Reflection 2008, Visual Basic 2010 .dll, and Excel 2007

[npburns]

I had created a .dll file to work with EXTRA! Enterprise 2000 which I then referenced in Excel, and other applications. Our IT is in the process of upgrading our Attachmate, and I and several others are now using Reflections 2008, so I need to update my DLL. I am looking to either open an existing Session, or open a new session as needed. My prior code is below:

    Private System As Object
    Private Session As Object
    Private Screen As Object

    Private Sub ExtraSessionCheck(Optional ByVal SessionNumber As Integer = 0)
        Dim temp As String


        System = CreateObject("EXTRA.System")
        If (System Is Nothing) Then
            MsgBox("Could not create the EXTRA System object.  Aborting macro playback.", 48, "Capture32")
            InitFlag = False
            Stop
        End If

        ' Get the necessary Session Object
        If SessionNumber >= 1 And SessionNumber <= 3 Then
            On Error GoTo ErrorCatch
            temp = Environ("ProgramFiles") & "\Attachmate\E!E2K\Sessions\SESSION" & Trim(Str(SessionNumber)) & ".EDP"
            Session = System.Sessions.Item(temp)
            On Error GoTo 0
        Else
            Session = System.ActiveSession
        End If

        If (Session Is Nothing) Then
            On Error GoTo ErrorCatch
            temp = Environ("ProgramFiles") & "\Attachmate\E!E2K\Sessions\SESSION" & Trim(Str(SessionNumber)) & ".EDP"
            Session = System.Sessions.Item(temp)
            On Error GoTo 0
            If (Session Is Nothing) Then
                MsgBox("Could not create the Session object.  Aborting macro playback.", 48, "Capture32")
                InitFlag = False
                Stop
            End If
        End If
        Screen = Session.Screen
        If Session.Visible = False Then Session.Visible = True

        If Screen.GetString(25, 2, 1) = " " Then
            Session.Connected = True
        End If

        InitFlag = True
        Exit Sub

ErrorCatch:
        Session = System.Sessions.Open(temp)
        Resume

    End Sub

I tried tweaking the code, using things like ExtraCOM and ReflectionCOM, but had no luck. With enough searching around the web, I found an entirely different way to do things, and it works great in Visual Studio with a test program, and with a standalone .exe test program:

    Private System08 As Attachmate.Reflection.Framework.Application 
    Private Session08 As Attachmate.Reflection.Emulation.IbmHosts.IIbmTerminal 
    Private Screen08 As Attachmate.Reflection.Emulation.IbmHosts.IIbmScreen 

 Private Sub ReflectionSessionCheck(Optional ByVal SessionNumber As Integer = 0)
        Dim viewFrame As Attachmate.Reflection.UserInterface.IFrame 
        Dim view As Attachmate.Reflection.UserInterface.IView 

        InitFlag = False
        Try
            'Capture an open Reflection Session, on error, it will open an new session
            System08 = Attachmate.Reflection.Framework.MyReflection.CreateApplication(50000)
            Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
            Try
                'Open an exsisting session, if the session is not available, the error will open a new session
                viewFrame = System08.GetObject("Frame")
                If SessionNumber >= 1 And SessionNumber <= 3 Then   'If a specific view is requested, it opens that view, if not, it opens the active view
                    view = viewFrame.AllViews(SessionNumber - 1)
                Else
                    view = viewFrame.SelectedView
                End If
                Session08 = view.Control
                Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                If Session08.IsConnected = False Then
                    Session08.Connect()
                    Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                End If
                InitFlag = True
                Exit Try
            Catch ex As Exception
                'Open a new session, if none is specified, it will open session 1
                If SessionNumber < 1 Or SessionNumber > 3 Then SessionNumber = 1
                Session08 = System08.CreateControl(Environ("ProgramFiles") & "\Attachmate\Reflection2008\Setup\SESSION" & Trim(Str(SessionNumber)) & ".rd3x")
                Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                viewFrame = System08.GetObject("Frame")
                Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                view = viewFrame.CreateView(Session08)
                Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                InitFlag = True
                Exit Try
            End Try
            InitFlag = True
            Exit Try
        Catch ex As Exception
            Try
                'Open a new Reflection Program, and a new session.  If none is specified, it will open session 1.  On Error, open Extra
                Attachmate.Reflection.Framework.MyReflection.Start(50000, True)
                Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                System08 = Attachmate.Reflection.Framework.MyReflection.CreateApplication(50000)
                Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                If SessionNumber < 1 Or SessionNumber > 3 Then SessionNumber = 1

                Session08 = System08.CreateControl(Environ("ProgramFiles") & "\Attachmate\Reflection2008\Setup\SESSION" & Trim(Str(SessionNumber)) & ".rd3x")
                Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                viewFrame = System08.GetObject("Frame")
                Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                view = viewFrame.CreateView(Session08)
                Do While Session08.IsConnected = False
                    Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                Loop
                Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
                InitFlag = True
                Exit Try
            Catch ex2 As Exception
                Call MsgBox(ex2.Message.ToString, MsgBoxStyle.Critical)
                InitFlag = False
                Exit Sub
            End Try
        End Try

        'Set the screen
        Screen08 = Session08.Screen

    End Sub

The problem I am having is when I try to run this code from Excel 2007 VBA, I get the following error “Unable to cast transparent proxy to type ‘Attachmate.Reflection.Framework.IBase’” when I run line:

 Session08 = System08.CreateControl(Environ("ProgramFiles") & "\Attachmate\Reflection2008\Setup\SESSION" & Trim(Str(SessionNumber)) & ".rd3x")

I am willing to throw everything I have out the window if needed, but I need to find a way to bridge from Excel 2007 VBA to Attachmate Reflection 2008 with a VB .net DLL. Please forgive any poor coding practices, since I am Mechanical Engineer, not a computer programmer, but I need this to help with data mining.