Export Page Layout to PDF using ESRI add-in with vb.net

Note: This message is cross-posted on geonet (http://ift.tt/1CQvNd2)

I have been trying to convert a vba script to vb.net but I have hit a roadblock and I'm hoping someone can help me figure out the problem. I want to export the Page Layout of my map to a PDF using an add-in button. The roadblock occurs where I define my PDFCreate class. I keep receiving the error message:

"Unable to cast object of type 'CreatePDF_2.PDFCreate' to type ESRI.ArcGIS.Output.IExport".

I suspect the error is in my definition and relationship of the document, active view and page layout. I have looked at examples and tried different definitions and procedures but I have been unable to figure out how to fix the problem.

I am using Visual Studio 2010 Professional and ArcMap 10.2.2

Any assistance will be appreciated.

Code updated on March 25th. Querysize statement not working.

 Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.Carto
 Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.esriSystem
 Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.Geometry
 Imports System.Windows.Forms
 Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.Output
 Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.ArcMapUI

Public Class PDFCreation
    Inherits ESRI.ArcGIS.Desktop.AddIns.Button

    Public Sub New()

    End Sub

    Protected Overrides Sub OnClick()
        '
        '  TODO: Sample code showing how to access button host
        '
    PDFModule()

    End Sub

    Protected Overrides Sub OnUpdate()

        Enabled = My.ArcMap.Application IsNot Nothing
    End Sub

    Public Sub PDFModule()

        Dim pMxDoc As IMxDocument
        Dim pActiveView As IActiveView
        Dim pPageLayout As IPageLayout
        Dim pExport As IExport
        Dim pExport2 As IExportPDF
        Dim pPixelEnv As IEnvelope
        Dim lDPI As Long
        Dim tExpRect As tagRECT
        Dim hDC As Long
        Dim strOutPut As String = ""

        pMxDoc = My.ArcMap.Application.Document

        pActiveView = pMxDoc.PageLayout
        pPageLayout = pMxDoc.PageLayout
        pActiveView = pPageLayout

        pExport = New ESRI.ArcGIS.Output.ExportPDF
        pExport2 = pExport

        pPixelEnv = New Envelope
        pExport.ExportFileName = strOutPut
        'pExport.ExportFileName = " " & ".pdf"
        lDPI = 300
        pExport.Resolution = lDPI

        pExport2.EmbedFonts = True

        pPixelEnv.PutCoords(0, 0, lDPI * PageExtent(pPageLayout).UpperRight.X, _
                              lDPI * PageExtent(pPageLayout).UpperRight.Y)
        pExport.PixelBounds = pPixelEnv

        ' (device coordinates origin is upper left, ypositive is down)
        tExpRect.left = pExport.PixelBounds.LowerLeft.X
        tExpRect.bottom = pExport.PixelBounds.UpperRight.Y
        tExpRect.right = pExport.PixelBounds.UpperRight.X
        tExpRect.top = pExport.PixelBounds.LowerLeft.Y

        hDC = pExport.StartExporting
        pActiveView.Output(hDC, lDPI, tExpRect, Nothing, Nothing)
        System.Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
        pExport.FinishExporting()

    End Sub

    Public Function PageExtent(pPageLayout) As IEnvelope
        Dim dWidth As Double
        Dim dHeight As Double
        Dim pSize As IPage
        pSize = pPageLayout.Page
        pSize.QuerySize(dWidth, dHeight)
        Dim pEnv As IEnvelope
        pEnv = New Envelope
        pEnv.PutCoords(0.0#, 0.0#, dWidth, dHeight)
        PageExtent = pEnv
    End Function

End Class

Here is my code incorporating the coding used in the ESRI active page layout pdf export code snippet. I comment out pExportpdf and instead use ExportPDF in Select Case and change pExportpdf.EmbedFonts to pExport.EmbedFonts. I include Dim ExportPDF as String.

When I use this method, I receive the error message:

Implementing class ‘ESRI.ArcGIS.Output.ExportPDFClass’ for interface 'ESRI.ArcGIS.Output.ExportPDF’ cannot be found.

Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.Carto
Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.esriSystem
Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.Geometry
Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.Output
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports ESRI.ArcGIS.ArcMapUI

Public Class PDFCreate
    Inherits ESRI.ArcGIS.Desktop.AddIns.Button

    Public Sub New()

    End Sub

    Protected Overrides Sub OnClick()

        PDFCreatemodule()

    End Sub


    Protected Overrides Sub OnUpdate()

        Enabled = My.ArcMap.Application IsNot Nothing
    End Sub

    Public Sub PDFCreatemodule()
        '
        '  TODO: Sample code showing how to access button host
        '
        Dim pMxDoc As IMxDocument
        Dim pActiveView As IActiveView
        Dim pPageLayout As IPageLayout
        Dim pExport As ESRI.ArcGIS.Output.IExport
        'Dim pExportpdf As ESRI.ArcGIS.Output.IExportPDF
        Dim pPixelEnv As IEnvelope
        Dim lDPI As Long
        Dim tExpRect As tagRECT
        Dim hDC As Long
        Dim ExportFormat As String

        'pMxApp = Application
        pMxDoc = My.ArcMap.Application.Document
        pActiveView = pMxDoc.PageLayout
        pPageLayout = pMxDoc.PageLayout
        pActiveView = pPageLayout

        pExport = New PDFCreate
        'pExportpdf = pExport

        Select Case ExportFormat
            Case "PDF"
                pExport = New ExportPDF
        End Select

        pPixelEnv = New Envelope

        pExport.ExportFileName = " " & ".pdf"
        pExport.Resolution = lDPI

        pExport.EmbedFonts = True

        pPixelEnv.PutCoords(0, 0, lDPI * PageExtent(pPageLayout).UpperRight.X, _
                              lDPI * PageExtent(pPageLayout).UpperRight.Y)
        pExport.PixelBounds = pPixelEnv

        ' (device coordinates origin is upper left, ypositive is down)
        tExpRect.left = pExport.PixelBounds.LowerLeft.X
        tExpRect.bottom = pExport.PixelBounds.UpperRight.Y
        tExpRect.right = pExport.PixelBounds.UpperRight.X
        tExpRect.top = pExport.PixelBounds.LowerLeft.Y

        hDC = pExport.StartExporting
        pActiveView.Output(hDC, lDPI, tExpRect, Nothing, Nothing)
        System.Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
        pExport.FinishExporting()

    End Sub

    Public Function PageExtent(pPageLayout) As IEnvelope
        Dim dWidth As Double, dHeight As Double
        pPageLayout.Page.QuerySize(dWidth, dHeight)
        Dim pEnv As IEnvelope
        pEnv = New Envelope
        pEnv.PutCoords(0.0#, 0.0#, dWidth, dHeight)
        PageExtent = pEnv
    End Function

End Class

This is an error message I am receiving...