AutoCAD DevBlog

Join us for our DevDays Online webinars

By Madhukar Moogala

Join us for our special series of webinars where we’ll be going over some of the topics covered last year's DevCon events in detail (see full list below).  These webinars are a great opportunity for you to learn about Autodesk Forge and, of course, where Autodesk is taking the desktop platforms in the coming year.
Click on the links below to register today for the webinar(s) of your choice. All webinars start at 8am PST (4pm GMT, 5pm CET, 11am EST). If the session timing is inconvenient for you to attend (which is true for most of our partners in Asia), you can rest assured we will be recording all the sessions and will post them on the web for your later viewing. Registration is open to all except where noted below.
Tuesday February 25 - DevDays Keynotes
Jim Quanci, Senior Director for Software Partner Development, kicks off our DevDays online webinar series with the latest news for desktop developers (get ready for the 2021 releases this Spring), Forge roadmap that includes the Forge Design Automation CAD Engines on the cloud (AutoCAD, Revit, Inventor and 3ds Max) and an overview of the enhanced BIM 360 APIs for the Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Register - https://autodesk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J-iJ9Iy1TQ-TYgB3CdQoLg
Wednesday February 26 - Forge API update
Augusto Goncalves will discuss in detail the updated and new APIs added to the Forge platform during the last year. 
Register - https://autodesk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MlyzAqW8TF-oC7XPFcC7FA
Thursday February 27 - Revit, Civil 3D and InfraWorks API updates (for ADN members only)
Join Mikako Harada and Augusto Goncalves to discover the product and API changes and enhancements coming in the next releases Revit, Civil 3D and InfraWorks.
Register - https://autodesk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jLl0gXjxTnK3PWHsGyzARg
Tuesday March 3 - Inventor, Vault and Fusion API update (for ADN members only)
We will review upcoming changes in the next release of Inventor as well as recent updates in Vault and Fusion 360 API.
Register - https://autodesk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XlRo7ADySLGofmc7M9cdkQ
Wednesday March 4 - BIM 360 API update
Learn about the new APIs for the BIM 360 family. We’ll talk about what’s in the pipeline for API enhancements.
Register - https://autodesk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TIxv3ZpPS1228DYy_-i7HA
Thursday March 5 - The next release of AutoCAD APIs (for ADN members only)
Discover API changes coming in the upcoming release of AutoCAD Rogue
Register - https://autodesk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_h1Mmc-leRjKAFhqIjiv9Sw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinars.

Forge Design Automation For AutoCAD

By Madhukar Moogala

There is still time to get hands on with the new Design Automation APIs. Four webinars are scheduled in December that will cover each of the Design Automation APIs in depth. The recordings will be posted after so be sure to register to take advantage.

December 5 - Design Automation API for AutoCAD on Forge

Time: 8:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

Albert Szilvasy, software Architect will share details about the new and updated API.

In this webinar, we will discuss how the Design Automation for AutoCAD empowers customers and partners to get more work done more quickly, reliably and collaboratively using cloud-based web services. We will demonstrate the ability to run scripts on your design files, leveraging the scale of the Forge Platform to automate repetitive tasks.

Register Now

There are webinars on other Engines too, like Revit etc., please do check our Forge Blog for more information. 

Update:

Those who missed webinar, Albert Szilvasy, Senior Software Architect, gave an overview and demos of Design Automation API for AutoCAD on Forge API.
It is available on YouTube now, please check it out.

To Embed AutoCAD Drawing Viewing Control

By Madhukar Moogala

In this forum post my colleague Balaji discussed how to embed a Autodesk TrueView control in Windows Forms.

From TrueView 2015, the control name is changed to dwgviewrAcCtrl.dll

This github post will walk you through on embedding view control.

The Property Inspector in depth

By Madhukar Moogala

This is an old sample rewritten from ground up by Cyrille Fauvel for AU 2004

While working on case submission from an ADN partner, I got oppturnity to migrate it to current AutoCAD release.

• Agenda
• What is the Property Palette?
• Extending the Property Inspector for existing entities
• Enabling the Property Inspector for your custom entities
• Jig class
• What interface for which feature?

You can visit the github repository for full sample and presentation material.

How To Verify Insert or Base Point of Selected Objects Being Pasted

By Madhukar Moogala

This form post inspired me to write this post, coincidently there was internal discussion on similar subject.

When you use _COPYBASE with certain base point, the selected objects are copied in to a temp destination drawing, this temp drawing holds the INSBASE sysvar with given base point.

This program attempts to tap that when you perform a _PASTEORG in another drawing.

Thanks to Joel Petersen, for suggesting this idea

public class EntryPoint : IExtensionApplication
{
public void Initialize()
{
var ed = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor;
var curDb = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase;

var docs = Application.DocumentManager;
docs.DocumentCreated += Docs_DocumentCreated;
docs.DocumentToBeDestroyed += Docs_DocumentToBeDestroyed;
}

private void Docs_DocumentToBeDestroyed(object sender, 
                            DocumentCollectionEventArgs e)
{
MyCommands.DisableDBEvents(e.Document.Database);
}

private void Docs_DocumentCreated(object sender,
                            DocumentCollectionEventArgs e)
{
MyCommands.EnableDBEvents(e.Document.Database);
}

public void Terminate()
{
           
}
}

public static class MyCommands
{

//Utils:
public static void PrintToCmdLine(string str)
{
Editor ed = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor;
ed.WriteMessage(str);
}
public static string ObjToTypeAndHandleStr(DBObject dbObj)
{
Debug.Assert(dbObj != null);

string str1 = dbObj.GetType().Name;
return string.Format("< {0,-20} {1,4} >", str1, dbObj.Handle.ToString());
}
public static string ObjToTypeAndHandleStr(ObjectId objId)
{
string str;

if (objId.IsNull)
str = "(null)";
else
{
// open up even if erased
Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.TransactionManager tm = objId.Database.TransactionManager;
using (Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Transaction tr = tm.StartTransaction())
{
    DBObject tmpObj = tr.GetObject(objId, OpenMode.ForRead, true);
    str = ObjToTypeAndHandleStr(tmpObj);
    tr.Commit();
}
}

return str;
}
public static string PtToStr(Point3d pt, DistanceUnitFormat unitType, int prec)
{
string x = Converter.DistanceToString(pt.X, unitType, prec);
string y = Converter.DistanceToString(pt.Y, unitType, prec);
string z = Converter.DistanceToString(pt.Z, unitType, prec);

return string.Format("({0}, {1}, {2})", x, y, z);
}

public static void EnableDBEvents(Database db)
{
db.BeginDeepClone += CurDb_BeginDeepClone;
db.BeginInsert += Db_BeginInsert;
}

public static void DisableDBEvents(Database db)
{
db.BeginDeepClone -= CurDb_BeginDeepClone;
db.BeginInsert -= Db_BeginInsert;
}

private static void Db_BeginInsert(object sender, BeginInsertEventArgs e)
{
Database db = e.From;
PrintToCmdLine("Insert origin Point"+ PtToStr(db.Insbase, DistanceUnitFormat.Current, -1));
}
private static void CurDb_BeginDeepClone(object sender, IdMappingEventArgs e)
{
if (e.IdMapping.DeepCloneContext == DeepCloneType.Explode)
{
IdMapping idMap = e.IdMapping;
System.Collections.IEnumerator iter = idMap.GetEnumerator();
while (iter.MoveNext())
{
    IdPair pair = (IdPair)iter.Current;

    try
    {
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(ObjToTypeAndHandleStr(pair.Key));
        sb.Append(pair.Key.ToString());
        sb.Append("\n" + pair.Value.ToString());
        sb.Append("\n" + pair.IsCloned.ToString());
        sb.Append("\n" + pair.IsPrimary.ToString());
        sb.Append("\n" + pair.IsOwnerTranslated.ToString());
        PrintToCmdLine(sb.ToString());
    }
    catch (Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime.Exception ex)
    {
        PrintToCmdLine("Couldn't add a pair from the map: " + ex.Message);
    }
}
}
}
}

How to set the GRAPHICSCONFIG setting with .NET

By Madhukar Moogala

You need to use GraphicsSystem.Configuration API to set or unset various effects on graphics system.

For example this will turn on LineSmoothing

public string[] FeatureName = {

           "ACAD_Configlevel",
           "ACAD_2DRetainModeLevel",
           "ACAD_HQGeom",
           "ACAD_PerPixelLighting",
           "ACAD_AdvancedMaterial",
           "ACAD_FullShadows",
           "ACAD_TextureCompression",
           "ACAD_LineSmoothing",
           "ACAD_LineFading",
           "ACAD_GlowHighlighting",
           "ACAD_2DRetainMode",
           "ACAD_GPULineType",
           "ACAD_GPUHatch"
        };

        [CommandMethod("GSTEST")]
        public void GsConfigTest()
        {
            Editor ed = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor;
            using (Autodesk.AutoCAD.GraphicsSystem.Configuration config = new Autodesk.AutoCAD.GraphicsSystem.Configuration())
            {
                if (!config.IsHardwareAccelerationAvailable())
                {
                    Application.ShowAlertDialog("Check your Video Card");
                    return;
                }
                //if we Hardware is available, check if it is enabled else turn on.
                if (!config.IsHardwareAccelerationEnabled())
                {
                    config.setHardwareAcceleration(true);
                }
                foreach (EffectStatus effStatus in config.GetEffectList(EffectListType.kEL_Current))
                {
                    var effectName = effStatus.EffectName;
                    var unqString = effStatus.EffectUniqueString;
                    int featureLevel = effStatus.FeatureLevel;
                    var isEnabled = effStatus.Enabled;
                    ed.WriteMessage($"\n{effectName}\t{featureLevel}\t{isEnabled}"); 
                }
                //Turn on LineSmoothing
                UniqueString featureString = UniqueString.Intern("ACAD_LineSmoothing");
                if (config.IsFeatureAvailable(featureString))
                {
                    if (!config.IsFeatureEnabled(featureString))
                        config.SetFeatureEnabled(featureString, true);

                }
            }
        }

AutoCAD 2020: Quick Overview

By Madhukar Moogala

Alert: 32-bit version is no longer available.

  

Overview

AutoCAD 2020 provides a set of enhancements based on customer feedback, surveys, and analytic data that prioritize our efforts. Several features are the result of the need to modernize and streamline frequently used features across many customer disciplines.

New Dark Theme

Block Palettes

Purge Dialog box Redesign

DWG Compare Enhancements

Measure Geometry Option–Quick Measure

       

Save to Web & Mobile Enhancements

To get detailed overview on AutoCAD 2020 product I encourage you to follow Autodesk AutoCAD Blog

API Updates:

ObjectARX : No New APIs.

.NET : No New APIs

Activex:

AcadApplication now supports the progIds "AutoCAD.Application.23" and "AutoCAD.Application.23.1" and AcadComparedReference has been added.

The AcadComparedReference object represents the drawing in which you are comparing the current drawing against. AcadComparedReference inherits from the AcadExternalReference object. The following is a basic example how you might go about determining whether an Xref is of the AcadComparedReference type:

' Checks to see if an object is of the ComparedReference type
Sub CheckForComparedReference()
Dim ent As AcadEntity
Dim comRef As AcadComparedReference
On Error Resume Next
' Step through all the objects in model space
For Each ent In ThisDrawing.ModelSpace
' Check to see if the object is a Block Reference
If ent.ObjectName = "AcDbBlockReference" Then
' Try to cast the entity (Block Reference) to a ComparedReference
Set comRef = ent
' If an occurs, then the entity is not a ComparedReference
If Err <> 0 Then
MsgBox "Not a Compared Reference"
Else
MsgBox "Xref Name: " + comRef.Name + vbLf + "Compared Reference"
End If
' Clear the Error object
Err.Clear
End If
Next ent
End Sub

AutoLISP:

There are no new functions or additions.
Xrefs related to the Drawing Compare feature are known as ComparedReference objects. The following is a basic statement that demonstrates how to return the IsComparedReference property of an external reference to determine whether it’s a ComparedReference object

(getpropertyvalue (car (entsel)) "IsComparedReference")

ObjectARX and Managed .NET

AutoCAD 2020 is a binary compatible release, so ObjectARX and Managed .NET applications built for AutoCAD 2019 should load and function without any problems in AutoCAD 2020. The following configuration is officially supported to develop

ObjectARX and/or Managed .NET applications for AutoCAD 2020:

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 with Update 2 (version 15.7.5 and earlier)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7

Note: The product release value used in the Windows Registry and the ObjectARX API version has been updated from R23.0 to R23.1.

For additional information, refer to the ObjectARX Reference Guide as well as the Readme for the latest changes.

Getting ObjectARX 2020 SDK

Fill up  your details and agree to terms and conditions.

It will take you downloads page.

Conditional Selection Filter for Entities on Multiple Layers

By Madhukar Moogala

This post shows a simple way of drafting your selection filter, if you want to select a single entity of type A on specific layer L, and another entity of type B on several layers L1, L2, L3…. so on.

Lisp Code:

(defun C:FCTest()
(setq sel1 (ssget "_X" '(
                    (-4 . "<OR")  
                                 (-4 . "<AND")
                                        (0 . "TEXT")
                                        (8 . "Centro")
                                 (-4 . "AND>")
                                 (-4 . "<AND")
                                        (0 . "LWPOLYLINE")
                                               (-4 . "<OR")
                                                     (8 . "Secao_Projeto")
                                                     (8 . "Pontos_AcimaTolerancia")
                                                     (8 . "Pontos_AbaixoTolerancia")
                                                     (8 . "Pontos_ForaTolerancia")
                                                     (8 . "Pontos_NaTolerancia")
                                               (-4 . "OR>")
                                 (-4 . "AND>")
                    (-4 . "OR>"))
             )
)
(sslength sel1)
)

.NET code

public static void FC() {
 // Get the current document editor
 Editor acDocEd = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Core.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor;

 // Create a TypedValue array to define the filter criteria

 //All objects meeting any of the Four criteria will get selected 
 TypedValue[] acTypValAr = {
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Operator, "<or"),
  //Criteria 1
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Operator, "<and"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Start, "TEXT"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.LayerName, "Centro"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Operator, "and>"),
  //Criteria 2
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Operator, "<and"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Start, "LWPOLYLINE"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Operator, "<or"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.LayerName, "Secao_Projeto"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.LayerName, "Pontos_AcimaTolerancia"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.LayerName, "Pontos_AbaixoTolerancia"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.LayerName, "Pontos_ForaTolerancia"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.LayerName, "Pontos_NaTolerancia"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Operator, "or>"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Operator, "and>"),
  new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Operator, "or>")
 };

 // Assign the filter criteria to a SelectionFilter object
 SelectionFilter acSelFtr = new SelectionFilter(acTypValAr);

 // Request for objects to be selected in the drawing area
 PromptSelectionResult acSSPrompt;
 acSSPrompt = acDocEd.GetSelection(acSelFtr);

 // If the prompt status is OK, objects were selected
 if (acSSPrompt.Status == PromptStatus.OK) {
  SelectionSet acSSet = acSSPrompt.Value;

  Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Core.Application.ShowAlertDialog("Number of objects selected: " +
   acSSet.Count.ToString());
 } else {
  Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Core.Application.ShowAlertDialog("Number of objects selected: 0");
 }
}
}

Detecting Geometric Center for LWPOLYLINE ,3DPoly and 2DPoly

By Madhukar Moogala

Unfortunately there is no direct API to detect geometric center for three classifications of polylines, one may use Topology libraries to find out, or preferably the easiest at least for me is to convert the LWPOLYLINE, AcDb2dPolyline,AcDb3dPolyline to an in-memory region, apply area properties API to fetch Geometric Center.

[CommandMethod("GCTR")]
public static void GC() {

 var doc = AcCoreApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
 var db = doc.Database;
 var ed = doc.Editor;
 var tid = ObjectId.Null;
 Point2d centroid = Point2d.Origin;

 using(Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()) {
  try {

   TypedValue[] acTypValAr = {
    new TypedValue((int) DxfCode.Operator, "")
   };
   // Assign the filter criteria to a SelectionFilter object
   SelectionFilter acSelFtr = new SelectionFilter(acTypValAr);
   // Request for objects to be selected in the drawing area
   PromptSelectionResult acSSPrompt;
   acSSPrompt = ed.GetSelection(acSelFtr);

   // If the prompt status is OK, objects were selected
   if (acSSPrompt.Status == PromptStatus.OK) {
    SelectionSet acSSet = acSSPrompt.Value;
    foreach(SelectedObject so in acSSet) {
     var pline = tr.GetObject(so.ObjectId, OpenMode.ForRead) as Entity;
     //Convert entity to in-memory Region.
     using(DBObjectCollection segments = new DBObjectCollection()) {
      pline.Explode(segments);
      DBObjectCollection regions = Region.CreateFromCurves(segments);
      foreach(Region r in regions) {
       //to get the centroid of a region lying on the WCS XY plane:
       Point3d origin = Point3d.Origin;
       Vector3d xAxis = Vector3d.XAxis;
       Vector3d yAxis = Vector3d.YAxis;
       centroid = r.AreaProperties(ref origin, ref xAxis, ref yAxis).Centroid;
       CenterMarkEntity(centroid);
      }


     }
     ed.WriteMessage($ "\nGeometricCenter of {pline.GetRXClass().DxfName}:{centroid}");
    }
    tr.Commit();
   } else {
    Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Core.Application.ShowAlertDialog("Number of objects selected: 0");
   }


  } catch (Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime.Exception ex) {
   ed.WriteMessage(ex.ToString());
  }
 }


}

public static void CenterMarkEntity(Point2d p) {
  var doc = AcCoreApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
  var db = doc.Database;
  var ed = doc.Editor;
  using(Transaction t = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()) {
   short mode = (short) AcCoreApp.GetSystemVariable("PDMODE");
   if (mode == 0) {
    AcCoreApp.SetSystemVariable("PDMODE", 99);
   }
   var ms = t.GetObject(SymbolUtilityServices.GetBlockModelSpaceId(db), OpenMode.ForWrite) as BlockTableRecord;
   DBPoint dbPt = new DBPoint(new Point3d(p.X, p.Y, .0)) {
    ColorIndex = 3
   };
   ms.AppendEntity(dbPt);
   t.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(dbPt, true);
   t.Commit();

  }
 }

Test sample Drawing

SampleDrawing

AutoCAD OEM: Enabling Ortho in Z Direction

By Madhukar Moogala

I have received a query from an OEM developer, in his Survey product Ortho snapping functionality doesn’t work in +Z/-Z direction.

Here is screen GIF.

AutoCAD, AutoCAD OEM, AutoCAD LT and TrueView are different manifestations of same code base, this has been singlehandedly maintained by our beloved Engineer Patti [Patricia Harris] for last 30 years if I’m not wrong, she recently passed away in tragic accident.

By design AutoCAD LT doesn’t enable Ortho in Z direction as LT is not for 3D designs.

But AutoCAD OEM has a setting that needs to be enabled to have this functionality work.

Tracking down the setting variable was an exhilarating experience, I would like to thank my esteem colleague Markus Kraus, one of the most talented programmer, I would call him second generation programmer after John Walker and his gang left.

So the what’s the secret setting that is hidden for AutoCAD LT, and TrueView but not for AutoCAD and AutoCAD OEM.

You need to enable ‘UCSDETECT’ command in your OEM Program .XML

<OemCmd>

<Name>ucsdetect</Name>

<Status>Full</Status>

</OemCmd>

After enabling the Command