Visual Basic API for PTC's CREO - Setup

In order to use this API (Application Programming Interface) it is necessary first to install this capability and do the proper setup in both Windows and the programming tool. MS Visual Studio can be used for programming and accessing the COM object but also Excel or other COM enabled tool.


Installing VB API


When Installing CREO Parametric be sure you select the VB API as is shown in the next picture:

If all installation process is done successfully then in the installation folder of CREO you´ll find a folder named "[Creo Path]\Common Files\M010\vbapi" [Creo Path] is the path you selected for installing CREO.

Is in this folder where most files related to VB API are located. There are many files inside but one that will be very useful with this API is the "vbug.pdf".

This document is very important and shows most of the contents for this API. Most of the procedures we are to see now are documented there but ours is a practical experiment you can follow.

Connecting MSExcel with CREO via VBAPI

In order to connect any application with CREO Parametric by means of this API, it is necessary to:

1- Set the PRO_COMM_MSG_EXE enviroment variable to the full path of the executable file pro_comm_msg.exe. which is located in:

 <creo_loadpoint>\Common Files\<datecode>\<machine type>\obj\pro_comm_msg.exe, where machine type is i486_nt for 32-bit Windows and x86e_win64 for 64-bit Windows installations.

For doing this, look in MSWindows for the Control Panel, then select System, then Advanced tab, then Environment variables an Add a new one PRO_COMM_MSG_EXE With the path explained before as the contents of the Value text box.

2- Register the COM Server. For doing this just run the "vb_api_register.bat" file located at <creo_loadpoint>/Parametric/bin.

Now each time an application tries to call Creo with the commands of this API, the server will automatically start.

3- Now on the side of the Excel Application, set project references for the VB API, Just select Tools and then References and Check the box for Creo Parametric VB API Type Library for Creo Parametric as shown in the following figure.

4- For Visual Basic .NET Environment, Click Project Properties Add Reference COM. and then, select Creo Parametric VB API Type Library for Creo Parametric as shown in the following figure.

More information on this can be found in the vbug.pdf or in the interactive help whose use is also shown in the vbug.pdf manual.

With this done we are ready for creating our first application.