AutoCAD DevBlog

Switch language of AutoCAD without installing multi-copy

By Daniel Du

Are you bilingual, trilingual or even octalingual? Are you working languages other than English in AutoCAD? In previous release, you probably need to install multi copies of AutoCAD, like myself, I have to install AutoCAD English and Chinese on my laptop. A good news of AutoCAD 2014(AutoCAD 2013 actually) is that we can just install the language package rather than the whole product.

I first installed AutoCAD 2014 English on my laptop, if I examine the the short-cut, I can find that it is :

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2014\acad.exe"  /product ACAD /language "en-US"

Now I would like to use Chinese version as well, so I start AutoCAD 2014 and go to Help –> Download Language Packs and download my favorite Simplified Chinese language pack and install it. A new shortcut will be created like this:

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2014\acad.exe"  /product ACAD /language "zh-CN"

With this new shortcut, I can start Chinese version of AutoCAD!

Hope this helps.

An AutoCAD Command Usage Statistics “Magic Ball”

By Daniel Du

As a practice of Windows Azure and WebGL, I did a simple project, creating an AutoCAD Command Usage Statistics “Magic Ball” on Cloud. Hopefully it gives your some inspirations of the possibility of AutoCAD + Cloud integration. The idea is to monitor user’s command usage while he is drafting and save it up to cloud, then view the statistics in web page with a rotatable ball, I call it “magic ball”, it does not look like a ball just because I am lazy not to draft much to use many AutoCAD commands.

(click the screen-shot to play with it.)

I posted some articles on Cloud and Mobile Devblog, I cross post it here if you are interested in how it is implemented.

An AutoCAD Command Usage Statistics “Magic Ball” on Cloud–Part 1

An AutoCAD Command Usage Statistics “Magic Ball” on Cloud–Part 2

An AutoCAD Command Usage Statistics “Magic Ball” on Cloud–Part 3

An AutoCAD Command Usage Statistics “Magic Ball” on Cloud–Part 4

Setting dimension override string in the required format?

By Daniel Du

Issue

How can I set the overridden text in the required units and format for a given dimension object? For example, I am using the "AddDimAligned" method to create a dimension between two lines, that is 3'-0". I then use the "TextOverride" property to override the dimension of 3'-0" to 1.667' but 1.667' is now a string. How can I convert the 1.667' value to display it in Architectural units as 1'-8"?

Solution

TextOverride is a string property and hence you can use data type conversion utilities to format the number to the style you want. In the following VBA example, RealToString method of Utility object is used to format the number to the required style. To control the suppression of zeros, set the DIMZIN system variable.

In this example the value of DIMZIN is set to 1. This will Include zero feet and precisely zero inches while performing the conversions using realToString. You can also use this string "<>" in the TextOverride to display the actual measurement.
For example, you can specify dimobj.TextOverride = "length = <> mm". This would set the override as "length = 10 mm" if the dimension's measurement is 10mm.

Sub f_test()
    Dim po_dim As AcadDimAligned
    Dim p1(2) As Double
    Dim p2(2) As Double
 
    p1(0) = 0 : p1(1) = 0
    p2(0) = 10 : p2(1) = 10
 
    po_dim = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.AddDimAligned(p1, p2, p2)
    po_dim.TextOverride = ThisDrawing.Utility.RealToString(1.667 * 12,
                                                acArchitectural, 6)
 
    'set the DIMZIN to required format
    ThisDrawing.SetVariable("DIMZIN", 1)
 
    'to test the required format
    MsgBox(ThisDrawing.Utility.RealToString(48, acArchitectural, 6))
 
End Sub

Purging anonymous blocks

By Daniel Du

Issue

How do I purge all unnamed (and unreferenced) blocks from a drawing programmatically?

Solution

To purge all unreferenced objects from a drawing, you can use the PurgeAll command.

Here is the VBA code:

Sub del_all()
 
    ThisDrawing.Application.ActiveDocument.PurgeAll()
 
End Sub

And here is a sample of .net(C#) code which deletes all unreferenced blocks:

[CommandMethod("ClearUnrefedBlocks")]
public void ClearUnrefedBlocks()
{
    Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
    Editor ed = doc.Editor;
    Database db = doc.Database;
 
    using (Transaction trans = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
    {
        BlockTable bt = trans.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForWrite)
            as BlockTable;
 
        foreach (ObjectId oid in bt)
        {
            BlockTableRecord btr = trans.GetObject(oid, OpenMode.ForWrite)
                as BlockTableRecord;
 
            if (btr.GetBlockReferenceIds(false, false).Count == 0
                && !btr.IsLayout)
            {
 
                btr.Erase();
            }
 
        }
 
        trans.Commit();
    }
 
}

Another option is to use Wblock. Any unreferenced symbols in the input database are omitted in the new database (which makes the new database potentially cleaner and smaller than the original).

[CommandMethod("ClrDb")]
public void ClearDatabase()
{
    Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
    Editor ed = doc.Editor;
    Database db = doc.Database;
 
    Database newDb = db.Wblock();
    newDb.SaveAs(@"c:\temp\clrdb.dwg", DwgVersion.Current);
 
}

How to create a new layout and paper space viewport?

By Daniel Du

Issue

How do I use the AutoCAD VBA API to create a new layout and a new paper space viewport?

Solution

To create a new layout, use the add method of the layouts property of the drawing:

Set lyt = ThisDrawing.Layouts.Add("Test1")

To create a new paper space viewport, use the AddPViewport of the drawing's paper space property:

Set PSVport = ThisDrawing.PaperSpace.AddPViewport(pnt, 5, 4) 

where pnt is the center of the viewport.

One item of which to be aware is that the paper space property of the drawing references the ActiveLayout. The following procedure creates a new layout and paper space viewport on the new layout.

Public Sub NewLayoutAndNewPVport()
    Dim PSVport As AcadPViewport
    Dim lyt As AcadLayout
    Dim pnt(0 To 2) As Double
 
    ' Create a point to be used for the new paperspace viewport
    pnt(0) = 5
    pnt(1) = 5
    pnt(2) = 0
 
    ' Create a new layout
    lyt = ThisDrawing.Layouts.Add("Test1")
 
    ' If a layout named "Test1" already exists comment out
    ' the line above and uncomment this line.
    ' Set lyt = ThisDrawing.Layouts("Test1")
 
    ' Make lyt created above the active layout
    ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout = lyt
 
    ' Create a new paper space viewport notice that you use
    ' the Paperspace property of this drawing. The Paperspace
    ' property references the active layout
    PSVport = ThisDrawing.PaperSpace.AddPViewport(pnt, 5, 4)
 
    ' Make sure the Viewport is displayed and on
    PSVport.Display(True)
    PSVport.ViewportOn = True
 
    ' Before making a pViewport active the mspace property needs
    ' to be True for a floating viewport
    ThisDrawing.MSpace = True
    ThisDrawing.ActivePViewport = PSVport
    ThisDrawing.Regen(acActiveViewport)
 
End Sub

Accessing LDATA values from VBA

By Daniel Du

Issue

A VLISP function can be used to create a dictionary just like:

(vlax-ldata-put "Test" "Helper" "Good")

And a dictionary named "Test" is created, and a (vlax-ldata-get "Test" "Helper") retrieves the return value, "Good". From VBA, how can I get the dictionary data value of "Good"?

Solution

VLISP ldata is attached to a custom object with class name "vlo_VL" and then the object is added to the Named Object Dictionary. However, a custom object is not penetrable by means of the VBA object model alone. You cannot create custom entities/objects with VBA, but you can develop custom entities with ObjectARX and create an ActiveX interface to it so that it can be used within VBA. Unfortunately, there is no direct interface (or Automation server) to a vlo_VL object.

The AutoCAD Visual LISP Automation server (an unsupported interface) can be used to bridge the gap between VBA macro and the LISP environment, though.

If the following has already been entered successfully at the command line:

(vl-load-com)
(vlax-ldata-put "Test" "Helper" "Good")

Then, with a little effort a VBA macro can use the LISP server's generalized object model:

Function readEvalHelper(app As Object)
    ' this is a helper function
    vld = app.ActiveDocument
 
    Dim vlf_read As Object
    vlf_read = vld.Functions.Item("read")
 
    Dim vl_obj1 As Object
    vl_obj1 = vlf_read.funcall("(defun read-eval (arg)(eval (read arg)))")
 
    Dim vlf_eval As Object
    vlf_eval = vld.Functions.Item("eval")
 
    Dim vl_obj2 As Object
    vl_obj2 = vlf_eval.funcall(vl_obj1)
 
End Function
 
 
Public Sub vlsGetLData()
    Dim vlApp As Object
    vlApp = CreateObject("VL.Application.16")
 
    readEvalHelper(vlApp)
 
    Dim invokeIt As Object
    invokeIt = vlApp.ActiveDocument.Functions.Item("read-eval")
    invokeIt.funcall("(setq lDatum (vlax-ldata-get ""Test"" ""Helper""))")
 
    sym = vlApp.ActiveDocument.Functions.Item("read").funcall("lDatum")
    GetLispSym = vlApp.ActiveDocument.Functions.Item("eval").funcall(sym)
    MsgBox("Key's data is:" + Chr(13) + GetLispSym)
 
End Sub

How to add dimension entities to a block object using VBA?

By Daniel Du

Issue

The AddDimAligned method of Block object produces incorrect dimension objects. How can I add dimension entities to a Block object?

Solution

The AddDimAligned method as well as other AddDimxxx methods of adding dimension entities to a Block object results in dimension objects that are incorrect.

This is a known problem. Use the following workaround to add dimension entities to a block object:

1. Create a Dimension entity in model space.
2. Use the CopyObject method to copy the Dimension entity to a Block object.
3. Delete the original Dimension entity from model space.

The following sample code creates a block "test", adds a DimRotated entity to the block, and then inserts the block into model space.

Sub f_SolAddDiminBlocks()
    'Workaround for Adding dimensions to block AutoCAD
     Dim po_rotDim As AcadDimAligned
     Dim po_block As AcadBlock
     Dim pd_ext1(0 To 2) As Double
     Dim pd_ext2(0 To 2) As Double
     Dim pd_lineLoc(0 To 2) As Double
     Dim po_array(0) As Object
 
     pd_ext1(0) = 3 : pd_ext1(1) = 3 : pd_ext1(2) = 0
     pd_ext2(0) = 10 : pd_ext2(1) = 3 : pd_ext2(2) = 0
     pd_lineLoc(0) = 5 : pd_lineLoc(1) = 4 : pd_lineLoc(2) = 0
     'create dimeionsion object
     po_rotDim = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.AddDimAligned(pd_ext1, pd_ext2,
     pd_lineLoc)
 
     'create a new block by name test
     po_block = ThisDrawing.Blocks.Add(pd_ext1, "test")
     'insert a block reference
     ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.InsertBlock(pd_ext1, "test", 1, 1, 1, 0)
     'copy dimension object
     po_array(0) = po_rotDim
     ThisDrawing.CopyObjects(po_array, po_block)
     po_rotDim.Delete()
     'release the references
     po_block = Nothing
     po_rotDim = Nothing
End Sub

Setting configname for a layout generates an error

By Daniel Du

Issue

Why do I get an error when I try to set the ConfigName of a Layout?

Solution

The usual reason for this error is that you are not calling 'RefreshPlotDeviceInfo' before assigning a 'ConfigName'.

Here is an example of some VBA code that does work:

Sub Test()
Dim Layouts As AcadLayouts
Dim Layout As AcadLayout

' Get the files preferences object
Set Layouts = ThisDrawing.Layouts

' Change plotter configuration file
Layouts("Model").RefreshPlotDeviceInfo
Layouts("Model").ConfigName = "PrinterName"

ThisDrawing.Plot.PlotToDevice
End Sub

If you comment out the line 'Layout("Model").RefreshPlotDeviceInfo', the routine will work sometimes, but not always.

Please note that you will still generate an error if you try to set a ConfigName that AutoCAD cannot find.

Specifying text alignment

By Daniel Du

Issue

How do I set up or change a text entity's alignment?

Solution

When aligning text you need to use the TextAlignmentPoint property as shown in
the following sample code:

Public Sub test()
   Dim Text As AcadText
   Dim curnam As String
   Dim inpt(0 To 2) As Double
   Dim ht As Double
   
   curnam = "This is a string"
   inpt(0) = 5
   inpt(1) = 5
   inpt(2) = 0
  
   ht = 0.5
   
   Set Text = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.AddText(curnam, inpt, ht)
   Text.Alignment = acAlignmentMiddleCenter
   Text.TextAlignmentPoint = inpt
End Sub

 

For .net API, you can use DBText.AlignmentPoint property.Following information comes from the .net API document:

This function sets pt to be the alignment point for the text object.

If vertical mode is AcDb::kTextBase and horizontal mode is either AcDb::kTextLeft, AcDb::kTextAlign, or AcDb::kTextFit, then the position point (DXF group code 10) is the insertion point for the text object and, for AcDb::kTextLeft, the alignment point is automatically calculated based on the other parameters in the text object. Any setting made by this function are replaced by the newly calculated value.

For all other vertical and horizontal mode combinations, the alignment point is used as the insertion point of the text and the position point is automatically calculated based on the other parameters in the text object.

The alignment point value is the WCS equivalent of DXF group code 11.

Returns Acad::eOk if successful, or Acad::eNotApplicable if the text object's horizontal mode is AcDb::kTextLeft and vertical mode is AcDb::kTextBase.

Here is the code in .net API:

public void MyCommand() // This method can have any name
{
    Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
    Editor ed = doc.Editor;
    Database db = doc.Database;
 
    //align point
    Point3d pt = new Point3d(15, 15, 0);
 
    using (DBText text = new DBText())
    {
        text.TextString = "This is a db text";
 
        text.VerticalMode = TextVerticalMode.TextVerticalMid;
        text.HorizontalMode = TextHorizontalMode.TextCenter;
        text.AlignmentPoint = pt;
                
        AddToModelSpace(text, db);
    }
          
}
 
private static void AddToModelSpace(Entity ent, Database db)
{
    using (Transaction trans = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
    {
        BlockTable bt = (BlockTable)trans.GetObject(
            db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead);
        BlockTableRecord modelSpace = trans.GetObject(
            bt[BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace], 
            OpenMode.ForWrite) as BlockTableRecord;
 
        modelSpace.AppendEntity(ent);
        trans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(ent, true);
        trans.Commit();
    }
}

Hope this helps!

Forming a selection set of entities and access their picked points

By Daniel Du

Issue

How do I access the coordinates of the point picked on each of the selection set entities? I am using the 'SelectionOnScreen' VBA method, which prompts the user to select objects in AutoCAD, then returns a set containing these objects. I want to also access the coordinates of the point picked on each of the selection set entities.

Solution

A SelectOnScreen selection cannot be used to ascertain the pickpoint of selected entities. Instead, you need to perform the construction of the selection set in two stages. First, prompt the user to choose an entity. This action has the advantage of reporting not only a chosen entity, but also the selected point.
The GetEntity method off the utility object obtains both picked point and entity.

Secondly, if the selection is valid (no random keystrokes or selection of a non-entity point), then try adding the entity to a selection set. As long as the entity is not already present in the set, the selection set will expand and the corresponding pick point can then be appended to an array.

Then when you get a valid entity selection, you should store the entity reference into the selection set, and the picked point into an array.

The code below demonstrates how it should be done in a VBA macro.

 

Public Sub getSelPt()
   Dim selPts() As Variant, Pt As Variant
   Dim msgOut As String
  
   Dim selEntity As AcadEntity
   Dim sset As AcadSelectionSet, ArraySize As Integer
 
   ' Creates an empty selection set.
   Set sset = ThisDrawing.SelectionSets.Add("mySelSet")
   oldSize = 0: newSize = 0
   Err.Clear
   ArraySize = 1
  
  
   On Error GoTo makeSetHndlr
    ' Keep prompting for entity selection until bad pick or escape
    While True
        ' Fake entity selection
        ThisDrawing.Utility.GetEntity selEntity, Pt, "Pick an entity (enter to stop)"
   
        ' Do the real entity selection by using the point returned from the API call above
        sset.SelectAtPoint Pt
        newSize = sset.Count
       
        ' If the selection growled, then store the picked point into the array
        If newSize > oldSize Then
        ReDim Preserve selPts(1 To ArraySize)
        selPts(ArraySize) = Pt
       
        selEntity.Highlight True
       
        oldSize = newSize
        ArraySize = ArraySize + 1
        End If
    Wend
  
makeSetHndlr:
   Err.Clear
   msgOut = "DONE: " & sset.Count & " unique entities in selset"
   For Each selPt In selPts
    msgOut = msgOut & Chr(13) & "at " & Format(selPt(0), ".###") & " , " & Format(selPt(1), ".###")
   Next selPt
   MsgBox msgOut
End Sub

 

For .net API, you can use PromptEntityResult.PickedPoint.

Hope this helps.