I created a dlllibraryof 100+ functions very similar to the AG and accessed themfrom vb.net through interop. This was difficult but worthwhile.
Wildfire 4.0 is supposed to have a Visual basic APIand should make my custom stuff obsolete and add dozens of additional fuctions.
[url]http://www.ptc.com/appserver/wcms/relnotes/note.jsp?&im_ dbkey=51392&icg_dbkey=826[/url]
<H2>Visual Basic Application Programming Interface (API)</H2>
Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0 introduces a new programming interface for Visual Basic.
Description
A new Parametric Foundation Classes (PFC) based Visual Basic API is available in Wildfire 4.0. Users versed in Visual Basic programming can use this new API to automate and customize Pro/ENGINEER from Visual Basic.NET applications and Visual Basic macros in applications like Microsoft Word, Excel or Access.
The Visual Basic API:
<UL>
<LI>Contains the same capabilities as asynchronous J-Link (core Pro/ENGINEER part, assembly, and drawing manipulation; Windchill server access; data exchange; Pro/ENGINEER user interface customization and applications triggered by events occurring in the Pro/ENGINEER session)
<LI>Is compatible with Visual Basic .NET 2005 and Visual Basic for Applications
<LI>Can be used to transfer data between drawings and OLE objects embedded in Pro/ENGINEEER drawings, such as Excel spreadsheets
<LI>Requires no license beyond the license to run Pro/ENGINEER</LI>[/list]
Benefits
Users already familiar with Visual Basic will find this API easier to use than less familiar APIs. Users may apply this API to transfer information between Pro/ENGINEER and other Windows applications with Visual Basic APIs.