AutoCAD DevBlog

MEASURE command using SendCommand in VB.NET

By Fenton Webb

Issue

Is there an example showing how to use the MEASURE command with the ActiveX SendCommand method from AutoCAD VB.NET?

Solution

Below is a VB.NET example. Add the following references to the VB.NET Class Library Project:

• acmgd.dll
• Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop.Common.dll
• Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop.dll 

NOTE: acdbmgd.dll is not required for this example, as it does not use any .NET database entities.

Another NOTE: be aware that whenever your reference COM interop assemblies, you are instantly tying yourself to the processor type, therefore you will need to consider x86 and x64 build types – Any CPU is not advisable.

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop  

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop.Common 

 

<CommandMethod("MYMEASURE", "MYMEASURE", Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime.CommandFlags.Transparent)> _

Public Sub MYMEASURE()

  Dim app As AcadApplication = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.AcadApplication

  Dim obj1, obj2 As Object

 

 

  Try

    'Use ActiveX GetEntity function, as we only want to select a single entity

    app.ActiveDocument.Utility.GetEntity(obj1, obj2, "select a polyline which you want to measure")

 

 

    'Cast Object to AcadObject

    Dim tmpObj As AcadObject = CType(obj1, AcadObject)

 

 

    Dim strObjName As String

    strObjName = tmpObj.ObjectName

 

 

    '   Check its a polyline

    If strObjName = "AcDbPolyline" Then

      Dim str1 As String

 

 

      'Handle of polyline is used to identify it to MEADSURE command

      str1 = "(handent """ + tmpObj.Handle + """" + ")"

      Dim str As String

 

 

      'Insert instances of 'myblock' at 500 unit spacing along polyline

      '(replace myblock with name of your block)

      ' the polyline needs to be longer than 500

      str = "_.measure "

      str = str & str1 & vbCr & "_block" & vbCr & "myblock" & vbCr & "_Yes" & vbCr & "500" & vbCr

      app.ActiveDocument.SendCommand(str)

    End If

 

 

  Catch ex As Exception

    ' Print the exception on the command line

    Dim ed As Editor

    ed = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor

    ed.WriteMessage(ex.ToString())

  End Try

End Sub

 

 

AutoCAD OEM Problem loading scree.dll due to incorrect keycode

By Fenton Webb

Issue

Using the AutoCAD OEM make wizard I have created a new project following the steps in the tutorial. When I try to launch the exe an error message saying "Problem loading SCREE.DLL resource file" occurs.

Solution

This error is normally due to an incorrect Keycode entered in the Project Information tab of the Make Wizard. As per the “Oem Developers Guide” documentation found in oemdev.chm, verify that you have entered the correct code. The format should be:

MMCCCCCDD

…where MM is the current month, CCCCC is the the last 5 digits of your Serial Number, and DD is the current day. So if your S/N was 112-98712345, and today was June 7th you would enter your code as: 061234507.

If it’s still not working, for single digit months, like June = 06, try cutting the 0 e.g. 61234507.

Note: In one case a corrupt aoem.exe caused a similar error. In that case, all projects created on that system would fail with an error regarding scree.dll. Also AutoCAD OEM would not run and a UAV would occur. The solution for this was to reinstall.

My ARX Module will not load into my OEM Application

By Fenton Webb

Issue

I have created my ARX module with the OEM libraries, added it to the list in the 'My Modules' tab in the OEM Make Wizard, but when I run the product, this module can't be loaded.  What is wrong?

Solution

1)  Make certain the ARX is indeed built with the OEM version of ObjectARX SDK included in the Arx subfolder of the OEM installation on your hard drive, and after stamping, make sure it depends on your <prod>.exe file.  Use the dependency walker (Depends.exe) to check this.

2)  Again, make certain the module is added to the list in the 'My Modules' tab in the Make Wizard.  A rebuild of the 'resources' is required when changes are made to the modules list.

3) if you are still stuck, start your OEM product in the Visual Studio debugger – do you see any issues displayed in the Output window?

4) If item 3 gives no hits, download the Windows SDK and utilize GFlags.exe by “Running as Administrator”… Turn “Loader Snaps” on for acad.exe, then retry your debugging session as in (3)

5) Failing that, try loading your ARX application in AOEM.exe to see if that works, if it does, then there is something wrong with your binding process.

Plotting A Window To DWF using ObjectARX COM and LISP

By Fenton Webb

Issue

I want to Window plot a drawing to DWF, I'm using COM to plot the DWF but how do I setup the Plot Settings so that it plots using a couple of Window coordinates?

Solution

In ObjectARX you need to use the AcDbPlotSettingsValidator class to setup the Plot. Here is some code which shows you what to do. Note this is using the Window coordinates as the extents of the drawing. This is purely for test purposes - if you want to plot the extents then use setPlotType (pLayout, AcDbPlotSettings::kExtents). There is also a Visual LISP example following the ObjectARX code.

#import "acax19ENU.tlb" no_namespace

#include "acaplmgr.h"

static void ASDKTS66871_PlotWindow_COM_testPlot(void)

{

  // Use ActiveX interface to get the application object

  IAcadApplicationPtr pAcad = acedGetAcadWinApp()->GetIDispatch(FALSE);

 

  //get the path to plotter configuration

  _bstr_t szPrinterPath;

  szPrinterPath = pAcad->Preferences->GetFiles()->GetPrinterConfigPath() + _bstr_t("\\DWF6 ePlot.pc3");

  // get the current database

  AcDbDatabase *curDocDB = acdbHostApplicationServices()->workingDatabase();

  // get a pointer to the layout manager

  AcApLayoutManager *pLayoutManager = (AcApLayoutManager *)acdbHostApplicationServices()->layoutManager();

  const ACHAR *layoutName = pLayoutManager->findActiveLayout (true);

  // get the current layout

  AcDbLayout *pLayout = pLayoutManager->findLayoutNamed (layoutName, true); 

  // if we got it ok

  if (pLayout != NULL)

  {

    Acad::ErrorStatus es;

    // get the plotsetttings class

    AcDbPlotSettingsValidator *pPlotSettingsValidator = acdbHostApplicationServices()->plotSettingsValidator();

    // if we got it ok

    if (pPlotSettingsValidator != NULL)

    {

      // Refresh the layout lists in order to use it

      pPlotSettingsValidator->refreshLists (pLayout);

      // change the current layout plotter

      es = pPlotSettingsValidator->setPlotCfgName (pLayout, szPrinterPath);  

      // set the window to plot as the extents of the drawing

      es = pPlotSettingsValidator->setPlotWindowArea (pLayout,

        curDocDB->extmin ().x,

        curDocDB->extmin ().y,

        curDocDB->extmax ().x,

        curDocDB->extmax ().y);

      // set the orgin

      es = pPlotSettingsValidator->setPlotOrigin (pLayout,

        curDocDB->extmin ().x,

        curDocDB->extmin ().y);

      // set to plot centred

      es = pPlotSettingsValidator->setPlotCentered (pLayout, true);

      // setup the plot type to window

      es = pPlotSettingsValidator->setPlotType (pLayout, AcDbPlotSettings::kWindow);

      // set the scale

      es = pPlotSettingsValidator->setStdScaleType (pLayout, AcDbPlotSettings::StdScaleType::kScaleToFit);

 

      // we have to close the layout here because the last parameter of

      // findLayoutNamed is true, leave layout open

      pLayout->close ();

    } 

  }

 

 

  // get the current document

  IAcadDocumentPtr pDoc = pAcad->GetActiveDocument();

  // create a plot object

  IAcadPlotPtr pPlot = pDoc->GetPlot();

  // lets plot

  pPlot->PlotToFile("c:\\test.dwf", szPrinterPath);

}

 

Note: You do not necessarily need to use COM to plot. Instead you can use ObjectARX functions. A good sample ships with the ObjectARX 2009 SDK. ( ..\ObjectARX 2009\samples\editor\AsdkPlotAPI )

Here is a Visual LISP example:

(defun c:testPlotWindow ( / acadObject acadDocument activeLayoutObject plt p1 point1
     pPt1 pPt1sa pt1 p2 point2 pPt2 pPt2sa pt2 )
  (vl-load-com)
  (setq acadObject (vlax-get-Acad-object))
  (setq acadDocument (vla-get-ActiveDocument acadObject))
  (setq activeLayoutObject (vla-Get-ActiveLayout acadDocument))

  (setq plt (vla-get-plot acadDocument))

  (vla-put-configname activeLayoutObject "DWF6 ePlot.pc3")
  (vla-put-canonicalmedianame
    activeLayoutObject
    "ISO_full_bleed_A3_(420.00_x_297.00_MM)"
    )
  (vla-put-paperunits activeLayoutObject acMillimeters)
  (vla-put-plotrotation activeLayoutObject ac0degrees)
  ; How to control the Plot Style Table
  ; (vla-put-StyleSheet activeLayoutObject "HP LaserJet 4MV.ctb")

  (setq p1 (getpoint "\nSelect Window Point No 1 (Lower Left): "))
  (setq point1 (list (car p1) (cadr p1)))
  (setq pPt1 (vlax-make-safearray vlax-vbDouble '(0 . 1)))
  (setq pPt1sa (vlax-safearray-fill pPt1 point1))
  (setq pt1 (vlax-make-variant
       pPt1sa
       (logior vlax-vbarray vlax-vbDouble)
       )
)

  (setq p2 (getpoint "\nSelect Window Point No 2 (Upper Right): "))
  (setq point2 (list (car p2) (cadr p2)))
  (setq pPt2 (vlax-make-safearray vlax-vbDouble '(0 . 1)))
  (setq pPt2sa (vlax-safearray-fill pPt2 point2))
  (setq pt2 (vlax-make-variant
       pPt2sa
       (logior vlax-vbarray vlax-vbDouble)
       )
)

  (vla-SetWindowToPlot activeLayoutObject pt1 pt2)
  (vla-put-plottype activeLayoutObject acWindow)

   (vla-plottofile plt "c:\\test.dwf" "DWF6 ePlot.pc3")

  )

Load DVB and run VBA macro using AutoCAD COM API in ObjectARX

By Fenton Webb

Issue

How can I load a .dvb and run the macro using AutoCAD COM interface?

Solution

#import "acax19ENU.tlb" no_implementation raw_interfaces_only

 

#include <comdef.h>

#include <atlbase.h>

#include <acadi_i.c>

using namespace AutoCAD;

 

LoadVBARunMacro()

{

  // setup the VBA macro DVB details

  CComBSTR bsrtVBAName = _T("d:\\temp\\Project.dvb");

  // setup the macro name :pass your macro name here

  CComBSTR bstrMacro = _T("test");

  // get acad's iDispatch

  IAcadApplicationPtr pAcad = acedGetIDispatch(FALSE);

  // now load the DVB

  HRESULT hr = pAcad->LoadDVB(bsrtVBAName.m_str);

  // if ok

  if (SUCCEEDED(hr))

  {

    // run the macro

    hr = pAcad->RunMacro(bstrMacro.m_str);

    // unload the DVB if you want

    hr = pAcad->UnloadDVB(bsrtVBAName.m_str);

  }

}

 

Removing a vertex from AcDb2dPolyline using ObjectARX?

By Fenton Webb

Issue

Is there any way to remove a vertex from AcDb2dPolyline/AcDb3dPolyline (similar to AcDbPolyline::removeVertexAt() ) ?

Solution

There is no analogous removal function for 2d and 3d polylines, mainly because the storage mechanisms are different.  AcDbPolyline more efficiently stores its vertices as an array within a single entity, whereas for 2d and 3d polylines, vertices are stored as separate entities.  Therefore, you will have to access an individual vertex entity and explicitly delete it; deletion doesn't occur through the 2d/3d polyline entity itself. Try following code snippet.

Look at the following code snippet: which will remove the first vertex.

void EraseVertex()

{

  ads_name name;  ads_point pt;

  // pick a polyline 2d

  int res = acedEntSel(_T("\nPick a 2dpolyline"), name, pt);

  // if ok

  if (res == RTNORM)

  {

    AcDbObjectId plineObjId;

    // convert the ename to an AcDbObjectId

    Acad::ErrorStatus es = acdbGetObjectId(plineObjId, name);    

 

    AcDbObjectPointer<AcDb2dPolyline> pPlineEnt(plineObjId, AcDb::kForRead);

    // if we have the right entity type

    if (pPlineEnt.openStatus() == Acad::eOk)

    {

      AcDbObjectIterator* pVertIter = pPlineEnt->vertexIterator();

      // select the 1st vertex in AcDb2dPolyline; regen to see change

      AcDbObjectPointer<AcDb2dVertex> pVertex(pVertIter->objectId(), AcDb::kForWrite); 

 

      // check to see if it is not already erased

      if (es != Acad::eWasErased)

      {

        Adesk::Boolean bErased = pVertex->isErased();

        if (!bErased)

          es = pVertex->erase();

      }

    }

    delete pVertIter; 

  }

}

Renaming or copying an anonymous block using LISP or VBA

By Fenton Webb

Issue

How do I rename or copy an anonymous block to another name, such as TESTBLOCK?

Solution

It is possible to rename an anonymous block. For example, you can rename a block named *T1 to TESTBLOCK. When listed, the available blocks in a drawing use commands such as BLOCK or INSERT. TESTBLOCK will not be listed because it is an
anonymous block (but it exists). Changing an anonymous block's name will not make it a named block. The group code 70 decides if the block is anonymous, and this group code cannot be edited.

For example, create an anonymous block "*T" using any_blk function, and then execute the ren_blk function to rename it to "TESTBLOCK".

(defun c:any_blk ()
 (vl-load-com)
 (setq a_app  (VLAX-GET-ACAD-OBJECT)
    a_doc  (vla-get-ActiveDocument a_app)
    a_blks (vla-get-blocks a_doc)
    blk    (vla-add a_blks (vlax-3d-point '(0 0 0)) "*T")
 )
 (vla-addcircle blk (vlax-3d-point '(0 0 0)) 3)
)

(defun c:ren_blk ()
 (vl-load-com)
 (setq a_app  (VLAX-GET-ACAD-OBJECT)
    a_doc  (vla-get-ActiveDocument a_app)
    a_blks (vla-get-blocks a_doc)
    blk    (vla-item a_blks "*T1")
)
 (vla-put-name blk "TESTBLOCK")
)

Now invoke command INSERT and you will find that TESTBLOCK is not listed, but you are allowed to type the blockname and then to insert it. The block TESTBLOCK is not listed as it is an anonymous block.

As a workaround, you could make a copy of the anonymous block instead of renaming it, as shown in the following sample code:

(defun c:cop_blk ()
 (vl-load-com)
 (setq a_app  (VLAX-GET-ACAD-OBJECT)
    a_doc  (vla-get-ActiveDocument a_app)
    a_blks (vla-get-blocks a_doc)
    i      0
 )
 (if (tblsearch "BLOCK" "*T1")
      (progn
     (setq blk (vla-item a_blks "*T1"))
     (setq inspt  (vla-get-origin blk)
           cnt    (- (vla-get-count blk) 1)
           newfil (vlax-make-safearray vlax-vbobject (cons 0 cnt))
     )
     (vlax-for ent    blk
         (vlax-safearray-put-element newfil i ent)
         (setq i (1+ i))
     )
     (if (null (tblsearch "BLOCK" "TESTBLOCK"))
          (setq newblk (vla-add a_blks inspt "TESTBLOCK"))
          (setq newblk (vla-add a_blks inspt "TESTBLOCKX"))
     )
     (vla-copyobjects a_doc newfil newblk nil)
      )
      (princ "\nBlock *T is not available. Unable to make a Copy.")
 )
 (princ)
)

Here is a sample VBA code to copy an anonymous block:

Sub copyblk()
   Dim objects() As Object
   Dim oldblk As AcadBlock
   Dim newblk As AcadBlock
   Dim inspt As Variant
   Dim obj As Object
   Dim i As Integer
   
   i = 0
   Set oldblk = ThisDrawing.Blocks.Item("*T1")  'Replace "*T1" with the
appropriate anonymous block name
   inspt = oldblk.Origin
   Cnt = oldblk.Count - 1
   ReDim objects(Cnt) As Object
   
   For Each obj In oldblk
    Set objects(i) = obj
    i = i + 1
   Next obj
   
   Set newblk = ThisDrawing.Blocks.Add(inspt, "NEWTEST")
   ThisDrawing.CopyObjects objects, newblk
End Sub

Deleting the contents of an AcDbVoidPtrArray used for creating hatch

By Xiaodong Liang

Issue
When I use the AcDbHatch::appendLoop function that takes an AcDbVoidPtrArray of AcGeCurve objects, AutoCAD terminates unexpectedly when the memory is erased. Do I need to delete the elements of the array?

Solution
The existing documentation does not explicitly mention that once the loop definition array is passed over to AutoCAD, it is then kept internally to store the loop information inside the hatch.

The contents of AcDbVoidPtrArray in this case, should NOT be deleted.

How to turn an ARX Application into a Managed C++ Application?

By Philippe Leefsma

You can directly create a mixed manage project using ObjectARX wizard. The steps below apply to projects which are being migrating from old releases or converting a unmanaged ObjectARX project to a mixed managed.

 

The first thing to do is to turn on the /CLR compiler setting to compile as managed.

In the project properties window, under the Property Pages for the project, make the following modifications:

C++ :  General:

    Compile As Managed
     From: Not using managed extensions
     To: Assembly Support (/clr)

    Debug Information Format: (Debug only)
    From: Program Database for Edit & Continue (/ZI)
    To: Program Database (/Zi)

Code Generation (Debug only):

   Basic runtime checks
     From: Both (/RTC1, equip, to /RTC Su...)
     To: default

 

Precompiled Header:  

    Create/Use Precompiled Header
     From: Automatically Generate (/YX)
     To: Create Precompiled Header (/Yc)

 

Code Generation:

    Enable Minimal Rebuild
     From: Yes (/Gm)
     To: No

 

Link with the /NOENTRY flag

 

In stdafx.h add:

#using <mscorlib.dll>
#using <System.dll>

#using <System.Drawing.dll>

#using <system.windows.forms.dll>

 

In the CPP file where you're going to use managed code, add the following after the compiler references through to stdafx.h

using namespace System;

using namespace System::Reflection;

using namespace System::Collections;

using namespace System::ComponentModel;

using namespace System::Drawing;

using namespace System::Windows::Forms;

using namespace System::Security::Policy;

using namespace System::Runtime::InteropServices;

 

See attached sample for more details.

ArxDotNetSample.zip

How to use CAdUiDockControlBar

By Xiaodong Liang

CAdUiDockControlBar provided you to create dock panel. The basic steps are:

- Create a dialog in the normal way.

class CMyChildDialog : public CDialog

{

// Construction

public:

    CMyChildDialog(CWnd* pParent = NULL);   // standard constructor

 

// Dialog Data

    //{{AFX_DATA(CMyChildDialog)

    enum { IDD = IDD_CHILDDIALOG };

        // NOTE: the ClassWizard will add data members here

    //}}AFX_DATA

 

//………

}

- Add a member variable to you DockCtrlBar class which is a pointer to the dialog class.

class CMyDockControlBar : public CAcUiDockControlBar

{

    DECLARE_DYNAMIC(CMyDockControlBar)

 

public:

   CMyChildDialog *m_childDlg;

    CMyDockControlBar () ;

 

    //{{AFX_VIRTUAL(CMyDockControlBar)

    public:

    virtual BOOL Create(CWnd*pParent, LPCTSTR lpszTitle);

    //}}AFX_VIRTUAL

 

protected:

    //{{AFX_MSG(CMyDockControlBar)

    afx_msg int OnCreate (LPCREATESTRUCT lpCreateStruct);

    afx_msg void OnSysCommand(UINT nID, LPARAM lParam);

    afx_msg void OnSize(UINT nType, int cx, int cy);

    //}}AFX_MSG

    DECLARE_MESSAGE_MAP()

 

    virtual void SizeChanged (CRect *lpRect, BOOL bFloating, int flags);

} ;

- In the DockCtrlBar::OnCreate() instantiate the dialog as a child of the DockCtrlBar.

BOOL CMyDockControlBar::Create(CWnd*pParent, LPCTSTR lpszTitle) {

    CString strWndClass ;

    strWndClass =AfxRegisterWndClass (CS_DBLCLKS, LoadCursor (NULL, IDC_ARROW)) ;

    CRect rect (0, 0, 250, 200) ;

    if ( !CAcUiDockControlBar::Create (

            strWndClass,

            lpszTitle,

            WS_VISIBLE | WS_CHILD | WS_CLIPCHILDREN,

            rect,

            pParent, 0

        )

    )

        return (FALSE) ;

 

    SetToolID (&clsCMyDockControlBar) ;

 

    //----- TODO: Add your code here

 

    return (TRUE) ;

}

 

int CMyDockControlBar::OnCreate (LPCREATESTRUCT lpCreateStruct) {

    if ( CAcUiDockControlBar::OnCreate (lpCreateStruct) == -1 )

        return (-1) ;

 

    // point to our resource

    CAcModuleResourceOverride resourceOverride;   

    // now create a new dialog with our stuff in it

    m_childDlg = new CMyChildDialog;

    // create it and set the parent as the dockctrl bar

    m_childDlg->Create (IDD_CHILDDIALOG, this);

    // move the window over so we can see the control lines

    m_childDlg->MoveWindow (0, 0, 100, 100, TRUE);

 

    return (0) ;

}

- Disable the dialog's Ok and Cancel modes by overriding the CMyChildDialog::OnCommand().

BOOL CMyChildDialog::OnCommand(WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)

{

    switch (wParam)

    {

        // Enter

        case 1:

            // Esc

        case 2: return (false);

    }

 

    return CDialog::OnCommand(wParam, lParam);

}

- Check the Dialog properties and make sure Style=Child, Border=None and TitleBar=False.

 

here is the demo project  Download _ArxDockControlBar_VS2008