jlink

New to Jlink? Start here:

1. Read Architecture Overview below
2. Study Basic Patterns for initialization
3. Review Common Tasks Decision Tree
4. Check Reference Guide for specific operations

Session Model (Entry Point)

All Jlink operations flow through a single Session object:

```java

// Get active session (main pattern)

Session session = pfcSession.GetCurrentSessionWithCompatibility(

CreoCompatibility.C4Compatible

);

// Now use session for all operations

Model model = session.RetrieveModel(descriptor);

```

Exception Handling (Universal)

All Jlink methods throw jxthrowable:

```java

try {

// Any Jlink operation

Model model = session.RetrieveModel(descriptor);

Feature feat = model.GetFeatureByName("MY_FEATURE");

} catch (jxthrowable x) {

x.printStackTrace();

// Handle error

}

```

Object Hierarchy

```

Session (connection to Creo)

├── Model (Part, Assembly, or Drawing)

│ ├── FeatureTree (all features)

│ ├── ParameterTable (model parameters)

│ └── Drawing-specific (sheets, views, notes)

├── UICommand (menu/toolbar integration)

└── Selection (interactive user selection)

```

Packages (20+ modules, but focus on core 6)

| Package | Purpose | Key Classes |

|---------|---------|------------|

| pfcSession | Session management | Session, Selection, UICommand |

| pfcModel | Models (parts, assemblies, drawings) | Model, ModelDescriptor, ModelType |

| pfcFeature | Feature creation & manipulation | Feature, FeatureCreate, FeatureType |

| pfcParameter | Parameters & dimensions | Parameter, ParamValue, DimensionType |

| pfcGeometry | Geometry operations | Point, Vector, Transform |

| pfcAsyncConnection | Async/remote operations | AsyncConnection, AsyncServer |

Session Lifecycle

```java

// 1. Retrieve session (usually already exists)

Session session = pfcSession.GetCurrentSessionWithCompatibility(

CreoCompatibility.C4Compatible

);

// 2. Work with models/features/parameters

try {

// Do work

} catch (jxthrowable x) {

// Handle errors

}

// 3. Cleanup (usually automatic in application context)

// No explicit disconnect needed for current session

```

1. Model Operations

Retrieve existing model:

```java

// By name and type

ModelDescriptor descr = pfcModel.ModelDescriptor_Create(

ModelType.MDL_PART,

"my_part",

null // No directory

);

Model model = session.RetrieveModel(descr);

// Get current model in Creo

Model current = session.GetCurrentModel();

```

Create/save model:

```java

ModelDescriptor descr = pfcModel.ModelDescriptor_Create(

ModelType.MDL_PART,

"new_part",

null

);

Model newModel = session.CreateModel(descr, null);

// Save to working directory

newModel.Save(); // or SaveAs(descriptor)

```

Model types:

• ModelType.MDL_PART - Part file
• ModelType.MDL_ASSEMBLY - Assembly file
• ModelType.MDL_DRAWING - Drawing file

2. Feature Access & Creation

Get feature by name:

```java

try {

Feature feat = model.GetFeatureByName("EXTRUDE_1");

} catch (jxthrowable x) {

// Feature not found

}

```

Iterate features:

```java

FeatureTree featTree = model.GetFeatureTree();

Sequence features = featTree.GetFeatures();

for (int i = 0; i < features.GetMembersCount(); i++) {

Feature f = features.GetMember(i);

// Process feature

}

```

Create feature (example: extrude):

```java

FeatureCreateData createData = pfcFeature.FeatureCreate_Create(

FeatureType.EXTRUDE,

ModelRef.CURRENT, // Current model

"", null, null

);

// Set extrude depth

createData.SetIntParam("depth_type", 1); // ONE_SIDED

createData.SetDoubleParam("depth_1", 10.0); // 10 units

// Create and return feature

Feature newFeat = model.CreateFeature(createData);

```

3. Parameter Operations

Get parameter value:

```java

try {

Parameter param = model.GetParam("THICKNESS");

ParamValue val = param.GetValue();

double thickness = val.GetDoubleValue();

} catch (jxthrowable x) {

// Parameter not found

}

```

Set parameter value:

```java

Parameter param = model.GetParam("THICKNESS");

ParamValue newVal = pfcParameter.ParamValue_CreateDoubleParamValue(2.5);

param.SetValue(newVal);

```

Model parameters:

```java

// Get all parameters

ParameterTable paramTable = model.GetParameters();

Sequence params = paramTable.GetParams();

for (int i = 0; i < params.GetMembersCount(); i++) {

Parameter p = params.GetMember(i);

// Access param

}

```

4. Interactive Selection

Get user selection:

```java

UICommand cmd = session.UICreateCommand("custom.select", selectionListener);

// Selection types

SelectionOptions opts = pfcSelection.SelectionOptions_Create();

opts.AddFilterType(SelectionType.EDGE); // Allow edge selection

opts.SetMaxSelectCount(5); // Max 5 edges

Selection selection = session.UISelect(opts, null);

```

Process selections:

```java

int count = selection.GetSelectionCount();

for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {

SelectedObject selObj = selection.GetSelectionItem(i);

GeometryType geomType = selObj.GetSelectionType();

// Use selected geometry

}

```

5. Assembly Operations

Add component:

```java

ModelDescriptor compDescr = pfcModel.ModelDescriptor_Create(

ModelType.MDL_PART,

"component_name",

null

);

ComponentFeat compFeat = (ComponentFeat)model.CreateFeature(

pfcFeature.FeatureCreate_Create(

FeatureType.COMPONENT,

ModelRef.CURRENT,

"", compDescr, null

)

);

```

Apply constraints:

```java

Constraint constraint = pfcConstraint.Constraint_CreateMateConstraint(

surfaceRef1, // First reference

surfaceRef2 // Second reference

);

model.AddConstraint(constraint);

```

6. Drawing Automation

Create drawing view:

```java

// Open template or create drawing

ModelDescriptor drawDescr = pfcModel.ModelDescriptor_Create(

ModelType.MDL_DRAWING,

"drawing_name",

null

);

Model drawing = session.CreateModel(drawDescr, null);

// Add view (simplified)

DrawingSheet sheet = drawing.GetCurrentSheet();

DrawingView view = sheet.CreateGeneralView(modelRef, viewData);

```

Choose task → find reference file → implement pattern

Model Management

• Open/retrieve model → session.RetrieveModel(descriptor)
• Create new model → session.CreateModel(descriptor, null)
• Save model → model.Save() or model.SaveAs(descriptor)
• Check if modified → model.GetModified() → bool

Feature Operations

• Get feature by name → solid.GetFeatureByName(name)
• Iterate all features → solid.ListFeaturesByType(true, null)
• Create feature → solid.CreateFeature(FeatureCreateInstructions)
• Delete feature → feature.CreateDeleteOp() then execute
• Get feature dimensions → feature.ListSubItems(ITEM_DIMENSION) (returns ModelItems)

Parameters

• Get parameter → model.GetParam(name) → GetValue()
• Set parameter → param.SetValue(newValue)
• List all parameters → model.GetParameters().GetParams()
• Create parameter → model.AddParam()

Assembly

• Add component → Feature creation with FeatureType.FEATTYPE_COMPONENT
• Apply constraint → componentFeat.SetConstraints(constraints, path)
• List components → solid.ListFeaturesByType(true, FeatureType.FEATTYPE_COMPONENT)
• Get subassembly → componentFeat.GetModelDescr() → session.RetrieveModel()

Interactive Selection

• Select edges → SelectionOptions.AddFilterType(SelectionType.EDGE)
• Select surfaces → SelectionOptions.AddFilterType(SelectionType.SURFACE)
• Get selected geometry → selection.GetSelectionItem(i) → process

Drawing

• Create view → sheet.CreateGeneralView(modelRef, viewData)
• Add note/dimension → sheet.CreateGeneralNote(position, text)
• Export/print → Drawing-specific APIs
• Get sheets → drawing.GetDrawingSheets()

1. Always use try-catch - All Jlink operations throw jxthrowable
2. Validate model type before specific operations (part vs assembly vs drawing)
3. Regenerate after changes - model.Regenerate() for feature/parameter changes
4. Check references validity - Geometry handles may become invalid after regen
5. Batch operations - Group model open/close for efficiency
6. Session reuse - Don't create new sessions; reuse GetCurrentSessionWithCompatibility()
7. Clear resources - Free large collections/selections after use
8. Log operations - Essential for debugging batch/async processes
9. Handle missing features - Wrap feature access in try-catch
10. Test with actual model - Jlink behavior varies by Creo configuration

For detailed information, see:

• jlink-session.md - Session creation, lifecycle, compatibility modes
• jlink-models.md - Model operations (open, create, save, properties)
• jlink-features.md - Feature creation, types, dimension manipulation
• jlink-parameters.md - Parameter access, modification, validation
• jlink-assembly.md - Assembly operations, constraints, components
• jlink-drawing.md - Drawing automation, views, sheets, export
• jlink-selection.md - Interactive selection, geometry types, filters
• jlink-patterns.md - Complete end-to-end workflow patterns
• jlink-error-handling.md - Exception strategies, recovery, logging
• jlink-performance.md - Optimization techniques, caching, async patterns

Prerequisites:

• Creo 4.0+ with J-Link/OTK selected during installation
• Java 21+ JDK for Creo 12.4+ (class file version 65.0)
• IDE: Eclipse, IntelliJ, or VS Code

CLASSPATH configuration (Creo 12.4+):

```

${CREO_HOME}/Common Files/text/java/otk.jar

${CREO_HOME}/Common Files/text/java/pfcasync.jar

```

CLASSPATH configuration (Creo 4.0-11.x):

```

${CREO_HOME}/Common Files/otk_java_free/*.jar

```

Application registration (jlink.txt):

```

DESCRIPTION=MyApp

STARTUP=DLL

JAVA_MAIN_CLASS=com.mycompany.MyApp

JLINK_VERSION=11.0

CLASSPATH=MyApp.jar

```

Batch Model Modification:

1. Get session
2. For each model: RetrieveModel() → modify parameters → Regenerate() → Save()

Assembly Generation from Data:

1. Create base assembly
2. For each component: AddFeature(COMPONENT) → ApplyConstraints()
3. Save assembly

Feature Extraction for CAM:

1. Get model
2. Iterate features by type
3. Extract geometry references
4. Generate NC code or CNC path data

Parameter-Driven Design:

1. Get session
2. Modify model parameters
3. Regenerate model
4. Extract modified geometry
5. Generate drawings/exports

UI Integration:

1. Create UICommand
2. Register in menu/toolbar
3. Handle selection via SelectionListener
4. Apply changes to model

Verified Methods (from JAR analysis)

| Interface | Method | Returns | Description |

|-----------|--------|---------|-------------|

| Session | GetCurrentDirectory() | String | Current working dir |

| Session | GetActiveModel() | Model | Current active model |

| Session | RetrieveModel(ModelDescriptor) | Model | Open model |

| Model | GetFullName() | String | Full model path |

| Model | GetFileName() | String | File name only |

| Model | GetType() | ModelType | MDL_PART/MDL_ASSEMBLY |

| Model | ListParams() | Parameters | All parameters |

| Solid | ListFeaturesByType(Boolean, FeatureType) | Features | Get features |

| Solid | GetFeatureByName(String) | Feature | Get single feature |

| Solid | GetPrincipalUnits() | UnitSystem | Unit system |

| Feature | GetName() | String | Feature name |

| Feature | GetFeatType() | FeatureType | Feature type |

| Feature | GetStatus() | FeatureStatus | SUPPRESSED/ACTIVE/etc |

| Feature | ListSubItems(ModelItemType) | ModelItems | Get dimensions etc |

| Feature | ListChildren() | Features | Dependent features |

| BaseDimension | GetDimValue() | double | Dimension value |

| BaseDimension | SetDimValue(double) | void | Set dimension |

| ComponentFeat | GetModelDescr() | ModelDescriptor | Component model |

| Parameter | GetValue() | ParamValue | Parameter value |

| ParamValue | GetDoubleValue() | Double | Numeric value |

| ParamValue | GetStringValue() | String | String value |

Non-Existent Methods (Common Mistakes)

| Wrong Method | Correct Alternative |

|--------------|---------------------|

| session.IsAlive() | Try-catch GetCurrentDirectory() |

| session.GetWorkingDirectory() | GetCurrentDirectory() |

| session.UISetComputeMode() | Not available in Creo 12.4 |

| model.GetModelName() | GetFullName() or GetFileName() |

| feat.GetSuppressed() | GetStatus() == FEAT_SUPPRESSED |

| feat.GetFailed() | GetStatus() == FEAT_UNREGENERATED |

| feat.ListDimensions() | ListSubItems(ITEM_DIMENSION) |

| dim.GetValue() | GetDimValue() (BaseDimension) |

| compFeat.GetModelDescriptor() | GetModelDescr() |

| model.GetUnitsystem() | Solid.GetPrincipalUnits() |

• Async connection best practices for distributed teams
• Performance optimization for large assemblies (100+ components)
• Integration patterns with SmartAssembly scripting workflow