VCollab Scripting Interface

Python 3 is embedded into VCollab Pro (using C++) to provide a scripting interface to VCollab. VCollab API functions listed here can be called from python scripts. User needs to create a python script and run the script from VCollab Pro. The python scripts can be run in following two modes:

• In Batch Mode: When python scripts are specified as a command argument, the script will be executed in batch mode. In this mode, user can use a python script to create a CAX file with viewpoints or to create customized reports as an image, PPT and other supported formats. "C:\\Program Files\\VCollab\\VCollabPro64\\VCollabPro.exe" -b "C:\\Temp\\MyReport_A.py"

• In GUI Mode: Python script can be specified as input for “Import viewpoints…” function in “viewpoints context menu” in GUI mode. In this mode, the user can run a python script as a customized functionality to VCollabPro.

Note that the python scripts are executed from VCollabPro. All VCollab functions are listed under python interface object _VCollabAPI. A typical python script will look like this.

#Sample VCollab Script to create a viewpoint with Stress result
import _VCollabAPI ; # import Python interface Object from VCollabPro
import sys, os, traceback; # import system modules
bDebugFlag = True ; # flag used to show pop-up messages while debugging
def MainProgram(): # Using a function helps in error handling
    # Open CAX file
    bRtnFlag = _VCollabAPI.xFileOpen(u"C:\\Program Files\\VCollab\\Samples\\CAX\\beam.cax");
    #Check for error status, If there is an error display a pop-up message
    if bRtnFlag == False:
        _VCollabAPI.xMessageBox(_VCollabAPI.xGetLastError(),bDebugFlag);return;
        _VCollabAPI.xMessageBox(u"Start: beam.cax File Loaded", bDebugFlag);
    #
    #Get Current Model Name
    sCurModel = _VCollabAPI.xGetCurCAEModelName();
    #
    #Display Stress Result
    sCurResult = u"Stress";
    sCurInstance = u"L1M1";
    sCurDerivedResult = u"Von Mises Stress";
    bRtnFlag = _VCollabAPI.xSetCAEResult(sCurModel,sCurResult,sCurInstance,sCurDerivedResult);
    if bRtnFlag == False:
        _VCollabAPI.xMessageBox(_VCollabAPI.xGetLastError(),bDebugFlag); return;
    #
    # Create Viewpoint
    sViewPathName = u"Path 1";
    sViewPointName = u"VP1- Von Mises Stress"
    bRtnFlag = _VCollabAPI.xAddViewPoint(sViewPointName, sViewPathName,-1);
    if bRtnFlag == False:
        _VCollabAPI.xMessageBox(_VCollabAPI.xGetLastError(),bDebugFlag);return;
    #
    #Save as CAX file (file path need to have write access)
    bRtnFlag=_VCollabAPI.xFileSave(u"C:\\Temp\\beam-vp.cax");
    if bRtnFlag == False:
        _VCollabAPI.xMessageBox(_VCollabAPI.xGetLastError(),bDebugFlag);return;
    #
    _VCollabAPI.xMessageBox(u"END: beam-vp.cax File Saved", bDebugFlag);
    return;
# ================== execute main program ===============
try:
    MainProgram();
except :
    sTB = traceback.format_exc();
    _VCollabAPI.xMessageBox(u"Error Trace!!! "+sTB,True);
#
#===========================================================