GetInterfaceObject Help

Newbie here...

I had written a routine in vb that enable the user to select a list of files
to be modified. The program would then cycle through each selected file,
clean the drawing up for our standards, then save it in a new location. The
only problem was the speed of the app. My previous posts indicated that it
had to do with the fact it was a stand alone vb and not running in the
AutoCAD memory (or whatever). I have been trying to create the exe/dll
combination that I have found references to in this news group but have hit
a road block. My scenario is as follows:

The following are my two vb projects associated with this. The CleanUp.exe
has a userform that passes a file list to the sub. My problem appears to be
where I have shown ??? I do not completely understand what these two values
should be. Again, I am a novice so be gentle!

CleanUp.exe file is as follows:

Public Sub CleanUp()

On Error Resume Next

Set AcadApp = GetObject(, "AutoCAD.Application")
If Err Then
Err.Clear
Set AcadApp = CreateObject("AutoCAD.Application")
End If

Set DwgClean = AcadApp.GetInterfaceObject("CleanUp.Clean") '???

Dim obj As Object
Dim lyr As Object
Dim blk As Object
Dim piece As Object
Dim DimSt As Object

For Each oFile In CleanFileList

FileCopy SourceLoc + "\" + oFile, WorkingLoc + "\" + oFile
AcadApp.Documents.Open (WorkingLoc + "\" + oFile)

Call DwgClean.Clean(AcadApp)


Next oFile

End Sub


The CleanUp.dll file contains:

Public Sub Clean(App As AcadApplication)

Set ThisDrawing = AcadApp.ActiveDocument

For Each obj In ThisDrawing.ModelSpace
obj.Color = acByLayer
Next obj

For Each lyr In ThisDrawing.Layers
lyr.Color = 8
Next lyr

For Each blk In ThisDrawing.Blocks
For Each piece In blk
piece.Color = acByLayer
Next piece
Next blk

For Each DimSt In ThisDrawing.DimStyles
ThisDrawing.ActiveDimStyle =
AcadApplication.ActiveDocument.DimStyles(DimSt.Name)
ThisDrawing.SetVariable "DIMCLRD", acByLayer
ThisDrawing.SetVariable "DIMCLRE", acByLayer
ThisDrawing.SetVariable "DIMCLRT", acByLayer
Next DimSt
ThisDrawing.SendCommand ("Dim" & vbCr & "Update" & vbCr & "All" &
vbCr & vbCr & "Exit" & vbCr)

End Sub


I appreciate any help anyone can provide.

Jason Smith

 

I remember your last post, Jason. If all you are attempting to do is
what you list here, the in-process/out-process scenario isn't your
problem - your problem is your coding approach. NEVER use:

For Each obj In ThisDrawing.ModelSpace
obj.Color = acByLayer
Next obj

Whether you do in- or out- process, your app is going to crawl if you
are iterating everythhing in model space. Try thhis approach instead -

1. Change all the layers
2. Create a selection set using a filter to find all entities that are
not BYLAYER colored. Then just change them.
3. Continue with the dimension stuff

As to the getinterface, you need to do something like this:

Dim VB6DLL As Object
'Connect to the class containing the external function
Set VB6DLL = ThisDrawing.Application.GetInterfaceObject("MyDLL.MyClass")

___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's AutoCAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies

 

Hey there Mike. While I agree, in principle, with what you are saying,
Jason did mention in his previous post that the same code in VBA was
significantly faster than its VB counterpart. That would certainly
seem to indicate that moving the code into an ActiveX DLL could offer a
healthy performance boost.

 

GetInterfaceObject is used to load in-process servers, i.e. dynamic link
libraries, not executables.

--
There are 10 kinds of people. Those who understand binary and those who
don't.

http://code.acadx.com
(Pull the pin to reply)

 

The speed in vba is not bad at all. On a healthy sized floor plan it only
takes 10 to 20 seconds for each file. In vb it takes almost 5 minutes. I
will look into the adjustments in the selections and see what it does.

I am not very literate with how visual basic is structured so I still have
some questions related to the GetInterfaceObject. Specifically for my code,
what woulr the MyDLL.MyClass be? CleanUp.Clean? Right now the code only
opens the drawing files selected and does not execute the sub in the
CleanUp.dll...

Thanks again for the help.

Jason

 

Hey Chuck! I agree until you look at the code. The faster performance
could have been due to the amount of entities within the file - not vb
vs. vba. Simply, he tried it on smaller files, or by luck only hit
smaller files.
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's AutoCAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies

 

Impossible! That would mean I was wrong, and I simply can't accept
that.