Splice an array of CAE.FEElement-How to?

Sorry for not responding to this sooner, I just stumbled across this question today.

To answer your question we'll need to talk a bit about "magic constants" and enumerations. Many times when writing programs, we must assign some arbitrary descriptor to an item. For instance, we might be writing a program that deals with a "box" object; our boxes come in three distinct sizes: small, medium, and large. We assign each size an arbitrary integer value so that the computer can distinguish between the different sizes (we use integer values because computers can quickly and efficiently manipulate them). We assign the value of 0 (zero) to "small", 1 (one) to medium, and 2 (two) to large. We could have easily used other numbers to represent the sizes, we just need something so that the computer can distinguish the sizes and manipulate the information.

Now let's say I finish writing the program and I use these values directly in my code. I may end up with code that looks something like:

If someMeaninglessVariable = 0 then
otherVariable = 1.1
End if

if someMeaninglessVariable = 1 then
otherVariable = 1.2
End if

'etc

I retire and you are hired in to maintain the code that I wrote. The code above would be confusing to you; in some parts of the code the values 0, 1, and 2 seem to have some sort of special significance. These values with special significance came to be known as "magic constants". We don't use the variable "someMeaninglessVariable" in mathematical formulas, but the value seems to indicate something else. Had I used named constants in my code, it would have saved you a lot of time tracking down what those constants meant.

The code would have been more readable (and thus maintainable) had I used named constants (and more descriptive variable names).

Const BoxSizeSmall as integer = 0
Const BoxSizeMedium as integer = 1
Const BoxSizeLarge as integer = 2

'more code

if someBoxSize = BoxSizeSmall then
handlingRate = 1.1
end if

'etc

An 'enumeration' takes the named constant strategy to the next level by grouping related constants and providing us with a few other features that we won't get into right now. But basically, an enumeration allows us to give meaningful names to integer values. This gives us the best of both worlds: humans can more easily read and understand the source code, and the compiler will replace the name with the underlying integer value in the compiled code so the computer can efficiently manipulate the information.

Public Enum BoxSize As Integer
Small = 0
Medium = 1
Large = 2
End Enum

'other code
if someBoxSize = BoxSize.Small then
handlingRate = 1.1
end if

'etc

Now back to your original question: "Is there a way of using "Line" to do the check?"
The answer is: yes. ElementTypes.Shape is an enumeration provided to us in the NXOpen API. We can use the underlying value for "line", 1 (one), as you have done in your code above, or we can make our code more readable by using the name of the value. The enumeration is defined within a certain namespace in the API, we'll need to qualify which enumeration we want to use.

Dim theElement As CAE.FEElement
If theElement.Shape = CAE.ElementTypes.Shape.Line Then
'do something
End If