ENCY CAM IPC API — UI Domain

This document covers the out-of-process UI interfaces for controlling the ENCY main window, 3D viewport, view cube, and the Prime multi-instance shell.

All IPC UI methods that communicate with a remote ENCY process take a TExecuteContext parameter. Read-only properties that are cached locally may not require one.

Table of Contents

  1. ICamIpcApplicationMainForm — remote main window
  2. ICamIpcViewPort — remote 3D viewport
  3. ICamIpcViewCube — remote view cube
  4. ICamIpcPrimeView — Prime shell UI actions
  5. ICamIpcPrimeViewModel — Prime shell lifecycle and instance management
  6. ICamIpcListPrimeViewModel — Prime instance list

ICamIpcApplicationMainForm

The IPC proxy for the ENCY main application window. Obtained via ICamIpcApplication.MainForm or ICamIpcApplication.GetMainFormTimeOut(timeout).

Event registration

RegisterHandler(handlerIdent, handler, listener, ctx)
UnregisterHandler(handlerIdent, ctx)

Handler interfaces for the main form (IPC versions mirror the in-process set):

Interface Method Fires when
ICamIpcHandlerApplicationMainFormIsVisibleChanged ApplicationMainFormIsVisibleChanged(handlerIdent, visible) Main window shown or hidden
ICamIpcHandlerApplicationMainFormMinimizeChanged ApplicationMainFormMinimizeChanged(handlerIdent, minimized) Window minimized or restored
ICamIpcHandlerApplicationMainFormUiInfoChanged ApplicationMainFormUiInfoChanged(handlerIdent, uiInfo) Any UI state change
ICamIpcHandlerApplicationMainFormSaveInCloudClicked ApplicationMainFormSaveInCloudClicked(handlerIdent) Cloud save button clicked
ICamIpcHandlerApplicationMainFormShareClicked ApplicationMainFormShareClicked(handlerIdent) Share button clicked
ICamIpcHandlerApplicationMainFormCloudChatClicked ApplicationMainFormCloudChatClicked(handlerIdent) Cloud chat icon clicked
ICamIpcHandlerApplicationMainFormReloadCloudProjectClicked ApplicationMainFormReloadCloudProjectClicked(handlerIdent) Reload cloud project clicked

State methods

Method Description
GetVisible(ctx) → boolean Whether the main window is visible
GetUiInfo(ctx) → ICamIpcMainFormUiInfo* Current UI state snapshot

Project management

Method Description
OpenProject(fileName, ctx) Opens a project file
OpenProjectSnap(fileName, snapName, ctx) Opens a project snapshot
SaveCurrentProject(ctx) Saves in-place
SaveCurrentProjectAs(ctx) Shows the Save As dialog
SaveProjectAs(fileName) Saves to a specified path without a dialog
SaveProject() Saves without a dialog
ExportCurrentProject(ctx) Exports with all snapshots
ExportProjectWithHistory(fileName) Saves with full snapshot history
ExportDrillPoints(fileName) Exports selected drill operation points
CreateNewProject(ctx) Creates a new empty project
SaveAsMachineSetup(fileName) Saves as a machine setup file
ImportMachineSetup(fileName) Imports a machine setup
ExportSimulationResults(fileName) Exports simulation results

Application actions

Method Description
BeginFreeze(freezeType) Prevents user interaction (TFreezeInterfaceType)
EndFreeze() Restores user interaction
RunAppSetup(out settingsChanged) Opens the application settings dialog
RunUtilitiesSetup(anchorRect) Opens the utilities configuration popup. anchorRect (TCamApiRect) is the screen rectangle of the button that triggered it, so the popup opens directly underneath; pass an empty rect (all zeroes) to center instead
OpenAiAssistant() Opens the AI assistant
ShowHelpContents() Shows the help documentation
SupportRequest() Opens the support request dialog
ShowTutorialWnd() Shows the tutorial window
ShowSnapshotManager(projectPath) Shows the snapshot manager
CrashReport() Opens the crash report dialog
OpenDotnetInterpreterInVSCode(fileName) Opens a .NET script in VS Code
SetCurrentInPrime(value) Notifies the form that it is the active Prime instance

PLM and cloud

Method Description
LoadProjectFromPLM(connectionId) Imports from PLM
ExportProjectToPLM(connectionId) Exports to PLM
ConnectPLMConnection(connectionId) Connects a PLM connection
DisconnectPLMConnection(connectionId) Disconnects a PLM connection
CloudsCollabShare() Shares in cloud collaboration
CloudsCollabDownload() Downloads the latest cloud version
CloudsCollabOpenChat() Opens cloud collaboration chat

Viewport access

GetMainViewPort(ctx) → ICamIpcViewPort*

Main window handle

Returns the OS window handle (HWND, 64-bit value) of the ENCY main window. Use it as the parent window for modal dialogs opened by out-of-process tooling.

GetMainWindowHandle(ctx) → int64

Plugin hotkeys

GetHotkeyManager(ctx) → ICamIpcHotkeyManager*

IPC mirror of the CAMAPI hotkey manager (../api/application.md). Over IPC the manager keeps the binding table only — a hotkey is added by shortcut and caption in one call; the command-fire callback is not part of this manager (fire notifications go through the application event-listener mechanism, not a per-hotkey OnExecute).

Status-bar progress — ICamIpcProgressIndicator

CreateProcessIndicator(caption, ctx) → ICamIpcProgressIndicator*

Drives ENCY's own status-bar progress indicator, so an out-of-process tool can report progress in the host UI instead of its own window. IPC mirror of ICamApiProgressIndicator.

Method Description
Show() Occupies the status bar and shows the indicator. Fails if another process already holds it
Hide() Hides the indicator and releases the status bar
SetPercent(value) Completion 0..100. Fails unless this indicator currently holds the status bar
SetCaption(value) Text shown next to the indicator. Same precondition
GetPercent() / GetCaption() Current values
RegisterHandler(ident, handler, listener, ctx) Subscribe an ICamIpcHandlerProgressIndicator to Show/Hide/Break/Progress
UnregisterHandler(ident) Remove the subscription

The handler receives ProgressIndicatorEvent(handlerIdent, eventType) where eventType is TProgressIndicatorEventType: pietShow (0), pietHide (1), pietBreak (2), pietProgress (3). pietBreak is the user pressing Break — that is how a cancel request reaches your loop.

The status bar is a single shared resource. Always Hide() when done (or on failure), otherwise it stays occupied for every other client.

Verify compare — ICamIpcVerifyCompareManager

GetVerifyCompareManager(ctx) → ICamIpcVerifyCompareManager*

Controls the "Verify compare" mode — machining result against the part, coloured by deviation. IPC mirror of ICamApiVerifyCompareManager.

Method Description
GetEnabled() / SetEnabled(value) Whether compare mode is active
GetTolerance() / SetTolerance(value) Half-width of the green "in tolerance" band, mm
GetScale() / SetScale(scale) Deviation scale as TCamApiVerifyCompareCompareScale (Stock, PosInner, PosOuter, NegInner, NegOuter)
GetMeasureEnabled() / SetMeasureEnabled(value) Whether clicking a point reports its local deviation

GetScale returns only the edge levels per side and SetScale takes abs() and sorts what you pass — see the CAMAPI note before doing a read-modify-write.

Script editor — ICamIpcScriptEditor

OpenScriptEditor(ctx) → ICamIpcScriptEditor*

Opens ENCY's script editor (Script IDE) and returns its handle. The only method is Load(scriptPath, ctx), which loads a .spr script project/file and shows it for editing.

  • ICamIpcHotkeyManager — AddShortcut(shortcut, caption, ctx) (fails if taken), RemoveShortcut(shortcut, ctx) (fails for reserved), FindByShortcut(shortcut, ctx), GetCount(ctx), GetHotkey(index, ctx).
  • ICamIpcHotkey — GetShortcut(ctx), GetCaption(ctx)/SetCaption(caption, ctx), GetEnabled(ctx)/SetEnabled(enabled, ctx), GetIsReserved(ctx). The Shortcut is fixed at creation.

Native application shortcuts are pre-registered as reserved entries, so FindByShortcut reports conflicts against them.

ICamIpcMainFormUiInfo — UI state snapshot

Returned by GetUiInfo(ctx). Equivalent to the in-process ICamApiMainFormUiInfo with one addition:

Method Returns Description
GetAppProcessId() integer Process ID of the ENCY instance this info belongs to
GetCaption() string Current window title
GetProjectFile() string Path to the open project file
GetDisplayPath() string Path as shown in the UI
GetStorageType() string Storage type identifier
GetProjectIsModified() bool Whether the project has unsaved changes
GetProjectIsNew() bool Whether the project has never been saved
GetProcessExists() bool Whether a background process is running
GetProcessStage() int Background process completion percentage
GetCloudsCollabIsEnabled() bool Whether cloud collaboration is available
GetCloudsIsShared() bool Whether the project is shared in the cloud
GetCloudsIsOutdated() bool Whether a newer cloud version exists
GetCloudsHasNewMessages() bool Whether new cloud chat messages exist
GetCloudsLastUpdateTime() string Timestamp of the last cloud update
GetUiPLMInfo() ICamIpcMainFormUiPLMInfo* PLM connection states

Usage example

// Get the main form proxy (wait up to 5 seconds):
var mainForm = app.GetMainFormTimeOut(5_000);

// Open a project:
mainForm.OpenProject(@"C:\projects\part.encam", ref ctx);

// Get UI state:
var uiInfo = mainForm.GetUiInfo(ref ctx);
bool modified = uiInfo.GetProjectIsModified();
string caption = uiInfo.GetCaption();

// Freeze during a batch operation:
mainForm.BeginFreeze(TFreezeInterfaceType.afiiGeneral);
try { /* ... */ }
finally { mainForm.EndFreeze(); }

// Access viewport:
var viewPort = mainForm.GetMainViewPort(ref ctx);
viewPort.ZoomAll(fluently: true, ref ctx);

ICamIpcViewPort

IPC proxy for the 3D viewport.

Methods

Method Description
GetScaleFactor(ctx) → double Current zoom factor
GetViewMode(ctx) → TViewPortViewMode Current rendering mode
ZoomAll(fluently, ctx) Fits all geometry into view
GetMatrix(ctx) → TST3DMatrix Reads the view transformation matrix
SetMatrix(value, ctx) Applies a view transformation matrix immediately
SetMatrixFluently(matrix, ctx) Applies a matrix with animation
GetViewBox(ctx) → TST2DBox Reads the view bounding box
SetViewBox(value, ctx) Applies a view bounding box immediately
SetViewBoxFluently(box, ctx) Applies a view bounding box with animation
GetCube(ctx) → ICamIpcViewCube* Returns the view cube proxy

TViewPortViewMode values — see api/ui.md.

Usage example

var vp = mainForm.GetMainViewPort(ref ctx);

// Zoom fit:
vp.ZoomAll(fluently: true, ref ctx);

// Read the current matrix:
TST3DMatrix m = vp.GetMatrix(ref ctx);

// Apply a new matrix:
vp.SetMatrix(m, ref ctx);

// Snap the view cube to top:
var cube = vp.GetCube(ref ctx);
cube.Rotate(TViewCubeRotateMode.vcrmFaceTop, ref ctx);

ICamIpcViewCube

IPC proxy for the orientation cube widget.

Rotate(mode: TViewCubeRotateMode, ctx)

TViewCubeRotateMode has the same 26 values as in the in-process API — all Faces (6), Edges (12), and Corners (8). See api/ui.md for the complete list.

var cube = vp.GetCube(ref ctx);

cube.Rotate(TViewCubeRotateMode.vcrmFaceFront, ref ctx);
cube.Rotate(TViewCubeRotateMode.vcrmEdgeTopFront, ref ctx);
cube.Rotate(TViewCubeRotateMode.vcrmCornerTopFrontRight, ref ctx);

ICamIpcPrimeView

The UI-side interface of the Prime shell. Represents the view layer (the actual WPF/Win32 window of the Prime process). Exposes a single action:

PressCreateNewApplication()

This programmatically triggers the "create new ENCY instance" button in the Prime window — the same as the user clicking the + button.

// Obtain ICamIpcPrimeView from the Prime process proxy:
primeView.PressCreateNewApplication();

ICamIpcPrimeViewModel

The view-model of a Prime shell instance. Manages the lifecycle of all ENCY application instances embedded in that Prime window.

Properties

Property Type Description
ProcessId integer OS process ID of the Prime process

Instance management

Method Description
CreateApplication(args, ctx) → integer Launches a new ENCY instance inside this Prime window; returns the new process ID
GetApplicationsList(ctx) → IListInteger* Lists the process IDs of all ENCY instances managed by this Prime
CloseApplication(processId, ctx) Gracefully closes a managed ENCY instance
KillApplication(processId, ctx) Forcibly terminates a managed ENCY instance
ApplicationBelongs(processId, ctx) → boolean Returns true if the given process is managed by this Prime
Close(ctx) Closes the entire Prime shell

Project and start-page integration

Method Description
ParkStartPageMainWindow(startPageAppId, mainWindowId, ctx) Embeds a start-page window into the Prime shell
StartPageOpenProject(projectFile, ctx) Instructs the start page to open a project
GetRecentProjects() → string Returns a JSON array of recently opened project paths
Method Description
EnterModalState(appId) Called when an embedded ENCY instance enters a modal dialog
LeaveModalState(appId) Called when the modal dialog closes
EnterBlockPrjChange(appId) Called when a project change must be blocked
LeaveBlockPrjChange(appId) Called when the block on project change is lifted

Usage example

// Create a new ENCY instance in the Prime window:
int newPid = primeViewModel.CreateApplication("--headless", ref ctx);
Console.WriteLine($"New ENCY instance PID: {newPid}");

// List all managed instances:
var pids = primeViewModel.GetApplicationsList(ref ctx);
for (int i = 0; i < pids.Count(); i++)
    Console.WriteLine($"Instance: {pids.Get(i)}");

// Open a project in a specific instance:
var app = ipcList.GetByProcessId(newPid, ref ctx);
app.WaitForStarted(15_000, out var status);
app.OpenProject(@"C:\projects\part.encam", false, ref ctx);

// Close one instance:
primeViewModel.CloseApplication(newPid, ref ctx);

// Close the entire Prime shell:
primeViewModel.Close(ref ctx);

ICamIpcListPrimeViewModel

A collection of ICamIpcPrimeViewModel instances. Used to enumerate and manage all running Prime shells.

Count: integer
Get(index, ctx) → ICamIpcPrimeViewModel*
GetByProcessId(processId, ctx) → ICamIpcPrimeViewModel*
Add(item)
RemoveByProcessId(processId)
RemoveAt(index)
Clear()

Relationship between Prime and application instances

ICamIpcListPrimeViewModel          — all Prime shells
  └── ICamIpcPrimeViewModel        — one Prime shell (one process)
        └── ICamIpcListApplication — all ENCY instances in that Prime
              └── ICamIpcApplication — one ENCY instance
                    └── ICamIpcApplicationMainForm
                          └── ICamIpcViewPort
                                └── ICamIpcViewCube

In non-Prime deployments (ENCY launched standalone), each ICamIpcApplication is obtained directly from the IPC singletons without going through a Prime view model.