Space Allocation - SpaceRoot - System.__ComObject casting

Hi, 

I am experiencing runtime (obj casting) problem even with the example code provided within the 3DX CATIA help, here:

Sub CATMain()
' 1- Model "Root" is already opened in the active editor
 Dim SSMPrdEditor As Editor
 Set SSMPrdEditor = CATIA.ActiveEditor
 
' 2- Retrieves active object
 Dim oUIActiveObject As VPMRootOccurrence
 Set oUIActiveObject = SSMPrdEditor.ActiveObject

' 3- Retrieves Space Root
 Dim oListChildrenOccurrences As VPMOccurrences
 Dim objectcount As Long
 Set objectOccur = oUIActiveObject
 Set oListChildrenOccurrences = objectOccur.Occurrences
 
 Dim SsmSpaceRootObj As SsmSpaceRoot
 Dim TempVPMInst As VPMInstance
 Dim TempVPMOccur As VPMOccurrence
 Dim TempVPMReference As VPMReference
 
 objectcount = oListChildrenOccurrences.Count
 For j = 1 To objectcount
 Set TempVPMOccur = oListChildrenOccurrences.Item(j)
 Set TempVPMInst = TempVPMOccur.InstanceOccurrenceOf
 Set TempVPMReference = TempVPMInst.ReferenceInstanceOf
 
 Dim name As String
 
 name = TempVPMReference.GetCustomType
 
 If TempVPMReference.GetCustomType = "SPP_SpaceRoot" Then
 Set SsmSpaceRootObj = TempVPMReference
 End If
 Next

The problem is the same within both VBA and VB.NET.

The following line (not this particular example, but similar):

Debug.WriteLine("Type of RootOcc: " + ObjectOccur.ReferenceRootOccurrenceOf.GetCustomType + " - Named: " + ObjectOccur.ReferenceRootOccurrenceOf.Name) 

- produces:

"Type of RootOcc: VPMReference - Named: prd-88118771-00060527"

- but, the following:

Dim oRef As VPMReference
 oRef = ObjectOccur.ReferenceRootOccurrenceOf 
 Debug.WriteLine(oRef.GetType.FullName)

- gives:

"System.__ComObject"

Regarding this particular example, the line:

      Debug.Print (name)

after the name has been assigned, gives out:
"SPP_SpaceRoot"    [of course]

- The error output in VS for VB.NET is:
"Exception thrown: 'System.InvalidCastException' in TestCatV6.exe
An unhandled exception of type 'System.InvalidCastException' occurred in TestCatV6.exe
Additional information: Unable to cast COM object of type 'System.__ComObject' to interface type 'SdeTypeLib.SsmSpaceRoot'."...

Any ideas, please?

regards, 

Mladen

RESOLUTION FOUND:  you need to have SAO or similar license  (Space Alloc App available) to have it work properly! :)

I didn't have one assigned for the particular 3DX install (having several versions on the machine currently)

Spent a whole day "debugging" this :(

Thanks for sharing the solution.