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Customize the FEMAP API

By amiller

The FEMAP API is a robust tool that allows customers to access almost all of FEMAP’s capabilities through a programming interface. The easiest way to access the API is through FEMAP’s built in programming window, which allows customers to write programs in the easy to use WinWrap Basic programming language. Along with this, it is very common to access the API though VBA macros that are included with every Microsoft Office application.  This is how the API is usually accessed, but almost every high level programming language will allow you to access the FEMAP API.


While VBA and WinWrap Basic are very user friendly programming languages they don’t always offer the customizability and features required for some of the programs that our customers make. To access the API through a different languages and platforms all you need to do is import the FEMAP type library (femap.tlb) into the application. Once you access this library the entirety of our API will be accessible with a similar functionality depending on the syntax required by your chosen programming language. By porting the API to other platforms you could build executables, design more robust dialog boxes, create your own memory management system, and much more.


To get you started we have included tutorials for some of the more common languages that can be used with our API. These tutorials can be found in the Simcenter knowledge base, and linked below.

Python : https://community.plm.automation.siemens.com/t5/3D-Simulation-Knowledge-Base/Writing-the-FEMAP-API-in-Python/ta-p/378038


C#         : https://community.plm.automation.siemens.com/t5/3D-Simulation-Knowledge-Base/Writing-the-FEMAP-API-in-C/ta-p/378912


C++       : https://community.plm.automation.siemens.com/t5/3D-Simulation-Knowledge-Base/Writing-the-FEMAP-API-in-C/ta-p/379185

Andrew Miller
This article first appeared on the Siemens Digital Industries Software blog at https://blogs.stage.sw.siemens.com/simcenter/customize-the-femap-api/