
not take effect until that instructions object is used to modify the group using
[Link].

The property [Link] returns the name of

the detail group.
The property [Link] returns the
sequence of the detail items(notes, groups and entities) contained in the group.
The property [Link] returns
whether the detail group is displayed in the drawing.

Detail Groups Information

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() gets a data
object that describes how to construct a detail group item. The method returns the
data object describing the detail group item.

196 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Detail Groups Operations
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() temporarily draws a detail
group item, so that it is removed during the next draft generation.
The method [Link]() temporarily undraws a detail
group item, so that it is redrawn during the next draft generation.
The method [Link]() changes the definition of a
detail group item based on the data object that describes how to construct a detail
group item.

Example: Create New Group of Items

The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript creates a group
from a set of selected detail items.

Detail Symbols
Detail Symbol Definitions
A detail symbol definition in [Link] is represented by the class
pfcDetailSymbolDefItem. It is a child of the pfcDetailItem class.
The class pfcDetailSymbolDefInstructions contains information that
describes a symbol definition. It can be used when creating symbol definition
entities or while accessing existing symbol definition entities.

Instructions
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

Drawings 197
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates an
instruction data object that describes how to create a symbol definition based on
the path and name of the symbol definition. The instructions object is passed to
the methods [Link]() and
[Link]().

Note
Changes to the values of a pfcDetailSymbolDefInstructions object
do not take effect until that instructions object is used to modify the definition
using the method [Link]().

The property [Link]

returns the value of the height type for the symbol definition. The symbol
definition height options are as follows:
• SYMDEF_FIXED—Symbol height is fixed.
• SYMDEF_VARIABLE—Symbol height is variable.
• SYMDEF_RELATIVE_TO_TEXT—Symbol height is determined relative to
the text height.
The property [Link]
determines whether the symbol definition includes an elbow.
The property
[Link] returns
whether the text of the angle is fixed.
The property [Link]
returns the height of the symbol definition in inches.
The property [Link]
returns the value of the sequence of the possible instance attachment points for the
symbol definition.
The property [Link] returns
the value of the complete path of the symbol definition file.
The property [Link] returns
the text reference information for the symbol definition. It returns a null value if
the text reference is not used. The text reference identifies the text item used for a
symbol definition which has a height type of SYMDEF_TEXT_RELATED.

198 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Detail Symbol Definitions Information
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() lists the
detail items in the symbol definition based on the type of the detail item.
The method [Link]() returns
an instruction data object that describes how to construct the symbol definition.

Detail Symbol Definitions Operations

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates
a detail item in the symbol definition based on the instructions data object. The
method returns the detail item in the symbol definition.
The method [Link]() modifies a symbol
definition based on the instructions data object that contains information about the
modifications to be made to the symbol definition.

Retrieving Symbol Definitions

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
From Creo 4.0 F000 onwards, the method
[Link]() has been
deprecated. Use the method
[Link]() instead.
Creo Parametric symbols exist in two different areas: the user-defined area and the
system symbols area.
The method [Link]()
retrieves a symbol definition from the user-defined location designated by the
configuration option pro_symbol_dir. The symbol definition should have
been previously saved to a file using Creo Parametric.
The method [Link]() also
retrieves a symbol definition from the system directory. The system area contains
symbols provided by Creo Parametric with the Detail module (such as the
Welding Symbols Library).

Drawings 199
The input parameters of this method are:
• FileName—Name of the symbol definition file.
• Source—Source of the symbol definition file. The input parameter Source is
defined by the enumerated type
[Link]. The valid values which
are supported are listed below:
○ DTLSYMDEF_SRC_SYSTEM—Specifies the system symbol definition
directory.
○ DTLSYMDEF_SRC_PATH—Specifies the absolute path to a directory
containing the symbol definition.
• FilePath—Path to the symbol definition file. It is relative to the path specified
by the option pro_symbol_dir in the configuration file. A null value
indicates that the function should search the current directory.
• Version—Numerical version of the symbol definition file. A null value
retrieves the latest version.
• UpdateUnconditionally—True if Creo should update existing instances of this
symbol definition, or false to quit the operation if the definition exists in the
model.
The method returns the retrieved symbol definition.

Detail Symbol Instances

A detail symbol instance in [Link] is represented by the class
pfcDetailSymbolInstItem. It is a child of the pfcDetailItem class.
The class pfcDetailSymbolInstInstructions contains information that
describes a symbol instance. It can be used when creating symbol instances and
while accessing existing groups.

Instructions
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

200 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a
data object that contains information about the placement of a symbol instance.

Note
Changes to the values of a pfcDetailSymbolInstInstructions
object do not take effect until that instructions object is used to modify the
instance using [Link]().

The property [Link]

returns a value that specifies whether the instance of the symbol is displayed.
The property [Link] returns the
color of the detail symbol instance. A null value indicates that the default drawing
color is used.
The method [Link] sets the color
of the detail symbol instance. Pass null to use the default drawing color.
The property [Link] returns
the symbol definition used for the instance.
The property
[Link] returns the
attachment type of the instance. The method returns a null value if the attachment
represents a free attachment. The attachment options are as follows:
• SYMDEFATTACH_FREE—Attachment on a free point.
• SYMDEFATTACH_LEFT_LEADER—Attachment via a leader on the left side
of the symbol.
• SYMDEFATTACH_RIGHT_LEADER— Attachment via a leader on the right
side of the symbol.
• SYMDEFATTACH_RADIAL_LEADER—Attachment via a leader at a radial
location.
• SYMDEFATTACH_ON_ITEM—Attachment on an item in the symbol
definition.
• SYMDEFATTACH_NORMAL_TO_ITEM—Attachment normal to an item in
the symbol definition.

Drawings 201
The property [Link]
returns the value that represents the way in which the instance is attached to the
symbol definition.
The property [Link]
returns the value of the attachment of the instance that includes location and
leader information.
The property [Link] returns the
value of the angle at which the instance is placed. The method returns a null value
if the value of the angle is 0 degrees.
The property [Link]
returns the height of the symbol instance in the owner drawing or model
coordinates. This value is consistent with the height value shown for a symbol
instance in the Properties dialog box in the Creo Parametric User Interface.

Note
The scaled height obtained using the above property is partially based on the
properties of the symbol definition assigned using the property
[Link]. Changing the
symbol definition may change the calculated value for the scaled height.

The property [Link]

returns the sequence of variant text values used while placing the symbol instance.
The property
[Link] returns
the coordinate transformation matrix to place the symbol instance.
The method [Link]()
pfcDetailSymbolGroupOption
• DETAIL_SYMBOL_GROUP_INTERACTIVE—Symbol groups are
interactively selected for display. This is the default value in the GRAPHICS
mode.
• DETAIL_SYMBOL_GROUP_ALL—All non-exclusive symbol groups are
included for display.
• DETAIL_SYMBOL_GROUP_NONE—None of the non-exclusive symbol
groups are included for display.
• DETAIL_SYMBOL_GROUP_CUSTOM—Symbol groups specified by the
application are displayed.
Refer to the section Detail Symbol Groups on page 204 for more information on
detail symbol groups.

202 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Detail Symbol Instances Information
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns
an instructions data object that describes how to construct a symbol instance. This
method takes a ProBoolean argument, GiveParametersAsNames, which
determines whether symbolic representations of parameters and drawing
properties in the symbol instance should be displayed, or the actual text seen by
the user should be displayed.

Detail Symbol Instances Operations

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() draws a symbol instance
temporarily to be removed on the next draft regeneration.
The method [Link]() undraws a symbol
instance temporarily from the display to be redrawn on the next draft generation.
The method [Link]() displays a symbol
instance to be repainted on the next draft regeneration.
The method [Link]() deletes a symbol
instance permanently.
The method [Link]() modifies a symbol
instance based on the instructions data object that contains information about the
modifications to be made to the symbol instance.

Example: Create a Free Instance of Symbol Definition

The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript creates a free
instance of a symbol definition.

Drawings 203
Example: Create a Free Instance of a Symbol Definition with drawing unit
heights, variable text and groups
The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript creates a free
instance of a symbol definition with drawing unit heights, variable text and
groups.

Detail Symbol Groups

A detail symbol group in [Link] is represented by the class
pfcDetailSymbolGroup. It is a child of the pfcObject class. A detail
symbol group is accessible only as a part of the contents of a detail symbol
definition or instance.
The classpfcDetailSymbolGroupInstructions contains information
that describes a symbol group. It can be used when creating new symbol groups,
or while accessing or modifying existing groups.

Instructions
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates
the pfcDetailSymbolGroupInstructions data object that stores the
name of the symbol group and the list of detail items to be included in the symbol
group.

Note
Changes to the values of the pfcDetailSymbolGroupInstructions
data object do not take effect until this object is used to modify the instance
using the method [Link]().

The property [Link] returns the

list of detail items included in the symbol group.
The property [Link] returns the
name of the symbol group.

204 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Detail Symbol Group Information
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns the
pfcDetailSymbolGroupInstructions data object that describes how to
construct a symbol group.
The method [Link] returns the parent
symbol group to which a given symbol group belongs.
The method [Link] returns the
symbol definition of a given symbol group.
The method [Link]() lists the
subgroups of a given symbol group.
The method [Link]() lists the
subgroups of a given symbol group stored in the symbol definition at the indicated
level.
The method
[Link]()
identifies if the subgroups of a given symbol group stored in the symbol definition
at the indicated level are exclusive or independent. If groups are exclusive, only
one of the groups at this level can be active in the model at any time. If groups are
independent, any number of groups can be active.
The method [Link]() lists the
symbol groups included in a symbol instance. The pfcSymbolGroupFilter
argument determines the types of symbol groups that can be listed. It takes the
following values:
• DTLSYMINST_ALL_GROUPS—Retrieves all groups in the definition of the
symbol instance.
• DTLSYMINST_ACTIVE_GROUPS—Retrieves only those groups that are
actively shown in the symbol instance.
• DTLSYMINST_INACTIVE_GROUPS—Retrieves only those groups that are
not shown in the symbol instance.

Drawings 205
Detail Symbol Group Operations
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() deletes the specified
symbol group from the symbol definition. This method does not delete the entities
contained in the group.
The method [Link]() modifies the specified
symbol group based on the pfcDetailSymbolGroupInstructions data
object that contains information about the modifications that can be made to the
symbol group.
The method [Link]()creates a
new subgroup in the symbol definition at the indicated level below the parent
group.
The method
[Link]() makes
the subgroups of a symbol group exclusive at the indicated level in the symbol
definition.

Note
After you set the subgroups of a symbol group as exclusive, only one of the
groups at the indicated level can be active in the model at any time.

The method
[Link]()
makes the subgroups of a symbol group independent at the indicated level in the
symbol definition.

Note
After you set the subgroups of a symbol group as independent, any number of
groups at the indicated level can be active in the model at any time.

206 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Detail Attachments
A detail attachment in [Link] is represented by the class pfcAttachment. It
is used for the following tasks:
• The way in which a drawing note or a symbol instance is placed in a drawing.
• The way in which a leader on a drawing note or symbol instance is attached.
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns the
pfcAttachmentTypeobject containing the types of detail attachments. The
detail attachment types are as follows:
• ATTACH_FREE—The attachment is at a free point possibly with respect to a
given drawing view.
• ATTACH_PARAMETRIC—The attachment is to a point on a surface or an
edge of a solid.
• ATTACH_OFFSET—The attachment is offset to another drawing view, to a
model item, or to a 3D model annotation.
• ATTACH_TYPE_UNSUPPORTED—The attachment is to an item that cannot
be represented in PFC at the current time. However, you can still retrieve the
location of the attachment.

Free Attachment
The ATTACH_FREE detail attachment type is represented by the class
pfcFreeAttachment. It is a child of the pfcAttachment class.
Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
The property [Link] returns the
attachment point. This location is in screen coordinates for drawing items, symbol
instances and surface finishes on flat-to-screen annotation planes, and in model
coordinates for symbols and surface finishes on 3D model annotation planes.
The method [Link] returns the drawing view to which
the attachment is related. The attachment point is relative to the drawing view, that
is the attachment point moves when the drawing view is moved. This method
returns a NULL value, if the detail attachment is not related to a drawing view, but
is placed at the specified location in the drawing sheet, or if the attachment is
offset to a model item or to a 3D model annotation.

Drawings 207
Parametric Attachment
The ATTACH_PARAMETRIC detail attachment type is represented by the class
pfcParametricAttachment. It is a child of the pfcAttachment class.
Property Introduced:
• [Link]
The property [Link] returns
the pfcSelection object representing the item to which the detail attachment
is attached. This includes the drawing view in which the attachment is made.

Offset Attachment
The ATTACH_OFFSET detail attachment type is represented by the class
pfcOffsetAttachment. It is a child of the pfcAttachment class.
Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
The property [Link] returns the
pfcSelection object representing the item to which the detail attachment is
attached. This includes the drawing view where the attachment is made, if the
offset reference is in a model.
The property [Link]
returns the attachment point. This location is in screen coordinates for drawing
items, symbol instances and surface finishes on flat-to-screen annotation planes,
and in model coordinates for symbols and surface finishes on 3D model
annotation planes. The distance from the attachment point to the location of the
item to which the detail attachment is attached is saved as the offset distance.
The method [Link] sets the
attachment point in screen coordinates.

Unsupported Attachment
The ATTACH_TYPE_UNSUPPORTED detail attachment type is represented by
the pfcUnsupportedAttachment. It is a child of the pfcAttachment
class.
property Introduced:
• [Link]

208 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link] returns
the attachment point. This location is in screen coordinates for drawing items,
symbol instances and surface finishes on flat-to-screen annotation planes, and in
model coordinates for symbols and surface finishes on 3D model annotation
planes.

Drawings 209
 10
Solid
Getting a Solid Object .............................................................................................. 211
Solid Information ..................................................................................................... 211
Solid Operations...................................................................................................... 211
Solid Units .............................................................................................................. 214
Mass Properties ...................................................................................................... 220
Annotations ............................................................................................................ 222
Cross Sections........................................................................................................ 222
Materials................................................................................................................. 223

Most of the objects and methods in [Link] are used with solid models (parts
and assemblies). Because solid objects inherit from the interface pfcModel, you
can use any of the pfcModel methods on any pfcSolid, pfcPart, or
pfcAssembly object.

210 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Getting a Solid Object
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
The methods [Link]() and
[Link]() create new solid models with the
names you specify.
The properties [Link] and
[Link] specify the solid objects that make up the
component path of an assembly component model. You can get a component path
object from any component that has been interactively selected.
The method [Link]() retrieves the storage solid in which the
manufacturing model’s features are placed. In order to create a UDF group in the
manufacturing model, call the method [Link]() on
the storage solid.

Solid Information
Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
You can set the relative and absolute accuracy of any solid model using these
methods. Relative accuracy is relative to the size of the solid. For example, a
relative accuracy of .01 specifies that the solid must be accurate to within 1/100 of
its size. Absolute accuracy is measured in absolute units (inches, centimeters, and
so on).

Note
For a change in accuracy to take effect, you must regenerate the model.

Solid Operations
Methods and Properties Introduced:

Solid 211
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() causes the solid model to regenerate
according to the instructions provided in the form of the
pfcRegenInstructions object. Passing a null value for the instructions
argument causes an automatic regeneration.
Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 introduces the No-Resolve mode, wherein if a
model and feature regeneration fails, failed features and children of failed features
are created and regeneration of other features continues. However, [Link] does
not support regeneration in this mode. The method
[Link]() throws an exception
pfcXToolkitBadContext, if Creo Parametric is running in the No-Resolve
mode. To continue with the Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0 behavior in the Resolve
mode, set the configuration option regen_failure_handling to
resolve_mode in the Creo Parametric session.

Note
Setting the configuration option to switch to Resolve mode ensures the old
behavior as long as you do not retrieve the models saved under the No-
Resolve mode. To consistently preserve the old behavior, use Resolve mode
from the beginning and throughout your Creo Parametric session.

The pfcRegenInstructions object contains the following input parameters:

212 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• AllowFixUI—Determines whether or not to activate the Fix Model user
interface, if there is an error.
Use the property [Link] to modify this
parameter.
• ForceRegen—Creo Parametric
Use the property [Link] to modify this
parameter.
• FromFeat—Not currently used. This parameter is reserved for future use.
Use the property [Link] to modify this
parameter.
• RefreshModelTree—Creo Parametric Model Tree
Use the property [Link] to
modify this parameter.
• ResumeExcludedComponents—Creo Parametric
Use the property
[Link] to modify
this parameter.
• UpdateAssemblyOnly—Updates the placements of an assembly and all its sub-
assemblies, and regenerates the assembly features and intersected parts. If the
affected assembly is retrieved as a simplified representation, then the locations
of the components are updated. If this attribute is false, the component
locations are not updated, even if the simplified representation is retrieved. By
default, it is false.
Use the property [Link] to
modify this parameter.
• UpdateInstances—Updates the instances of the solid model in memory. This
may slow down the regeneration process. By default, this attribute is false.
Use the property [Link] to
modify this parameter.
• ResolveModeRegen—Allows regeneration of a solid in resolve mode. The
regeneration behavior is controlled by temporarily overriding the default
settings.
Use the property [Link] to
modify this parameter. By default, it is false. If you want to set your Creo
Parametric application in resolve mode, you need to set the value of this
parameter to true.

Solid 213
 Note
However, resolve mode will be deprecated in a future release of Creo
Parametric. Hence, it is recommended to run the application without
calling the property
[Link].

The property [Link] returns the three-dimensional

bounding box for the specified solid.

Note
Do not use [Link] to calculate the outline of a solid as
the dimensions of the boundary box could be slightly bigger than the outline
dimensions of the geometry. Use [Link]() to compute
an accurate outline of a solid.

The method [Link]() also returns a three-dimensional

bounding box, but you can specify the coordinate system used to compute the
extents of the solid object.
The property [Link] determines whether the part model is a
skeleton or a concept model. It returns a true value if the model is a skeleton, else
it returns a false.
The method [Link]() returns the list of groups (including
UDFs) in the solid.
The method [Link]() returns the body to
which the surface belongs.
The method [Link]() returns the body to which
the edge belongs.

Solid Units
Each model has a basic system of units to ensure all material properties of that
model are consistently measured and defined. All models are defined on the basis
of the system of units. A part can have only one system of unit.
The following types of quantities govern the definition of units of measurement:

214 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• Basic Quantities—The basic units and dimensions of the system of units. For
example, consider the Centimeter Gram Second (CGS) system of unit.
The basic quantities for this system of units are:
○ Length—cm
○ Mass—g
○ Force—dyne
○ Time—sec
○ Temperature—K
• Derived Quantities—The derived units are those that are derived from the
basic quantities. For example, consider the Centimeter Gram Second
(CGS) system of unit. The derived quantities for this system of unit are as
follows:
○ Area—cm^2
○ Volume—cm^3
○ Velocity—cm/sec
In [Link], individual units in the model are represented by the interface
pfcUnit.

Types of Unit Systems

The types of systems of units are as follows:
• Pre-defined system of units—This system of unit is provided by default.
• Custom-defined system of units—This system of unit is defined by the user
only if the model does not contain standard metric or nonmetric units, or if the
material file contains units that cannot be derived from the predefined system
of units or both.
In Creo Parametric, the system of units are categorized as follows:
• Mass Length Time (MLT)—The following systems of units belong to this
category:
○ CGS—Centimeter Gram Second
○ MKS—Meter Kilogram Second
○ mmKS—millimeter Kilogram Second
• Force Length Time (FLT)—The following systems of units belong to this
category:
○ Creo Parametric Default—Inch lbm Second. This is the default system
followed by Creo Parametric.

Solid 215
 ○ FPS—Foot Pound Second
○ IPS—Inch Pound Second
○ mmNS—Millimeter Newton Second
In [Link], the system of units followed by the model is represented by the
interface [Link].

Accessing Individual Units

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() returns the list of units available to the
specified model.
The method [Link]() retrieves the unit, based on its name or
expression for the specified model in the form of the pfcUnit object.
The property [Link] returns the name of the unit.
The property [Link] returns a user-friendly unit description in
the form of the name (for example, ksi) for ordinary units and the expression (for
example, N/m^3) for system-generated units.
The property [Link] returns the type of quantity represented by the unit
in terms of the pfcUnitType object. The types of units are as follows:
• UNIT_LENGTH—Specifies length measurement units.
• UNIT_MASS—Specifies mass measurement units.
• UNIT_FORCE—Specifies force measurement units.
• UNIT_TIME—Specifies time measurement units.
• UNIT_TEMPERATURE—Specifies temperature measurement units.
• UNIT_ANGLE—Specifies angle measurement units.

216 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link] identifies whether the unit is system-
defined (if the property IsStandard is set to true) or user-defined (if the property
IsStandard is set to false).
The property [Link] returns a reference unit (one of the
available system units) in terms of the pfcUnit object.
The property [Link] identifies the relation of the unit
to its reference unit in terms of the pfcUnitConversionFactor object. The
unit conversion factors are as follows:
• Offset—Specifies the offset value applied to the values in the reference
unit.
• Scale—Specifies the scale applied to the values in the reference unit to get
the value in the actual unit.
Example - Consider the formula to convert temperature from
Centigrade
to Fahrenheit
F = a + (C * b)
where
F is the temperature in Fahrenheit
C is the temperature in Centigrade
a = 32 (constant signifying the offset value)
b = 9/5 (ratio signifying the scale of the unit)

Note
Creo Parametric scales the length dimensions of the model using the
factors listed above. If the scale is modified, the model is regenerated.
When you scale the model, the model units are not changed. Imported
geometry cannot be scaled.

Use the properties [Link] and

[Link] to retrieve the unit conversion factors
listed above.

Modifying Individual Units

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() modifies the definition of a unit by applying
a new conversion factor specified by the pfcUnitConversionFactor object
and a reference unit.

Solid 217
The method [Link]() deletes the unit.

Note
You can delete only custom units and not standard units.

Creating a New Unit

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates a custom unit based
on the specified name, the conversion factor given by the
pfcUnitConversionFactor object, and a reference unit.
The method [Link]() creates the
pfcUnitConversionFactor object containing the unit conversion factors.

Accessing Systems of Units

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() returns the list of unit systems
available to the specified model.
The method [Link]() returns the system of units
assigned to the specified model in the form of the pfcUnitSystem object.
The method [Link]() retrieves the unit of a particular
type used by the unit system.
The property [Link] returns the name of the unit system.
The property [Link] returns the type of the unit system in the
form of the pfcUnitSystemType object. The types of unit systems are as
follows:

218 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• UNIT_SYSTEM_MASS_LENGTH_TIME—Specifies the Mass Length Time
(MLT) unit system.
• UNIT_SYSTEM_FORCE_LENGTH_TIME—Specifies the Force Length Time
(FLT) unit system.
For more information on these unit systems listed above, refer to the section Types
of Unit Systems on page 215.
The property [Link] identifies whether the unit
system is system-defined (if the property IsStandard is set to true) or user-defined
(if the property IsStandard is set to false).

Modifying Systems of Units

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() deletes a custom-defined system of
units.

Note
You can delete only a custom-defined system of units and not a standard
system of units.

Creating a New System of Units

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates a new system of
units in the model based on the specified name, the type of unit system given by
the pfcUnitSystemType object, and the types of units specified by the
pfcUnits sequence to use for each of the base measurement types (length, force
or mass, and temperature).

Conversion to a New Unit System

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]

Solid 219
• [Link]
The method [Link]() changes the principal
system of units assigned to the solid model based on the unit conversion options
specified by the pfcUnitConversionOptions object. The method
[Link]() creates the
pfcUnitConversionOptions object containing the unit conversion options
listed below.
The types of unit conversion options are as follows:
• DimensionOption—Use the option while converting the dimensions of
the model.
Use the property [Link]
to modify this option.
This option can be of the following types:
○ UNITCONVERT_SAME_DIMS—Specifies that unit conversion occurs by
interpreting the unit value in the new unit system. For example, 1 inch will
equal to 1 millimeter.
○ UNITCONVERT_SAME_SIZE—Specifies that unit conversion will occur
by converting the unit value in the new unit system. For example, 1 inch
will equal to 25.4 millimeters.
• IgnoreParamUnits—This boolean attribute determines whether or not
ignore the parameter units. If it is null or true, parameter values and units do
not change when the unit system is changed. If it is false, parameter units are
converted according to the rule.
Use the property [Link]
to modify this attribute.

Mass Properties
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() provides information about
the distribution of mass in the part or assembly. It can provide the information
relative to a coordinate system datum, which you name, or the default one if you
provide null as the name. It returns an object containing the following fields:
• The volume.
• The surface area.

220 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• The density. The density value is 1.0, unless a material has been assigned.
• The mass.
• The center of gravity (COG).
• The inertia matrix.
• The inertia tensor.
• The inertia about the COG.
• The principal moments of inertia (the eigen values of the COG inertia).
• The principal axes (the eigenvectors of the COG inertia).
The method [Link]() calculates the
mass properties of a part or an assembly in the specified coordinate system. The
input arguments follow:
• CoordSysName—Name of the coordinate system. If this is Null, the method
uses the default coordinate system.
• DensityOpt—Value of the density flag specified using the enumerated data
type pfcMPDensityUse and the valid values are as follows:
○ MP_DENSITY_DEFAULT—Calculate the mass properties using the
material density.
○ MP_DENSITY_USE_ALWAYS—Calculate the mass properties using the
specified density, even if material has a defined density.
○ MP_DENSITY_USE_IF_MISSING—Calculate mass properties using
specified density, even if material does not have a defined density.
• density—Density used while calculating mass properties depending on the
value specified for the input argument DensityOpt.
The method [Link]() calculates
the mass properties of a solid that is referenced by the specified coordinate system
selection, using the respective component paths. The input arguments follow:
• CompPath—Component path of the solid. If this is null, the top assembly is
referred.
• CsysItem—Coordinate system model item. If this is null, default coordinate
system is referred.
• CsysPath—Component path of the coordinate system. If this is null, default
coordinate system is referred.

Example Code: Retrieving a Mass Property Object

The sample code in the file [Link] located at
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript retrieves
a MassProperty object from a specified solid model. The solid's mass, volume,
and center of gravity point are then printed.

Solid 221
Annotations
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
3D model notes are instance of ModelItem objects. They can be located and
accessed using methods that locate model items in solid models, and downcast to
the Note interface to use the methods in this section.
The property [Link] returns the text contained in the 3D model note.
The method [Link]() returns the text of the solid model note. If
you set the parameter GiveParametersAsNames to TRUE, then the text displays
the parameter callouts with ampersands (&). If you set the parameter to FALSE,
then the text displays the parameter values with no callout information.
The property [Link] returns the URL stored in the 3D model note.
The method [Link]() forces the display of the model note.
The method [Link]() deletes a model note.
The method [Link]() returns the solid model owner of the note.

Cross Sections
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns a sequence of cross
section objects represented by the Xsection interface. The method
[Link]() searches for a cross section given its name.

222 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() returns the name of the cross section
in Creo Parametric. The method [Link]() modifies the
cross section name.
The method [Link]() returns the type of cross
section, that is planar or offset, and the type of item intersected by the cross
section.
The method [Link]() deletes a cross section.
The method [Link]() forces a display of the cross section
in the window.
The method [Link]() regenerates a cross section.

Materials
[Link] enables you to programmatically access the material types and
properties of parts. Using the methods and properties described in the following
sections, you can perform the following actions:
• Create or delete materials
• Set the current material
• Access and modify the material types and properties
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() writes to a material file that can be
imported into any Creo Parametric part.
The method [Link]() removes material from the part.
The property [Link] returns and sets the material
assigned to the part.

Solid 223
 Note
By default, while assigning a material to a sheetmetal part, the property
[Link] modifies the values of the sheetmetal
properties such as Y factor and bend table according to the material file
definition. This modification triggers a regeneration and a modification of the
developed length calculations of the sheetmetal part. However, you can avoid
this behavior by setting the value of the configuration option material_
update_smt_bend_table to never_replace
The property [Link] may change the model
display, if the new material has a default appearance assigned to it.
The property may also change the family table, if the parameter PTC_
MATERIAL_NAME is a part of the family table.

The method [Link]() returns a list of the materials

available in the part.
The method [Link]() creates a new empty material in
the specified part.
The method [Link]() imports a material file into the
part. The name of the file read can be as either:
• <name>.mtl—Specifies the new material file format.
• <name>.mat—Specifies the material file format prior to Pro/ENGINEER
Wildfire 3.0.
If the material is not already in the part database,
[Link]() adds the material to the database after
reading the material file. If the material is already in the database, the function
replaces the material properties in the database with those contained in the
material file.

Accessing Material Types

Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

224 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link] sets the material
type for the structural properties of the material. The material types are as follows:
• MTL_ISOTROPIC—Specifies a a material with an infinite number of planes
of material symmetry, making the properties equal in all directions.
• MTL_ORTHOTROPIC—Specifies a material with symmetry relative to three
mutually perpendicular planes.
• MTL_TRANSVERSELY_ISOTROPIC—Specifies a material with rotational
symmetry about an axis. The properties are equal for all directions in the plane
of isotropy.
• MTL_FLUID—Specifies a material with fluid properties.
The property [Link] sets the material type
for the thermal properties of the material. The material types are as follows:
• MTL_ISOTROPIC—Specifies a material with an infinite number of planes of
material symmetry, making the properties equal in all directions.
• MTL_ORTHOTROPIC—Specifies a material with symmetry relative to three
mutually perpendicular planes.
• MTL_TRANSVERSELY_ISOTROPIC—Specifies a material with rotational
symmetry about an axis. The properties are equal for all directions in the plane
of isotropy.
• MTL_FLUID—Specifies a material with fluid properties.
The property [Link] sets the subtype for the MTL_
ISOTROPIC material type.
Use the property [Link] to retrieve a list of
the permitted string values for the material subtype.
The property [Link] sets the material type for
the fluid properties of the material. The material types are as follows:
• MTL_ISOTROPIC—Specifies a material with an infinite number of planes of
material symmetry, making the properties equal in all directions.
• MTL_ORTHOTROPIC—Specifies a material with symmetry relative to three
mutually perpendicular planes.
• MTL_TRANSVERSELY_ISOTROPIC—Specifies a material with rotational
symmetry about an axis. The properties are equal for all directions in the plane
of isotropy.
• MTL_FLUID—Specifies a material with fluid properties.

Solid 225
Accessing Material Properties
The methods and properties listed in this section enable you to access material
properties.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a new instance of a
material property object.
All numerical material properties are accessed using the same set of APIs. You
must provide a property type to indicate the property you want to read or modify.
The method [Link]() returns the value and
the units of the material property.
Use the method [Link]() to set the value and
units of the material property. If the property type does not exist for the material,
then this method creates it.

226 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Use the method [Link]() to set the units of
the material property.
Use the method [Link]() to remove the material
property.
Material properties that are non-numeric can be accessed using the following
properties.
The property [Link] sets the description string for the
material.
The property [Link] and sets the valid fatigue type for
the material.
Use the property [Link] to get a list of
the permitted string values for the fatigue type.
The property [Link] sets the class of
material when determining the effect of the fatigue.
Use the property [Link] to
retrieve a list of the permitted string values for the fatigue material type.
The property [Link] sets the type of
surface finish for the fatigue material.
Use the property
[Link] to retrieve a list
of permitted string values for the fatigue material finish.
The property [Link] sets the reduction factor
for the failure strength of the material. This factor is used to reduce the endurance
limit of the material to account for unmodeled stress concentrations, such as those
found in welds.
Use the property [Link] to retrieve
a list of permitted string values for the material failure criterion.
The property [Link] sets the hardness for the specified
material.
The property [Link] sets the hardness type for the
specified material.
The property [Link] sets the condition for the specified
material .
The property [Link] sets the bend table for the specified
material .
The property [Link] sets the file containing the
crosshatch pattern for the specified material .

Solid 227
The property [Link] sets the type of hyperelastic
isotropic material model .
Use the property [Link] to retrieve a
list of the permitted string values for the material model.
The property [Link] determines whether the
hyperelastic isotropic material model has been defined using experimental data for
stress and strain.

Accessing User-defined Material Properties

Materials permit assignment of user-defined parameters. These parameters allow
you to place non-standard properties on a given material. Therefore
pfcMaterial is a child of pfcParameterOwner, which provides access to
user-defined parameters and properties of materials through the methods in that
interface.

228 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 11
Solid Bodies
Solid Body Information............................................................................................. 230

This chapter describes the [Link] functions that access the functions of a Creo
Parametric part with multiple solid bodies.

229
Solid Body Information
The state of the body is derived from the features and geometry in which the body
is created.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() specifies the state of the
body using the enumerated type pfcSolidBodyState. The valid values are:
• BODY_STATE_MISSING
• BODY_STATE_CONSUMED
• BODY_STATE_NO_CONTR_FEAT
• BODY_STATE_NO_GEOMETRY
• BODY_STATE_ACTIVE
The method [Link]() checks if the body is a
construction body. The method returns a True if solid body is a construction
body.
The method [Link]() lists all the surfaces in the
specified body
The method [Link]() returns the default body in the
specified solid.
The method [Link]() lists the features that are
associated with the specified body.
Use the method [Link]() to retrieve the regeneration
outline of a solid body, with respect to the base coordinate system orientation.
This outline defines the boundary box of the body.
The method [Link]() checks if the specified body
is an active sheetmetal body.
The method [Link]() determines the density of the
body.

230 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Use the method [Link]() to retrieve the mass
properties of a body in the specified coordinate system.

Solid Bodies 231

 12
Windows and Views
Windows................................................................................................................. 233
Embedded Browser ................................................................................................. 235
Views ..................................................................................................................... 236
Coordinate Systems and Transformations ................................................................. 237

[Link] provides access to Creo Parametric windows and saved views. This
chapter describes the methods that provide this access.

232 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Windows
This section describes the [Link] methods that access pfcWindow objects.
The topics are as follows:
• Getting a Window Object on page 233
• Window Operations on page 234

Getting a Window Object

Methods and Property Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The property [Link] provides access to the
current active window in Creo Parametric.
The method [Link]() creates a new
window that contains the model that was passed as an argument.

Note
You must call the method [Link]() for the model geometry
to be displayed in the window.

Use the method [Link]() to get a list of all the

current windows in session.
The method [Link]() gets the handle to a window
given its integer identifier.
The method [Link]() returns the handle to a newly
created window that contains the opened model.

Windows and Views 233

 Note
If a model is already open in a window the method returns a handle to the
window.

The method [Link]() returns the handle to

the window that contains the opened model, if it is displayed.

Window Operations
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The properties [Link], [Link],
[Link], and [Link] retrieve the height, width, x-
position, and y-position of the window respectively. The values of these
parameters are normalized from 0 to 1.
The properties [Link] and
[Link] retrieve the height and width of the Creo
Parametric graphics area window without the border respectively. The values of
these parameters are normalized from 0 to 1. For both the window and graphics
area sizes, if the object occupies the whole screen, the window size returned is 1.
For example, if the screen is 1024 pixels wide and the graphics area is 512
pixels, then the width of the graphics area window is returned as 0.5.
The method [Link]() removes geometry from the window.

234 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Both [Link]() and [Link]() repaint solid
geometry. However, the Refresh method does not remove highlights from the
screen and is used primarily to remove temporary geometry entities from the
screen.
Use the method [Link]() to close the window. If the current
window is the original window created when Creo Parametric started, this method
clears the window. Otherwise, it removes the window from the screen.
The method [Link]() activates a window. This function is
available only in the asynchronous mode.
The method [Link]() retrieves the ID of the Creo Parametric
window.
The method [Link]() flushes the
pending display commands on the current window.

Note
It is recommended to call this method only after completing all the display
operations. Excessive use of this method will cause major slow down of
systems running on Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Embedded Browser
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The methods [Link]() and [Link]() enables
you to find and change the URL displayed in the embedded browser in the Creo
Parametric window.

Windows and Views 235

The methods [Link]() and
[Link]() enables you to find and change the size of
the embedded browser in the Creo Parametric window.

Note
The methods [Link]() and
[Link]() are not supported if the browser is
open in a separate window.

Views
This section describes the [Link] methods that access pfcView objects. The
topics are as follows:
• Getting a View Object on page 236
• View Operations on page 237

Getting a View Object

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Any solid model inherits from the interface pfcViewOwner. This will enable
you to use these methods on any solid object.
The method [Link]() sets the current view to the
orientation previously saved with a specified name.
Use the method [Link]() to get a handle to a named view
without making any modifications.
The method [Link]() returns a list of all the views
previously saved in the model.
From Creo Parametric 2.0 M120 onward, the method,
[Link]() has been deprecated. The method
returns a view handle that represents the current orientation. Although this view
does not have a name, you can use this view to find or modify the current
orientation.

236 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

View Operations
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
To get the name of a view given its identifier, use the property [Link].
The property [Link] determines if the View object represents
the current view.
The method [Link]() restores the current view to the default view.
To store the current view under the specified name, call the method
[Link]().

Coordinate Systems and Transformations

his section describes the various coordinate systems used by Creo Parametric and
accessible from [Link] and how to transform from one coordinate system to
another.

Coordinate Systems
Creo Parametric and [Link] use the following coordinate systems:
• Solid Coordinate System on page 238
• Screen Coordinate System on page 238
• Window Coordinate System on page 238
• Drawing Coordinate System on page 239
• Drawing View Coordinate System on page 239
• Assembly Coordinate System on page 239
• Datum Coordinate System on page 239
• Section Coordinate System on page 239
The following sections describe each of these coordinate systems.

Windows and Views 237

Solid Coordinate System
The solid coordinate system is the three-dimensional, Cartesian coordinate system
used to describe the geometry of a Creo Parametric solid model. In a part, the
solid coordinate system describes the geometry of the surfaces and edges. In an
assembly, the solid coordinate system also describes the locations and orientations
of the assembly members.
You can visualize the solid coordinate system in Creo Parametric by creating a
coordinate system datum with the option Default. Distances measured in solid
coordinates correspond to the values of dimensions as seen by the Creo Parametric
user.
Solid coordinates are used by [Link] for all the methods that look at geometry
and most of the methods that draw three-dimensional graphics.

Screen Coordinate System

The screen coordinate system is two-dimensional coordinate system that describes
locations in a Creo Parametric window. This is an intermediate coordinate system
after which the screen points are transformed to screen pixels. All the models are
first mapped to the screen coordinate system. When the user zooms or pans the
view, the screen coordinate system follows the display of the solid, so a particular
point on the solid always maps to the same screen coordinate. The mapping
changes only when the view orientation is changed.
Screen coordinates are used by some of the graphics methods, the mouse input
methods, and all methods that draw graphics or manipulate items on a drawing.

Window Coordinate System

The window coordinate system is similar to the screen coordinate system. After
mapping the models to the screen coordinate system, they are mapped to the
window coordinate before being drawn to screen pixels based on screen
resolution. When pan or zoom values are applied to the coordinates in the screen
coordinate system, they result in window coordinates. When an object is first
displayed in a window, or the option View ▶ Refit is used, the screen and window
coordinates are the same.
Window coordinates are needed only if you need to take account of zoom and pan
—for example, to find out whether a point on the solid is visible in the window, or
to draw two-dimensional text in a particular window location, regardless of pan
and zoom.

238 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Drawing Coordinate System
The drawing coordinate system is a two-dimensional system that describes the
location on a drawing relative to the bottom, left corner, and measured in drawing
units. For example, on a U.S. letter-sized, landscape-format drawing sheet that
uses inches, the top, right-corner is (11, 8.5) in drawing coordinates.
The [Link] methods and properties that manipulate drawings generally use
screen coordinates.

Drawing View Coordinate System

The drawing view coordinate system is used to describe the locations of entities in
a drawing view.

Assembly Coordinate System

An assembly has its own coordinate system that describes the positions and
orientations of the member parts, subassemblies, and the geometry of datum
features created in the assembly.
When an assembly is retrieved into memory each member is also loaded and
continues to use its own solid coordinate system to describe its geometry.
This is important when you are analyzing the geometry of a subassembly and
want to extract or display the results relative to the coordinate system of the parent
assembly.

Datum Coordinate System

A coordinate system datum can be created anywhere in any part or assembly, and
represents a user-defined coordinate system. It is often a requirement in a
[Link] application to describe geometry relative to such a datum.

Section Coordinate System

Every sketch has a coordinate system used to locate entities in that sketch.
Sketches used in features will use a coordinate system different from that of the
solid model.

Transformations
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

Windows and Views 239

• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
All coordinate systems are treated in [Link] as if they were three-dimensional.
Therefore, a point in any of the coordinate systems is always represented by the
pfcPoint3D class:
Vectors store the same data but are represented for clarity by the pfcVector3D
class.
Screen coordinates contain a z-value whose positive direction is outwards from
the screen. The value of z is not generally important when specifying a screen
location as an input to a method, but it is useful in other situations. For example, if
you select a datum plane, you can find the direction of the plane by calculating the
normal to the plane, transforming to screen coordinates, then looking at the sign of
the z-coordinate.
A transformation between two coordinate systems is represented by the
pfcTransform3D class. This class contains a 4x4 matrix that combines the
conventional 3x3 matrix that describes the relative orientation of the two systems,
and the vector that describes the shift between them.
The 4x4 matrix used for transformations is as follows:

The utility method [Link]() inverts a transformation

matrix so that it can be used to transform points in the opposite direction.
[Link] provides two utilities for performing coordinate transformations. The
method [Link]() transforms a three-
dimensional point and [Link]() transforms
a three-dimensional vector.
The following diagram summarizes the coordinate transformations needed when
using [Link] and specifies the [Link] methods that provide the
transformation matrix.

240 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() converts a non-
orthonormal matrix to an orthonormal matrix with the specified scaling factor. The
input arguments follow:
• Matrix—The matrix to be converted to orthonormal.
• Scale—Scale factor to be applied on the matrix.

Transforming to Screen Coordinates

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The view matrix describes the transformation from solid to screen coordinates.
The property [Link] provides the view matrix for a model in
the view.

Windows and Views 241

To get and set the transformation matrix for a model in the current view, use the
methods [Link]() and
[Link]().
The method [Link]() rotates an object, relative to the X, Y, or Z
axis for the specified rotation angle.
To rotate an object in the current view, use the method
[Link]().
To transform from screen to solid coordinates, invert the transformation matrix
using the method [Link]().

Transforming to Coordinate System Datum Coordinates

Property Introduced:
• [Link]
The property [Link] provides the location and
orientation of the coordinate system datum in the coordinate system of the solid
that contains it. The location is in terms of the directions of the three axes and the
position of the origin.

Transforming Window Coordinates

Properties Introduced
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
You can alter the pan and zoom of a window by using a Screen Transform object.
This object contains three attributes. PanX and PanY represent the horizontal and
vertical movement. Every increment of 1.0 moves the view point one screen width
or height. Zoom represents a scaling factor for the view. This number must be
greater than zero.

Transforming Coordinates of an Assembly Member

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() provides the matrix for
transforming from the solid coordinate system of the assembly member to the
solid coordinates of the parent assembly, or the reverse.

242 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 13
ModelItem
Solid Geometry Traversal......................................................................................... 244
Getting ModelItem Objects....................................................................................... 244
ModelItem Information ............................................................................................. 245
Duplicating ModelItems............................................................................................ 246
Layer Objects.......................................................................................................... 246

This chapter describes the [Link] methods that enable you to access and
manipulate ModelItems.

243
Solid Geometry Traversal
Solid models are made up of 11 distinct types of pfcModelItem, as follows:
• pfcFeature
• pfcSurface
• pfcEdge
• pfcCurve (datum curve)
• pfcAxis (datum axis)
• pfcPoint (datum point)
• pfcQuilt (datum quilt)
• pfcLayer
• pfcNote
• pfcDimension
• pfcRefDimension
Each model item is assigned a unique identification number that will never
change. In addition, each model item can be assigned a string name. Layers,
points, axes, dimensions, and reference dimensions are automatically assigned a
name that can be changed.

Getting ModelItem Objects

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
All models inherit from the class pfcModelItemOwner. The method
[Link] returns a sequence of pfcModelItems
contained in the model. You can specify which type of pfcModelItem to
collect by passing in one of the enumerated pfcModelItemType values, or you
can collect all pfcModelItems by passing null as the model item type.
If the model has multiple bodies, the method
[Link]() returns the exception
pfcXToolkitMultibodyUnsupported.

244 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 Note
The part modeling features introduced in Creo Parametric1.0 will be excluded
from the list of features returned by the method
[Link]() if the model item type is specified
asITEM_FEATURE. For example edit round features, flexible modeling
features, and so on will be excluded from the list.

The methods [Link]() and

[Link]() produce similar results for specific
features and layers. These methods return a list of subitems in the feature or items
in the layer.
To access specific model items, call the method
[Link](). This methods enables you to
access the model item by identifier.
To access specific model items, call the method
[Link](). This methods enables you to
access the model item by name.
The property [Link] returns the dimension or
feature used as a header for a family table.
The property [Link] returns the item selected interactively
by the user.

ModelItem Information
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
Certain pfcModelItems also have a string name that can be changed at any
time. The methods GetName and SetName access this name.
The property Id returns the unique integer identifier for the pfcModelItem.
The Type property returns an enumeration object that indicates the model item
type of the specified pfcModelItem. See the section Solid Geometry Traversal
on page 244 for the list of possible model item types.

ModelItem 245
Duplicating ModelItems
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
You can control the creation of ModelItems more than twice for the same Creo
Parametric item. The method
[Link]() allows you to turn
ON or OFF the option to duplicate model items. By default, this option is OFF. To
turn the option ON, set the boolean value to FALSE.

Note
If this option is not handled properly on the application side, it can cause
memory corruption. Thus, although you can turn ON and OFF this option as
many times as you want, PTC recommends turning ON and OFF this option
only once, right after the session is obtained.

Layer Objects
In [Link], layers are instances of pfcModelItem. The following sections
describe how to get layer objects and the operations you can perform on them.

Getting Layer Objects

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns a new layer with the name
you specify.
See the section Getting ModelItem Objects on page 244 for other methods that
can return layer objects.

Layer Operations
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

246 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Superseded Method:
• [Link]()
The property [Link] enables you to access the display status of a
layer. The corresponding enumeration class is pfcDisplayStatus and the
possible values are Normal, Displayed, Blank, or Hidden.
Use the methods [Link](), [Link](), and
[Link]() to control the contents of a layer.

Note
You cannot add the following items to a layer:
• ITEM_SURFACE,
• ITEM_EDGE,
• ITEM_COORD_SYS,
• ITEM_AXIS,
• ITEM_SIMPREP,
• ITEM_DTL_SYM_DEFINITION,
• ITEM_DTL_OLE_OBJECT,
• ITEM_EXPLODED_STATE.
For these items the method will throw the exception
pfcXToolkitInvalidType.

The method [Link]() removes the layer (but not the items it
contains) from the model.
The method [Link]() returns the number
of item types not supported as a pfcModelItem object in the specified layer.
This method deprecates the method [Link].

ModelItem 247
 14
Features
Access to Features.................................................................................................. 249
Feature Information ................................................................................................. 250
Feature Operations ................................................................................................. 251
Feature Groups and Patterns ................................................................................... 253
User Defined Features............................................................................................. 255
Creating Features from UDFs................................................................................... 256

All Creo Parametric solid models are made up of features. This chapter describes
how to program on the feature level using [Link] .

248 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Access to Features
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The methods [Link]() and
[Link]() return a sequence of features that contain all
the children or parents of the specified feature.
To get the first feature in the specified group access the property
[Link].
The property [Link] returns the direct
header of the group.
The property [Link] and the method
[Link]() return features that make up the
specified feature pattern. See the section Feature Groups and Patterns on page 253
for more information on feature patterns.
The method [Link]() returns a sequence that
contains all the features that failed regeneration.
The method [Link]() returns a sequence of
features contained in the model. You can specify which type of feature to collect
by passing in one of the pfcFeatureType enumeration objects, or you can
collect all features by passing void null as the type. If you list all features, the
resulting sequence will include invisible features that Creo Parametric creates
internally. Internal features are invisible features used internally for construction
purposes. Use the method’s VisibleOnly argument to exclude them. If the
argument VisibleOnly is True, the function lists the public features only. If the
argument is False, the function lists both public and internal features.
The method [Link]() returns the feature object with
the corresponding integer identifier.

Features 249
A feature can be edited with the Edit Definition command in Creo Parametric. The
method [Link]() returns a list of all the
features that are currently being edited by the Edit Definition command.

Feature Information
Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The enumeration classes pfcFeatureType and pfcFeatureStatus
provide information for a specified feature. The following properties specify this
information:
• [Link]—Returns the type of a feature.
• [Link]—Returns whether the feature is suppressed, active,
or failed regeneration.
The other properties that gather feature information include the following:
• [Link]—Identifies whether the specified feature will be
visible on the screen. The method distinguishes visible features from internal
features. Internal features are invisible features used for construction purposes.
• [Link]—Identifies whether the specified feature can
be modified.
• [Link]—Specifies whether the specified feature is an
embedded datum.
• [Link]—Returns the feature regeneration number. This
method returns void null if the feature is suppressed.
The property [Link] returns a string representation of
the feature type.
The property [Link] returns a string representation of
the feature subtype, for example, "Extrude" for a protrusion feature.

250 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link] determines whether the
specified round feature is a member of an Auto Round feature.

Feature Operations
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The method [Link]() causes a sequence of
feature operations to run in order. Feature operations include suppressing,
resuming, reordering, and deleting features. The optional
pfcRegenInstructions argument specifies whether the user will be allowed
to fix the model if a regeneration failure occurs.

Note
Regenerating models in resolve_mode is not supported. As a result, the
method [Link]() is not supported anymore.

Some of the operations have specific options that you can modify to control the
behavior of the operation:

Features 251
• Clip—Specifies whether to delete or suppress all features after the selected
feature. By default, this option is false.
Use the properties [Link] and
[Link] to modify this option.
• AllowGroupMembers—If this option is set to true and if the feature to be
deleted or suppressed is a member of a group, then the feature will be deleted
or suppressed out of the group. If this option is set to false, then the entire
group containing the feature is deleted or suppressed. By default, this option is
false. It can be set to true only if the option Clip is set to true.
Use the properties [Link]
and [Link] to modify this
option.
• AllowChildGroupMembers—If this option is set to true and if the
children of the feature to be deleted or suppressed are members of a group,
then the children of the feature will be individually deleted or suppressed out
of the group. If this option is set to false, then the entire group containing the
feature and its children is deleted or suppressed. By default, this option is
false. It can be set to true only if the options Clip and
AllowGroupMembers are set to true.
Use the properties
[Link] and
[Link] to modify this
option.
• KeepEmbeddedDatums—Specifies whether to retain the embedded datums
stored in a feature while deleting the feature. By default, this option is false.
Use the property [Link] to
modify this option.
• WithParents—Specifies whether to resume the parents of the selected
feature.
Use the property [Link] to modify this
option.
• BeforeFeat—Specifies the feature before which you want to reorder the
features.
Use the property [Link] to
modify this option.
• AfterFeat—Specifies the feature after which you want to reorder the
features.

252 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 Use the property
[Link] to modify
this option.

Feature Groups and Patterns

Patterns are treated as features in Creo Parametric. A feature type, FEATTYPE_
PATTERN_HEAD, is used for the pattern header feature.

Note
The pattern header feature is not treated as a leader or a member of the pattern
by the methods described in the following section.

Methods and Properties Introduced:

• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The property [Link] returns a handle to the local group that
contains the specified feature.
To get the first feature in the specified group call the property
[Link].
The property [Link] and the method
[Link]() return features that make up the
specified feature pattern.
A pattern is composed of a pattern header feature and a number of member
features. You can pattern only a single feature. To pattern several features, create a
local group and pattern this group.
You can also create a pattern of pattern. This creates a multiple level pattern. From
Creo Parametric2.0 M170 onward, for a pattern of pattern, the method
[Link]() returns all the pattern header
features created at the first level.

Features 253
For example, consider a model where a pattern of pattern has been created. The
model tree is as shown below:

The method [Link]() returns the pattern

header features with following IDs for a pattern of pattern:
• 119
• 177
• 221
• 265
The properties [Link] and
[Link] return the FeaturePattern object that
contains the corresponding Feature or FeatureGroup. Use the method

254 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

[Link]() to take a sequence of features and create
a local group with the specified name. To delete a FeaturePattern object,
call the method [Link]().

Feature Groups
Feature groups have a group header feature, which shows up in the model
information and feature list for the model. This feature will be inserted in the
regeneration list to a position just before the first feature in the group.
The results of the header feature are as follows:
• Models that contain groups will get one extra feature in the regeneration list,
of type FEATTYPE_GROUP_HEAD of the enumerated data
typepfcFeatureType. This affects the feature numbers of all subsequent
features, including those in the group.
• Each group automatically contains the header feature in the list of features
returned from [Link]().
• Each group automatically gets the group head feature a s the leader. This is
returned from [Link].
• Each group pattern contains a series of groups, and each group in the pattern
will be similarly constructed.

User Defined Features

Groups in Creo Parametric represent sets of contiguous features that act as a
single feature for specific operations. Individual features are affected by most
operations while some operations apply to an entire group:
• Suppress
• Delete
• Layers
• Patterning
User defined Features (UDFs) are groups of features that are stored in a file. When
a UDF is placed in a new model the created features are automatically assigned to
a group. A local group is a set of features that have been specifically assigned to a
group to make modifications and patterning easier.

Note
All methods in this section can be used for UDFs and local groups.

Features 255
Read Access to Groups and User Defined Features
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
User defined features (UDF’s) are groups of features that can be stored in a file
and added to a new model. A local group is similar to a UDF except it is available
only in the model in which is was created.
The property [Link] provides the name of the group
for the specified group instance. A particular group definition can be used more
than once in a particular model.
If the group is a family table instance, the property
[Link] supplies the instance name.
The method [Link]() traverses the
dimensions that belong to the UDF. These dimensions correspond to the
dimensions specified as variables when the UDF was created. Dimensions of the
original features that were not variables in the UDF are not included unless the
UDF was placed using the Independent option.
The property [Link] provides access to
the dimension name specified when the UDF was created, and not the name of the
dimension in the current model. This name is required to place the UDF
programmatically using the method [Link]().

Creating Features from UDFs

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() is used to create new features
by retrieving and applying the contents of an existing UDF file. It is equivalent to
the Creo Parametric command Feature, Create, User Defined.
To understand the following explanation of this method, you must have a good
knowledge and understanding of the use of UDF’s in Creo Parametric. PTC
recommends that you read about UDF’s in the Creo Parametric help, and practice
defining and using UDF’s in Creo Parametric before you attempt to use this
method.

256 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

When you create a UDF interactively, Creo Parametric prompts you for the
information it needs to fix the properties of the resulting features. When you
create a UDF from [Link], you can provide some or all of this information
programmatically by filling several compact data classes that are inputs to the
method [Link]().
During the call to [Link](), Creo Parametric prompts
you for the following:
• Information required by the UDF that was not provided in the input data
structures.
• Correct information to replace erroneous information
Such prompts are a useful way of diagnosing errors when you develop your
application. This also means that, in addition to creating UDF’s programmatically
to provide automatic synthesis of model geometry, you can also use
[Link]() to create UDF’s semi-interactively. This can
simplify the interactions needed to place a complex UDF making it easier for the
user and less prone to error.

Creating UDFs
Creating a UDF requires the following information:
• Name—The name of the UDF you are creating and the instance name if
applicable.
• Dependency—Specify if the UDF is independent of the UDF definition or is
modified by the changers made to it.
• Scale—How to scale the UDF relative to the placement model.
• Variable Dimension—The new values of the variables dimensions and pattern
parameters, those whose values can be modified each time the UDF is created.
• Dimension Display—Whether to show or blank non-variable dimensions
created within the UDF group.
• References—The geometrical elements that the UDF needs in order to relate
the features it contains to the existing models features. The elements
correspond to the picks that Creo Parametric prompts you for when you create
a UDF interactively using the prompts defined when the UDF was created.
You cannot select an embedded datum as the UDF reference.
• Parts Intersection—When a UDF that is being created in an assembly contains
features that modify the existing geometry you must define which parts are
affected or intersected. You also need to know at what level in an assembly
each intersection is going to be visible.

Features 257
• Orientations—When a UDF contains a feature with a direction that is defined
in respect to a datum plane Creo Parametric must know what direction the new
feature will point to. When you create such a UDF interactively Creo
Parametric prompt you for this information with a flip arrow.
• Quadrants—When a UDF contains a linearly placed feature that references
two datum planes to define it’s location in the new model Creo Parametric
prompts you to pick the location of the new feature. This is determined by
which side of each datum plane the feature must lie. This selection is referred
to as the quadrant because the are four possible combinations for each linearly
place feature.
To pass all the above values to Creo Parametric, [Link] uses a special class that
prepares and sets all the options and passes them to Creo Parametric.

Creating Interactively Defined UDFs

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
This static method is used to create an instructions object that can be used to
prompt a user for the required values that will create a UDF interactively.

Creating a Custom UDF

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
This method creates a pfcUDFCustomCreateInstructions object with a
specified name. To set the UDF creation parameters programmatically you must
modify this object as described below. The members of this class relate closely to
the prompts Creo Parametric gives you when you create a UDF interactively. PTC
recommends that you experiment with creating the UDF interactively using Creo
Parametric before you write the [Link] code to fill the structure.

Setting the Family Table Instance Name

Property Introduced:
• [Link]
If the UDF contains a family table, this field can be used to select the instance in
the table. If the UDF does not contain a family table, or if the generic instance is
to be selected, the do not set the string.

258 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Setting Dependency Type
Property Introduced:
• [Link]
The pfcUDFDependencyType object represents the dependency type of the
UDF. The choices correspond to the choices available when you create a UDF
interactively. This enumerated type takes the following values:
• UDFDEP_INDEPENDENT
• UDFDEP_DRIVEN

Note
UDFDEP_INDEPENDENT is the default value, if this option is not set.

Setting Scale and Scale Type

Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
The property ScaleType specifies the length units of the UDF in the form of the
pfcUDFScaleType object. This enumerated type takes the following values:
• UDFSCALE_SAME_SIZE
• UDFSCALE_SAME_DIMS
• UDFSCALE_CUSTOM
• UDFSCALE_nil

Note
The default value is UDFSCALE_SAME_SIZE if this option is not set.

The propertyScale specifies the scale factor. If the ScaleType is set to

UDFSCALE_CUSTOM, the property Scale assigns the user defined scale factor.
Otherwise, this attribute is ignored.

Setting the Appearance of the Non UDF Dimensions

Properties Introduced:
• [Link]

Features 259
The pfcUDFDimensionDisplayType object sets the options in Creo
Parametric for determining the appearance in the model of UDF dimensions and
pattern parameters that were not variable in the UDF, and therefore cannot be
modified in the model. This enumerated type takes the following values:
• UDFDISPLAY_NORMAL
• UDFDISPLAY_READ_ONLY
• UDFDISPLAY_BLANK

Note
The default value is UDFDISPLAY_NORMAL if this option is not set.

Setting the Variable Dimensions and Parameters

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
pfcUDFVariantValues class represents an array of variable dimensions and
pattern parameters.
[Link]() is a static method creating a
pfcUDFVariantDimension. It accepts the following parameters:
• Name—The symbol that the dimension had when the UDF was originally
defined not the prompt that the UDF uses when it is created interactively. To
make this name easy to remember, before you define the UDF that you plan to
create with the [Link], you should modify the symbols of all the
dimensions that you want to select to be variable. If you get the name wrong,
[Link]() will not recognize the dimension and
prompts the user for the value in the usual way does not modify the value.
• DimensionValue—The new value.
If you do not remember the name, you can find it by creating the UDF
interactively in a test model, then using the
[Link]() and
[Link] to find out the name.
[Link]() is a static method which
creates a pfcUDFVariantPatternParam. It accepts the following
parameters:

260 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• name—The string name that the pattern parameter had when the UDF was
originally defined
• number—The new value.
After the pfcUDFVariantValues object has been compiled, use
[Link] to add the
variable dimensions and parameters to the instructions.

Setting the User Defined References

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() is a static method creating a
pfcUDFReference object. It accepts the following parameters:
• PromptForReference—The prompt defined for this reference when the UDF
was originally set up. It indicates which reference this structure is providing. If
you get the prompt wrong, [Link]() will not
recognize it and prompts the user for the reference in the usual way.
• ReferenceItem—Specifies the pfcSelection object representing the
referenced element. You can set pfcSelection programmatically or
prompt the user for a selection separately. You cannot set an embedded datum
as the UDF refereence.
There are two types of reference:
○ Internal—The referenced element belongs directly to the model that will
contain the UDF. For an assembly, this means that the element belongs to
the top level.
○ External—The referenced element belongs to an assembly member other
than the placement member.
To set the reference type, use the property [Link].
To set the item to be used for reference, use the property
[Link].
After the pfcUDFReferences object has been set, use
[Link] to add the program-
defined references.

Features 261
Setting the Assembly Intersections
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
[Link]() is a static method creating a
pfcUDFReference object. It accepts the following parameters:
• ComponentPath—Is an intseq type object representing the component path
of the part to be intersected.
• Visibility level—The number that corresponds to the visibility level of the
intersected part in the assembly. If the number is equal to the length of the
component path the feature is visible in the part that it intersects. If Visibility
level is 0, the feature is visible at the level of the assembly containing the
UDF.
[Link] sets an array of
names for the new instances of parts created to represent the intersection
geometry. This property accepts the following parameters:
• instance names—is a [Link] type object
representing the array of new instance names.
After the pfcUDFAssemblyIntersections object has been set, use
[Link] to add the
assembly intersections.

Setting Orientations
Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
pfcUDFOrientations class represents an array of orientations that provide
the answers to Creo Parametric prompts that use a flip arrow. Each term is a
pfcUDFOrientation object that takes the following values:
• UDFORIENT_INTERACTIVE—Prompt for the orientation using a flip arrow.
• UDFORIENT_NO_FLIP—Accept the default flip orientation.
• UDFORIENT_FLIP—Invert the orientation from the default orientation.
The order of orientations should correspond to the order in which Creo Parametric
prompts for them when the UDF is created interactively. If you do not provide an
orientation that Creo Parametric needs, it uses the default value NO_FLIP.

262 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

After the pfcUDFOrientations object has been set use
[Link] to add the
orientations.

Setting Quadrants
Property Introduced:
• [Link]
The property [Link] sets an
array of points, which provide the X, Y, and Z coordinates that correspond to the
picks answering the Creo Parametric prompts for the feature positions. The order
of quadrants should correspond to the order in which Creo Parametric prompts for
them when the UDF is created interactively.

Setting the External References

Property Introduced:
• [Link]
The property [Link]
sets an external reference assembly to be used when placing the UDF. This will be
required when placing the UDF in the component using references outside of that
component. References could be to the top level assembly of another component.

Example Code 1
The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript copies of a node
UDF at a particular coordinate system location in a part. The node UDF is a
spherical cut centered at the coordinate system whose diameter is driven by the
'diam' argument to the method..

Features 263
 15
Datum Features
Datum Plane Features ............................................................................................. 265
Datum Axis Features ............................................................................................... 266
General Datum Point Features ................................................................................. 268
Datum Coordinate System Features ......................................................................... 269

This chapter describes the [Link] methods and properties that provide read
access to the properties of datum features.

264 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Datum Plane Features
The properties of the Datum Plane feature are defined in the
pfcDatumPlaneFeat data object.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The properties of the pfcDatumPlaneFeat object are described as follows:
• Flip—Specifies whether the datum plane was flipped during creation. Use
the property [Link] to determine if the datum plane
was flipped during creation.
• Constraints—Specifies a collection of constraints given by the
pfcDatumPlaneConstraint object. The property
[Link] obtains the collection of
constraints defined for the datum plane.
Use the property [Link] to
obtain the type of constraint. The type of constraint is given by the
pfcDatumPlaneConstraintType enumerated type. The available types are
as follows:
• DTMPLN_THRU—Specifies the Through constraint. The
pfcDatumPlaneThroughConstraint object specifies this constraint.
Use the property [Link]
to get the reference selection handle for the Through constraint.
• DTMPLN_NORM—Specifies the Normal constraint. The
pfcDatumPlaneNormalConstraint object specifies this constraint.

Datum Features 265

 Use the property [Link] to
get the reference selection handle for the Normal constraint.
• DTMPLN_PRL—Specifies the Parallel constraint.
The pfcDatumPlaneParallelConstraint object specifies this
constraint. Use the property
[Link] to get the
reference selection handle for the Parallel constraint.
• DTMPLN_TANG—Specifies the Tangent constraint. The
pfcDatumPlaneTangentConstraint object specifies this constraint.
Use the property [Link]
to get the reference selection handle for the Tangent constraint.
• DTMPLN_OFFS—Specifies the Offset constraint. The
pfcDatumPlaneOffsetConstraint object specifies this constraint.
Use the property [Link] to
get the reference selection handle for the Offset constraint. Use the property
[Link] to get the offset
value.
An Offset constraint where the offset reference is a coordinate system is given
by the pfcDatumPlaneOffsetCoordSysConstraint object. Use the
property [Link]
to get the reference coordinate axis.
• DTMPLN_ANG—Specifies the Angle constraint. The
pfcDatumPlaneAngleConstraint object specifies this constraint. Use
the property [Link] to get the
reference selection handle for the Angle constraint. Use the property
[Link] to get the angle
value.
• DTMPLN_SEC—Specifies the Section constraint. The
pfcDatumPlaneSectionConstraint object specifies this constraint.
Use the property [Link]
to get the reference selection for the Section constraint. Use the property
[Link] to get the
section index.

Datum Axis Features

The properties of the Datum Axis feature are defined in the
pfcDatumAxisFeat data object.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]

266 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The properties of the pfcDatumAxisFeat object are described as follows:
• Constraints—Specifies a collection of constraints given by the
pfcDatumAxisConstraint object. The property
[Link] obtains the collection of constraints
applied to the Datum Axis feature.
This object contains the following attributes:
○ ConstraintType—Specifies the type of constraint in terms of the
pfcDatumAxisConstraintType enumerated type. The constraint
type determines the type of datum axis. The constraint types are:
◆ DTMAXIS_NORMAL—Specifies the Normal datum constraint.
◆ DTMAXIS_THRU—Specifies the Through datum constraint.
◆ DTMAXIS_TANGENT—Specifies the Tangent datum constraint.
◆ DTMAXIS_CENTER—Specifies the Center datum constraint.
Use the property [Link]
to get the constraint type.
○ ConstraintRef—Specifies the reference selection for the constraint.
Use the property [Link] to
get the reference selection handle.
• DimConstraints—Specifies a collection of dimension constraints given
by the pfcDatumAxisDimensionConstraint object. The property
[Link] obtains the collection of
dimension constraints applied to the Datum Axis feature.
This pfcDatumAxisDimensionConstraint object contains the
following attributes:
○ DimOffset—Specifies the offset value for the dimension constraint. Use
the property [Link]
to get the offset value.
○ DimRef—Specifies the reference selection for the dimension constraint.
Use the property [Link]
to get the reference selection handle.

Datum Features 267

General Datum Point Features
The properties of the General Datum Point feature are defined in the
pfcDatumPointFeat data object.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The properties of the pfcDatumPointFeat object are described as follows:
• FeatName—Specifies the name of the General Datum Point feature. Use the
property [Link] to get the name.
• GeneralDatumPoints—Specifies a collection of general datum points
given by the pfcGeneralDatumPoint object. Use the method
[Link]() to obtain the collection of general
datum points. The pfcGeneralDatumPoint object consists of the
following attributes:
○ Name—Specifies the name of the general datum point. Use the property
[Link] to get the name.
○ PlaceConstraints—Specifies a collection of placement constraints
given by the pfcDatumPointPlacementConstraint object. Use
the property [Link] to
obtain the collection of placement constraints.
○ DimConstraints—Specifies a collection of dimension constraints
given by the pfcDatumPointDimensionConstraint object. Use
the property [Link] to obtain
the collection of dimension constraints.
The constraints for a datum point are given by the
pfcDatumPointConstraint object. This object contains the following
attributes:
• ConstraintRef—Specifies the reference selection for the datum point
constraint. Use the property
[Link] to get the reference
selection handle.

268 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• ConstraintType—Specifies the type of datum point constraint. in terms
of the pfcDatumPointConstraintType enumerated type. Use the
property [Link] to get the
constraint type.
• Value—Specifies the constraint reference value with respect to the datum
point. Use the property [Link] to get the
value of the constraint reference with respect to the datum point.
The pfcDatumPointPlacementConstraint and
pfcDatumPointDimensionConstraint objects inherit from the
pfcpfcDatumPointConstraint object. Use the methods of the
pfcDatumPointConstraint object for the inherited objects.

Datum Coordinate System Features

The properties of the Datum Coordinate System feature are defined in the
pfcCoordSysFeat object.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The properties of the pfcCoordSysFeat object are described as follows:
• OriginConstraints—Specifies a collection of origin constraints given
by the pfcDatumCsysOriginConstraint object. Use the property
[Link] to obtain the collection of
origin constraints for the coordinate system. This object contains the following
attribute:

Datum Features 269

 ○ OriginRef—Specifies the selection reference for the origin. Use the
property [Link] to get
the selection reference handle.
• DimensionConstraints—Specifies a collection of dimension
constraints given by the pfcDatumCsysDimensionConstraint object.
Use the property [Link] to
obtain the collection of dimension constraints for the coordinate system. This
object contains the following attributes:
○ DimRef—Specifies the reference selection for the dimension constraint.
Use the property [Link]
to get the reference selection handle.
○ DimValue—Specifies the value of the reference. Use the property
[Link] to get the
value.
○ DimConstraintType—Specifies the type of dimension constraint in
terms of the pfcDatumCsysDimConstraintType enumerated type.
Use the property
[Link]
to get the constraint type. The constraint types are:
◆ DTMCSYS_DIM_OFFSET—Specifies the offset type constraint.
◆ DTMCSYS_DIM_ALIGN—Specifies the align type constraint.
• OrientationConstraints—Specifies a collection of orientation
constraints given by the pfcDatumCsysOrientMoveConstraint
object. Use the property
[Link] to obtain the
collection of orientation constraints for the coordinate system. This object
contains the following attributes:
○ OrientMoveConstraintType—Specifies the type of orientation for
the constraint. The orientation type is given by the
pfcDatumCsysOrientMoveConstraintType enumerated type.
Use the property
[Link]
straintType to get the orientation type.
○ OrientMoveValue—Specifies the reference value for the constraint.
Use the property
[Link] to
get the reference value.

270 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• IsNormalToScreen—Specifies if the coordinate system is normal to
screen. Use the property [Link] to
determine if the coordinate system is normal to screen.
• OffsetType—Specifies the offset type of the coordinate system in terms of
the pfcDatumCsysOffsetType enumerated type. Use the property
[Link] to get the offset type. The offset types
are:
○ DTMCSYS_OFFSET_CARTESIAN—Specifies a cartesian coordinate
system that has been defined by setting the values for the DTMCSYS_
MOVE_TRAN_X, DTMCSYS_MOVE_TRAN_Y, and DTMCSYS_MOVE_
TRAN_Z or DTMCSYS_MOVE_ROT_X, DTMCSYS_MOVE_ROT_Y, and
DTMCSYS_MOVE_ROT_Z orientation constants.
○ DTMCSYS_OFFSET_CYLINDRICAL—Specifies a cylindrical coordinate
system that has been defined by setting the values for the DTMCSYS_
MOVE_RAD, DTMCSYS_MOVE_THETA, and DTMCSYS_MOVE_TRAN_
ZI orientation constants.
○ DTMCSYS_OFFSET_SPHERICAL—Specifies a spherical coordinate
system that has been defined by setting the values for the DTMCSYS_
MOVE_RAD, DTMCSYS_MOVE_THETA, and DTMCSYS_MOVE_TRAN_
PHI orientation constants.
• OnSurfaceType—Specifies the on surface type for the coordinate system
in terms of the pfcDatumCsysOffsetType enumerated type. Use the
property [Link] to get the on surface type
property of the coordinate system. The on surface types are:
○ DTMCSYS_ONSURF_LINEAR—Specifies a coordinate system placed on
the selected surface by using two linear dimensions.
○ DTMCSYS_ONSURF_RADIAL—Specifies a coordinate system placed on
the selected surface by using a linear dimension and an angular dimension.
The radius value is used to specify the linear dimension.
○ DTMCSYS_ONSURF_DIAMETER—This type is similar to the DTMCSYS_
ONSURF_RADIAL type, except that the diameter value is used to specify
the linear dimension. It is available only when planar surfaces are used as
the reference.
• OrientByMethod—Specifies the orientation method in terms of the
pfcDatumCsysOrientByMethod enumerated type. Use the property
[Link] to get the orientation method.
The available orientation types are:
○ DTMCSYS_ORIENT_BY_SEL_REFS—Specifies the orientation by
selected references.

Datum Features 271

 ○ DTMCSYS_ORIENT_BY_SEL_CSYS_AXES—Specifies the orientation
by coordinate system axes.

272 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 16
Geometry Evaluation
Geometry Traversal................................................................................................. 274
Curves and Edges ................................................................................................... 275
Contours................................................................................................................. 278
Surfaces ................................................................................................................. 279
Axes, Coordinate Systems, and Points...................................................................... 283
Interference ............................................................................................................ 283

This chapter describes geometry representation and discusses how to evaluate

geometry using [Link] .

273
Geometry Traversal
• A simple rectangular face has one contour and four edges.
• A contour will traverse a boundary so that the part face is always on the right-
hand side (RHS). For an external contour the direction of traversal is
clockwise. For an internal contour the direction of traversal is
counterclockwise.
• If a part is extruded from a sketch that has a U-shaped cross section there will
be separate surfaces at each leg of the U-channel.
• If a part is extruded from a sketch that has a square-shaped cross section, and a
slot feature is then cut into the part to make it look like a U-channel, there will
be one surface across the legs of the U-channel. The original surface of the
part is represented as one surface with a cut through it.

Geometry Terms
Following are definitions for some geometric terms:
• Surface—An ideal geometric representation, that is, an infinite plane.
• Face—A trimmed surface. A face has one or more contours.
• Contour—A closed loop on a face. A contour consists of multiple edges. A
contour can belong to one face only.
• Edge—The boundary of a trimmed surface.
An edge of a solid is the intersection of two surfaces. The edge belongs to those
two surfaces and to two contours. An edge of a datum surface can be either the
intersection of two datum surfaces or the external boundary of the surface.
If the edge is the intersection of two datum surfaces it will belong to those two
surfaces and to two contours. If the edge is the external boundary of the datum
surface it will belong to that surface alone and to a single contour.

Traversing the Geometry of a Solid Block

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
To traverse the geometry, follow these steps:
1. Starting at the top-level model, use
[Link]() with an argument of ITEM_
SURFACE.

274 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

2. Use [Link]() to list the contours contained in a
specified surface.
3. Use [Link]() to list the edges contained in the
contour.

Curves and Edges

Datum curves, surface edges, and solid edges are represented in the same way in
[Link]. You can get edges through geometry traversal or get a list of edges
using the methods presented in the chapter ModelItem on page 243.

The t Parameter
The geometry of each edge or curve is represented as a set of three parametric
equations that represent the values of x, y, and z as functions of an independent
parameter, t. The t parameter varies from 0.0 at the start of the curve to 1.0 at the
end of it.
The following figure illustrates curve and edge parameterization.

Curve and Edge Types

Solid edges and datum curves can be any of the following types:
• LINE—A straight line represented by the class pfcLine.
• ARC—A circular curve represented by the class pfcArc.
• SPLINE—A nonuniform cubic spline, represented by the class pfcSpline.

Geometry Evaluation 275

• B-SPLINE—A nonuniform rational B-spline curve or edge, represented by the
class pfcBSpline.
• COMPOSITE CURVE—A combination of two or more curves, represented
by the class pfcCompositeCurve. This is used for datum curves only.
See the appendix Geometry Representations on page 414 for the parameterization
of each curve type. To determine what type of curve a pfcEdge or pfcCurve
object represents, use the Java instanceof operator.
Because each curve class inherits from pfcGeomCurve, you can use all the
evaluation methods in pfcGeomCurve on any edge or curve.
The following curve types are not used in solid geometry and are reserved for
future expansion:
• CIRCLE (pfcCircle)
• ELLIPSE (pfcEllipse)
• POLYGON (pfcPolygon)
• ARROW (pfcArrow)
• TEXT (pfcText)

Evaluation of Curves and Edges

Methods Introduced:
• pfcGeomCurve.Eval3DData()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The methods in pfcGeomCurve provide information about any curve or edge.
The method pfcGeomCurve.Eval3DData() returns a pfcCurveXYZData
object with information on the point represented by the input parameter t. The
method [Link]() returns a similar object with
information on the point that is a specified distance from the starting point.
The method [Link]() returns the t parameter
that represents the input pfcPoint3D object.
Both [Link]() and
[Link]() return numerical values for the
length of the curve or edge.

276 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Solid Edge Geometry
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• pfcEdge.Surface1
• pfcEdge.Surface2
• pfcEdge.Edge1
• pfcEdge.Edge2
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

Note
The methods in the interface pfcEdge provide information only for solid
or surface edges.

The properties pfcEdge.Surface1 and pfcEdge.Surface2 return the

surfaces bounded by this edge. The properties pfcEdge.Edge1 and
pfcEdge.Edge2 return the next edges in the two contours that contain this
edge.
The method [Link]() evaluates geometry information based on the
UV parameters of one of the bounding surfaces.
The method [Link]() returns a positive 1 if the edge is
parameterized in the same direction as the containing contour, and –1 if the edge
is parameterized opposite to the containing contour.

Curve Descriptors
A curve descriptor is a data object that describes the geometry of a curve or edge.
A curve descriptor describes the geometry of a curve without being a part of a
specific model.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()

Geometry Evaluation 277

• [Link]()

Note
To get geometric information for an edge, access the
pfcCurveDescriptor object for one edge using
[Link]().

The method [Link]() returns a curve’s

geometry as a data object.
The method [Link]() returns a
Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline Representation of a curve.

Contours
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Contours are a series of edges that completely bound a surface. A contour is not a
pfcModelItem. You cannot get contours using the methods that get different
types of pfcModelItem. Use the method [Link]()
to get contours from their containing surfaces.
The property [Link] returns a
pfcContourTraversal enumerated type that identifies whether a given
contour is on the outside or inside of a containing surface.
Use the method [Link]() to find the
contour that entirely encloses the specified contour.
The method [Link]() provides the area enclosed by the
contour.
The method [Link]() returns the points that make up
the bounding rectangle of the contour.
Use the method [Link]() to determine whether the given
pfcUVParams argument lies inside the contour, on the boundary, or outside the
contour.

278 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Surfaces
Using [Link] you access datum and solid surfaces in the same way.

UV Parameterization
A surface in Creo Parametric is described as a series of parametric equations
where two parameters, u and v, determine the x, y, and z coordinates. Unlike the
edge parameter, t, these parameters need not start at 0.0, nor are they limited to
1.0.
The figure on the following page illustrates surface parameterization.

Surface Types
Surfaces within Creo Parametric can be any of the following types:
• PLANE—A planar surface represented by the class pfcPlane.
• CYLINDER—A cylindrical surface represented by the class pfcCylinder.
• CONE—A conic surface region represented by the class pfcCone.
• TORUS—A toroidal surface region represented by the class pfcTorus.
• REVOLVED SURFACE—Generated by revolving a curve about an axis. This
is represented by the class pfcRevSurface.

Geometry Evaluation 279

• RULED SURFACE—Generated by interpolating linearly between two curve
entities. This is represented by the class pfcRuledSurface.
• TABULATED CYLINDER—Generated by extruding a curve linearly. This is
represented by the class pfcTabulatedCylinder.
• COONS PATCH—A coons patch is used to blend surfaces together. It is
represented by the class pfcCoonsPatch.
• FILLET SURFACE—A filleted surface is found where a round or fillet is
placed on a curved edge or an edge with a non-consistant arc radii. On a
straight edge a cylinder is used to represent a fillet. This is represented by the
class pfcFilletedSurface.
• SPLINE SURFACE— A nonuniform bicubic spline surface that passes
through a grid with tangent vectors given at each point. This is represented by
the class pfcSplineSurface.
• NURBS SURFACE—A NURBS surface is defined by basic functions (in u
and v), expandable arrays of knots, weights, and control points. This is
represented by the class pfcNURBSSurface.
• CYLINDRICAL SPLINE SURFACE— A cylindrical spline surface is a
nonuniform bicubic spline surface that passes through a grid with tangent
vectors given at each point. This is represented by the class
pfcCylindricalSplineSurface.
To determine which type of surface a pfcSurface object represents, access the
surface type using [Link].

Surface Information
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns the type of the
surface using the enumerated data type pfcSurfaceType and the valid values
are:
• SURFACE_PLANE
• SURFACE_CYLINDER
• SURFACE_CONE
• SURFACE_TORUS
• SURFACE_RULED

280 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• SURFACE_REVOLVED
• SURFACE_TABULATED_CYLINDER
• SURFACE_FILLET
• SURFACE_COONS_PATCH
• SURFACE_SPLINE
• SURFACE_NURBS
• SURFACE_CYLINDRICAL_SPLINE
• SURFACE_FOREIGN
• SURFACE_SPL2DER
The method [Link]() returns the XYZ points at the
corners of the surface.
The method [Link]() returns the UV parameters at
the corners of the surface.
The method [Link]() returns the orientation of the
surface using the enumerated data type pfcSurfaceOrientation and the
valid values are:
• SURFACEORIENT_NONE—Surface that does not need orientation. For
example, a solid surface needs orientation and therefore cannot be specified.
• SURFACEORIENT_OUTWARD—Surface that has oriented outward away from
the solid model. du X dv points outward.
• SURFACEORIENT_INWARD—Surface that has oriented inward toward the
solid model. du X dv points inward.

Evaluation of Surfaces
Surface methods allow you to use multiple surface information to calculate,
evaluate, determine, and examine surface functions and problems.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• pfcSurface.Eval3DData()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

Geometry Evaluation 281

• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The property [Link] returns the pfcQuilt object that
contains the datum surface.
The method [Link]() projects a three-
dimensional point onto the surface. Use the method
[Link]() to determine whether the
specified three-dimensional point is on the surface, within the accuracy of the part.
If it is, the method returns the point that is exactly on the surface. Otherwise the
method returns null.
The method pfcSurface.Eval3DData() returns a pfcSurfXYZData
object that contains information about the surface at the specified u and v
parameters. The method [Link]() returns the u and
v parameters that correspond to the specified three-dimensional point.
The method [Link]() returns the area of the surface,
whereas [Link]() returns the diameter of the surface.
If the diameter varies the optional pfcUVParams argument identifies where the
diameter should be evaluated.
The method [Link]() returns a
pfcCurvatureData object with information regarding the curvature of the
surface at the specified u and v parameters.
Use the method [Link]() to determine whether the
pfcUVParams are actually within the boundary of the surface.
The methods [Link]() and
[Link]() return the three-dimensional point on the
surface that is the furthest in the direction of (or away from) the specified vector.
The method [Link]() identifies other surfaces
that are tangent and connect to the given surface.

Surface Descriptors
A surface descriptor is a data object that describes the shape and geometry of a
specified surface. A surface descriptor allows you to describe a surface in 3D
without an owner ID.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns a surfaces
geometry as a data object.

282 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() returns a Non-
Uniform Rational B-Spline Representation of a surface.

Axes, Coordinate Systems, and Points

Coordinate axes, datum points, and coordinate systems are all model items. Use
the methods that return pfcModelItems to get one of these geometry objects.
Refer to the chapter ModelItem on page 243 for additional information.

Evaluation of ModelItems
Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The property [Link] returns the revolved surface that uses the axis.
The property [Link] returns the pfcTransform3D
object (which includes the origin and x-, y-, and z- axes) that defines the
coordinate system.
The property [Link] returns the xyz coordinates of the datum point.

Interference
Creo Parametric assemblies can contain interferences between components when
constraint by certain rules defined by the user. The pfcInterference module
allows the user to detect and analyze any interferences within the assembly. The
analysis of this functionality should be looked at from two standpoints: global and
selection based analysis.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
To compute all the interferences within an Assembly one has to call
[Link]() with a
pfcAssembly object as an argument. This call returns
apfcGlobalEvaluator object.

Geometry Evaluation 283

The property [Link] accesses the assembly to be
evaluated .
The method [Link]()
determines the set of all the interferences within the assembly.
This method will return a sequence of pfcGlobalInterference objects or
null if there are no interfering parts. Each object contains a pair of intersecting
parts and an object representing the interference volume, which can be extracted
by using [Link] and
[Link] respectively.

Analyzing Interference Information

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates a
pfcSelectionPair object using two pfcSelection objects as arguments.
A return from this method will serve as an argument to
[Link](), which will
provide a way to determine the interference data between the two selections.
[Link] will extract and set the object to
be evaluated.
[Link]() determines the
interfering information about the provided selections. This method will return the
pfcInterferenceVolume object or null if the selections do no interfere.
[Link]() computes the
clearance data for the two selection. This method returns a
pfcClearanceData object, which can be used to obtain and set clearance
distance, nearest points between selections, and a boolean IsInterferening
variable.
[Link]()
finds a critical point of the distance function between two selections.
This method returns a pfcCriticalDistanceData object, which is used to
determine and set critical points, surface parameters, and critical distance between
points.

284 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Analyzing Interference Volume
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The method [Link]() will calculate
a value for interfering volume.
The method [Link]() will highlight the
interfering volume with the color provided in the argument to the function.
The property [Link] will return a set of
boundary surface descriptors for the interference volume.

Example Code
The sample code in the file [Link] located at
[Link] <creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript
finds the interference in an assembly, highlights the interfering surfaces, and
highlights calculates the interference volume.
This application finds the interference in an assembly, highlights the interfering
surfaces, and highlights calculates the interference volume.
This method allows a user to evaluate the assembly for a presence of any
interferences. Upon finding one, this method will highlight the interfering
surfaces, compute and highlight the interference volume.

Geometry Evaluation 285

 17
Dimensions and Parameters
Overview ................................................................................................................ 287
The ParamValue Object ........................................................................................... 287
Parameter Objects .................................................................................................. 288
Dimension Objects .................................................................................................. 294

This chapter describes the [Link] methods and classes that affect dimensions
and parameters.

286 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Overview
Dimensions and parameters in Creo Parametric have similar characteristics but
also have significant differences. In [Link], the similarities between
dimensions and parameters are contained in the pfcBaseParameter class.
This class allows access to the parameter or dimension value and to information
regarding a parameter's designation and modification. The differences between
parameters and dimensions are recognizable because pfcDimension inherits
from the class pfcModelItem, and can be assigned tolerances, whereas
parameters are not pfcModelItems and cannot have tolerances.

The ParamValue Object

Both parameters and dimension objects contain an object of type
pfcParamValue. This object contains the integer, real, string, or Boolean value
of the parameter or dimension. Because of the different possible value types that
can be associated with a pfcParamValue object there are different methods
used to access each value type and some methods will not be applicable for some
pfcParamValue objects. If you try to use an incorrect method an exception
will be thrown.

Accessing a ParamValue Object

Methods and Property Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The pfcModelItem utility class contains methods for creating each type of
pfcParamValue object. Once you have established the value type in the object,
you can change it. The property [Link] returns the
pfcParamValue associated with a particular parameter or dimension.
A NotepfcParamValue is an integer value that refers to the ID of a specified
note. To create a parameter of this type the identified note must already exist in
the model.

Accessing the ParamValue Value

Properties Introduced:

Dimensions and Parameters 287

• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The property [Link] returns a enumeration object that
identifies the type of value contained in the pfcParamValue object. Use this
information with the specified properties to access the value. If you use an
incorrect property an exception of type pfcXBadGetParamValue will be
thrown.

Parameter Objects
The following sections describe the [Link] methods that access parameters.
The topics are as follows:
• Creating and Accessing Parameters on page 288
• Parameter Selection Options on page 289
• Parameter Information on page 291
• Parameter Restrictions on page 292

Creating and Accessing Parameters

Methods and Property Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
In [Link], models, features, surfaces, and edges inherit from the
pfcParameterOwner class, because each of the objects can be assigned
parameters in Creo Parametric.
The method [Link]() gets a parameter given its
name.
The method [Link]() returns a sequence of all
parameters assigned to the object.

288 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

To create a new parameter with a name and a specific value, call the method
[Link]().
To create a new parameter with a name, a specific value, and units, call the
method [Link]().
The method [Link]() allows you to select a
parameter from the Creo Parametric user interface. The top model from which the
parameters are selected must be displayed in the current window.
The method [Link]() allows you to
interactively select parameters from the Creo Parametric Parameter dialog box
based on the parameter selection options specified by the
pfcParameterSelectionOptions object. The top model from which the
parameters are selected must be displayed in the current window. Refer to the
section Parameter Selection Options on page 289 for more information.
The property [Link] returns the reference parameter
from the parameter column in a family table.

Parameter Selection Options

Parameter selection options in [Link] are represented by the
pfcParameterSelectionOptions class.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a new
instance of the pfcParameterSelectionOptions object that is used by the
method [Link]().
The parameter selection options are as follows:
• AllowContextSelection—This boolean attribute indicates whether to
allow parameter selection from multiple contexts, or from the invoking
parameter owner. By default, it is false and allows selection only from the
invoking parameter owner. If it is true and if specific selection contexts are not
yet assigned, then you can select the parameters from any context.
Use the property
[Link] to
modify the value of this attribute.

Dimensions and Parameters 289

• Contexts—The permitted parameter selection contexts in the form of the
pfcParameterSelectionContexts object. Use the property
[Link] to assign the
parameter selection context. By default, you can select parameters from any
context.
• The types of parameter selection contexts are as follows:
○ PARAMSELECT_MODEL—Specifies that the top level model parameters
can be selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_PART—Specifies that any part’s parameters (at any level
of the top model) can be selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_ASM—Specifies that any assembly’s parameters (at any
level of the top model) can be selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_FEATURE—Specifies that any feature’s parameters can
be selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_EDGE—Specifies that any edge’s parameters can be
selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_SURFACE—Specifies that any surface’s parameters can
be selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_QUILT—Specifies that any quilt’s parameters can be
selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_CURVE—Specifies that any curve’s parameters can be
selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_COMPOSITE_CURVE—Specifies that any composite
curve’s parameters can be selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_INHERITED—Specifies that any inheritance feature’s
parameters can be selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_SKELETON—Specifies that any skeleton’s parameters
can be selected.
○ PARAMSELECT_COMPONENT—Specifies that any component’s
parameters can be selected.
• AllowMultipleSelections—This boolean attribute indicates whether
or not to allow multiple parameters to be selected from the dialog box, or only
a single parameter. By default, it is true and allows selection of multiple
parameters.
Use the property
[Link]
to modify this attribute.

290 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• SelectButtonLabel—The visible label for the select button in the dialog
box.
Use the [Link]
to set the label. If not set, the default label in the language of the active Creo
Parametric session is displayed.

Parameter Information
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
Parameters inherit methods from the pfcBaseParameter, pfcParameter
and pfcNamedModelItem classes.
The property [Link] returns the value of the parameter
or dimension.
The method [Link]() returns the parameter
value in the units of the parameter, instead of the units of the owner model as
returned by [Link].
The method [Link]() assigns the parameter
value in the units provided, instead of using the units of the owner model as
assumed by [Link].
The method [Link] returns the units assigned to the
parameter.
You can access the designation status of the parameter using the property
[Link] .

Dimensions and Parameters 291

The property [Link] and
[Link]() enable you to identify a
modified parameter or dimension, and reset it to the last stored value. A parameter
is said to be "modified" when the value has been changed but the parameter's
owner has not yet been regenerated.
The property [Link] returns the parameter
description, or null, if no description is assigned.
The property [Link] identifies if the parameter’s
value is restricted to a certain range or enumeration. It returns the
pfcParameterRestriction object. Refer to the section Parameter
Restrictions on page 292 for more information.
The property [Link]() returns the driver type for
a material parameter. The driver types are as follows:
• PARAMDRIVER_PARAM—Specifies that the parameter value is driven by
another parameter.
• PARAMDRIVER_FUNCTION—Specifies that the parameter value is driven by
a function.
• PARAMDRIVER_RELATION—Specifies that the parameter value is driven by
a relation. This is equivalent to the value obtained using
[Link] for a parameter object type.
The method [Link]() reorders the given parameter to
come immediately after the indicated parameter in the Parameter dialog box and
information files generated by Creo Parametric.
The method [Link]() permanently removes a specified
parameter.
The property [Link] accesses the name of the specified
parameter.

Parameter Restrictions
Creo Parametric allows users to assign specified limitations to the value allowed
for a given parameter (wherever the parameter appears in the model). You can
only read the details of the permitted restrictions from [Link] , but not modify
the permitted values or range of values. Parameter restrictions in [Link] are
represented by the class pfcParameterRestriction.
Method Introduced:
• [Link]
The method [Link] returns the
pfcRestrictionType object containing the types of parameter restrictions.
The parameter restrictions are of the following types:

292 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• PARAMSELECT_ENUMERATION—Specifies that the parameter is restricted
to a list of permitted values.
• PARAMSELECT_RANGE—Specifies that the parameter is limited to a
specified range of numeric values.

Enumeration Restriction
The PARAMSELECT_ENUMERATION type of parameter restriction is represented
by the classpfcParameterEnumeration. It is a child of the
pfcParameterRestriction class.
Property Introduced:
• [Link]
The property [Link] returns a
list of permitted parameter values allowed by this restriction in the form of a
sequence of the pfcParamValue objects.

Range Restriction
The PARAMSELECT_RANGE type of parameter restriction is represented by the
interface pfcParameterRange. It is a child of the
pfcParameterRestriction interface.
Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The property [Link] returns the maximum value
limit for the parameter in the form of the pfcParameterLimit object.
The property [Link] returns the minimum value
limit for the parameter in the form of the pfcParameterLimit object.
The property [Link] returns the
pfcParameterLimitType containing the types of parameter limits. The
parameter limits are of the following types:
• PARAMLIMIT_LESS_THAN—Specifies that the parameter must be less than
the indicated value.
• PARAMLIMIT_LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL—Specifies that the parameter
must be less than or equal to the indicated value.
• PARAMLIMIT_GREATER_THAN—Specifies that the parameter must be
greater than the indicated value.

Dimensions and Parameters 293

• PARAMLIMIT_GREATER_THAN_OR_EQUAL—Specifies that the parameter
must be greater than or equal to the indicated value.
The property [Link] returns the boundary value of the
parameter limit in the form of the pfcParamValue object.

Example Code: Updating Model Parameters

The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript contains a single
static utility method. This method creates or updates model parameters based on
the name-value pairs in the URL page. A utility method parses the String returned
via the URL into int, double, or boolean values if possible.

Dimension Objects
Dimension objects include standard Creo Parametric dimensions as well as
reference dimensions. Dimension objects enable you to access dimension
tolerances and enable you to set the value for the dimension. Reference
dimensions allow neither of these actions.

Getting Dimensions
Dimensions and reference dimensions are Creo Parametric model items. See the
section Getting ModelItem Objects on page 244 for methods that can return
pfcDimension and pfcRefDimension objects.

Dimension Information
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
All the pfcBaseParameter methods are accessible to Dimensions as well as
Parameters. See the section Parameter Objects on page 288 for brief descriptions.

294 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 Note
You cannot set the value or designation status of reference dimension objects.

The property [Link] accesses the dimension value

as a double. This property provides a shortcut for accessing the dimensions' values
without using a ParamValue object.
The property [Link] identifies whether
the part or assembly relations control a dimension.
The property [Link] returns an enumeration object
that identifies whether a dimension is linear, radial, angular, or diametrical.
The property [Link] returns the dimension or
reference dimension symbol (that is, “d#” or “rd#”).
The property [Link] and
[Link] methods allows access to the text strings that
precede or follow the dimension value.

Dimension Tolerances
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Only true dimension objects can have geometric tolerances.
The property [Link] enables you to access the
dimension tolerance. The object types for the dimension tolerance are:
• pfcDimTolLimits—Displays dimension tolerances as upper and lower
limits.

Note
This format is not available when only the tolerance value for a dimension
is displayed.

Dimensions and Parameters 295

• pfcDimTolPlusMinus—Displays dimensions as nominal with plus-minus
tolerances. The positive and negative values are independent.
• pfcDimTolSymmetric—Displays dimensions as nominal with a single
value for both the positive and the negative tolerance.
• pfcDimTolSymSuperscript—Displays dimensions as nominal with a
single value for positive and negative tolerance. The text of the tolerance is
displayed in a superscript format with respect to the dimension text.
• pfcDimTolISODIN—Displays the tolerance table type, table column, and
table name, if the dimension tolerance is set to a hole or shaft table (DIN/ISO
standard).
A null value is similar to the nominal option in Creo Parametric.
To determine whether a given tolerance is plus/minus, symmetric, limits, or
superscript use TBD.

Example Code: Setting Tolerances to a Specified Range

The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript shows a utility
method that sets angular tolerances to a specified range.
The example code shows a utility method that sets angular tolerances to a
specified range. First, the program determines whether the dimension passed to it
is angular. If it is, the method gets the dimension value and adds or subtracts the
range to it to get the upper and lower limits.

296 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 18
Relations
Accessing Relations ................................................................................................ 298
Accessing Post Regeneration Relations.................................................................... 298

This chapter describes how to access relations on all models and model items in
Creo Parametric using the methods provided in [Link].

297
Accessing Relations
In [Link], the set of relations on any model or model item is represented by the
pfcRelationOwner class. Models, features, surfaces, and edges inherit from
this interface, because each object can be assigned relations in Creo Parametric.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() regenerates
the relations assigned to the owner item. It also determines whether the specified
relation set is valid.
The method [Link]() deletes all the
relations assigned to the owner item.
The property [Link] returns the list of initial
relations assigned to the owner item as a sequence of strings.
The method [Link]() evaluates the
given relations-based expression, and returns the resulting value in the form of the
pfcParamValue object. Refer to the section The ParamValue Object on page
287 in the chapter Dimensions and Parameters on page 286 for more information
on this object.

Example 1: Adding Relations between Parameters in

a Solid Model
The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript demonstrates how
to add relations between parameters in a solid model.

Accessing Post Regeneration Relations

Method and Property Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The property [Link] lists the post-
regeneration relations assigned to the model. It can be NULL, if not set.

298 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 Note
To work with post-regeneration relations, use the post-regeneration relations
attribute in the methods
[Link]() and
[Link]().

You can regenerate the relation sets post-regeneration in a model using the method
[Link]().
To delete all the post-regeneration relations in the specified model, call the method
[Link]().

Relations 299
 19
Assemblies and Components
Structure of Assemblies and Assembly Objects ......................................................... 301
Assembling Components ......................................................................................... 306
Redefining and Rerouting Assembly Components ..................................................... 310
Exploded Assemblies .............................................................................................. 310
Skeleton Models...................................................................................................... 311

This chapter describes the [Link] functions that access the functions of a Creo
Parametric assembly. You must be familiar with the following before you read this
section:
• The Selection Object
• Coordinate Systems
• The Geometry section

300 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Structure of Assemblies and Assembly
Objects
The object pfcAssembly is an instance of pfcSolid. The pfcAssembly
object can therefore be used as input to any of the pfcSolid and pfcModel
methods applicable to assemblies. However assemblies do not contain solid
geometry items. The only geometry in the assembly is datums (points, planes,
axes, coordinate systems, curves, and surfaces). Therefore solid assembly features
such as holes and slots will not contain active surfaces or edges in the assembly
model.
The solid geometry of an assembly is contained in its components. A component
is a feature of type pfcComponentFeat, which is a reference to a part or
another assembly, and a set of parametric constraints for determining its
geometrical location within the parent assembly.
Assembly features that are solid, such as holes and slots, and therefore affect the
solid geometry of parts in the assembly hierarchy, do not themselves contain the
geometry items that describe those modifications. These items are always
contained in the parts whose geometry is modified, within local features created
for that purpose.
The important [Link] functions for assemblies are those that operate on the
components of an assembly. The object pfcComponentFeat, which is an
instance of pfcFeature is defined for that purpose. Each assembly component
is treated as a variety of feature, and the integer identifier of the component is also
the feature identifier.
An assembly can contain a hierarchy of assemblies and parts at many levels, in
which some assemblies and parts may appear more than once. To identify the role
of any database item in the context of the root assembly, it is not sufficient to have
the integer identifier of the item and the handle to its owning part or assembly, as
would be provided by its pfcFeature description.
It is also necessary to give the full path of the assembly-component references
down from the root assembly to the part or assembly that owns the database item.
This is the purpose of the object pfcComponentPath, which is used as the
input to [Link] assembly functions.
The following figure shows an assembly hierarchy with two examples of the
contents of a pfcComponentPath object.

Assemblies and Components 301

In the assembly shown in the figure, subassembly C is component identifier 11
within assembly A, Part B is component identifier 3 within assembly AB, and so
on. The subassembly AB occurs twice. To refer to the two occurrences of part B,
use the following:
(?)Component B’ Component B"
[Link](0) = 2 [Link](1) = 11
[Link](1) = 2 [Link](2) = 6
[Link](2) = 5 [Link](3) = 12
[Link](3) = 2 [Link](4) = 3
[Link](4) = 3
The object pfcComponentPath is one of the main portions of the
pfcSelection object.

Assembly Components
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

302 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The property [Link] identifies whether an
assembly component is a bulk item. A bulk item is a non-geometric assembly
feature that should appear in an assembly bill of materials.
The property [Link] returns a true value if the
component is substituted, else it returns a false. When you substitute a component
in a simplified representation, you temporarily exclude the substituted component
and superimpose the substituting component in its place.
The property [Link] enables you to set the type of
the assembly component. The component type identifies the purpose of the
component in a manufacturing assembly.
The property [Link] returns the model
descriptor of the component part or subassembly.

Note
From Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0 onwards, the property
[Link] throws an exception
pfcXtoolkitCantOpen if called on an assembly component whose
immediate generic is not in session. Handle this exception and typecast the
assembly component as pfcSolid, which in turn can be typecast as
pfcFamilyMember, and use the method
[Link]() to get the model
descriptor of the immediate generic model. If you wish to switch off this
behavior and continue to run legacy applications in the pre-Wildfire 4.0 mode,
set the configuration option retrieve_instance_dependencies to
instance_and_generic_deps.

The property [Link] forces the component to be

considered placed. The value of this parameter is important in assembly Bill of
Materials.

Assemblies and Components 303

 Note
Once a component is constrained or packaged, it cannot be made unplaced
again.

A component of an assembly that is either partially constrained or unconstrained

is known as a packaged component. Use the property
[Link] to determine if the specified component
is packaged.
The property [Link] determines if
the specified component is underconstrained, that is, it possesses some constraints
but is not fully constrained.
The property [Link] determines if the specified
component is frozen. The frozen component behaves similar to the packaged
component and does not follow the constraints that you specify.
The property [Link] retrieves the component’s
initial position before constraints and movements have been applied. If the
component is packaged this position is the same as the constraint’s actual position.
This property modifies the assembly component data but does not regenerate the
assembly component. To regenerate the component, use the method
[Link]().
The method [Link]() copies the
template model into the model of the specified component.
The method [Link]() creates a
replacement operation used to swap a component automatically with a related
component. The replacement operation can be used as an argument to
[Link]().

Example Code: Replacing Instances

The sample code in the file [Link] located at
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript contains a
single static utility method. This method takes an assembly for an argument. It
searches through the assembly for all components that are instances of the model
"bolt". It then replaces all such occurrences with a different instance of bolt.

Regenerating an Assembly Component

Method Introduced:
• [Link]()

304 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() regenerates an assembly
component. The method regenerates the assembly component just as in an
interactive Creo Parametric session.

Creating a Component Path

Methods Introduced
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns a
component path object, given the Assembly model and the integer id path to the
desired component.

Component Path Information

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The property [Link] returns the assembly at the head of
the component path object.
The property [Link] returns the sequence of
ids which is the path to the particular component.
The property [Link] returns the solid model at the end of
the component path.
The method [Link]() returns the coordinate
system transformation between the assembly and the particular component. It has
an option to provide the transformation from bottom to top, or from top to bottom.
This method describes the current position and the orientation of the assembly
component in the root assembly.
The method [Link]() applies a temporary
transformation to the assembly component, similar to the transformation that takes
place in an exploded state. The transformation will only be applied if the assembly
is using DynamicPositioning.
The method [Link]() identifies if a
particular component is visible in any simplified representation.

Assemblies and Components 305

Assembling Components
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() adds a specified
component model to the assembly at the specified initial position. The position is
specified in the format defined by the class pfcTransform3D. Specify the
orientation of the three axes and the position of the origin of the component
coordinate system, with respect to the target assembly coordinate system.

Note
If the transform matrix passed as the initial position of the component is
incorrect and non-orthonormal, the method
[Link]() returns the error
[Link]. In such scenario, you can use
the method [Link]() to convert this
non-orthonormal matrix to an orthonormal matrix.

The method [Link]() creates a new component

in the specified assembly by copying from the specified component. If no model is
specified, then the new component is created empty. The input parameters for this
method are:
• LeaveUnplaced—If true the component is unplaced. If false the component is
placed at a default location in the assembly. Unplaced components belong to
an assembly without being assembled or packaged. These components appear
in the model tree, but not in the graphic window. Unplaced components can be
constrained or packaged by selecting them from the model tree for
redefinition. When its parent assembly is retrieved into memory, an unplaced
component is also retrieved.
• ModelToCopy—Specify the model to be copied into the assembly
• NewModelName—Specify a name for the copied model
The method [Link]() retrieves the
constraints for a given assembly component.

306 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() allows you to set
the constraints for a specified assembly component. The input parameters for this
method are:
• Constraints—Constraints for the assembly component. These constraints are
explained in detail in the later sections.
• ReferenceAssembly—The path to the owner assembly, if the constraints have
external references to other members of the top level assembly. If the
constraints are applied only to the assembly component then the value of this
parameter should be null.
This method modifies the component feature data and regenerates the assembly
component.
The method [Link]()
retrieves the constraints for a given assembly component using the input argument
CompPath which is the path to the owner assembly. Pass this input argument
CompPath, if the constraints have references to other members of the top level
assembly. Pass it as Null, if the constraints have references only to the owner
assembly.

Constraint Attributes
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() returns the constraint
attributes object based on the values of the following input parameters:
• Ignore—Constraint is ignored during regeneration. Use this capability to store
extra constraints on the component, which allows you to quickly toggle
between different constraints.
• Force—Constraint has to be forced for line and point alignment.
• None—No constraint attributes. This is the default value.

Assembling a Component Parametrically

You can position a component relative to its neighbors (components or assembly
features) so that its position is updated as its neighbors move or change. This is
called parametric assembly. Creo Parametric allows you to specify constraints to
determine how and where the component relates to the assembly. You can add as
many constraints as you need to make sure that the assembly meets the design
intent.

Assemblies and Components 307

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() returns the component
constraint object having the following parameters:
• ComponentConstraintType—Using the TYPE options, you can specify the
placement constraint types. They are as follows:
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_MATE—Use this option to make two surfaces touch
one another, that is coincident and facing each other.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_MATE_OFF—Use this option to make two planar
surfaces parallel and facing each other.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_ALIGN—Use this option to make two planes
coplanar, two axes coaxial and two points coincident. You can also align
revolved surfaces or edges.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_ALIGN_OFF—Use this option to align two planar
surfaces at an offset.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_INSERT—Use this option to insert a "male"
revolved surface into a ``female'' revolved surface, making their respective
axes coaxial.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_ORIENT—Use this option to make two planar
surfaces to be parallel in the same direction.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_CSYS—Use this option to place a component in an
assembly by aligning the coordinate system of the component with the
coordinate system of the assembly.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_TANGENT—Use this option to control the contact of
two surfaces at their tangents.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_PNT_ON_SRF—Use this option to control the
contact of a surface with a point.

308 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 ○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_EDGE_ON_SRF—Use this option to control the
contact of a surface with a straight edge.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_DEF_PLACEMENT—Use this option to align the
default coordinate system of the component to the default coordinate
system of the assembly.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_SUBSTITUTE—Use this option in simplified
representations when a component has been substituted with some other
model
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_PNT_ON_LINE—Use this option to control the
contact of a line with a point.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_FIX—Use this option to force the component to
remain in its current packaged position.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_AUTO—Use this option in the user interface to allow
an automatic choice of constraint type based upon the references.
○ ASM_CONSTRAINT_EXPLICIT
• AssemblyReference—A reference in the assembly.
• AssemblyDatumSide—Orientation of the assembly. This can have the
following values:
○ Yellow—The primary side of the datum plane which is the default
direction of the arrow.
○ Red—The secondary side of the datum plane which is the direction
opposite to that of the arrow.
• ComponentReference—A reference on the placed component.
• ComponentDatumSide—Orientation of the assembly component. This can
have the following values:
○ Yellow—The primary side of the datum plane which is the default
direction of the arrow.
○ Red—The secondary side of the datum plane which is the direction
opposite to that of the arrow.
• Offset—The mate or align offset value from the reference.
• Attributes—Constraint attributes for a given constraint
• UserDefinedData—A string that specifies user data for the given constraint.
Use the properties listed above to access the parameters of the component
constraint object.

Assemblies and Components 309

Redefining and Rerouting Assembly
Components
These functions enable you to reroute previously assembled components, just as in
an interactive Creo Parametric session.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() must be used
in interactive [Link] applications. This method displays the Creo Parametric
Constraint dialog box. This enables the end user to redefine the constraints
interactively. The control returns to [Link] application when the user selects
OK or Cancel and the dialog box is closed.
The method [Link]() invokes a dialog box
that prompts the user to interactively reposition the components. This interface
enables the user to specify the translation and rotation values. The control returns
to [Link] application when the user selects OK or Cancel and the dialog box is
closed.

Example: Component Constraints

The sample code in the file [Link] located at
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript displays
each constraint of the component visually on the screen, and includes a text
explanation for each constraint.

Example: Assembling Components

The sample code in the file [Link] located at
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript
demonstrates how to assemble a component into an assembly, and how to
constrain the component by aligning datum planes. If the complete set of datum
planes is not found, the function will show the component constraint dialog to the
user to allow them to adjust the placement.

Exploded Assemblies
These methods enable you to determine and change the explode status of the
assembly object.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]

310 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The methods [Link] and
[Link]() enable you to determine and change the explode
status of the assembly object.
The property [Link] reports whether the specified
assembly is currently exploded. Use this property in the assembly mode only. The
exploded status of an assembly depends on the mode. If an assembly is opened in
the drawing mode, the state of the assembly in the drawing view is displayed. The
drawing view does not represent the actual exploded state of the assembly.
The method [Link]() returns the
current active explode state.
The method [Link]() returns the
default explode state.
The method [Link]() activates the specified
explode state representation.

Skeleton Models
Skeleton models are a 3-dimensional layout of the assembly. These models are
holders or distributors of critical design information, and can represent space
requirements, important mounting locations, and motion.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The method [Link]() adds an existing
skeleton model to the specified assembly.
The method [Link]() returns the skeleton model of
the specified assembly.
The method [Link]() deletes a skeleton model
component from the specified assembly.

Assemblies and Components 311

The method [Link]() adds a
specified skeleton model to the assembly. The input parameters for this method
are:
• SkeletonToCopy—Specify the skeleton model to be copied into the assembly
• NewSkeletonName—Specify a name for the copied skeleton model
The property [Link] determines if the specified part model
is a skeleton model or a concept model. It returns a true if the model is a skeleton
else it returns a false.

312 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 20
Family Tables
Working with Family Tables ...................................................................................... 314
Creating Family Table Instances ............................................................................... 316
Creating Family Table Columns ................................................................................ 316

This chapter describes how to use [Link] classes and methods to access and
manipulate family table information.

313
Working with Family Tables
[Link] provides several methods for accessing family table information.
Because every model inherits from the class pfcFamilyMember, every model
can have a family table associated with it.

Accessing Instances
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
To get the generic model for an instance, call the property
[Link].
From Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0 onwards, the behavior of the property
[Link] has changed as a result of performance
improvement in family table retrieval mechanism. When you now call the
property [Link], it throws an exception
pfcXToolkitCantOpen, if the immediate generic of a model instance in a
nested family table is currently not in session. Handle this exception and use the
method [Link]() to get the
model descriptor of the immediate generic model. This information can be used to
retrieve the immediate generic model.
If you wish to switch off the above behavior and continue to run legacy
applications in the pre-Wildfire 4.0 mode, set the configuration option
retrieve_instance_dependencies to instance_and_generic_
deps.
To get the model descriptor of the top generic model, call the method
[Link]().
Similarly, the method [Link]() returns
an instance model created from the information stored in the
pfcFamilyTableRow object.

314 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() returns a sequence of all rows
in the family table, whereas [Link]() gets the row
object with the name you specify.
Use the method [Link]() to permanently delete the
row from the family table.
The property [Link] returns the name that
corresponds to the invoking row object.
To control whether the instance can be changed or removed, call the property
[Link].

Accessing Columns
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() returns a sequence of all
columns in the family table.
The method [Link]() returns a family table
column, given its symbolic name.
To permanently delete the column from the family table and all changed values in
all instances, call the method [Link]().
The property [Link] returns the string symbol at
the top of the column, such as D4 or F5.
The property [Link] returns an enumerated value
indicating the type of parameter governed by the column in the family table.
The property [Link] returns the pfcModelItem
(Feature or Dimension) controlled by the column, whereas
[Link] returns the Parameter controlled by the
column.

Accessing Cell Information

Methods and Properties Introduced:

Family Tables 315

• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() returns a string
pfcParamValue that corresponds to the cell at the intersection of the row and
column arguments. Use the method
[Link]() to check if the value of the
specified cell is the default value, which is the value of the specified cell in the
generic model.
The method [Link]() assigns a value to a column in a
particular family table instance.
The properties [Link],
[Link], [Link], and
[Link] are used to get the different types of parameter
values.

Creating Family Table Instances

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Use the method [Link]() to create a new instance with
the specified name, and, optionally, the specified values for each column. If you
do not pass in a set of values, the value * will be assigned to each column. This
value indicates that the instance uses the generic value.

Creating Family Table Columns

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

316 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The above methods initialize a column based on the input argument. These
methods assign the proper symbol to the column header.
The method [Link]() creates a new column
given a properly defined symbol and column type. The results of this call should
be passed to the method [Link]() to add the
column to the model's family table.
The method [Link]() adds the column to the
family table. You can specify the values; if you pass nothing for the values, the
method assigns the value * to each instance to accept the column’s default value.

Example Code: Adding Dimensions to a Family

Table
The sample code in the file [Link] located at
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript shows a
utility method that adds all the dimensions to a family table. The program lists the
dependencies of the assembly and loops through each dependency, assigning the
model to a new column in the family table. All the dimensions, parameters,
features, and components could be added to the family table using a similar
method.

Family Tables 317

 21
Interface
Exporting Files and 2D Models ................................................................................. 319
Exporting to PDF and U3D ....................................................................................... 326
Exporting 3D Geometry ........................................................................................... 333
Shrinkwrap Export ................................................................................................... 335
Importing Files ........................................................................................................ 340
Importing 3D Geometry............................................................................................ 342
Plotting Files ........................................................................................................... 344
Printing Files ........................................................................................................... 344
Solid Operations...................................................................................................... 352
Window Operations ................................................................................................. 353

This chapter describes various methods of importing and exporting files in

[Link].

318 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Exporting Files and 2D Models
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() exports model data to a file. The exported
files are placed in the current Creo Parametric working directory. The input
parameters are:
• filename—Output file name including extensions
• exportdata—The pfcExportInstructions object that controls the
export operation. The type of data that is exported is given by the
pfcExportType object.
There are four general categories of files to which you can export models:
• File types whose instructions inherit from
pfcGeomExportInstructions.
These instructions export files that contain precise geometric information used
by other CAD systems.
• File types whose instructions inherit from
pfcCoordSysExportInstructions.
These instructions export files that contain coordinate information describing
faceted, solid models (without datums and surfaces).
• File types whose instructions inherit from
pfcFeatIdExportInstructions.
These instructions export information about a specific feature.
• General file types that inherit only from pfcExportInstructions.
These instructions provide conversions to file types such as BOM (bill of
materials).
For information on exporting to a specific format, see the [Link] APIWizard
and online help for the Creo Parametric interface.

Export Instructions
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

Interface 319
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

Export Instructions Table

Class Used to Export
pfcRelationExportInstructions A list of the relations and parameters in a part or
assembly
pfcModelInfoExportInstructions Information about a model, including units
information, features, and children
pfcProgramExportInstructions A program file for a part or assembly that can be
edited to change the model
pfcIGESExportInstructions A drawing in IGES format
pfcDXFExportInstructions A drawing in DXF format
pfcRenderExportInstructions A part or assembly in RENDER format

320 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Class Used to Export
pfcSTLASCIIExportInstructions A part or assembly to an ASCII STL file
pfcSTLBinaryExportInstructions A part or assembly in a binary STL file
pfcBOMExportInstructions A BOM for an assembly
pfcDWGSetupExportInstructions A drawing setup file
pfcFeatInfoExportInstructions Information about one feature in a part or assembly
pfcMfgFeatCLExportInstructions A cutter location (CL) file for one NC sequence in a
manufacturing assembly
pfcMfgOperClExportInstructions A cutter location (CL) file for all the NC sequences
in a manufacturing assembly
pfcMaterialExportInstructions A material from a part
pfcCGMFILEExportInstructions A drawing in CGM format
pfcInventorExportInstructions A part or assembly in Inventor format
pfcFIATExportInstructions A part or assembly in FIAT format
pfcConnectorParamExportInstructions The parameters of a connector to a text file
pfcCableParamsFileInstructions Cable parameters from an assembly
pfcCATIAFacetsExportInstructions A part or assembly in CATIA format (as a faceted
model)
pfcVRMLModelExportInstructions A part or assembly in VRML format
pfcSTEP2DExportInstructions A two-dimensional STEP format file
pfcMedusaExportInstructions A drawing in MEDUSA file
pfcCADDSExportInstructions A CADDS5 solid model
pfcNEUTRALFileExportInstructions A Creo Parametric part to neutral format
pfcProductViewExportInstructions A part, assembly, or drawing in Creo View format
pfcSliceExportData A slice export format

Note
The New Instruction Classes replace the following Deprecated Classes:

Deprecated Classes New Instruction Classes

pfcSTEPExportInstructions pfcSTEP3DExportInstructions
pfcVDAExportInstructions pfcVDA3DExportInstructions
pfcIGES3DExportInstructions pfcIGES3DNewExportInstructions

Exporting Drawing Sheets

The options required to export multiple sheets of a drawing are given by the
pfcExport2DOption object.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]

Interface 321
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a new instance of the
pfcExport2DOption object. This object contains the following options:
• ExportSheetOption—Specifies the option for exporting multiple drawing
sheets. Use the property [Link]
to set the option for exporting multiple drawing sheets. The options are given
by the pfcExport2DSheetOption class and can be of the following
types:
○ EXPORT_CURRENT_TO_MODEL_SPACE—Exports only the drawing’s
current sheet as model space to a single file. This is the default type.
○ EXPORT_CURRENT_TO_PAPER_SPACE—Exports only the drawing’s
current sheet as paper space to a single file. This type is the same as
EXPORT_CURRENT_TO_MODEL_SPACE for formats that do not support
the concept of model space and paper space.
○ EXPORT_ALL—Exports all the sheets in a drawing to a single file as
paper space, if applicable for the format type.
○ EXPORT_SELECTED—Exports selected sheets in a drawing as paper
space and one sheet as model space.
• ModelSpaceSheet—Specifies the sheet number that needs be exported as
model space. This option is applicable only if the export formats support the
concept of model space and paper space and if ExportSheetOption is set to
EXPORT_SELECTED. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• Sheets—Specifies the sheet numbers that need to be exported as paper space.
This option is applicable only if ExportSheetOption is set to EXPORT_
SELECTED. Use the property [Link] to set this
option.

Exporting to Faceted Formats

The methods described in this section support the export of Creo Parametric
drawings and solid models to faceted formats like CATIA CGR.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

322 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link] and
[Link] gets and sets the
angle control for the exported facet drawings and models. You can set the value
between 0.0 to 1.0.
Use the property [Link] and
[Link] to get and set the
chord height for the exported facet drawings and models.
The methods [Link] and
[Link] allow you to control the
step size for the exported files. The default value is 0.0.

Note
You must pass the value of Step Size value as NULL, if you specify the
Quality value.

The property [Link] control the

step size for the exported files. The default value is 0.0.

Note
You must pass the value of Step Size value as NULL, if you specify the
Quality value.

The property
[Link] control
the facet export options using bit flags. You can set the bit flags using the
pfcFacetControlFlag object. It has the following values:
• FACET_STEP_SIZE_ADJUST—Adjusts the step size according to the
component size.
• FACET_CHORD_HEIGHT_ADJUST—Adjusts the chord height according to
the component size.
• FACET_USE_CONFIG—If this flag is set, values of the flags FACET_
STEP_SIZE_OFF, FACET_STEP_SIZE_ADJUST, and FACET_CHORD_
HEIGHT_ADJUST are ignored and the configuration settings from the Creo
Parametric user interface are used during the export operation.
• FACET_CHORD_HEIGHT_DEFAULT—Uses the default value set in the Creo
Parametric user interface for the chord height.
• FACET_ANGLE_CONTROL_DEFAULT—Uses the default value set in the
Creo Parametric user interface for the angle control.

Interface 323
• FACET_STEP_SIZE_DEFAULT—Uses the default value set in the Creo
Parametric user interface for the step size.
• FACET_STEP_SIZE_OFF—Switches off the step size control.
• FACET_FORCE_INTO_RANGE—Forces the out-of-range parameters into
range. If any of the FACET_*_DEFAULT option is set, then the option
pfcFACET_FORCE_INTO_RANGE is not applied on that parameter.
• FACET_STEP_SIZE_FACET_INCLUDE_QUILTS—Includes quilts in the
export of Creo Parametric model to the specified format.
• EXPORT_INCLUDE_ANNOTATIONS—Includes annotations in the export of
Creo Parametric model to the specified format.

Note
To include annotations, during the export of Creo Parametric model, you
must call the method [Link]() before calling
[Link]().

Exporting Using Coordinate System

The methods described in this section support the export of files with information
about the faceted solid models (without datums and surfaces). The files are
exported in reference to the coordinate-system feature in the model being
exported.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• pfcSelection.SetIntf3DCsys()
The property [Link] returns the
name of the the name of a coordinate system feature in the model being exported.
It is recommended to use the coordinate system that places the part or assembly in
its upper-right quadrant, so that all position and distance values of the exported
assembly or part are positive.

324 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link] can be used
instead of [Link] and
[Link] . You can set the
value between 1 and 10. The higher the value you pass, the lower is the Maximum
Chord Height setting and higher is the Angle Control setting the method uses. The
default Quality value is 1.0.

Note
You must pass the value of Quality as NULL, if you use Maximum Chord
Height and Angle Control values. If Quality, Maximum Chord Height, and
Angle Control are all NULL, then the Quality setting of 3 is used.

Use the property

[Link] to work with
the maximum chord height for the exported files. The default value is 0.1.

Note
You must pass the value of Maximum Chord Height as NULL, if you specify
the Quality value.

The property [Link] allow

you to work with the angle control setting for the exported files. The default value
is 0.1.

Note
You must pass the value of Angle Control value as NULL, if you specify the
Quality value.

The methods
[Link]() and
[Link]() get
and set the pfcSliceExportData data object that specifies data for the slice
export. The options in this object are described as follows:
• CompIds—Specifies the sequence of integers that identify the components that
form the path from the root assembly down to the component part or assembly
being referred to. Use the property [Link] to
work with the component IDs.

Interface 325
The property [Link] control the
step size for the exported files. The default value is 0.0.

Note
You must pass the value of Step Size value as NULL, if you specify the
Quality value.

The property
[Link] control
the facet export options using bit flags. You can set the bit flags using the
pfcFacetControlFlag object. For more information on the bit flag values,
please refer to the section Exporting to Faceted Formats on page 322.
The function pfcSelection.SetIntf3DCsys() sets the reference
coordinate system for the export. The input argument ReferenceCsys is the
reference coordinate system selection. Call this method without any argument to
set default coordinate system. Reference coordinate system is not supported for
CADDS and NEUTRAL file types.

Exporting to PDF and U3D

The methods described in this section support the export of Creo Parametric
drawings and solid models to Portable Document Format (PDF) and U3D
format. You can export a drawing or a 2D model as a 2D raster image embedded
in a PDF file. You can export Creo Parametric solid models in the following ways:
• As a U3D model embedded in a one-page PDF file
• As 2D raster images embedded in the pages of a PDF file representing saved
views
• As a standalone U3D file
While exporting multiple sheets of a Creo Parametric drawing to a PDF file, you
can choose to export all sheets, the current sheet, or selected sheets.
These methods also allow you to insert a variety of non-geometric information to
improve document content, navigation, and search.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()

326 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a new
instance of the pfcPDFExportInstructions data object that describes how
to export Creo Parametric drawings or solid models to the PDF and U3D formats.
The options in this object are described as follows:
• FilePath—Specifies the name of the output file. Use the property
[Link] to set the name of the output
file.
• Options—Specifies a collection of PDF export options of the type
pfcPDFOption. Create a new instance of this object using the method
[Link](). This object contains the following attributes:
○ OptionType—Specifies the type of option in terms of the
pfcPDFOptionType enumerated class. Set this option using the
property [Link].
○ OptionValue—Specifies the value of the option in terms of the
pfcArgValue object. Set this option using the property
[Link].
Use the property [Link] to set the
collection of PDF export options.
• ProfilePath—Specifies the export profile path. Use the property
[Link] to set the profile path.
When you set the profile path, the PDF export options set in the data object
pfcPDFExportInstructions data object are ignored when the method
[Link]() is called. You can set the profile path as NULL.

Note
You can specify the profile path only for drawings.

The types of options (given by the pfcPDFOptionType enumerated class)

available for export to PDF and U3D formats are described as follows:
• PDFOPT_FONT_STROKE—Allows you to switch between using TrueType
fonts or “stroking” text in the resulting document. This option is given by the
pfcPDFFontStrokeMode enumerated class and takes the following
values:
○ PDF_USE_TRUE_TYPE_FONTS—Specifies TrueType fonts. This is
the default type.

Interface 327
 ○ PDF_STROKE_ALL_FONTS—Specifies the option to stroke all fonts.
• PDFOPT_COLOR_DEPTH—Allows you to choose between color, grayscale,
or monochrome output. This option is given by the pfcPDFColorDepth
enumerated class and takes the following values:
○ PDF_CD_COLOR—Specifies color output. This is the default value.
○ PDF_CD_GRAY—Specifies grayscale output.
○ PDF_CD_MONO—Specifies monochrome output.
• PDFOPT_HIDDENLINE_MODE—Enables you to set the style for hidden
lines in the resulting PDF document. This option is given by the
pfcPDFHiddenLineMode enumerated class and takes the following
values:
○ PDF_HLM_SOLID—Specifies solid hidden lines.
○ PDF_HLM_DASHED—Specifies dashed hidden lines. This is the default
type.
• PDFOPT_SEARCHABLE_TEXT—If true, stroked text is searchable. The
default value is true.
• PDFOPT_RASTER_DPI—Allows you to set the resolution for the output of
any shaded views in DPI. It can take a value between 100 and 600. The
default value is 300.
• PDFOPT_LAUNCH_VIEWER—If true, launches the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
The default value is true.
• PDFOPT_LAYER_MODE—Enables you to set the availability of layers in the
document. It is given by the pfcPDFLayerMode enumerated class and takes
the following values:
○ PDF_LAYERS_ALL—Exports the visible layers and entities. This is the
default.
○ PDF_LAYERS_VISIBLE—Exports only visible layers in a drawing.
○ PDF_LAYERS_NONE—Exports only the visible entities in the drawing,
but not the layers on which they are placed.
• PDFOPT_PARAM_MODE—Enables you to set the availability of model
parameters as searchable metadata in the PDF document. It is given by the
pfcPDFParameterMode enumerated class and takes the following values:
○ PDF_PARAMS_ALL—Exports the drawing and the model parameters to
PDF. This is the default.
○ PDF_PARAMS_DESIGNATED—Exports only the specified model
parameters in the PDF metadata.

328 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 ○ PDF_PARAMS_NONE—Exports the drawing to PDF without the model
parameters.
• PDFOPT_HYPERLINKS—Sets hyperlinks to be exported as label text only or
sets the underlying hyperlink URLs as active. The default value is true,
specifying that the hyperlinks are active.
• PDFOPT_BOOKMARK_ZONES—If true, adds bookmarks to the PDF
showing zoomed in regions or zones in the drawing sheet. The zone on an A4-
size drawing sheet is ignored.
• PDFOPT_BOOKMARK_VIEWS—If true, adds bookmarks to the PDF
document showing zoomed in views on the drawing.
• PDFOPT_BOOKMARK_SHEETS—If true, adds bookmarks to the PDF
document showing each of the drawing sheets.
• PDFOPT_BOOKMARK_FLAG_NOTES—If true, adds bookmarks to the PDF
document showing the text of the flag note.
• PDFOPT_TITLE—Specifies a title for the PDF document.
• PDFOPT_AUTHOR—Specifies the name of the person generating the PDF
document.
• PDFOPT_SUBJECT—Specifies the subject of the PDF document.
• PDFOPT_KEYWORDS—Specifies relevant keywords in the PDF document.
• PDFOPT_PASSWORD_TO_OPEN—Sets a password to open the PDF
document. By default, this option is NULL, which means anyone can open the
PDF document without a password.
• PDFOPT_MASTER_PASSWORD—Sets a password to restrict or limit the
operations that the viewer can perform on the opened PDF document. By
default, this option is NULL, which means you can make any changes to the
PDF document regardless of the settings of the modification flags PDFOPT_
ALLOW_*.
• PDFOPT_RESTRICT_OPERATIONS—If true, enables you to restrict or limit
operations on the PDF document. By default, is is false.
• PDFOPT_ALLOW_MODE—Enables you to set the security settings for the
PDF document. This option must be set if PDFOPT_RESTRICT_
OPERATIONS is set to true. It is given by the
pfcPDFRestrictOperationsMode enumerated class and takes the
following values:
○ PDF_RESTRICT_NONE—Specifies that the user can perform any of the
permitted viewer operations on the PDF document. This is the default
value.

Interface 329
 ○ PDF_RESTRICT_FORMS_SIGNING—Restricts the user from adding
digital signatures to the PDF document.
○ PDF_RESTRICT_INSERT_DELETE_ROTATE—Restricts the user from
inserting, deleting, or rotating the pages in the PDF document.
○ PDF_RESTRICT_COMMENT_FORM_SIGNING—Restricts the user from
adding or editing comments in the PDF document.
○ PDF_RESTRICT_EXTRACTING—Restricts the user from extracting
pages from the PDF document.
• PDFOPT_ALLOW_PRINTING—If true, allows you to print the PDF
document. By default, it is true.
• PDFOPT_ALLOW_PRINTING_MODE—Enables you to set the print
resolution. It is given by the pfcPDFPrintingMode enumerated class and
takes the following values:
○ PDF_PRINTING_LOW_RES—Specifies low resolution for printing.
○ PDF_PRINTING_HIGH_RES—Specifies high resolution for printing.
This is the default value.
• PDFOPT_ALLOW_COPYING—If true, allows you to copy content from the
PDF document. By default, it is true.
• PDFOPT_ALLOW_ACCESSIBILITY—If true, enables visually-impaired
screen reader devices to extract data independent of the value given by the
pfcPDFRestrictOperationsMode enumerated class. The default value
is true.
• PDFOPT_PENTABLE—If true, uses the standard Creo Parametric pentable
to control the line weight, line style, and line color of the exported geometry.
The default value is false.
• PDFOPT_LINECAP—Enables you to control the treatment of the ends of the
geometry lines exported to PDF. It is given by the pfcPDFLinecap
enumerated class and takes the following values:
○ PDF_LINECAP_BUTT—Specifies the butt cap square end. This is the
default value.
○ PDF_LINECAP_ROUND—Specifies the round cap end.
○ PDF_LINECAP_PROJECTING_SQUARE—Specifies the projecting
square cap end.
• PDFOPT_LINEJOIN—Enables you to control the treatment of the joined
corners of connected lines exported to PDF. It is given by the
pfcPDFLinejoin enumerated class and takes the following values:
○ PDF_LINEJOIN_MITER—Specifies the miter join. This is the default.

330 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 ○ PDF_LINEJOIN_ROUND—Specifies the round join.
○ PDF_LINEJOIN_BEVEL—Specifies the bevel join.
• PDFOPT_SHEETS—Allows you to specify the sheets from a Creo Parametric
drawing that are to be exported to PDF. It is given by the pfcPrintSheets
enumerated class and takes the following values:
○ PRINT_CURRENT_SHEET—Only the current sheet is exported to PDF
○ PRINT_ALL_SHEETS—All the sheets are exported to PDF. This is the
default value.
○ PRINT_SELECTED_SHEETS—Sheets of a specified range are exported
to PDF. If this value is assigned, then the value of the option PDFOPT_
SHEET_RANGE must also be known.
• PDFOPT_SHEET_RANGE—Specifies the range of sheets in a drawing that
are to be exported to PDF. If this option is set, then the option PDFOPT_
SHEETS must be set to the value PRINT_SELECTED_SHEETS.
• PDFOPT_EXPORT_MODE—Enables you to select the object to be exported to
PDF and the export format. It is given by the pfcPDFExportMode
enumerated class and takes the following values:
○ PDF_2D_DRAWING—Only drawings are exported to PDF. This is the
default value.
○ PDF_3D_AS_NAMED_VIEWS—3D models are exported as 2D raster
images embedded in PDF files.
○ PDF_3D_AS_U3D_PDF—3D models are exported as U3D models
embedded in one-page PDF files.
○ PDF_3D_AS_U3D—A 3D model is exported as a U3D (.u3d) file. This
value ignores the options set for the pfcPDFOptionType enumerated
class.
• PDFOPT_LIGHT_DEFAULT—Enables you to set the default lighting style
used while exporting 3D models in the U3D format to a one-page PDF file,
that is when the option PDFOPT_EXPORT_MODE is set to PDF_3D_AS_
U3D. The values for this option are given by the
pfcPDFU3DLightingMode enumerated class.
• PDFOPT_RENDER_STYLE_DEFAULT—Enables you to set the default
rendering style used while exporting Creo Parametric models in the U3D
format to a one-page PDF file, that is when the option PDFOPT_EXPORT_
MODE is set to PDF_3D_AS_U3D. The values for this option are given by the
pfcPDFU3DRenderMode enumerated class.
• PDFOPT_SIZE—Allows you to specify the page size of the exported PDF
file. The values for this option are given by the pfcPlotPaperSize

Interface 331
 enumerated class. If the value is set to VARIABLESIZEPLOT, you also need
to set the options PDFOPT_HEIGHT and PDFOPT_WIDTH.
• PDFOPT_HEIGHT—Enables you to set the height for a user-defined page size
of the exported PDF file. The default value is 0.0.
• PDFOPT_WIDTH—Enables you to set the width for a user-defined page size
of the exported PDF file. The default value is 0.0.
• PDFOPT_ORIENTATION—Enables you to specify the orientation of the
pages in the exported PDF file. It is given by the pfcSheetOrientation
enumerated class.
○ ORIENT_PORTRAIT—Exports the pages in portrait orientation. This is
the default value.
○ ORIENT_LANDSCAPE—Exports the pages in landscape orientation.
• PDFOPT_TOP_MARGIN—Allows you to specify the top margin of the view
port. The default value is 0.0.
• PDFOPT_LEFT_MARGIN—Allows you to specify the left margin of the view
port. The default value is 0.0.
• PDFOPT_BACKGROUND_COLOR_RED—Specifies the default red
background color that appears behind the U3D model. You can set any value
within the range of 0.0 to 1.0. The default value is 1.0.
• PDFOPT_BACKGROUND_COLOR_GREEN—Specifies the default green
background color that appears behind the U3D model. You can set any value
within the range of 0.0 to 1.0. The default value is 1.0.
• PDFOPT_BACKGROUND_COLOR_BLUE—Specifies the default blue
background color that appears behind the U3D model. You can set any value
within the range of 0.0 to 1.0. The default value is 1.0.
• PDFOPT_ADD_VIEWS—If true, allows you to add view definitions to the
U3D model from a file. By default, it is true.
• PDFOPT_VIEW_TO_EXPORT—Specifies the view or views to be exported to
the PDF file. It is given by the pfcPDFSelectedViewMode enumerated
class and takes the following values:
○ PDF_VIEW_SELECT_CURRENT—Exports the current graphical area to a
one-page PDF file.
○ PDF_VIEW_SELECT_ALL—Exports all the views to a multi-page PDF
file. Each page contains one view with the view name displayed at the
bottom center of the view port.
○ PDF_VIEW_SELECT_BY_NAME—Exports the selected view to a one-
page PDF file with the view name printed at the bottom center of the view

332 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 port. If this value is assigned, then the option PDFOPT_SELECTED_
VIEW must also be set.
• PDFOPT_SELECTED_VIEW—Sets the option PDFOPT_VIEW_TO_
EXPORT to the value PDF_VIEW_SELECT_BY_NAME, if the corresponding
view is successfully found.
• PDFOPT_PDF_SAVE—Specifies the PDF save options. It is given by the
pfcPDFSaveMode enumerated class and takes the following values:
○ PDF_ARCHIVE_1—Applicable only for the value PDF_2D_DRAWING.
Saves the drawings as PDF with the following conditions:
◆ The value of pfcPDFLayerMode is set to PDF_LAYERS_NONE.
◆ The value of PDFOPT_HYPERLINKS is set to FALSE.
◆ The shaded views in the drawings will not have transparency and may
overlap other data in the PDF.
◆ The value of PDFOPT_PASSWORD_TO_OPEN is set to NULL.
◆ The value of PDFOPT_MASTER_PASSWORD is set to NULL.
○ PDF_FULL—Saves the PDF with the values set by you. This is the default
value.

Exporting 3D Geometry
[Link] allows you to export three dimensional geometry to various formats.

Export Instructions
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• pfcModel.ExportIntf3D()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
From Creo Parametric 5.0 F000 onward, the following interfaces along with their
methods have been deprecated. Use the method pfcModel.ExportIntf3D()
instead to export Creo Parametric models to other file formats. All the options that

Interface 333
can be set with these interfaces and methods, can also be set using the export
profile option in Creo Parametric. Refer to the Creo Parametric Data Exchange
Online Help for more information.
• Export3DInstructions
• ACIS3DExportInstructions
• CATIAModel3DExportInstructions
• CATIASession3DExportInstructions
• CatiaPart3DExportInstructions
• CatiaProduct3DExportInstructions
• CatiaCGR3DExportInstructions
• DXF3DExportInstructions
• DWG3DExportInstructions
• IGES3DNewExportInstructions
• JT3DExportInstructions
• ParaSolid3DExportInstructions
• STEP3DExportInstructions
• SWPart3DExportInstructions
• SWAsm3DExportInstructions
• UG3DExportInstructions
• VDA3DExportInstructions
The method pfcModel.ExportIntf3D() exports a Creo Parametric model
to the specified output format using the default export profile. The export options
must be set using the export profile option in Creo Parametric.
The method [Link]() loads the
specified profile for export. You can use this function when you want to use the
export profile of your choice instead of the default export profile in a particular
Creo Parametric session. The input argument ProfileFile is the full path to the
profile along with the profile name and extension.

Note
Once the export profile file is loaded in a Creo Parametric session, it will be
active in the interactive mode as well.

The method [Link]() creates a

object that will be used to define the parameters for faceted exports.

334 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Export Utilities
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() checks
whether the specified assembly configuration is valid for a particular model and
the specified export format. The input parameters for this method are:
• Configuration—Specifies the structure and content of the output files.
• Type—Specifies the output file type to create.
The method returns a true value if the configuration is supported for the specified
export type.
The method [Link]() checks
whether the specified geometric representation is valid for a particular export
format. The input parameters are :
• Flags—The type of geometry supported by the export operation.
• Type—The output file type to create.
The method returns a true value if the geometry combination is valid for the
specified model and export type.
The methods [Link]() and
[Link]() must be called before
exporting an assembly to the specified export formats except for the CADDS and
STEP2D formats. The return values of both the methods must be true for the
export operation to be successful.
Use the method [Link]() to export the assembly to the specified
output format.

Shrinkwrap Export
To improve performance in a large assembly design, you can export lightweight
representations of models called shrinkwrap models. A shrinkwrap model is based
on the external surfaces of the source part or assembly model and captures the
outer shape of the source model.
You can create the following types of nonassociative exported shrinkwrap models:
• Surface Subset—This type consists of a subset of the original model’s
surfaces.
• Faceted Solid—This type is a faceted solid representing the original solid.

Interface 335
• Merged Solid—The external components from the reference assembly model
are merged into a single part representing the solid geometry in all collected
components.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
You can export the specified solid model as a shrinkwrap model using the method
[Link](). This method takes the
pfcShrinkwrapExportInstructions object as an argument.
Use the appropriate class given in the following table to create the required type of
shrinkwrap. All the classes have their own static method to create an object of the
specified type. The object created by these interfaces can be used as an object of
type pfcShrinkwrapExportInstructions or
pfcShrinkwrapModelExportInstructions.
Type of Shrinkwrap Model Class to Use
Surface Subset pfcShrinkwrapSurfaceSubsetInstruc
tions
Faceted Part pfcShrinkwrapFacetedPartInstruc
tions
Faceted VRML pfcShrinkwrapFacetedVRMLInstruc
tions
Faceted STL pfcShrinkwrapFacetedSTLInstructions
Merged Solid pfcShrinkwrapMergedSolidInstruc
tions

Setting Shrinkwrap Options

The class pfcShrinkwrapModelExportInstructions contains the
general methods available for all the types of shrinkwrap models. The object
created by any of the interfaces specified in the preceeding table can be used with
these methods.
Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

336 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link]
returns the method used to create the shrinkwrap. The types of shrinkwrap
methods are:
• SWCREATE_SURF_SUBSET—Surface Subset
• SWCREATE_FACETED_SOLID—Faceted Solid
• SWCREATE_MERGED_SOLID—Merged Solid
The property [Link]
specifies the quality level for the system to use when identifying surfaces or
components that contribute to the shrinkwrap model. Quality ranges from 1 which
produces the coarsest representation of the model in the fastest time, to 10 which
produces the most exact representation. The default value is 1.
The property
[Link] sets
a flag that forces Creo Parametric to identify all holes and surfaces that intersect a
single surface and fills those holes during shrinkwrap. The default value is true.
The property
[Link]
determine s whether the skeleton model geometry must be included in the
shrinkwrap model.
The property
[Link] and
determines whether external quilts must be included in the shrinkwrap model.
The property
[Link]
ties assigns mass properties to the shrinkwrap model. The default value is false
and the mass properties of the original model is assigned to the shrinkwrap model.
If the value is set to true, the user must assign a value for the mass properties.
The
[Link]
Surfaces sets a flag that forces Creo Parametric to skip surfaces smaller than a
certain size. The default value is false. The size of the surface is specified as a
percentage of the model’s size. This size can be modified using the
[Link]
centage.
The [Link]
specifies and selects the datum planes, points, curves, axes, and coordinate system
references to be included in the shrinkwrap model.

Surface Subset Options

Methods and Properties Introduced:

Interface 337
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
The static method
[Link]() returns an
object used to create a shrinkwrap model of surface subset type. Specify the name
of the output model in which the shrinkwrap is to be created as an input to this
method.
The property
[Link]
ces selects individual surfaces to be included in the shrinkwrap model.
The property
[Link] sets
the template model.

Faceted Solid Options

The pfcShrinkwrapFacetedFormatInstructions class consists of the
following types:
• SWFACETED_PART—Creo Parametric part with normal geometry. This is the
default format type.
• SWFACETED_STL—An STL file.
• SWFACETED_VRML—A VRML file.
Use the Create method to create the object of the specified type. Upcast the
object to use the general methods available in this class.
Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
The property [Link]
returns the the output file format of the shrinkwrap model.
The property
[Link] enables
you to select a frame file to create a faceted solid motion envelope model that
represents the full motion of the mechanism captured in the frame file. Specify the
name and complete path of the frame file.

Faceted Part Options

Methods and Properties Introduced:

338 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]()
• [Link]
The static method
[Link]() returns an
object used to create a shrinkwrap model of shrinkwrap faceted type. The input
parameters of this method are:
• OutputModel—Specify the output model where the shrinkwrap must be
created.
• Lightweight—Specify this value as True if the shrinkwrap model is a
Lightweight Creo Parametric part.
The property
[Link] specifies
if the Creo Parametric part is exported as a light weight faceted geometry.

VRML Export Options

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The static method [Link]()
returns an object used to create a shrinkwrap model of shrinkwrap VRML format.
Specify the name of the output model as an input to this method.
The property [Link]
specifies the name of the output file to be created.

STL Export Options

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The static method [Link]()
returns an object used to create a shrinkwrap model of shrinkwrap STL format.
Specify the name of the output model as an input to this method.
The property [Link]
specifies the name of the output file to be created.

Merged Solid Options

Methods and Properties Introduced:

Interface 339
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The static method
[Link]() returns an
object used to create a shrinkwrap model of merged solids format. Specify the
name of the output model as an input to this method.
The property
[Link]
nents specifies individual components of the assembly to be merged into the
shrinkwrap model.

Importing Files
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() reads a file into Creo Parametric. The
format must be the same as it would be if these files were created by Creo
Parametric. The parameters are:
• FilePath—Absolute path of the file to be imported along with its extension.
• ImportData—The pfcImportInstructions object that controls the
import operation.

Import Instructions
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

340 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The methods described in this section create an instructions data object to import a
file of a specified type into Creo Parametric. The details are as shown in the table
below:
Class Used to Import
pfcRelationImportInstructions A list of relations and parameters in a part or
assembly.
pfcIGESSectionImportInstructions A section model in IGES format.
pfcProgramImportInstructions A program file for a part or assembly that can be
edited to change the model.
pfcConfigImportInstructions Configuration instructions.
pfcDWGSetupImportInstructions A drawing s/u file.
pfcSpoolImportInstructions Spool instructions.
pfcConnectorParamsImportInstruc Connector parameter instructions.
tions
pfcASSEMTreeCFGImportInstructions Assembly tree CFG instructions.
pfcWireListImportInstructions Wirelist instructions.
pfcCableParamsImportInstructions Cable parameters from an assembly.
pfcSTEPImport2DInstructions A part or assembly in STEP format.
pfcIGESImport2DInstructions A part or assembly in IGES format.
pfcDXFImport2DInstructions A drawing in DXF format.
pfcDWGImport2DInstructions A drawing in DWG format.

Note
• The method [Link]() does not support importing of CADAM
type of files.
• If a model or the file type STEP, IGES, DWX, or SET already exists, the
imported model is appended to the current model. For more information on
methods that return models of the types STEP, IGES, DWX, and SET, refer to
Getting a Model Object on page 151.

Importing 2D Models
Method Introduced:
• pfcBaseSession.Import2DModel()
The method pfcBaseSession.Import2DModel() imports a two
dimensional model based on the following parameters:
• NewModelName—Specifies the name of the new model.

Interface 341
• Type—Specifies the type of the model. The type can be one of the following:
○ STEP
○ IGES
○ DXF
○ DWG
○ SET
• FilePath—Specifies the location of the file to be imported along with the file
extension
• Instructions—Specifies the pfcImport2DInstructions object that
controls the import operation.
The classpfcImport2DInstructions contains the following attributes:
○ Import2DViews—Defines whether to import 2D drawing views.
○ ScaleToFit—If the current model has a different sheet size than that
specified by the imported file, set the parameter to true to retain the current
sheet size. Set the parameter to false to retain the sheet size of the imported
file.
○ FitToLeftCorner—If this parameter is set to true, the bottom left corner of
the imported file is adjusted to the bottom left corner of the current model.
If it is set to false, the size of imported file is retained.

Note
The method pfcBaseSession.Import2DModel() does not support
importing of CADAM type of files.

Importing 3D Geometry
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
For some input formats, the method
[Link]() returns the type of model
that can be imported using a designated file. The input parameters of this method
are:
• FileToImport—Specifies the path of the file along with its name and
extension.

342 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• NewModelImportType—Specifies the type of model to be imported.
The method [Link]() is used to import an
external 3D format file and creates a new model or set of models of type
pfcModel. The input parameters of this method are:
• FileToImport—Specifies the path to the file along with its name and extension
• pfcNewModelImportType—Specifies the type of model to be imported.
The types of models that can be imported are as follows:
○ IMPORT_NEW_IGES
○ IMPORT_NEW_VDA
○ IMPORT_NEW_NEUTRAL
○ IMPORT_NEW_CADDS
○ IMPORT_NEW_STEP
○ IMPORT_NEW_STL
○ IMPORT_NEW_VRML
○ IMPORT_NEW_POLTXT
○ IMPORT_NEW_CATIA_SESSION
○ IMPORT_NEW_CATIA_MODEL
○ IMPORT_NEW_DXF
○ IMPORT_NEW_ACIS
○ IMPORT_NEW_PARASOLID
○ IMPORT_NEW_ICEM
○ IMPORT_NEW_DESKTOP
○ IMPORT_NEW_CATIA_PART
○ IMPORT_NEW_CATIA_PRODUCT
○ IMPORT_NEW_UG
○ IMPORT_NEW_PRODUCTVIEW
○ IMPORT_NEW_CATIA_CGR
○ IMPORT_NEW_JT
○ IMPORT_NEW_SW_PART
○ IMPORT_NEW_SW_ASSEM
○ IMPORT_NEW_INVENTOR_PART
○ IMPORT_NEW_INVENTOR_ASSEM
• pfcModelType—Specifies the type of the model. It can be a part, assembly
or drawing.

Interface 343
• NewModelName—Specifies a name for the imported model.
• pfcLayerImportFilter—Specifies the layer filter. This parameter is
optional.

Plotting Files
From Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 onwards, the pfcPlotInstructions
object containing the instructions for plotting files has been deprecated. All the
methods listed below for creating and accessing the instruction attributes in
pfcPlotInstructions have also been deprecated. Use the new interface
type pfcPrinterInstructions and its methods described in the next
section.
Methods and Properties Deprecated:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

Printing Files
The printer instructions for printing a file are defined in
pfcPrinterInstructions data object.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]

344 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a new instance
of the pfcPrinterInstructions object. The object contains the following
instruction attributes:
• PrinterOption—Specifies the printer settings for printing a file in terms of the
pfcPrintPrinterOption object. Set this attribute using the property
[Link].
• PlacementOption—Specifies the placement options for printing purpose in
terms of the pfcPrintMdlOption object. Set this attribute using the
property [Link].
• ModelOption—Specifies the model options for printing purpose in terms of
the pfcPrintPlacementOption object. Set this attribute using the
property [Link].
• WindowId—Specifies the current window identifier. Set this attribute using the
property [Link].

Printer Options
The printer settings for printing a file are defined in the
pfcPrintPrinterOption object.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

Interface 345
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a new instance
of the pfcPrintPrinterOption object.
The method [Link]() retrieves
the printer settings.
The pfcPrintPrinterOption object contains the following options:
• DeleteAfter—Determines if the file is deleted after printing. Set it to true to
delete the file after printing. Use the property
[Link] to assign this option.
• FileName—Specifies the name of the file to be printed. Use the property
[Link] to set the name.

Note
If the method [Link]() is called for pfcExportType
object, then the argument FileName is ignored, and can be passed as
NULL. You must use the method [Link]() to set the
FileName.

• PaperSize—Specifies the parameters of the paper to be printed in terms of the

pfcPrintSize object. The property
[Link] assigns the PaperSize option.
Use the method [Link]() to create a new instance of the
pfcPrintSize object. This object contains the following options:
○ Height—Specifies the height of paper. Use the property
[Link] to set the paper height.
○ Width—Specifies the width of paper. Use the property
[Link] to set the paper width.

346 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 ○ PaperSize—Specifies the size of the paper used for the plot in terms of the
pfcPlotPaperSize object. Use the property
[Link] to set the paper size.

Note
If you want to plot a layout without adding a border on the paper, use
the following paper sizes defined in the enumerated data type
pfcPlotPaperSize:
◆ CEEMPTYPLOT—The paper size is 22.5 x 36 in
◆ CEEMPTYPLOT_MM—The paper size is 625 x 1000 mm

• PenTable—Specifies the file containing the pen table. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• PrintCommand—Specifies the command to be used for printing. Use the
property [Link] to set the
command.
• PrinterType—Specifies the printer type. Use the property
[Link] to assign the type.
• Quantity—Specifies the number of copies to be printed. Use the property
[Link] to assign the quantity.
• RollMedia—Determines if roll media is to be used for printing. Set it to true to
use roll media. Use the property
[Link] to assign this option.
• RotatePlot—Determines if the plot is rotated by 90 degrees. Set it to true to
rotate the plot. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• SaveMethod—Specifies the save method in terms of the
pfcPrintSaveMethod enumerated class. Use the property
[Link] to specify the save method.
The available methods are as follows:
○ PRINT_SAVE_SINGLE_FILE—Plot is saved to a single file.
○ PRINT_SAVE_MULTIPLE_FILE—Plot is saved to multiple files.
○ PRINT_SAVE_APPEND_TO_FILE—Plot is appended to a file.
• SaveToFile—Determines if the file is saved after printing. Set it to true to save
the file after printing. Use the property
[Link] to assign this option.

Interface 347
• SendToPrinter—Determines if the plot is directly sent to the printer. Set it to
true to send the plot to the printer. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• Slew—Specifies the speed of the pen in centimeters per second in X and Y
direction. Use the property [Link] to set this
option.
• SwHandshake—Determines if the software handshake method is to be used
for printing. Set it to true to use the software handshake method. Use the
property [Link] to set this option.
• UseTtf—Specifies whether TrueType fonts or stroked text is used for
printing. Set this option to true to use TrueType fonts and to false to stroke
all text. Use the property [Link] to set this
option.

Placement Options
The placement options for printing purpose are defined in the
pfcPrintPlacementOption object.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• pfcPrintPlacementOption.X1ClipPosition
• pfcPrintPlacementOption.X2ClipPosition
• pfcPrintPlacementOption.Y1ClipPosition
• pfcPrintPlacementOption.Y2ClipPosition
The method [Link]() creates a new
instance of the pfcPrintPlacementOption object.
The method [Link]()
retrieves the placement options.

348 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The pfcPrintPlacementOption object contains the following options:
• BottomOffset—Specifies the offset from the lower-left corner of the plot. Use
the property [Link] to set this
option.
• ClipPlot—Specifies whether the plot is clipped. Set this option to true to clip
the plot or to false to avoid clipping of plot. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• KeepPanzoom—Determines whether pan and zoom values of the window are
used. Set this option to true use pan and zoom and false to skip them. Use the
property [Link] to set this
option.
• LabelHeight—Specifies the height of the label in inches. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• PlaceLabel—Specifies whether you want to place the label on the plot. Use
the property [Link] to set this
option.
• Scale—Specifies the scale used for the plot. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• ShiftAllCorner—Determines whether all corners are shifted. Set this option to
true to shift all corners or to false to skip shifting of corners. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• SideOffset—Specifies the offset from the sides. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• X1ClipPosition—Specifies the first X parameter for defining the clip position.
Use the property pfcPrintPlacementOption.X1ClipPosition to
set this option.
• X2ClipPosition—Specifies the second X parameter for defining the clip
position. Use the property
pfcPrintPlacementOption.X2ClipPosition to set this option.
• Y1ClipPosition—Specifies the first Y parameter for defining the clip position.
Use the property pfcPrintPlacementOption.Y1ClipPosition to
set this option.
• Y2ClipPosition—Specifies the second Y parameter for defining the clip
position. Use the property
pfcPrintPlacementOption.Y2ClipPosition to set this option.

Interface 349
Model Options
The model options for printing purpose are defined in the
pfcPrintMdlOption object.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a new instance of the
PfcPrintMdlOption object.
The method [Link]() retrieves the
model options.
The pfcPrintMdlOption object contains the following options:
• DrawFormat—Displays the drawing format used for printing. Use the
property [Link] to set this option.
• FirstPage—Specifies the first page number. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• LastPage—Specifies the last page number. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• LayerName—Specifies the name of the layer. Use the property
[Link] to set the name.
• LayerOnly—Prints the specified layer only. Set this option to true to print
the specified layer. Use the property [Link]
to set this option.
• Mdl—Specifies the model to be printed. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.

350 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• Quality—Determines the quality of the model to be printed. It checks for no
line, no overlap, simple overlap, and complex overlap. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• Segmented—If set to true, the printer prints the drawing in full size, but in
segments that are compatible with the selected paper size. This option is
available only if you are plotting a single page. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.
• Sheets—Specifies the sheets that need to be printed in terms of the
pfcPrintSheets class. Use the property
[Link] to specify the sheets. The sheets can be of
the following types:
○ PRINT_CURRENT_SHEET—Only the current sheet is printed.
○ PRINT_ALL_SHEETS—All the sheets are printed.
○ PRINT_SELECTED_SHEETS—Sheets of a specified range are printed.
• UseDrawingSize—Overrides the paper size specified in the printer options
with the drawing size. Set this option to true to use the drawing size. Use the
property [Link] to set this option.
• UseSolidScale—Prints with the scale used in the solid model. Set this option
to true to use solid scale. Use the property
[Link] to set this option.

Plotter Configuration File (PCF) Options

The printing options for PCF file are defined in the pfcPrinterPCFOptions
object.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a new instance of
the pfcPrinterPCFOptions object.
The pfcPrinterPCFOptions object contains the following options:
• PrinterOption—Specifies the printer settings for printing a file in terms of the
pfcPrintPrinterOption object. Set this attribute using the property
[Link].

Interface 351
• PlacementOption—Specifies the placement options for printing purpose in
terms of the pfcPrintMdlOption object. Set this attribute using the
property [Link].
• ModelOption—Specifies the model options for printing purpose in terms of
the pfcPrintPlacementOption object. Set this attribute using the
property [Link].

Solid Operations
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates a new import feature
in the solid and takes the following input arguments:
• IntfData—The source of data from which to create the import feature. It is
given by the pfcIntfDataSource object. The type of source data that can
be imported is given by the pfcIntfType class and can be of the following
types:
○ INTF_NEUTRAL
○ INTF_NEUTRAL_FILE
○ INTF_IGES
○ INTF_STEP
○ INTF_VDA
○ INTF_ICEM
○ INTF_ACIS
○ INTF_DXF
○ INTF_CDRS
○ INTF_STL
○ INTF_VRML
○ INTF_PARASOLID
○ INTF_AI
○ INTF_CATIA_PART
○ INTF_UG
○ INTF_PRODUCTVIEW
○ INTF_CATIA_CGR
○ INTF_JT

352 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• CoordSys—The pointer to a reference coordinate system. If this is NULL, the
function uses the default coordinate system.
• FeatAttr—The attributes for creation of the new import feature given by the
coordinateImportFeatAttr object. If this pointer is NULL, the
function uses the default attributes.

Example Code: Returning a Feature Object

The sample code in the file [Link] located at
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript return a
feature object when provided with a solid coordinate system name and an import
feature's file name. The method will find the coordinate system in the model, set
the Import Feature Attributes, and create an import feature. The feature is then
returned.

Window Operations
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() outputs a standard Creo
Parametric raster output file.

Interface 353
 22
Simplified Representations
Overview ................................................................................................................ 355
Retrieving Simplified Representations....................................................................... 356
Creating and Deleting Simplified Representations...................................................... 357
Extracting Information About Simplified Representations............................................ 357
Modifying Simplified Representations ....................................................................... 358
Simplified Representation Utilities............................................................................. 360

[Link] gives programmatic access to all the simplified representation

functionality of Creo Parametric. Create simplified representations either
permanently or on the fly and save, retrieve, or modify them by adding or deleting
items.

354 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Overview
Using [Link], you can create and manipulate assembly simplified
representations just as you can using Creo Parametric interactively.

Note
[Link] supports simplified representation of assemblies only, not parts.

Simplified representations are identified by the pfcSimRep class. This class is a

child of pfcModelItem, so you can use the methods dealing with
pfcModelItems to collect, inspect, and modify simplified representations.
The information required to create and modify a simplified representation is
stored in a class called pfcSimpRepInstructions which contains several
data objects and fields, including:
• String—The name of the simplified representation
• pfcSimpRepAction—The rule that controls the default treatment of items
in the simplified representation.
• pfcSimpRepItem—An array of assembly components and the actions
applied to them in the simplified representation.
A pfcSimpRepItem is identified by the assembly component path to that item.
Each pfcSimpRepItem has it’s own pfcSimpRepAction assigned to it.
pfcSimpRepAction is a visible data object that includes a field of type
pfcSimpRepActionType. You can use the property pfcSimpRepAction
to set the actions. To delete an existing item, you must set the action as NULL.
pfcSimpRepActionType is an enumerated type that specifies the possible
treatment of items in a simplified representation. The possible values are as
follows
Values Action
SIMPREP_NONE No action is specified.
SIMPREP_REVERSE Reverse the default rule for this component (for
example, include it if the default rule is exclude).
SIMPREP_INCLUDE Include this component in the simplified
representation.
SIMPREP_EXCLUDE Exclude this component from the simplified
representation.
SIMPREP_SUBSTITUTE Substitute the component in the simplified
representation.
SIMPREP_GEOM Use only the geometrical representation of the
component.
SIMPREP_GRAPHICS Use only the graphics representation of the
component.
SIMPREP_SYMB Use the symbolic representation of the component.

Simplified Representations 355

Values Action
SIMPREP_BOUNDBOX Use the boundary box representation of the
component.
SIMPREP_DEFENV Use the default envelope representation of the
component.
SIMPREP_LIGHT_GRAPH Use the light weight graphics representation of the
component.
SIMPREP_AUTO Use the automatic representation of the component.

Retrieving Simplified Representations

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
You can retrieve a named simplified representation from a model using the
method [Link](), which is
analogous to the Assembly mode option Retrieve Rep in the SIMPLFD REP menu.
This method retrieves the object of an existing simplified representation from an
assembly without fetching the generic representation into memory. The method
takes two arguments, the name of the assembly and the simplified representation
data.
To retrieve an existing simplified representation, pass an instance of
[Link]() and specify
its name as the second argument to this method. Creo Parametric retrieves that
representation and any active submodels and returns the object to the simplified
representation as a [Link] object.
You can retrieve geometry, graphics, and symbolic simplified representations into
session using the methods [Link](),
[Link](), and
[Link]() respectively. Like
[Link](), these methods retrieve
the simplified representation without bringing the master representation into
memory. Supply the name of the assembly whose simplified representation is to
be retrieved as the input parameter for these methods. The methods output the
assembly. They do not display the simplified representation.

356 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Creating and Deleting Simplified
Representations
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
To create a simplified representation, you must allocate and fill a
pfcSimpRepInstructions object by calling the method
[Link](). Specify the name of
the new simplified representation as an input to this method. You should also set
the default action type and add pfcSimpRepItem to the object.
To generate the new simplified representation, call
[Link](). This method returns the pfcSimpRep
object for the new representation.
The method [Link]() deletes a simplified
representation from its model owner. The method requires only the pfcSimpRep
object as input.

Extracting Information About Simplified

Representations
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
Given the object to a simplified representation,
[Link]() fills out the
pfcSimpRepInstructions object.
The [Link],
[Link], and
[Link] properties return the associated
values contained in the pfcSimpRepInstructionsobject.
The property [Link] returns all the items that
make up the simplified representation.

Simplified Representations 357

Modifying Simplified Representations
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
Using [Link], you can modify the attributes of existing simplified
representations. After you create or retrieve a simplified representation, you can
make calls to the methods listed in this section to designate new values for the
fields in the pfcSimpRepInstructions object.
To modify an existing simplified representation retrieve it and then get the
pfcSimpRepInstructions object by calling
[Link]. If you created the representation
programmatically within the same application, the
pfcSimpRepInstructions object is already available. Once you have
modified the data object, reassign it to the corresponding simplified representation
by calling the method [Link]().

Adding Items to and Deleting Items from a

Simplified Representation
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]

358 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() creates an object that reverses
the default rule for the assembly component in the simplified representation.
The method [Link]() creates an object that includes
the component in the simplified representation.
The method [Link]() creates an object that excludes
the component from the simplified representation.
The method [Link]() creates an object that
substitutes the component with a component from the
[Link] class in the simplified representation.
The method [Link]() creates an object that represents
the component that contains complete geometric information in the simplified
representation.
The method [Link]() creates an object that
represents the component that contains only display information in the simplified
representation. These graphic representations cannot be modified or referenced,
they can only be browsed through.

Note
As compared to graphics representations, geometry representations take longer
to retrieve and require more memory.

The method [Link]() creates an object

that represents the component in default envelope type of simplified
representation.
The method [Link]() creates an object that
represents the component in boundary box type of simplified representation.
The method [Link]() creates an
object that represents the component in lightweight type of simplified
representation. Light graphics representations of assemblies contain assembly
information and 3D thumbnail graphics representations of assembly components.
The method [Link]() creates an object that defines the
status of the component or feature of the simplified representation.
The method [Link]() sets or changes the
instructions that specify the internal data required to define the simplified
representation.
The method [Link] applies an array of actions
to the components or features in the simplified representation.

Simplified Representations 359

You can add and delete items from the list of components in a simplified
representation using [Link]. If you created a simplified representation using
the option Exclude as the default rule, you would generate a list containing the
items you want to include. Similarly, if the default rule for a simplified
representation is Include, you can add the items that you want to be excluded from
the simplified representation to the list, setting the value of the
pfcSimpRepActionType to SIMPREP_EXCLUDE.

How to Add Items

1. Get the pfcSimpRepInstructions object, as described in the previous
section.
2. Specify the action to be applied to the item with a call to one of following
methods.
3. Initialize a pfcSimpRepItem object for the item by calling the method
[Link]().
4. Add the item to the pfcSimpRepItem sequence. Put the new
pfcSimpRepInstructions using
[Link].
5. Reassign the pfcSimpRepInstructions object to the corresponding
pfcSimpRep object by calling [Link]()

How to Remove Items

Follow the procedure above, except remove the unwanted pfcSimpRepItem
from the sequence.

Simplified Representation Utilities

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
This section describes the utility methods that relate to simplified representations.
The method [Link]() can list all of the
simplified representations in a Solid.

360 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() initializes a
pfcSimpRep object. It takes an integer id.

Note
[Link] supports simplified representation of Assemblies only, not Parts.

The method [Link]() initializes a pfcSimpRep object.

The input argument SimpRepname is the name of the simplified representation in
the solid. If you specify this argument, the method ignores the rep_id.
•
The method [Link]() creates a Creo Parametric menu
to enable interactive selection. The method takes the owning solid as input, and
outputs the object to the selected simplified representation. If you choose the Quit
menu button, the method throws an exception pfcXToolkitUserAbort
The methods [Link]() and
[Link]() enable you to find and get the currently
active simplified representation, respectively. Given an assembly object,
[Link]() returns the object to the currently active
simplified representation. If the current representation is the master representation,
the return is null.
The method [Link]() activates the requested
simplified representation.
To set a simplified representation to be the currently displayed model, you must
also call [Link]().

Simplified Representations 361

 23
Task Based Application Libraries
Managing Application Arguments ............................................................................. 363
Launching a Creo Parametric TOOLKIT DLL ............................................................. 364
Launching Tasks from J-Link Task Libraries............................................................... 366

Applications created using different Creo Parametric API products are

interoperable. These products use Creo Parametric as the medium of interaction,
eliminating the task of writing native-platform specific interactions between
different programming languages.
Application interoperability allows [Link] applications to call into Creo
Parametric TOOLKIT from areas not covered in the native interface. It allows you
to put an HTML front end on legacy Creo Parametric TOOLKIT applications.

362 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Managing Application Arguments
[Link] passes application data to and from tasks in other applications as
members of a sequence of pfcArgument objects. Application arguments consist
of a label and a value. The value may be of any one of the following types:
• Integer
• Double
• Boolean
• ASCII string (a non-encoded string, provided for compatibility with arguments
provided from C applications)
• String (a fully encoded string)
• pfcSelection (a selection of an item in a Creo Parametric session)
• pfcTransform3D (a coordinate system transformation matrix)
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The class pfcArgValue contains one of the seven types of values. [Link]
provides different methods to create each of the seven types of argument values.
The property [Link] returns the type of value contained in the
argument value object.
Use the methods listed above to access and modify the argument values.

Task Based Application Libraries 363

Modifying Arguments
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() creates a new argument. Provide a
name and value as the input arguments of this method.
The property [Link] returns the label of the argument.
The property [Link] returns the value of the argument.

Launching a Creo Parametric TOOLKIT

DLL
The methods described in this section enable a [Link] user to register and
launch a Creo Parametric TOOLKIT DLL from a [Link] application. The
ability to launch and control a Creo Parametric TOOLKIT application enables the
following:
• Reuse of existing Creo Parametric TOOLKIT code with [Link]
applications.
• ATB operations.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Use the method [Link]() to register and
start a Creo Parametric TOOLKIT DLL. The input parameters of this method are
similar to the fields of a registry file and are as follows:
• ApplicationName—The name of the application to initialize.
• DllPath—The full path to the DLL binary file.
• TextPath—The path to the application’s message and user interface text files.

364 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• UserDisplay—Set this parameter to true to register the application in the
Creo Parametric user interface and to see error messages if the application
fails. If this parameter is false, the application will be invisible to the user.
The application's user_initialize() function is called when the application
is started. The method returns a handle to the loaded Creo Parametric TOOLKIT
DLL.
In order to register and start a legacy Pro/TOOLKIT DLL that is not Unicode-
compliant, use the method
[Link]. This
method conveys to Creo Parametric that the loaded DLL application is not
Unicode-compliant and built in the pre-Wildfire 4.0 environment. It takes the
same input parameters as the earlier method
[Link]().

Note
The method [Link]() must be used
only by a pre-Wildfire 4.0 [Link] application to load a pre-Wildfire 4.0
Pro/TOOLKIT DLL.

Use the method [Link]() to obtain a Creo

Parametric TOOLKIT DLL handle. Specify the Application_Id, that is, the DLL’s
identifier string as the input parameter of this method. The method returns the
DLL object or null if the DLL was not in session. The Application_Id can be
determined as follows:
• Use the function ProToolkitDllIdGet() within the DLL application to
get a string representation of the DLL application. Pass NULL to the first
argument of ProToolkitDllIdGet() to get the string identifier for the
calling application.
• Use the Get method for the Id attribute in the DLL interface. The method
[Link] returns the DLL identifier string.
Use the method [Link]() to call a properly designated
function in the Creo Parametric TOOLKIT DLL library. The input parameters of
this method are:
• FunctionName—Name of the function in the Creo Parametric TOOLKIT DLL
application.
• InputArguments—Input arguments to be passed to the library function.

Task Based Application Libraries 365

The method returns an object of class pfcFunctionReturn. This interface
contains data returned by a Creo Parametric TOOLKIT function call. The object
contains the return value, as integer, of the executed function and the output
arguments passed back from the function call.
The method [Link]() determines whether a Creo Parametric
TOOLKIT DLL previously loaded by the method
[Link]() is still active.
The method [Link]() is used to shutdown a Creo Parametric
TOOLKIT DLL previously loaded by the method
[Link]() and the application's user_
terminate() function is called.

Launching Tasks from J-Link Task

Libraries
The methods described in this section allow you to launch tasks from a predefined
task library.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Use the method [Link]() to start a
application. The input parameters of this method are similar to the fields of a
registry file and are as follows:
• ApplicationName—Assigns a unique name to this application.
• ClassName—Specifies the name of the Java class that contains the
application’s start and stop method. This should be a fully qualified Java
package and class name.
• StartMethod—Specifies the start method of the application.
• StopMethod—Specifies the stop method of the application.
• AdditionalClassPath—Specifies the locations of packages and classes that
must be loaded when starting this application. If this parameter is specified as
null, the default classpath locations are used.
• TextPath—Specifies the application text path for menus and messages. If this
parameter is specified as null, the default text locations are used.
• UserDisplay—Specifies whether to display the application in the Auxiliary
Applications dialog box in Creo Parametric.

366 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Upon starting the application, the static start() method is invoked. The method
returns a pfcJLinkApplication referring to the application.
The method [Link]() calls a registered
task method in a application. The input parameters of this method are:
• Name of the task to be executed.
• A sequence of name value pair arguments contained by the interface
pfcArguments.
The method outputs an array of output arguments.
The method [Link]() returns a True value if
the application specified by the pfcJLinkApplication object is active.
The method [Link]() stops the application specified
by the pfcJLinkApplication object. This method activates the application’s
static Stop() method.

Task Based Application Libraries 367

 24
Graphics
Overview ................................................................................................................ 369
Getting Mouse Input ................................................................................................ 369
Displaying Graphics................................................................................................. 370

This chapter covers [Link] Graphics including displaying lists, displaying text
and using the mouse.

368 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Overview
The methods described in this section allow you to draw temporary graphics in a
display window. Methods that are identified as 2D are used to draw entities (arcs,
polygons, and text) in screen coordinates. Other entities may be drawn using the
current model’s coordinate system or the screen coordinate system’s lines, circles,
and polylines. Methods are also included for manipulating text properties and
accessing mouse inputs.

Getting Mouse Input

The following methods are used to read the mouse position in screen coordinates
with the mouse button depressed. Each method outputs the position and an
enumerated type description of which mouse button was pressed when the mouse
was at that position. These values are contained in the class pfcMouseStatus.
The enumerated values are defined in pfcMouseButton and are as follows:
• MOUSE_BTN_LEFT
• MOUSE_BTN_RIGHT
• MOUSE_BTN_MIDDLE
• MOUSE_BTN_LEFT_DOUBLECLICK
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns the mouse
position when you press a mouse button. The input argument is the mouse button
that you expect the user to select.
The method [Link]() returns a value
whenever the mouse is moved or a button is pressed. With this method a button
does not have to be pressed for a value to be returned. You can use an input
argument to flag whether or not the returned positions are snapped to the window
grid.

Drawing a Mouse Box

This method allows you to draw a mouse box.
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()

Graphics 369
The method [Link]() draws a dynamic rectangle
from a specified point in screen coordinates to the current mouse position until the
user presses the left mouse button. The return value for this method is of the type
pfcOutline3D.
You can supply the first corner location programmatically or you can allow the
user to select both corners of the box.

Displaying Graphics
All the methods in this section draw graphics in the Creo Parametric current
window and use the color and linestyle set by calls to
[Link]() and
[Link](). The methods draw the graphics in the
Creo Parametric graphics color. The default graphics color is white.
The methods in this section are called using the classpfcDisplay. This class is
extended by the pfcBaseSession class. This architecture allows you to call all
these methods on any pfcSession object.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• pfcDisplay.DrawArc2D()
• pfcDisplay.DrawPolygon2D()
The method [Link]() sets the point at which you
want to start drawing a line. The function [Link]() draws a
line to the given point from the position given in the last call to either of the two
functions. Call [Link]() for the start of the polyline,
and [Link]() for each vertex. If you use these methods in
two-dimensional modes, use screen coordinates instead of solid coordinates.
The method [Link]() uses solid coordinates for the
center of the circle and the radius value. The circle will be placed to the XY plane
of the model.
The method [Link]() also draws polylines, using an
array to define the polyline.
In two-dimensional models the Display Graphics methods draw graphics at the
specified screen coordinates.

370 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method pfcDisplay.DrawArc2D() draws a polygon in screen
coordinates. The method pfcDisplay.DrawArc2D() draws an arc in screen
coordinates.

Controlling Graphics Display

Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
The property [Link] returns the Creo
Parametric standard color used to display graphics. The Creo Parametric default is
COLOR_DRAWING (white).
The property [Link] returns the mode used
to draw graphics:
• DRAW_GRAPHICS_NORMAL— Creo Parametric draws graphics in the
required color in each invocation.
• DRAW_GRAPHICS_COMPLEMENT—Creo Parametric draws graphics
normally, but will erase graphics drawn a second time in the same location.
This allows you to create rubber band lines.

Example Code: Creating Graphics On Screen

The sample code in the file [Link] located at <creo_
weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript demonstrates the
use of mouse-tracking methods to draw graphics on the screen. The static method
DrawRubberbandLine prompts the user to pick a screen point. The example
uses the ‘complement mode’ to cause the line to display and erase as the user
moves the mouse around the window.

Note
This example uses the method transformPosition to convert the
coordinates into the 3D coordinate system of a solid model, if one is
displayed.

Displaying Text in the Graphics Window

Method Introduced:
• pfcDisplay.DrawText2D()

Graphics 371
The method pfcDisplay.DrawText2D() places text at a position specified
in screen coordinates. If you want to add text to a particular position on the solid,
you must transform the solid coordinates into screen coordinates by using the
view matrix.
Creo Parametric and therefore are not redrawn when you select View, Repaint. To
notify theCreo Parametric of these objects, create them inside the OnDisplay()
method of the Display Listener.

Controlling Text Attributes

Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
These properties control the attributes of text added by calls to
pfcDisplay.DrawText2D().
You can access the following information:
• Text height (in screen coordinates)
• Width ratio of each character, including the gap, as a proportion of the height
• Rotation angle of the whole text, in counterclockwise degrees
• Slant angle of the text, in clockwise degrees

Controlling Text Fonts

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The property [Link] returns the default Creo Parametric
text font. The text fonts are identified in Creo Parametric by names and by integer
identifiers. To find a specific font, use the methods
[Link]() or [Link]().

372 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 25
External Data
External Data .......................................................................................................... 374
Exceptions.............................................................................................................. 377

This chapter explains using External Data in [Link].

373
External Data
This chapter describes how to store and retrieve external data. External data
enables a [Link] application to store its own data in a Creo Parametric database
in such a way that it is invisible to the Creo Parametric user. This method is
different from other means of storage accessible through the Creo Parametric user
interface.

Introduction to External Data

External data provides a way for the Creo Parametric application to store its own
private information about a Creo Parametric model within the model file. The data
is built and interrogated by the application as a workspace data structure. It is
saved to the model file when the model is saved, and retrieved when the model is
retrieved. The external data is otherwise ignored by Creo Parametric; the
application has complete control over form and content.
The external data for a specific Creo Parametric model is broken down into
classes and slots. A class is a named ‘‘bin’’ for your data, and identifies it as yours
so no other Creo Parametric API application (or other classes in your own
application) will use it by mistake. An application usually needs only one class.
The class name should be unique for each application and describe the role of the
data in your application.
Each class contains a set of data slots. Each slot is identified by an identifier and
optionally, a name. A slot contains a single data item of one of the following
types:
[Link] Type Data
pfcExternalDataTypeEXTDATA_INTEGER integer
pfcExternalDataType EXTDATA_DOUBLE double
pfcExternalDataType EXTDATA_STRING string

The [Link] interfaces used to access external data in Creo Parametric are:
[Link] Type Data Type
pfcExternalDataAccess This is the top level object and is
created when attempting to access
external data.
pfcExternalDataClass This is a class of external data and is
identified by a unique name.
pfcExternalDataSlot This is a container for one item of
data. Each slot is stored in a class.
pfcExternalData This is a compact data structure that
contains either an integer, double or
string value.

374 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Compatibility with Creo Parametric TOOLKIT
[Link] and Creo Parametric TOOLKIT share external data in the same manner.
[Link] external data is accessible by Creo Parametric TOOLKIT and the
reverse is also true. However, an error will result if [Link] attempts to access
external data previously stored by Creo Parametric TOOLKIT as a stream.

Accessing External Data

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() prepares Creo Parametric
to read external data from the model file. It returns the
pfcExternalDataAccess object that is used to read and write data. This
method should be called only once for any given model in session.
The method [Link]() stops Creo
Parametric from accessing external data in a model. When you use this method all
external data in the model will be removed. Permanent removal will occur when
the model is saved.

Note
If you need to preserve the external data created in session, you must save the
model before calling this function. Otherwise, your data will be lost.

The method [Link]() determines if the

pfcExternalDataAccess object can be used to read and write data.

Storing External Data

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The first step in storing external data in a new class and slot is to set up a class
using the method [Link](), which
provides the class name. The method outputs pfcExternalDataClass, used
by the application to reference the class.

External Data 375

The next step is to use [Link]() to create
an empty data slot and input a slot name. The method outputs a
pfcExternalDataSlot object to identify the new slot.

Note
Slot names cannot begin with a number.

The property [Link] specifies the data type of a slot

and writes an item of that type to the slot. The input is a pfcExternalData
object that you can create by calling any one of the methods in the next section.

Initializing Data Objects

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
These methods initialize a pfcExternalData object with the appropriate data
inputs.

Retrieving External Data

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
For improved performance, external data is not loaded automatically into memory
with the model. When the model is in session, call the method
[Link]() to retrieve all the external data for
the specified model from the Creo Parametric model file and put it in the
workspace. The method needs to be called only once to retrieve all the data.

376 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() returns a
sequence of pfcExternalDataClasses registered in the model. The method
[Link]() provide a sequence of
pfcExternalDataSlots existing for each class.
To find out a data type of a pfcExternalData, call
[Link] and then call one of these properties to get the
data, depending on the data type:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]

Exceptions
Most exceptions thrown by external data methods in [Link] extend
pfcXExternalDataError, which is a subclass of pfcXToolkitError.
An additional exception thrown by external data methods is
pfcXBadExternalData. This exception signals an error accessing data. For
example, external data access might have been terminated or the model might
contain stream data from Creo Parametric TOOLKIT.
The following table lists these exceptions.
Exception Cause
pfcXExternalDataInvalidObject Generated when a model or class is
invalid.
pfcXExternalDataClassOrSlotExists Generated when creating a class or slot
and the proposed class or slot already
exists.
pfcXExternalDataNamesTooLong Generated when a class or slot name is
too long.
pfcXExternalDataSlotNotFound Generated when a specified class or
slot does not exist.
pfcXExternalDataEmptySlot Generated when the slot you are
attempting to read is empty.
pfcXExternalDataInvalidSlotName Generated when a specified slot name
is invalid.
pfcXBadGetExternalData Generated when you try to access an
incorrect data type in a
pfcExternalData object.

External Data 377

 26
Windchill Connectivity APIs
Introduction............................................................................................................. 379
Accessing a Windchill Server from a Creo Parametric Session ................................... 379
Accessing Workspaces............................................................................................ 382
Workflow to Register a Server .................................................................................. 383
Aliased URL............................................................................................................ 384
Server Operations ................................................................................................... 385
Utility APIs .............................................................................................................. 395

Creo Parametric has the capability to be directly connected to Windchill solutions,

including WindchillProjectLink and PDMLink servers. This access allows users to
manage and control the product data seamlessly from within Creo Parametric.
This chapter lists [Link] APIs that support Windchill servers and server
operations in a connected Creo Parametric session.

378 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Introduction
The methods introduced in this chapter provide support for the basic Windchill
server operations from within Creo Parametric. With these methods, operations
such as registering a Windchill server, managing workspaces, and check in or
check out of objects will be possible via [Link]. The capabilities of these APIs
are similar to the operations available from within the Creo Parametric client, with
some restrictions.
Some of these APIs are supported from a non-interactive, that is, batch mode
application or asynchronous application.

Accessing a Windchill Server from a Creo

Parametric Session
Creo Parametric allows you to register Windchill servers as a connection between
the Windchill database and Creo Parametric. Although the represented Windchill
database can be from WindchillProjectLink or Windchill PDMLink all types of
databases are represented in the same way.
You can use the following identifiers when referring to Windchill servers in
[Link]:
• Codebase URL—This is the root portion of the URL that is used to connect to
a Windchill server. For example <[Link]>/
Windchill.
• Server Alias—A server alias is used to refer to the server after it has been
registered. The alias is also used to construct paths to files in the server
workspaces and commonspaces. The server alias is chosen by the user or
application and it need not have any direct relationship to the codebase URL.
An alias can be any normal name, such as my_alias.

Accessing Information Before Registering a Server

To start working with a Windchill server, you must establish a connection by
registering the server in Creo Parametric. The methods described in this section
allow you to connect to a Windchill server and access information related to the
server.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]

Windchill Connectivity APIs 379

• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Use the method [Link]() to set the
authentication context using a valid username and password. A successful call to
this method allows the Creo Parametric session to register with any server that
accepts the username and password combination. A successful call to this method
also ensures that an authentication dialog box does not appear during the
registration process. You can call this method any number of times to set the
authentication context for any number of Windchill servers, provided that you
register the appropriate servers or servers immediately after setting the context.
The property [Link] specifies a
[Link] object representing the codebase URL for a
possible server. The server may not have been registered yet, but you can use this
object and the methods it contains to gather information about the server prior to
registration.
The property [Link] specifies the class of the server or
server location. The values are:
• Windchill—Denotes a Windchill PDMLink server.
• ProjectLink—Denotes Windchill ProjectLink type of servers.
The property [Link] specifies the version of
Windchill that is configured on the server or server location, for example, 9.0 or
10.0. This method accepts the server codebase URL as the input.

Note
[Link] works only for Windchill servers and
throws the [Link] exception, if the
server is not a Windchill server.

The method [Link]() gives a list of all the

available contexts for a specified server. A context is used to associate a
workspace with a product, project, or library.
The method [Link]() returns the
list of available workspaces for the specified server. The workspace objects
returned contain the name of each workspace and its context.

380 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Registering and Activating a Server
From Creo Parametric 2.0 onward, the [Link] methods call the same
underlying API as Creo Parametric to register and unregister servers. Hence,
registering the servers using [Link] methods is similar to registering the
servers using the Creo Parametric user interface. Therefore, the servers registered
by [Link] are available in the Creo Parametric Server Registry. The servers are
also available in other locations in the Creo Parametric user interface such as, the
Folder Navigator and the embedded browser.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() registers the specified
server with the codebase URL. You can automate the registration of servers in
interactive mode. To preregister the servers use the standard [Link] setup.
If you do not want the servers to be preregistered in batch mode, set the
environment variable PTC_WF_ROOT to an empty directory before starting Creo
Parametric.
A successful call to [Link]() with a
valid username and password is essential for
[Link]() to register the server without
launching the authentication dialog box. Registration of the server establishes the
server alias. You must designate an existing workspace to use when registering the
server. After the server has been registered, you may create a new workspace.
The method [Link]()sets the specified server as the active
server in the Creo Parametric session.
The method [Link]() unregisters the specified server.
This is similar to Server Registry ▶ Delete through the user interface.

Accessing Information From a Registered Server

Properties Introduced:
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The property [Link] specifies if the server is active.
The property [Link] returns the alias of a server if you specify the
codebase URL.

Windchill Connectivity APIs 381

The property [Link] returns the active context of the active
server.

Information on Servers in Session

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() returns returns the
active server handle.
The method [Link]() returns the handle
to the server matching the given server alias, if it exists in session.
The method [Link]() returns the handle to
the server matching the given server URL and workspace name, if it exists in
session.
The method [Link]() returns a list of servers
registered in this session.

Accessing Workspaces
For every workspace, a new distinct storage location is maintained in the user’s
personal folder on the server (server-side workspace) and on the client (client-side
workspace cache). Together, the server-side workspace and the client-side
workspace cache make up the workspace.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
The class pfcWorkspaceDefinition contains the name and context of the
workspace. The method [Link]()
returns an array of workspace data. Workspace data is also required for the
method [Link]() to create a workspace with a
given name and a specific context.
The method [Link]() creates a new
workspace definition object suitable for use when creating a new workspace on
the server.

382 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The property [Link] retrieves the
name of the workspace.
The property [Link] retrieves
the context of the workspace.

Creating and Modifying the Workspace

Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() creates and activates a new
workspace.
The property [Link] retrieves the name of the
active workspace.
The method [Link]() deletes the
specified workspace. The method deletes the workspace only if the following
conditions are met:
• The workspace is not the active workspace.
• The workspace does not contain any checked out objects.
Use one of the following techniques to delete an active workspace:
• Make the required workspace inactive using
[Link] with the name of some other workspace
and then call [Link]().
• Unregister the server using [Link]() and delete the
workspace.

Workflow to Register a Server

To Register a Server with an Existing Workspace
Perform the following steps to register a Windchill server with an existing
workspace:
1. Set the appropriate authentication context using the method
[Link]() with a valid username
and password.

Windchill Connectivity APIs 383

2. Look up the list of workspaces using the method
[Link](). If you already know
the name of the workspace on the server, then ignore this step.
3. Register the workspace using the method
[Link]() with an existing workspace
name on the server.
4. Activate the server using the method [Link]().

To Register a Server with a New Workspace

Perform the following steps to register a Windchill server with a new workspace:
1. Perform steps 1 to 4 in the preceding section to register the Windchill server
with an existing workspace.
2. Use the method [Link]() to choose the
required context for the server.
3. Create a new workspace with the required context using the method
[Link](). This method automatically makes
the created workspace active.

Note
You can create a workspace only after the server is registered.

Aliased URL
An aliased URL serves as a handle to the server objects. You can access the server
objects in the commonspace (shared folders) and the workspace using an aliased
URL. An aliased URL is a unique identifier for the server object and its format is
as follows:
• Object in workspace has a prefix wtws
wt[Link]

where <object_server_name> includes <object_

name>.<object_extension>
For example,
wt[Link]
wt[Link]

where
<server_alias> is my_server

384 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 <workspace_name> is my_workspace
• Object in commonspace has a prefix wtpub
wtpub://<server_alias>/<folder_location>/<object_server_name>

For example,
wtpub://my_server/path/to/cs_folder/[Link]

where
<server_alias> is my_server
<folder_location> is path/to/cs_folder

Note
○ object_server_name must be in lowercase.
○ The APIs are case-sensitive to the aliased URL.
○ <object_extension> should not contain Creo Parametric versions,
for example, .1 or .2, and so on.

Server Operations
After registering the Windchill server with Creo Parametric, you can start
accessing the data on the Windchill servers. The Creo Parametric interaction with
Windchill servers leverages the following locations:
• Commonspace (Shared folders)
• Workspace (Server-side workspace)
• Workspace local cache (Client-side workspace)
• Creo Parametric session
• Local disk
The methods described in this section enable you to perform the basic server
operations. The following illustration shows how data is transferred among these
locations.

Windchill Connectivity APIs 385

Save
Methods and Property Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() stores the object from the session in the local
workspace cache, when a server is active.

Upload
An upload transfers Creo Parametric files and any other dependencies from the
local workspace cache to the server-side workspace.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()

386 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

The method [Link]() uploads the object to the
workspace. The object to be uploaded must be present in the current Creo
Parametric session. You must save the object to the workspace using
[Link]()[Link] before
attempting to upload it.
The method [Link]() uploads objects
to the workspace using the options specified in the pfcUploadOptions class.
These options allow you to upload the entire workspace, auto-resolve missing
references, and indicate the target folder location for the new content during the
upload. You must save the object to the workspace using [Link](),
or import it to the workspace using
[Link]() before attempting to upload it.
Create the pfcUploadOptions object using the method
[Link]().
The methods available for setting the upload options are described in the
following section.

CheckIn
After you have finished working on objects in your workspace, you can share the
design changes with other users. The checkin operation copies the information and
files associated with all changed objects from the workspace to the Windchill
database.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() checks in an object into the
database. The object to be checked in must be present in the current Creo
Parametric session. Changes made to the object are not included unless you save
the object to the workspace using the method [Link]() before you
check it in.

Windchill Connectivity APIs 387

If you pass NULL as the value of the options parameter, the checkin operation is
similar to the Auto Check-In option in Creo Parametric. For more details on Auto
Check-In, refer to the online help for Creo Parametric.
Use the method [Link]() to create a new
pfcCheckinOptions object.
By using an appropriately constructed options argument, you can control the
checkin operation. Use the APIs listed above to access and modify the checkin
options. The checkin options are as follows:
• DefaultFolder—Specifies the default folder location on the server for the
automatic checkin operation.
• NonDefaultFolderAssignment—Specifies the folder location on the server to
which the objects will be checked in.
• AutoresolveOption—Specifies the option used for auto-resolving missing
references. These options are defined in the
pfcServerAutoresolveOption enumerated type , and are as follows:
○ SERVER_DONT_AUTORESOLVE—Model references missing from the
workspace are not automatically resolved. This may result in a conflict
upon checkin. This option is used by default.
○ SERVER_AUTORESOLVE_IGNORE—Missing references are
automatically resolved by ignoring them.
○ SERVER_AUTORESOLVE_UPDATE_IGNORE—Missing references are
automatically resolved by updating them in the database and ignoring them
if not found.
• Baseline—Specifies the baseline information for the objects upon checkin.
The baseline information for a checkin operation is as follows:
○ BaselineName—Specifies the name of the baseline.
○ BaselineNumber—Specifies the number of the baseline.
The default format for the baseline name and baseline number is Username
+ time (GMT) in milliseconds.
○ BaselineLocation—Specifies the location of the baseline.
○ BaselineLifecycle—Specifies the name of the lifecycle.
• KeepCheckedout—If the value specified is true, then the contents of the
selected object are checked into the Windchill server and automatically
checked out again for further modification.

388 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Retrieval
Standard [Link] provides several methods that are capable of retrieving
models. When using these methods with Windchill servers, remember that these
methods do not check out the object to allow modifications.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The methods [Link](),
[Link](), and
[Link]() load an object into a session given its name
and type. The methods search for the object in the active workspace, the local
directory, and any other paths specified by the search_path configuration
option.

Checkout and Download

To modify an object from the commonspace, you must check out the object. The
process of checking out communicates your intention to modify a design to the
Windchill server. The object in the database is locked, so that other users can
obtain read-only copies of the object, and are prevented from modifying the object
while you have checked it out.
Checkout is often accompanied by a download action, where the objects are
brought from the server-side workspace to the local workspace cache. In
[Link], both operations are covered by the same set of methods.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
The method [Link]() checks out and optionally
downloads the object to the workspace based on the configuration specifications
of the workspace. The input arguments of this method are as follows:

Windchill Connectivity APIs 389

• Mdl—Specifies the object to be checked out. This is applicable if the model
has already been retrieved without checking it out.
• File—Specifies the top-level object to be checked out.
• Checkout—The checkout flag. If you specify the value of this argument as
true, the selected object is checked out. Otherwise, the object is downloaded
without being checked out. The download action enables you to bring read-
only copies of objects into your workspace. This allows you to examine the
object without locking it.
• Options—Specifies the checkout options object. If you pass NULL as the value
of this argument,, then the default Creo Parametric checkout rules apply. Use
the method [Link]() to create a new
pfcCheckoutOptions object.
Use the method [Link]() to check out
and download multiple objects to the workspace based on the configuration
specifications of the workspace. This method takes the same input arguments as
listed above, except for Mdl and File. Instead it takes the argument Files that
specifies the sequence of the objects to check out or download.

Note
[Link] methods do not support AS_STORED configuration.

By using an appropriately constructed options argument in the above functions,

you can control the checkout operation. Use the APIs listed above to modify the
checkout options. The checkout options are as follows:
• Dependency—Specifies the dependency rule used while checking out
dependents of the object selected for checkout. The types of dependencies
given by the pfcServerDependency enumerated type are as follows:
○ SERVER_DEPENDENCY_ALL—All the objects that are dependent on the
selected object are downloaded, that is, they are added to the workspace.
○ SERVER_DEPENDENCY_REQUIRED—All the objects that are required
to successfully retrieve the selected object in the CAD application are
downloaded, that is, they are added to workspace.
○ SERVER_DEPENDENCY_NONE—None of the dependent objects from the
selected object are downloaded, that is, they are not added to workspace.
• IncludeInstances—Specifies the rule for including instances from the family
table during checkout. The type of instances given by the
pfcServerIncludeInstances enumerated type are as follows:

390 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 ○ SERVER_INCLUDE_ALL—All the instances of the selected object are
checked out.
○ SERVER_INCLUDE_SELECTED—The application can select the family
table instance members to be included during checkout.
○ SERVER_INCLUDE_NONE—No additional instances from the family
table are added to the object list.
• SelectedIncludes—Specifies the sequence of URLs to the selected instances, if
IncludeInstances is of type SERVER_INCLUDE_SELECTED.
• Version—Specifies the version of the checked out object. If this value is set to
NULL, the object is checked out according to the current workspace
configuration.
• Download—Specifies the checkout type as download or link. The value
download specifies that the object content is downloaded and checked out,
while link specifies that only the metadata is downloaded and checked out.
• Readonly—Specifies the checkout type as a read-only checkout. This option is
applicable only if the checkout type is link.
The following truth table explains the dependencies of the different control factors
in the method [Link]() and the effect of different
combinations on the end result.
Argument checkout pfcCheckoutOp pfcCheckoutOp Result
in pfc [Link] [Link]
[Link]
Objects
true true NA Object is checked out and
its content is
downloaded.
true false NA Object is checked out but
content is not
downloaded.
false NA true Object is downloaded
without checkout and as
read-only.
false NA false Not supported

Undo Checkout
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
Use the method [Link]() to undo a checkout of the
specified object. When you undo a checkout, the changes that you have made to
the content and metadata of the object are discarded and the content, as stored in
the server, is downloaded to the workspace. This method is applicable only for the
model in the active Creo Parametric session.

Windchill Connectivity APIs 391

Import and Export
[Link] provides you with the capability of transferring specified objects to and
from a workspace. Import and export operations must take place in a session with
no models. An import operation transfers a file from the local disk to the
workspace.
Methods and Properties Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]
The [Link]() exports the
specified objects from the current workspace to a disk in a linked session of Creo
Parametric.
The method [Link]() imports the
specified objects from a disk to the current workspace in a linked session of Creo
Parametric.
Both [Link]() and
[Link]() allow you to specify a
dependency criterion to process the following items:
• All external dependencies
• Only required dependencies
• No external dependencies
Both [Link]() and
[Link]() return the messages generated
during the export or import operation in the form of the
pfcWSImportExportMessages object. Use the APIs listed above to access
the contents of a message. The message specified by the
pfcWSImportExportMessage object contains the following items:
• Description—Specifies the description of the problem or the message
information.
• FileName—Specifies the object name or the name of the object path.

392 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• MessageType—Specifies the severity of the message in the form of the
pfcWSImportExportMessageType enumerated type. The severity is
one of the following types:
○ WSIMPEX_MSG_INFO—Specifies an informational type of message.
○ WSIMPEX_MSG_WARNING—Specifies a low severity problem that can be
resolved according to the configured rules.
○ WSIMPEX_MSG_CONFLICT—Specifies a conflict that can be overridden.
○ WSIMPEX_MSG_ERROR—Specifies a conflict that cannot be overridden
or a serious problem that prevents processing of an object.
• Resolution—Specifies the resolution applied to resolve a conflict that can
be overridden. This is applicable when the message is of the type WSIMPEX_
MSG_CONFLICT.
• Succeeded—Determines whether the resolution succeeded or not. This is
applicable when the message is of the type WSIMPEX_MSG_CONFLICT.
The method [Link]() sets the export
options used while exporting the objects from a workspace in the form of the
pfcWSExportOptions object. Create this object using the method
[Link](). The export options are as follows:
• Include Secondary Content—Indicates whether or not to include secondary
content while exporting the primary Creo Parametric model files. Use the
property [Link] to set
this option.

File Copy
[Link] provides you with the capability of copying a file from the workspace
or target folder to a location on the disk and vice-versa.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
Use the method [Link]() to copy a file from the
disk to the workspace. The file can optionally be added as secondary content to a
given workspace file. If the viewable file is added as secondary content, a
dependency is created between the Creo Parametric model and the viewable file.
Use the method [Link]() to copy a file from
the workspace to a location on disk.
When importing or exporting Creo Parametric models, PTC recommends that you
use methods [Link]() and
[Link](), respectively, to perform the

Windchill Connectivity APIs 393

import or export operation. Methods that copy individual files do not traverse
Creo Parametric model dependencies, and therefore do not copy a fully retrievable
set of models at the same time.
Additionally, only the methods [Link]()
and [Link]() provide full metadata
exchange and support. That means
[Link]() can communicate all the Creo
Parametric designated parameters, dependencies, and family table information to a
PDM system while [Link]() can
update exported Creo Parametric data with PDM system changes to designated
and system parameters, dependencies, and family table information. Hence PTC
recommends the use of [Link]() and
[Link]() to process only non-Creo
Parametric files.

Server Object Status

Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The methods described in this section verify the current status of the object in the
workspace. The method [Link]() specifies
whether the object is checked out for modification. The value true indicates that
the specified object is checked out to the active workspace.
The value false indicates one of the following statuses:
• The specified object is not checked out
• The specified object is only uploaded to the workspace, but was never checked
in
• The specified object is only saved to the local workspace cache, but was never
uploaded
The method [Link]() specifies whether the
object has been modified in the workspace. This method returns true if the
object was modified locally.

Delete Objects
Method Introduced:
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() deletes the array of objects
from the workspace. When passed with the ModelNames array as NULL, this
method removes all the objects in the active workspace.

394 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Conflicts During Server Operations
An exception is provided to capture the error condition while performing the
following server operations using the specified APIs:
Operation API
Checkin an object or workspace [Link]()
Checkout an object [Link]()
Undo checkout of an object [Link]()
Upload object [Link]()
Download object [Link] (with
download as true)
Delete workspace [Link]
Remove object [Link]()

These APIs throw a common exception pfcXToolkitCheckoutConflict if

an error is encountered during server operations. The exception description will
include the details of the error condition. This description is similar to the
description displayed by the Creo Parametric HTML user interface in the conflict
report.

Utility APIs
The methods specified in this section enable you to obtain the handle to the server
objects to access them. The handle may be the aliased URL or the model name of
the http URL. These utilities enable the conversion of one type of handle to
another.
Methods Introduced:
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
• [Link]()
The method [Link]() enables you to search for a
server object by its name. Specify the complete filename of the object as the input,
for example, test_part.prt. The method returns the aliased URL for a model
on the server. For more information regarding the aliased URL, refer to the section
Aliased URL on page 384. During the search operation, the workspace takes
precedence over the shared space.
You can also use this method to search for files that are not in the Creo Parametric
format. For example, my_text.txt, intf_file.stp, and so on.
The method [Link]()
returns the name of the object from the given aliased URL on the server.

Windchill Connectivity APIs 395

The method [Link]() converts an
aliased URL to a standard URL for the objects on the server.
For example, wt[Link] Parametric/[Link] is
converted to an appropriate URL on the server as
<[Link]>/Windchill.
The method [Link]() returns the
server alias from aliased URL.

396 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 27
Technical Summary of Changes
for Creo [Link]
New Functions ........................................................................................................ 398
Full Version of Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes ..................................... 398

This chapter describes the critical and miscellaneous technical changes in Creo
Parametric [Link] and [Link]. It also lists the new and superseded functions
for this release.

397
New Functions
This section describes new functions for [Link] for Creo Parametric [Link].

Features
New Function Description
[Link] Retrieves the direct header of the
group.

Graphics
New Function Description
[Link]() Converts a non-orthonormal matrix to
an orthonormal matrix with the
specified scaling factor.

Interface
New Function Description
[Link]() Loads the specified profile for export.

Solids
New Function Description
[Link] Calculates the mass properties of a part
() or an assembly in the specified
coordinate system.
pfcRegenInstructions. Allows regeneration of a solid in
ResolveModeRegen resolve mode.

Full Version of Creo® Parametric Web.

Link™ Release Notes
To see a full version of the Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes, visit the
page Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes. The full version contains
information from all the past release notes for [Link].

398 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 28
Technical Summary of Changes
for Creo [Link]
New Functions ........................................................................................................ 400
Full Version of Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes ..................................... 400

This chapter describes the critical and miscellaneous technical changes in Creo
Parametric [Link] and [Link]. It also lists the new and superseded functions
for this release.

399
New Functions
This section describes new functions for [Link] for Creo Parametric [Link].

Solids
New Function Description
pfcAssembly. Calculates the mass properties of a
GetMassPropertyByCompPath() solid that is referenced by the specified
coordinate system selection, using the
respective component paths.

Full Version of Creo® Parametric Web.

Link™ Release Notes
To see a full version of the Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes, visit the
page Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes. The full version contains
information from all the past release notes for [Link].

400 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 29
Technical Summary of Changes
for Creo [Link]
Miscellaneous Technical Changes ............................................................................ 402
Full Version of Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes ..................................... 402

This chapter describes the critical and miscellaneous technical changes in Creo
Parametric [Link] and [Link]. It also lists the new and superseded functions
for this release.

401
Miscellaneous Technical Changes
The following changes in Creo Parametric [Link] can affect the functional
behavior of [Link]. PTC does not anticipate that these changes cause critical
issues with existing [Link] applications.

Support for Spline Surfaces with 2 Derivatives

The value SURFACE_SPL2DER is added to the enumerated data type
pfcSurfaceType, which provides support for spline surfaces with 2
derivatives.

Full Version of Creo® Parametric Web.

Link™ Release Notes
To see a full version of the Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes, visit the
page Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes. The full version contains
information from all the past release notes for [Link].

402 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 30
Technical Summary of Changes
for Creo [Link]
Miscellaneous Technical Changes ............................................................................ 404
Full Version of Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes ..................................... 404

This chapter describes the critical and miscellaneous technical changes in Creo
Parametric [Link] and [Link]. It also lists the new and superseded functions
for this release.

403
Miscellaneous Technical Changes
The following changes in Creo Parametric [Link] can affect the functional
behavior of [Link]. PTC does not anticipate that these changes cause critical
issues with existing [Link] applications.

Support for Datum Curve End in Attachment

Selection
The value ITEM_CRV_START and ITEM_CRV_END is added to the enumerated
data type pfcModelItemType, which supports selection of specific dimension
attachment.

Full Version of Creo® Parametric Web.

Link™ Release Notes
To see a full version of the Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes, visit the
page Creo® Parametric [Link]™ Release Notes. The full version contains
information from all the past release notes for [Link].

404 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 31
Sample Applications
Installing [Link] .................................................................................................. 406
Sample Applications ................................................................................................ 406

This appendix lists the sample applications provided with [Link].

405
Installing [Link]
[Link] is available on the same CD as Creo Parametric. When Creo Parametric
is installed using [Link], one of the optional components is API Toolkits.
This includes Creo Parametric TOOLKIT, J-Link, [Link], and VB API.
If you select [Link], a directory called weblink is created under the Creo
Parametric loadpoint and [Link] is automatically installed in this directory.
This directory contains all the libraries, example applications, and documentation
specific to [Link].

Sample Applications
The [Link] sample applications are available at: <creo_weblink_
loadpoint>/weblinkexamples

pfcUtils
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/[Link]

The sample application [Link] provides the PFC related utilities to

enable interaction between PFC objects and the web browser.

pfcComponentFeatExamples
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/
[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/
[Link]

The sample application pfcComponentFeatExamples contains a single

static utility method that searches through the assembly for all components that
are instances of the model "bolt". It then replaces all such occurrences with a
different instance of bolt.

pfcDimensionExamples
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/[Link]

The sample application pfcDimensionExamples contains a utility function

that sets angular tolerances to a specified range.

406 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

pfcParameterExamples
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/[Link]

The sample application pfcParameterExamples contains a single static

utility method that creates or updates model parameters based on the name-value
pairs in the URL page.

pfcDisplayExamples
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/[Link]

The sample application pfcDisplayExamples demonstrates the use of

mouse-tracking methods to draw graphics on the screen.

pfcDrawingExamples
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/[Link]

The sample application pfcDrawingExamples contains utilities that enable

you to create, manipulate, and work with drawings in Creo Parametric.

pfcFamilyMemberExamples
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/
[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/
[Link]

The sample application pfcFamilyMemberExamples contains a utility

method that adds all the dimensions to a family table.

pfcImportFeatureExample
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/
[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/
[Link]

Sample Applications 407

The sample application pfcImportFeatureExample contains a utility
method that returns a feature object when provided with a solid coordinate system
name and an import feature's file name.

pfcInterferenceExamples
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/
[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/
[Link]

The sample application pfcInterferenceExamples finds the interference

in an assembly, highlights the interfering surfaces, and calculates the interference
volume.

pfcProEArgumentsExample
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/
[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/
[Link]

The sample application pfcProEArgumentsExample describes the use of the

GetProEArguments method to access the Creo Parametric command line
arguments.

pfcSelectionExamples
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/[Link]

The sample application pfcSelectionExamples contains a utility to invoke

an interactive selection.

pfcSolidMassPropExample
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/
[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/
[Link]

The sample application pfcSolidMassPropExample contains a utility to

retrieve a MassProperty object from the provided solid model.

408 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

pfcUDFCreateExamples
Location
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/jscript/[Link]
<creo_weblink_loadpoint>/weblinkexamples/html/[Link]

The sample application pfcUDFCreateExamples contains a utility that places

copies of a node UDF at a particular coordinate system location in a part.

Sample Applications 409

 32
Geometry Traversal
Example 1 .............................................................................................................. 411
Example 2 .............................................................................................................. 411
Example 3 .............................................................................................................. 412
Example 4 .............................................................................................................. 412
Example 5 .............................................................................................................. 413

This appendix illustrates the relationships between faces, contours, and edges.
Examples E-1 through E-5 show some sample parts and list the information about
their surfaces, faces, contours, and edges.

410 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Example 1

This part has 6 faces.

• Face A has 1 contour and 4 edges.
• Edge E2 is the intersection of faces A and B.
• Edge E2 is a component of contours C1 and C2.

Example 2

Face A has 2 contours and 6 edges.

Geometry Traversal 411

Example 3

This part was extruded from a rectangular cross section. The feature on the top
was added later as an extruded protrusion in the shape of a semicircle.
• Face A has 1 contour and 6 edges.
• Face B has 2 contours and 8 edges.
• Face C has 1 contour and 4 edges.

Example 4

This part was extruded from a cross section identical to Face A. In the Sketcher,
the top boundary was sketched with two lines and an arc. The sketch was then
extruded to form the base part, as shown.
• Face A has 1 contour and 6 edges.
• Face B has 1 contour and 4 edges.
• Face C has 1 contour and 4 edges.
• Face D has 1 contour and 4 edges.

412 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Example 5

This part was extruded from a rectangular cross section. The slot and hole features
were added later.
• Face A has 1 contour and 8 edges.
• Face B has 3 contours and 10 edges.

Geometry Traversal 413

 33
Geometry Representations
Surface Parameterization......................................................................................... 415
Edge and Curve Parameterization ............................................................................ 424

This appendix describes the geometry representations of the data used by

[Link].

414 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Surface Parameterization
A surface in Creo Parametric contains data that describes the boundary of the
surface, and a pointer to the primitive surface on which it lies. The primitive
surface is a three-dimensional geometric surface parameterized by two variables
(u and v). The surface boundary consists of closed loops (contours) of edges. Each
edge is attached to two surfaces, and each edge contains the u and v values of the
portion of the boundary that it forms for both surfaces. Surface boundaries are
traversed clockwise around the outside of a surface, so an edge has a direction in
each surface with respect to the direction of traversal.
This section describes the surface parameterization. The surfaces are listed in
order of complexity. For ease of use, the alphabetical listing of the data structures
is as follows:
• Cone on page 417
• Coons Patch on page 420
• Cylinder on page 416
• Cylindrical Spline Surface on page 423
• Fillet Surface on page 420
• General Surface of Revolution on page 418
• NURBS on page 426
• Plane on page 415
• Ruled Surface on page 419
• Spline Surface on page 421
• Tabulated Cylinder on page 419
• Torus on page 417

Plane

The plane entity consists of two perpendicular unit vectors (e1 and e2), the
normal to the plane (e3), and the origin of the plane.
Data Format:

Geometry Representations 415

e1[3] Unit vector, in the u direction
e2[3] Unit vector, in the v direction
e3[3] Normal to the plane
origin[3] Origin of the plane
Parameterization:
(x, y, z) = u * e1 + v * e2 + origin

Cylinder

The generating curve of a cylinder is a line, parallel to the axis, at a distance R

from the axis. The radial distance of a point is constant, and the height of the point
is v.
Data Format:
e1[3] Unit vector, in the u direction
e2[3] Unit vector, in the v direction
e3[3] Normal to the plane
origin[3] Origin of the cylinder
radius Radius of the cylinder
Parameterization:
(x, y, z) = radius * [cos(u) * e1 + sin(u) * e2] +
v * e3 + origin
Engineering Notes:
For the cylinder, cone, torus, and general surface of revolution, a local coordinate
system is used that consists of three orthogonal unit vectors (e1, e2, and e3) and
an origin. The curve lies in the plane of e1 and e3, and is rotated in the direction
from e1 to e2. The u surface parameter determines the angle of rotation, and the
v parameter determines the position of the point on the generating curve.

416 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Cone

The generating curve of a cone is a line at an angle alpha to the axis of revolution
that intersects the axis at the origin. The v parameter is the height of the point
along the axis, and the radial distance of the point is v * tan(alpha).
Data Format:
e1[3] Unit vector, in the u direction
e2[3] Unit vector, in the v direction
e3[3] Normal to the plane
origin[3] Origin of the cone
alpha Angle between the axis of the cone
and the generating line
Parameterization:
(x, y, z) = v * tan(alpha) * [cos(u) * e1 +
sin(u) * e2] + v * e3 + origin

Torus

The generating curve of a torus is an arc of radius R2 with its center at a distance
R1 from the origin. The starting point of the generating arc is located at a distance
R1 + R2 from the origin, in the direction of the first vector of the local coordinate
system. The radial distance of a point on the torus is R1 + R2 * cos(v), and the
height of the point along the axis of revolution is R2 * sin(v).
Data Format:
e1[3] Unit vector, in the u direction
e2[3] Unit vector, in the v direction
e3[3] Normal to the plane
origin[3] Origin of the torus
radius1 Distance from the center of the

Geometry Representations 417

 generating arc to the axis of
revolution
radius2 Radius of the generating arc
Parameterization:
(x, y, z) = (R1 + R2 * cos(v)) * [cos(u) * e1 +
sin(u) * e2] + R2 * sin(v) * e3 +
origin

General Surface of Revolution

A general surface of revolution is created by rotating a curve entity, usually a

spline, around an axis. The curve is evaluated at the normalized parameter v, and
the resulting point is rotated around the axis through an angle u. The surface of
revolution data structure consists of a local coordinate system and a curve
structure.
Data Format:
e1[3] Unit vector, in the u direction
e2[3] Unit vector, in the v direction
e3[3] Normal to the plane
origin[3] Origin of the surface of revolution
curve Generating curve
Parameterization:
curve(v) = (c1, c2, c3) is a point on the curve.

(x, y, z) = [c1 * cos(u) - c2 * sin(u)] * e1 +

[c1 * sin(u) + c2 * cos(u)] * e2 +
c3 * e3 + origin

418 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Ruled Surface

A ruled surface is the surface generated by interpolating linearly between

corresponding points of two curve entities. The u coordinate is the normalized
parameter at which both curves are evaluated, and the v coordinate is the linear
parameter between the two points. The curves are not defined in the local
coordinate system of the part, so the resulting point must be transformed by the
local coordinate system of the surface.
Data Format:
e1[3] Unit vector, in the u direction
e2[3] Unit vector, in the v direction
e3[3] Normal to the plane
origin[3] Origin of the ruled surface
curve_1 First generating curve
curve_2 Second generating curve
Parameterization:
(x', y', z') is the point in local coordinates.
(x', y', z') = (1 - v) * C1(u) + v * C2(u)
(x, y, z) = x' * e1 + y' * e2 + z' * e3 + origin

Tabulated Cylinder

A tabulated cylinder is calculated by projecting a curve linearly through space.

The curve is evaluated at the u parameter, and the z coordinate is offset by the v
parameter. The resulting point is expressed in local coordinates and must be
transformed by the local coordinate system to be expressed in part coordinates.
Data Format:
e1[3] Unit vector, in the u direction

Geometry Representations 419

e2[3] Unit vector, in the v direction
e3[3] Normal to the plane
origin[3] Origin of the tabulated cylinder
curve Generating curve
Parameterization:
(x', y', z') is the point in local coordinates.
(x', y', z') = C(u) + (0, 0, v)
(x, y, z) = x' * e1 + y' * e2 + z' * e3 + origin

Coons Patch

A Coons patch is used to blend surfaces together. For example, you would use a
Coons patch at a corner where three fillets (each of a different radius) meet.
Data Format:
le_curve u = 0 boundary
ri_curve u = 1 boundary
dn_curve v = 0 boundary
up_curve v = 1 boundary
point_matrix[2][2] Corner points
uvder_matrix[2][2] Corner mixed derivatives

Fillet Surface

420 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

A fillet surface is found where a round or a fillet is placed on a curved edge, or on
an edge with non-constant arc radii. On a straight edge, a cylinder would be used
to represent the fillet.
Data Format:
pnt_spline P(v) spline running along the u = 0 boundary
ctr_spline C(v) spline along the centers of the
fillet arcs
tan_spline T(v) spline of unit tangents to the
axis of the fillet arcs
Parameterization:
R(v) = P(v) - C(v)
(x,y,z) = C(v) + R(v) * cos(u) + T(v) X R(v) *
sin(u)

Spline Surface

The parametric spline surface is a nonuniform bicubic spline surface that passes
through a grid with tangent vectors given at each point. The grid is curvilinear in
uv space. Use this for bicubic blending between corner points.
Data Format:
u_par_arr[] Point parameters, in the u
direction, of size Nu
v_par_arr[] Point parameters, in the v
direction, of size Nv
point_arr[][3] Array of interpolant points, of
size Nu x Nv
u_tan_arr[][3] Array of u tangent vectors
at interpolant points, of size
Nu x Nv
v_tan_arr[][3] Array of v tangent vectors at
interpolant points, of size
Nu x Nv
uvder_arr[][3] Array of mixed derivatives at
interpolant points, of size

Geometry Representations 421

 Nu x Nv
Engineering Notes:
• Allows for a unique 3x3 polynomial around every patch.
• There is second order continuity across patch boundaries.
• The point and tangent vectors represent the ordering of an array of [i][j],
where u varies with I, and v varies with j. In walking through the point_
arr[][3], you will find that the innermost variable representing v(j)
varies first.

NURBS Surface
The NURBS surface is defined by basis functions (in u and v), expandable arrays
of knots, weights, and control points.

Data Format:
deg[2] Degree of the basis
functions (in u and v)
u_par_arr[] Array of knots on the
parameter line u
v_par_arr[] Array of knots on the
parameter line v
wghts[] Array of weights for
rational NURBS, otherwise
NULL
c_point_arr[][3] Array of control points
Definition:

422 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

k = degree in u
l = degree in v
N1 = (number of knots in u) - (degree in u) - 2
N2 = (number of knots in v) - (degree in v) - 2
Bi,k = basis function in u
Bj, l = basis function in v
wij = weights
Ci, j = control points (x,y,z) * wi,j
Engineering Notes:
The weights and c_points_arr arrays represent matrices of size
wghts[N1+1] [N2+1] and c_points_arr [N1+1] [N2+1]. Elements of
the matrices are packed into arrays in row-major order.

Cylindrical Spline Surface

The cylindrical spline surface is a nonuniform bicubic spline surface that passes
through a grid with tangent vectors given at each point. The grid is curvilinear in
modeling space.

Data Format:
e1[3] x' vector of the local coordinate
system
e2[3] y' vector of the local coordinate
system
e3[3] z' vector of the local coordinate
system, which corresponds to the
axis of revolution of the surface

Geometry Representations 423

origin[3] Origin of the local coordinate
system
splsrf Spline surface data structure
The spline surface data structure contains the following fields:
u_par_arr[] Point parameters, in the
u direction, of size Nu
v_par_arr[] Point parameters, in the
v direction, of size Nv
point_arr[][3] Array of points, in
cylindrical coordinates,
of size Nu x Nv. The array
components are as follows:
point_arr[i][0] - Radius
point_arr[i][1] - Theta
point_arr[i][2] - Z
u_tan_arr[][3] Array of u tangent vectors.
in cylindrical coordinates,
of size Nu x Nv
v_tan_arr[][3] Array of v tangent vectors,
in cylindrical coordinates,
of size Nu x Nv
uvder_arr[][3] Array of mixed derivatives,
in cylindrical coordinates,
of size Nu x Nv
Engineering Notes:
If the surface is represented in cylindrical coordinates (r, theta, z), the local
coordinate system values (x', y', z') are interpreted as follows:
x' = r cos (theta)
y' = r sin (theta)
z' = z
A cylindrical spline surface can be obtained, for example, by creating a smooth
rotational blend (shown in the figure on the previous page).
In some cases, you can replace a cylindrical spline surface with a surface such as a
plane, cylinder, or cone. For example, in the figure, the cylindrical spline surface
S1 was replaced with a cone (r1 = r2, r3 = r4, and r1 ≠ r3).
If a replacement cannot be done (such as for the surface S0 in the figure (ra ≠ rb
or rc ≠ rd)), leave it as a cylindrical spline surface representation.

Edge and Curve Parameterization

This parameterization represents edges (line, arc, and spline) as well as the curves
(line, arc, spline, and NURBS) within the surfaces.
This section describes edges and curves, arranged in order of complexity. For ease
of use, the alphabetical listing is as follows:

424 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

• Arc on page 425
• Line on page 425
• NURBS on page 426
• Spline on page 425

Line
Data Format:
end1[3] Starting point of the line
end2[3] Ending point of the line
Parameterization:
(x, y, z) = (1 - t) * end1 + t * end2

Arc
The arc entity is defined by a plane in which the arc lies. The arc is centered at the
origin, and is parameterized by the angle of rotation from the first plane unit
vector in the direction of the second plane vector. The start and end angle
parameters of the arc and the radius are also given. The direction of the arc is
counterclockwise if the start angle is less than the end angle, otherwise it is
clockwise.
Data Format:
vector1[3] First vector that defines the
plane of the arc
vector2[3] Second vector that defines the
plane of the arc
origin[3] Origin that defines the plane
of the arc
start_angle Angular parameter of the starting
point
end_angle Angular parameter of the ending
point
radius Radius of the arc.
Parameterization:
t' (the unnormalized parameter) is
(1 - t) * start_angle + t * end_angle
(x, y, z) = radius * [cos(t') * vector1 +
sin(t') * vector2] + origin

Spline
The spline curve entity is a nonuniform cubic spline, defined by a series of three-
dimensional points, tangent vectors at each point, and an array of unnormalized
spline parameters at each point.

Geometry Representations 425

Data Format:
par_arr[] Array of spline parameters
(t) at each point.
pnt_arr[][3] Array of spline interpolant points
tan_arr[][3] Array of tangent vectors at
each point
Parameterization:
x, y, and z are a series of unique cubic functions, one per segment, fully
determined by the starting and ending points, and tangents of each segment.
Let p_max be the parameter of the last spline point. Then, t, the unnormalized
parameter, is t * p_max.
Locate the ith spline segment such that:
par_arr[i] < t' < par_arr[i+1]
(If t < 0 or t > +1, use the first or last segment.)
t0 = (t' - par_arr[i]) / (par_arr[i+1] - par_arr[i])
t1 = (par_arr[i+1] - t') / (par_arr[i+1] - par_arr[i])

NURBS
The NURBS (nonuniform rational B-spline) curve is defined by expandable arrays
of knots, weights, and control points.

Data Format:
degree Degree of the basis function
params[] Array of knots
weights[] Array of weights for rational
NURBS, otherwise NULL.
c_pnts[][3] Array of control points
Definition:

426 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

k = degree of basis function
N = (number of knots) - (degree) - 2
wi = weights
Ci = control points (x, y, z) * wi
Bi,k = basis functions
By this equation, the number of control points equals N+1.
References:
Faux, I.D., M.J. Pratt. Computational Geometry for Design and Manufacture. Ellis
Harwood Publishers, 1983.
Mortenson, M.E. Geometric Modeling. John Wiley & Sons, 1985.

Geometry Representations 427

 Index

A retrieving, 45
Axes, 283
Accuracy
evaluating, 283
getting and setting, 211
Activate
simplified representations, 96 B
window, 45, 234 B-splines
Active window description, 275
getting, 45 Boolean
Add array allocation, 112
family table instances, 100 Browser security
family table items, 99 setting up, 30
items to a layer, 246
layer items, 104
lock to family table instances, 102 C
parameter designation, 68 Cells
Adding sites to security zones, 33 accessing, 315
Allocate Change
simplified representations, 357 directory, 111
APIWizard Children, 55, 249
defined, 124 Circles, 275
Arcs Clear
description, 275 window, 234
representation, 425 Close
Area window, 45, 234
surface, 281 Colors, 132
Arrays compatibility of deprecated methods,
allocating, 112 129
Arrows, 275 Components
Assemblies assembly, 52
components, 52 Composite curves
coordinate systems, 239 description, 275
creating, 211 Cones
exploded, 54 class representation, 279
hierarchy, 301 geometry representation, 417
structure of, 301 Configuration options, 131
Associated models Contours

428 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 evaluating, 278 determining the type, 275
traversing, 274 t parameter, 275
Contours, locating in a model, 278 types, 275
Coons patches reserved, 275
geometry representation, 420 Cylinders, 279
Coordinate systems, 283 geometry representation, 416
assemblies, 239 spline surfaces, 423
datum, 239 tabulated, 279
drawing, 239 geometry representation, 419
Drawing View, 239
evaluating, 283
D
screen, 238
section, 239 Default
solid, 238 component locations for explode, 54
window, 238 view, 47
Coordinate transformations, 237 Delete
Copy family table instances, 100
models, 157 feature pattern, 253
Create features, 61
assembly, 211 item from layer, 104
family table columns, 316 layers, 104
family table instance, 314 models, 42, 157
family table instances, 100 parameters, 64
layer, 246 simplified representations, 357
layers, 104 Dependencies
local group, 253 getting, 41
material, 223 deprecated methods compatibility, 129
parameters, 64, 288 Depth
part, 211 selection, 144
selections, 47 Descriptors
simplified representations, 357 model, 151
UDFs, 256 Designate
window, 233 parameters, 68
Create Interactively Defined UDFs, [Link]
258 interface
Creating UDFs, 257 description, 189
Creo Parametric Dimension2D.Dimension2D interface
accessing, 133 description, 174
Cross sections, 98 Dimensions, 294
Current directory, 111 getting, 82
Curves, 275 information, 82, 294
data structures, 424 list of styles, 114

Index 429
 reading and modifying, 82 models, 42, 157
tolerances, 85, 295 Error codes, 39
types, 82 Errors
Directories, 111 resolving, 35
listing the files and subdirectories, Evaluation
111 axes, 283
Display contour, 278
cross sections, 98 coordinate system, 283
layers, 104 edge, 276
model in window, 233 point, 283
models, 157 surface, 280
parameters, 62 Examples
selection, 145 creating drawing views, 171
Display status listing views, 174
of layers, 246 normalizing a coordinate
Display types transformation matrix, 242
getting and setting, 104 setting angular tolerances, 296
Documentation using drawing sheets, 169
see APIWizard, 124 using pwlEnvVariableGet, 110
Double using pwlParameterCreate, 64
array allocation, 112 using pwlParameterValueGet, 64
Drawing using the dimension functions, 86
models using the parameter functions, 69
code example, 171 Exploded assemblies, 54
sheets Export
example, 169 files, 319
transformations, 242
views
F
code example, 171
Faces
traversing, 274
E Family tables, 314
Edges, 275 cells, 315
determining the type, 275 columns
evaluating, 276 accessing, 315
t parameter, 275 instances, 100
traversing, 274 accessing, 314
types, 275 file management of, 103
reserved, 275 locking, 102
Ellipses, 275 values, 101
Environment variables items, 99
getting the values, 110 list of types, 114
Erase

430 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 symbols, 315 Geometry
Features solid edge, 277
accessing, 249 terms, 274
children, 55 traversal, 274
creating, 251 Get
deleting, 61 active window, 45
displaying parameters, 62 assembly components, 52
failed, 249 assembly explode status, 54
groups, 249, 253 associated models, 45
identifiers, 249 cross sections, 98
information, 55, 250 current directory, 111
list of group pattern statuses, 115 current model, 41
list of group statuses, 115 dependencies, 41
list of pattern statuses, 115 dimension information, 82
list of types, 115 environment variable, 110
names, 58 explode states, 54
operations, 251 explode status, 54
parents, 55, 249 family table instance locks, 102
patterns, 253 family table instance values, 101
querying, 55 family table instances, 100
read-only, 250 family table items, 99
resuming, 60, 251 feature children, 55
status, 55 feature dimensions, 82
suppressing, 59, 251 feature information, 55
user-defined, 256 feature names, 58
Files feature notes, 107
exporting, 319 feature parameters, 63
listing, 111 feature parents, 55
message, 133 feature status, 55
contents, 134 features, 55
naming restrictions, 133 files and subdirectories, 111
plotting, 344 item identifiers, 44
Fillet surfaces item names, 44
geometry representation, 420 layer display types, 104
Functions layer items, 104
that return the window identifier, 45 layers, 104
mass properties, 97
material, 50
G
model dimensions, 82
General surface of revolution, 418 model features, 55
Generic model model information, 41
getting, 314 model views, 47

Index 431
 note names, 108 Items
note owners, 107 family table, 99
note text, 109 highlighting, 49
note URLs, 110 layer, 104
notes, 107 model, 44
parameter value, 64 removing from a layer, 104
parameters, 63
session models, 41
J
session windows, 45
simplified representations, 94 JavaScript header
Groups, 253, 256 for examples, 38

H K
Hardware Keywords
supported, 30 instanceof
Highlight using, 275
selections, 145
Highlighting, 49
L
Layers, 246
I adding items, 104
Information creating, 104
dimension, 82 deleting, 104
Drawing, 164 display type, 104
feature, 55 getting, 104
model, 41 getting items, 104
Inquiry item types, 104
feature, 55 operations, 246
note, 107 removing items, 104
Install resuming features, 60
See [Link] Installing, 406 suppressing features, 59
Installation to delete features, 61
See [Link] Installing, 406 Lines
Instances, 100 description, 275
file management, 103 representation, 425
locking, 102 styles, 132
Integer Lists
array allocation, 112 of children, 249
Interactive selection, 143 of current windows, 233
Interactively Defined UDFs of layer items, 246
create, 258 of materials, 223
Interchange assembly, 52 of ModelItems, 244

432 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 of pattern members, 249, 253 erasing, 42
of rows in a family table, 314 exporting, 319
of subitems, 244 getting, 151
of views, 236 information, 41
of windows, 233 layers, 104
Local groups opening, 42
creating, 253 operations, 157
Lock regenerating, 41
family table instances, 102 renaming, 42
Locks, 314 retrieving, 153
retrieving the associated model, 45
session model, 41
M
view names, 47
Machine Modify
run [Link], 35 dimension values, 82
Macros, 131 parameters, 64
Mass properties, 97, 220 simplified representations, 358
Materials, 223
getting and setting, 50
Matrix
N
code example, 242 Names
Matrix3D object, 242 feature, 58
Message files, 133 model items, 44
contents, 134 note, 108
restrictions, 133 view, 47
Message window Normalize
reading from, 135 matrix, 242
writing to, 135 Note
Model items, 44 names, 108
ModelItems text, 109
duplicating, 246 URLs, 110
evaluating, 283 NURBS
getting, 244 representation, 426
information, 245 surface, 422
types, 244
Models
O
defined types, 41
dependencies, 41 Objects
descriptors, 151 list of types, 120
dimensions, 82 Open
Drawing file, 153
Obtaining, 164 instance, 103
model, 42

Index 433
 simplified representation, 94 description, 163
Operations [Link]
Drawing, 165 information, 154
feature, 251 [Link] method
layer, 246 getting a ModelItem, 244
model, 157 [Link] argument
solid, 211, 352 table of strings, 143
view, 237 Planes, 279
window, 234, 353 geometry representation, 415
Outlines Platforms
contour, 278 supported, 30
Owner Plot, 344
note, 107 Points, 283
evaluating, 283
Polygons, 275
P
Principal curve, 281
Parameters, 288 Properties
creating, 64 mass, 97
deleting, 64
displaying, 62
getting, 63
R
identifying, 63 Read
information, 291 dimension values, 82
list of types, 121 parameters, 64
listing, 63 Refresh
modifying, 64 window, 234, 353
reading, 64 Regenerate, 41
renaming, 64 solids, 211, 352
resetting, 64 Remove
values, 64 family table instances, 100
ParamValue objects, 287 family table items, 99
Parents, 55, 249 items from a layer, 246
Parse layer items, 104
selection string, 47 locks on family table instances, 102
Part parameter designation, 68
materials, 50 Removing sites from security zones, 33
Parts, 223 Rename
creating, 211 model items, 44
Pattern leaders, 249, 253 models, 42, 157
Patterns, 253 parameters, 64
pfcExceptions. Repaint, 45
XToolkitDrawingCreateErrors window, 234, 353

434 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

Replace Remove sites, 33
assembly components, 52 Selection, 47, 143
Reset accessing data, 144
parameters, 64 controlling display, 145
view, 237 Session
Restrictions getting the windows, 45
on text message files, 133 Session objects
Resume getting, 127
features, 60 Set
Retrieve current directory, 111
current model, 41 default view, 47
dimensions, 82 dimension tolerances, 85
geometry of a simplified dimension values, 82
representation, 356 explode states, 54
graphics of a simplified explode status, 54
representation, 356 family table instance values, 101
material, 223 feature names, 58
model parameters, 63 item names, 44
models, 42 layer display types, 104
parameter values, 64 material, 50
simplified representations, 94, 356 names of model items, 44
view, 236 note names, 108
Revolved surfaces, 279 note text, 109
Rotate note URLs, 110
view, 237 parameter values, 64
Ruled surfaces, 279 view, 47
geometry representation, 419 views, 47
Sheets
Drawing, 166
S
Simplified representations
Save activating, 96
models, 157 adding items, 358
view, 237 creating, 357
Screen coordinate system, 238 deleting, 357
[Link] function items, 358
used in a code example, 110 extracting information from, 357
Security modifying, 358
Browser settings, 30 opening, 94
Embedded Browser, 34 retrieving
Security zone geometry, 356
Add sites, 33 graphics, 356
Security zones utilities, 360

Index 435
Software traversing, 274
supported, 30 types, 279
Solids UV parameterization, 279
accuracy, 211
coordinate system, 238
T
cross sections, 98
geometry traversal, 244 t parameter
getting a solid object, 211 description, 275
information, 211 Table
mass properties, 97, 220 creating, 181
operations, 211, 352 drawing cells, 181
Splines retrieving, 182
cylindrical spline surface, 423 selecting, 181
description, 275 [Link] interface
representation, 425 description, 180
surface, 421 Tabulated cylinders, 279
Status geometry representation, 419
feature, 55, 250 Text, 275
group, 55 message files, 133
group pattern, 55 note, 109
layer, 246 Tolerance, 295
pattern, 55 Tolerances
String dimension, 85
array allocation, 112 setting
Subdirectories example, 296
listing, 111 types of, 82
Suppress Torii, 279
features, 59 Torus, 417
Surfaces, 279 Transformations, 237, 239
cylindrical spline, 423 solid to coordinate system datum
data structures, 415 coordinates, 242
evaluating, 280 solid to screen coordinates, 241
area, 281 in a drawing, 242
evaluating parameters, 281 Traversal
fillet of a solid block, 274
geometry representation, 420 of geometry, 274
general surface of revolution, 418 Troubleshooting, 35
NURBS
geometry representation, 422 U
revolved, 279
ruled, 279, 419 UDFs, 256
spline, 421 creating, 256
URL

436 Creo® [Link]™ User’s Guide

 note, 110 supported software and hardware, 30
User’s Guide troubleshooting, 35
documentation utilities, 110
online, 124 [Link] Security, 30
Utilities, 110 Window coordinate system, 238
allocating arrays, 112 Windows, 233
getting values of environment activating, 45, 234
variables, 110 active, 45
manipulating directories, 111 clearing, 234
simplified representations, 360 closing, 45, 234
creating, 233
flush, 234
V
operations, 234, 353
Values repainting, 45, 234
dimension, 82 retrieving the associated model, 45
family table instance, 101 session, 45
parameter, 64 Write
ParamValue, 287 to the message window, 135
Verify
parameter designation, 68
View2D.View2D interface
description, 169
Views
Drawing, 169
getting a view object, 236
list of, 236
listing
example, 174
names, 47
operations, 237
retrieving, 236
saving, 237
setting, 47
Visibility, 250
Visit
simplified representations, 357

W
[Link]
error codes, 39
overview, 12
setting up your machine, 35

Index 437