WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VB-API, J-LINK & WEBLINK (APPLICATION WISE)

[avijayan-2]

Hi all,

     I have been using the CREO software from past 4 years but very recently i started to explore the Customization part of creo. Till today i have only used VB-API in the customization module. Can somebody tell me what is the difference in VB-API, J-LINK, WEBLINK, i know all are using different languages what i want to know is Application wise what is the difference or to specify in deep what will be advantage of using "J-LINK" over "VB-API" or Vise-versa.

With Regards

Aghil.M

[sjuraj]

There are language limitations of courese.

There are no listeners for events (e.g. OnAfterFeatureCreate) in Web-link, VB.

You cant create asynchronous application (indipendent app from Creo which connects to Creo session) in Web-link and VB.

On this site there are limitations of Web-link http://www.proetoolbox.co.uk/1_Why_Automate/Pro_WebLink_Limitations.html

I think VB is good choice when you need to work with excel. However there are techniques in J-link and Web-link to work with excel.

You can also call J-link methods from within Web-link. This technique is good to create nice UI in built in web browser without using of asynchronous mode in J-link.

Anyway the best API will still be toolkit because other APIs are built on top of toolkit. But to build toolkit app you need special licence of Creo, knowledge of c++ and visual C++ compiler which is paid too.

Overall I think the best is J-link because of funcionality allowing you to create buttons, pop-ups, listeners; it is free for standard license and Java provides you huge amount of APIs to build really big application.

[rmcboaty]

hey, can you describe in short a couple of apps that you've made with j-link?

no need for anything too detailed

afaik the main problem of j-link is that you can't make new features, so it seems to me that it's limited to whatever you can also make with pro/program and relations, except that it's a different way to do it.

[sjuraj]

It is true, you cant create features, but you can use UDFs. You can create features in toolkit but i has limitations too. Most often you use predefined parts and modify their dimensions and suppress or resume features. Look at AFX in Creo. It uses resuming predefined feature to make joints between parts.

There are plenty of what you can do with J-link. For instance command to open drawing relative to actual model by name or command to automaticky export jpg images with predefined attributes.

You can make appliaction that will check your table in drawing if all cells are filled and if they have right values (for example it will check if material cell have value and if value is one of the list: metal, plastic, wood - this list can be written in some file so it can be easily modified).

This cant be done with relations or pro/program and it will save you lot of time and nerves.

[joe_c]

Hi skvarka

-Can you make 3D annotation features of a dimension in J-link? or is it something toolkit can do?  we needs this capability asap. It will take me days to do the annotation features because our 3DPDF software does not read dimensions only features. Nevermind placing the feature in the prefered location but just creating from current dimension will save time.

-Can you automate part dimensions into nominal or LMC/MMC dimensions? i think weblink can do this?

[habat]

One comment here: For Tooklit, Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express can be used to avoid to consider a paid license for MS Visual Studio. I'm currently using this Development Environment with Creo2/3/4 and Toolkit and it works perfectly.