Represents the current CNext application and its frame window.
The application is the root object for all the other objects you can use
and access from scripts. It directly aggregates:
The document collection represented by the object. This collection contains all the documents currently opened by the
application
The window collection represented by the
object. This collection contains all the windows currently opened by the
application, each window displaying one of the documents contained in
the document collection
The
object, providing information about the system environment.
The active document and the active window are two key objects for the
application you can access using the
and
properties respectively. The active window is the window the end user is
currently working in, and the active document is the document displayed
in this active window and that the end user is being editing.
This document sets its workshop, that is the available menus and
toolbars that make it possible to edit it, according to its type.
When you create or use macros for in-process access, the application
is always referred to as CATIA.
Properties
Property ActiveDocument() As (Read Only)
Returns the active document.
The active document is the document the end user is being editing.
Beware, the active document API shouldn't be used in batch environment, in batch
context retrieve your document from Documents collection.
Example:
This example retrieves in ActiveDoc the active
document of the CATIA application.
Dim ActiveDoc As Document
Set ActiveDoc = CATIA.ActiveDocument
Property ActivePrinter() As
Returns or sets the active printer.
The active printer is the printer on which documents are printed
Example:
This example retrieves in ActivePrinter the active
printer of the CATIA application.
Dim ActivePrinter As Printer
Set ActivePrinter = CATIA.ActivePrinter
Property ActiveWindow() As (Read Only)
Returns the active window.
The active window is the window in which the end user is currently
editing the active document.
Example:
This example retrieves in ActiveWin the active
window of the CATIA application.
Dim ActiveWin As Window
Set ActiveWin = CATIA.ActiveWindow
Property CacheSize() As
Returns or sets the default local cache size used by the application.
Example:
This example sets the cache size for by the CATIA
application to those defined in LocalCacheSize.
Returns or sets the application's window title.
This title is displayed in the application's window title bar.
Example:
This example retrieves in Title the CATIA
application's window title.
Title = CATIA.Caption
The returned value is like this:
CNext
Property DisplayFileAlerts() As
Returns or sets the application ability to display file alerts.
True if the application enables file alert display.
True is the default. A file alert is, for example, the dialog box
that prompts you that the file you want to save is in read only mode,
or that the file you want to close needs to be saved.
It could be handy to disable these file alerts for automation since they
may freeze your macro execution, waiting for an end user input in the
displayed dialog box.
Example:
This example disables file alerts for the CATIA application.
CATIA.DisplayFileAlerts = False
Property Documents() As (Read Only)
Returns the collection of documents currently managed by the application.
Example:
This example retrieves in DocCollection the collection of
documents currently managed by the CATIA application.
Dim DocCollection As Documents
Set DocCollection = CATIA.Documents
Property FileSearchOrder() As
Returns or sets the default path concatenation.
Role: This property returns or sets the default path concatenation used
by Other folders setting of the Linked Documents Localization function.
The primary aim of the Linked Documents Localization function
is to resolve document links and to manage the strategy
that will be used to locate your linked documents.
Example:
This example sets the paths to search for by the CATIA
application to those defined in PathConcatenation.
Theese methods require the installation of CATIA - PPR xPDM Gateway 1 Product (PX1)
In case this product is not granted, the first invocation to one of the methods will fail.
Property FileSystem() As (Read Only)
Returns the file system.
The file system provides access to a computer's file system.
Example:
This example retrieves in AppliFileSys the file
sytem of the CATIA application.
Dim AppliFileSys As FileSystem
Set AppliFileSys = CATIA.FileSystem
Property FullName() As (Read Only)
Returns the application's executable file full name, including its path.
This name is the name of the executable file used to start
the application.
Example:
This example retrieves in ApplicationFullName the
CATIA application's executable file full name.
ApplicationFullName = CATIA.FullName
The returned value is like this:
\\lisa\cxr1arel\bsf\alpha_a\code\bin\CNEXT.exe
Property HSOSynchronized() As
For selection performance purposes, returns or sets the HSO synchronization in comparison with the CSO.
Role: Precises if, for all
object instances, the HSO (Highlighted Set of Objects) is synchronized in comparison with the CSO (Current Set of Objects).
Valid values are:
True: In this case, Selection methods work directly with CATIA's CSO, to reflect instantly the changes made in Automation Selection.
This ensures correct selection results, but may impact performance in certain cases.
This is the default value at the beginning of a CATIA session.
False: In this case, Selection methods work with an internal SO buffer, which allows faster execution
when performing a large number of CSO-independent Selection calls, or when performing a single Selection call working on a large number of objects (usually the Search method). This may also prevent the features from blinking between two user interactions.
Note: even if this property is set to False, the HSO is synchronized in comparison with the CSO at the begining of the following methods:
Selection.SelectElement2
Selection.SelectElement3
Selection.SelectElement4
Selection.IndicateOrSelectElement2D
Selection.IndicateOrSelectElement3D
Application.StartCommand
CAUTION: If you use the False value of this property, you must make sure to reset it to True for CATIA's CSO to reflect properly the changes made in Automation Selection. For example, it should be reset to True before interactive parts of your script: MsgBox, InputBox calls, VBA forms updates and so on.
Property Height() As
Returns or sets the height of the application's frame window.
The height is expressed in pixels.
Example:
This example sets the height of the CATIA
application's frame window to 300 pixels.
CATIA.Height = 300
Property Interactive() As
Returns or sets the application sensitivity to end user interactions.
True if the application is end user interaction sensitive.
Example:
This example makes the CATIA application sensitive
to end user interactions.
CATIA.Interactive = True
Property Left() As
Returns or sets the distance from the application's frame window
left side to the left side of the screen.
This distance is expressed in pixels.
Example:
This example sets the distance from the CATIA
application's frame window left side to the left side of the screen
to 150 pixels.
CATIA.Left = 150
Property LocalCache() As
Returns or sets the default local cache path used by the application.
Example:
This example sets the cache path for by the CATIA
application to those defined in LocalCachePath.
Returns the path of the application's executable files.
Example:
This example retrieves in ApplicationPath the path where the
CATIA application executable files are located.
ApplicationPath = CATIA.Path
The returned value is like this:
\\lisa\cxr1arel\bsf\alpha_a\code\bin
Property Printers() As (Read Only)
Returns the collection of the printers currently managed by the application.
Example:
This example retrieves in PrintersCollection the collection of the
printers currently managed by the CATIA application.
Dim PrintersCollection As Windows
Set PrintersCollection = CATIA.Printers
Property RefreshDisplay() As
Enables or disables the update of the display during the script replay.
To improve performance, this update can be temporarely disabled by setting
this property to False in the script.
True (value set by default) if the application's display is refreshed after each method call
executed in late binding mode .
This property does not affect early binding calls nor the get methods because they are never followed
by a refresh of the display.
Example:
This example makes the update of the CATIA application's display disabled during the script replay.
CATIA.RefreshDisplay = False
Property StatusBar() As
Returns or sets the text displayed in the application's window
status bar.
Example:
This example retrieves in Text the text displayed in the
CATIA application's window status bar.
Text = CATIA.StatusBar
The returned value is like this:
Welcome to CATIA CxR1
Property SystemConfiguration() As (Read Only)
Returns the system configuration object (an object which
provides access to system or configuration dependent resources).
Parameters:
oConfiguration
The system configuration object.
Property SystemService() As (Read Only)
Returns system services.
Example:
This example retrieves in AppliSysSer the CATIA
application's system services.
Dim AppliSysSer As SystemService
Set AppliSysSer = CATIA.SystemService
Property Top() As
Returns or sets the distance from the application'si frame window
top to the top of the screen.
This distance is expressed in pixels.
Example:
This example sets the distance from the CATIA
application's frame window top to the top of the screen to 50 pixels.
CATIA.Top = 50
Property UndoRedoLock() As
Returns or sets the application status about Undo/Redo.
True if the Undo/Redo mechanism is locked.
False is the default. Since Undo/Redo mechanism uses lots of memory,
it can be useful to disable it during consuming operations.
Then Undo and Redo stacks are flushed and no model modification
is kept until the Undo/Redo mechanism is unlocked.
It is mandatory to unlock it before the end of the macro.
Example:
This example disables Undo/Redo mechanism until it is unlocked.
CATIA.UndoRedoLock = True
Property Visible() As
Returns or sets the application's window visibility.
True if the application's window is visible to the end user.
Example:
This example makes the CATIA application's window visible.
CATIA.Visibility = True
Property Width() As
Returns or sets the width of the application's frame window.
The width is expressed in pixels.
Example:
This example sets the width of the CATIA
application's frame window to 350 pixels.
CATIA.Width = 350
Property Windows() As (Read Only)
Returns the collection of windows currently managed by the application.
Example:
This example retrieves in WinCollection the collection of
windows currently managed by the CATIA application.
Dim WinCollection As Windows
Set WinCollection = CATIA.Windows
Methods
Sub BeginURConcatenation()
Start to concatenate the undo steps created during the following code.
Using this API will launch a dummy command in order to close
all current model transaction. This is to avoid to left the model
in an unconsitent state.
Func CreateSendTo() As
Creates a Send TO.
Role:This method creates a
instance.
Warning : CATIASendToService interface requires
the installation of CATIA - PPR xPDM Gateway 1 Product (PX1)
In case this product is not granted, the first invocation to one of CATIASendToService methods will fail.
Sub DisableNewUndoRedoTransaction()
Prevents new Undo/Redo transaction creation.
If too many Undo/Redo transactions are created during macro execution, it may affect performance.
So it is valuable to prevent Undo/Redo transaction creation during macro execution when lots
of data are created, deleted or modified.
Note: preventing Undo/Redo transaction creation must not be done when a selection is required
in the macro
Do not forget to call
at the end of the macro or before selection to restore the common behavior.
Example:
This example prevents new transactions to be created, which may increase performance.
CATIA.DisableNewUndoRedoTransaction()
Sub EnableNewUndoRedoTransaction()
Allows new Undo/Redo transaction creation.
Example:
This example restores the common behavior after
has been called.
CATIA.EnableNewUndoRedoTransaction()
Func FileSelectionBox( iTitle, iExtension, iMode) As
Displays a modal dialog box which can be used to select / enter
the name of a file to open / save.
Parameters:
iTitle
The title of the dialog box.
iExtension
A file extension filter.
iMode
The mode in which to run the dialog box (either CatFileSelectionModeOpen or
CatFileSelectionModeSave.
oFilePath
The return string containing the full path of the selected file, or a zero-length
string if the user selects Cancel.
Example:
This example asks the user to select a text file and prints the path of the selected
file.
filepath = CATIA.FileSelectionBox("Select a text file", "*.txt", CatFileSelectionModeOpen)
CATIA.SystemServices.Print "The selected file is " & filepath
Func GetWorkbenchId() As
Returns the identifier of the CATIA current workbench.
Parameters:
oworkbenchId
The id of the current workbench.
Sub Help( iHelpID)
Displays application's online help.
Parameters:
iHelpID
Identifier of the help message to display
Example:
This example displays the string referred to by the HelpKey
message key in the message catalog concatenation.
CATIA.Help("HelpKey")
Sub Quit()
Exits the application and closes all open documents.
Example:
This example exits the CATIA application
and closes all its open documents.
CATIA.Quit()
Sub StartCommand( iCommandId)
Starts a CATIA command.
Role:This method starts a command and executes it untill its first interaction.
Please notice interactions such as selections you could add after in your macro will not work.
StartCommand is useful to execute one-shot (not interactive) commands, it is not safe for interactive commands.
Parameters:
iCommandId
The id of the command to be started. This id can be the name of the
command or its alias.
Sub StartWorkbench( iworkbenchId)
Starts a CATIA workbench.
Parameters:
iworkbenchId
The id of the workbench to be started.
Sub StopURConcatenation( iUndoStepNameBSTR)
Concatenate all the undo steps created since the start call.