## On this page # Example 02 - C# Last update: 17.07.2025 # C# using System; using [ZOSAPI](namespace_z_o_s_a_p_i.xhtml); using [ZOSAPI.Editors.NCE](namespace_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_editors_1_1_n_c_e.xhtml); using [ZOSAPI.Tools.RayTrace](namespace_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_tools_1_1_ray_trace.xhtml); namespace CSharpStandaloneApplication { class Program { static void Main(string[] args) { // Find the installed version of OpticStudio bool isInitialized = ZOSAPI_NetHelper.ZOSAPI_Initializer.Initialize(); // Note -- uncomment the following line to use a custom initialization path //bool isInitialized = ZOSAPI\_NetHelper.ZOSAPI\_Initializer.Initialize(@"C:\\Program Files\\OpticStudio\\"); if (isInitialized) { LogInfo("Found OpticStudio at: " + ZOSAPI_NetHelper.ZOSAPI_Initializer.GetZemaxDirectory()); } else { HandleError("Failed to locate OpticStudio!"); return; } BeginStandaloneApplication(); } static void BeginStandaloneApplication() { // Create the initial connection class [ZOSAPI\_Connection](class_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_z_o_s_a_p_i___connection.xhtml) TheConnection = new [ZOSAPI\_Connection](class_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_z_o_s_a_p_i___connection.xhtml)(); // Attempt to create a Standalone connection [IZOSAPI\_Application](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml) TheApplication = TheConnection.[CreateNewApplication](class_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_z_o_s_a_p_i___connection.xhtml#aadc54af7d7415a765592acf23d3a08ef)(); if (TheApplication == null) { HandleError("An unknown connection error occurred!"); return; } // Check the connection status if (!TheApplication.[IsValidLicenseForAPI](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#a5b8d6c216c668d13d6dcb870698c247f)) { HandleError("Failed to connect to OpticStudio: " + TheApplication.[LicenseStatus](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#a95179eb8038b629caa12397723aacb3a)); return; } if (TheApplication.[Mode](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#a8d2a89bafe9778c14f592276e5a5eb19) != [ZOSAPI\_Mode](namespace_z_o_s_a_p_i.xhtml#a254f5f6cb4ff37c2245b456b9bb79d2a).Server) { HandleError("User plugin was started in the wrong mode: expected Server, found " + TheApplication.[Mode](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#a8d2a89bafe9778c14f592276e5a5eb19).ToString()); return; } [IOpticalSystem](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_optical_system.xhtml) TheSystem = TheApplication.[PrimarySystem](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#aca8045fe84351622e0ee58814a2a3364); // Add your custom code here... // creates a new API directory string strPath = System.IO.Path.Combine(TheApplication.[SamplesDir](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#ae8fc2a9409927955cc362f9262b052bb), @"API\\CS"); System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(strPath); // Set up primary optical system TheSystem = TheApplication.[PrimarySystem](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#aca8045fe84351622e0ee58814a2a3364); string sampleDir = TheApplication.[SamplesDir](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#ae8fc2a9409927955cc362f9262b052bb); // Open file string testFile = sampleDir + "\\\\Non-sequential\\\\Miscellaneous\\\\Digital\_projector\_flys\_eye\_homogenizer.zos"; TheSystem.[LoadFile](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_optical_system.xhtml#a6eb1455ac53555ae6f30032d85b63735)(testFile, false); // Create ray trace [INSCRayTrace](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_tools_1_1_ray_trace_1_1_i_n_s_c_ray_trace.xhtml) NSCRayTrace = TheSystem.[Tools](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_optical_system.xhtml#add3e3631eadf7955b7b341179ff1eff8).OpenNSCRayTrace(); NSCRayTrace.SplitNSCRays = true; NSCRayTrace.ScatterNSCRays = false; NSCRayTrace.UsePolarization = true; NSCRayTrace.IgnoreErrors = true; NSCRayTrace.SaveRays = false; // Run ray trace NSCRayTrace.[RunAndWaitForCompletion](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_tools_1_1_i_system_tool.xhtml#a26d8cae18772fd31c1d18525a3b8d9ac)(); NSCRayTrace.[Close](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_tools_1_1_i_system_tool.xhtml#a5bfa126385b9d0c5619b1aff9a354d31)(); // Non-sequential component editor [INonSeqEditor](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_editors_1_1_n_c_e_1_1_i_non_seq_editor.xhtml) TheNCE = TheSystem.[NCE](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_optical_system.xhtml#ab3cb797b606066a251c1aecd58e73f16); // Get detector data System.Text.StringBuilder sbReport = new System.Text.StringBuilder(); double[,] detectorData = new double[100, 100]; for (int i = 0; i < 99; i++) { for (int j = 0; j < 99; j++) { TheNCE.[GetDetectorData](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_editors_1_1_n_c_e_1_1_i_non_seq_editor.xhtml#a89995c8b4a327b293c4205719ac91ca0)(4, j + i * 100, 1, out detectorData[i, j]); sbReport.Append(detectorData[i, j].ToString() + "\\t"); } sbReport.AppendLine(""); } string resFile = TheApplication.SamplesDir + "\\\\API\\\\CS\\\\e02\_NSC\_ray\_trace.txt"; System.IO.File.WriteAllText(resFile, sbReport.ToString()); // Clean up FinishStandaloneApplication(TheApplication); } static void FinishStandaloneApplication([IZOSAPI\_Application](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml) TheApplication) { // Note - TheApplication will close automatically when this application exits, so this isn't strictly necessary in most cases if (TheApplication != null) { TheApplication.[CloseApplication](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#ab662a3cc1b97d8632a324b1137fa943b)(); } } static void LogInfo(string message) { // TODO - add custom logging Console.WriteLine(message); } static void HandleError(string errorMessage) { // TODO - add custom error handling throw new Exception(errorMessage); } } } [ZOSAPI.ZOSAPI\_Connection](class_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_z_o_s_a_p_i___connection.xhtml) **Definition:** ZemaxService.cs:198 [ZOSAPI.ZOSAPI\_Connection.CreateNewApplication](class_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_z_o_s_a_p_i___connection.xhtml#aadc54af7d7415a765592acf23d3a08ef) IZOSAPI_Application CreateNewApplication() Attempts to launch a new instance of Optic Studio in 'headless' mode. Note that although the Optic St... **Definition:** ZemaxService.cs:864 [ZOSAPI.Editors.NCE.INonSeqEditor](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_editors_1_1_n_c_e_1_1_i_non_seq_editor.xhtml) This interface defines all properties and methods needed to interact with the Non-Sequential Componen... **Definition:** InterfacesNCE.cs:363 [ZOSAPI.Editors.NCE.INonSeqEditor.GetDetectorData](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_editors_1_1_n_c_e_1_1_i_non_seq_editor.xhtml#a89995c8b4a327b293c4205719ac91ca0) bool GetDetectorData(int ObjectNumber, int pixel, int Data, out double Value) Gets data from a NSC detector. [ZOSAPI.IOpticalSystem](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_optical_system.xhtml) Represent a complete optical system. A IOpticalSystem corresponds to a single .ZMX file.... **Definition:** Interfaces.cs:687 [ZOSAPI.IOpticalSystem.LoadFile](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_optical_system.xhtml#a6eb1455ac53555ae6f30032d85b63735) bool LoadFile(string LensFile, bool saveIfNeeded) Replaces the current system with data from the specified file. [ZOSAPI.IOpticalSystem.NCE](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_optical_system.xhtml#ab3cb797b606066a251c1aecd58e73f16) INonSeqEditor NCE Gets the non-sequential component editor. **Definition:** Interfaces.cs:884 [ZOSAPI.IOpticalSystem.Tools](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_optical_system.xhtml#add3e3631eadf7955b7b341179ff1eff8) IOpticalSystemTools Tools Gets an interface used to run various tools on the optical system. **Definition:** Interfaces.cs:932 [ZOSAPI.IZOSAPI\_Application](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml) This interface contains all information about the current ZOS-API connection, as well as methods for ... **Definition:** Interfaces.cs:261 [ZOSAPI.IZOSAPI\_Application.IsValidLicenseForAPI](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#a5b8d6c216c668d13d6dcb870698c247f) bool IsValidLicenseForAPI Gets a value indicating whether this the API is currently useable. **Definition:** Interfaces.cs:287 [ZOSAPI.IZOSAPI\_Application.Mode](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#a8d2a89bafe9778c14f592276e5a5eb19) ZOSAPI_Mode Mode Gets the current connetion mode. Use this to check if Optic Studio is expecting a user operand / anal... **Definition:** Interfaces.cs:306 [ZOSAPI.IZOSAPI\_Application.LicenseStatus](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#a95179eb8038b629caa12397723aacb3a) LicenseStatusType LicenseStatus Gets the license status. Note that this displays the license edition if successful,... **Definition:** Interfaces.cs:280 [ZOSAPI.IZOSAPI\_Application.CloseApplication](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#ab662a3cc1b97d8632a324b1137fa943b) void CloseApplication() Shut down the Optic Studio process. [ZOSAPI.IZOSAPI\_Application.PrimarySystem](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#aca8045fe84351622e0ee58814a2a3364) IOpticalSystem PrimarySystem Gets the primary system. When Mode is ZOSAPI_Mode.Server, this will initially be an empty sequential ... **Definition:** Interfaces.cs:328 [ZOSAPI.IZOSAPI\_Application.SamplesDir](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_i_z_o_s_a_p_i___application.xhtml#ae8fc2a9409927955cc362f9262b052bb) string SamplesDir Gets the full path for the current user's samples directory (in the My Documents\Zemax\Samples\ folde... **Definition:** Interfaces.cs:505 [ZOSAPI.Tools.ISystemTool.RunAndWaitForCompletion](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_tools_1_1_i_system_tool.xhtml#a26d8cae18772fd31c1d18525a3b8d9ac) bool RunAndWaitForCompletion() Sames as calling Run followed by WaitForCompletion. [ZOSAPI.Tools.ISystemTool.Close](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_tools_1_1_i_system_tool.xhtml#a5bfa126385b9d0c5619b1aff9a354d31) bool Close() Closes this tool and frees up and associated resources. [ZOSAPI.Tools.RayTrace.INSCRayTrace](interface_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_tools_1_1_ray_trace_1_1_i_n_s_c_ray_trace.xhtml) Interfaces and methods for running a non-sequential ray trace. This interface can be accessed via the... **Definition:** RayTrace.cs:45 [ZOSAPI.Editors.NCE](namespace_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_editors_1_1_n_c_e.xhtml) **Definition:** InterfacesNCE.cs:19 [ZOSAPI.Tools.RayTrace](namespace_z_o_s_a_p_i_1_1_tools_1_1_ray_trace.xhtml) **Definition:** RayTrace.cs:12 [ZOSAPI](namespace_z_o_s_a_p_i.xhtml) The ZOSAPI namespace contains classes for initially connecting to zemax. See also ZOSAPI_Connection,... **Definition:** IAS_FieldCurvatureAndDistortion.cs:5 [ZOSAPI.ZOSAPI\_Mode](namespace_z_o_s_a_p_i.xhtml#a254f5f6cb4ff37c2245b456b9bb79d2a) ZOSAPI_Mode **Definition:** Interfaces.cs:77