Autoload Multiline styles?

I'm trying to find a way to have some custom multilines get automatically
loaded at startup. They exist in the acad.mln file, but unless loaded and
saved with a drawing or template, cmstyle won't allow specifying them.

The reason I want them loaded at startup is that these selections will be
included in a custom menu so the user doesn't always have to open up the
multiline dialog box and load/set them each time they're needed. And since
these functions will be used in hundreds of existing drawings, it does no
good to have them loaded into templates, etc.

'Any suggestions on how to load them either through lisp or some other way?

Thanks for any suggestions!

John

 

Easiest is probably to define them in /a block/s and insert it.
voila! (But this is a horrible kludge, IMO)

MLstyles can be entmake'd, btw, which is what I do now - but I'm looking for
ways to do this with activex stuff...

hth,
David Kozina

 

Yeah - I decided on the block insertion method right after I posted. I then
ssget it, erase, then purge it. 'Not pretty, but it works...below is the
line in the menu, (it calls a script for actually running the mline at the
end):

^C^C-insert;mlrw.dwg;0,0;;;;(ssget "x" '((2 .
"mlrw")) );erase;p;;-purge;B;mlrw;n;script;RWall8.SCR

John

 

BTW, I believe Tony Tanzillo's AcadX extension library has the means to
bypass the dialog and load up the definitions in a specified .mln file.

I haven't tried it for that purpose, but I imagine the code required would
be pretty simple. This would avoid the block messiness altogether.

Just another idea.

 

Looked into this briefly, I'm not sure the majority
of the properties are exposed. Seems that maybe
the only route (lisp wise) would be vanilla. Anyone
else know for sure?

 

PS: I suppose you could keep a 'dummy'
drawing around with the desired mline styles
loaded and access them via objectDBX.

Just an alternative to the block solution.


--
Autodesk Discussion Group Facilitator

<snip>

 

It can be done with AutoLISP. Ugly and cryptic, but effective.

It was interesting (to me) while working this out
a long time ago that the .mln file is not much more
than a dxf-like group code format file.

MLineStyles are dictionary objects, IIRC, so if one could work out the
dxf -> activex conversion details, I would think that it would be possible.
But then again... <shrugs>

For now, though, I've got other fish to fry...

I sure wish they'd expose a few more mline object properties, though, like
justification, and scale.
and simply being able to put a StyleName would be most awesome! For now I
have to resort to severe subterfuge to accomplish that...

Best regards,
David Kozina