How to Execute the Open API

Describes the various ways to execute an NX Open application.

Interactively

Run an internal program interactively via File tab → Execute → NX Open, which opens a file selection dialog for choosing the program.

From the Operating System

Run an external standalone program the same way as any other executable on the platform — requires execute permission; run the file name followed by any command-line arguments the program accepts.

User Exits

A user exit is an internal Open C/C++ API program with a unique entry point at a specific location within NX. The argument list for each function is identical to ufusr. See "User Exits" or header file uf_exit.h.

Each user exit has a unique environment variable pointing to the image to execute. When defined, and the corresponding menu option is chosen, the program executes — e.g. a user exit occurs at File tab → Open.

A special user exit, ufsta(), runs at NX startup, using environment variable USER_STARTUP. This entry point can also be used by MenuScript and User Defined Objects (UDOs); unlike MenuScript, in the UDO case this entry point fires when an external Open C/C++ API program runs.

Note: GRIP programs can also be used as user exit programs.

MenuScript

Bind an internal Open C/C++ API program to a customized application (Motif) button within NX — see "Adding functions to NX menus". The uf_mb.h function (Open C/C++ Reference) is the programmatic interface into MenuScript.

Directory structure example: my_functions.dll (shared library executed on button selection) + my_functions.men (ASCII menu file relating the library to NX). See "Application Directory Structure".

At Start-Up

Custom programs can run at startup. UDO classes/methods can be auto-registered with NX during initialization (for both interactive sessions and external Open C/C++ programs) by placing shared libraries in the udo subdirectory of a directory listed in the file pointed to by UGII_CUSTOM_DIRECTORY_FILE (defaults to $UGII_BASE_DIR/ugii/menus/custom_dirs.dat). See "Application Directory Structure".

User Tools

The NX User Tools option opens a User Tool Dialog to launch an internal Open C/C++ API program or GRIP program. See "User Interface Preferences – User Tool preferences".

Note: .utd (User Definition Tool) and .tbr files from earlier NX versions are still supported for customizing dialogs/toolbars, but using the Customize dialog box is now recommended instead.

XSPAWN from GRIP

Execute an internal or external Open C/C++ API program from a GRIP program using the XSPAWN command (second format):

XSPAWN/UFUN,'program name'[,IFERR,label:]

See the GRIP Reference Guide for details.

Related Topics

• Execution Overview
• Execution Modes
• Environment Variables
• Application Directory Structure
• Unload Options