Open ended user input in a Menu Macro?

I am looking to create a menu macro for use with a Tool Palette. I want the
macro to start the PLine command, allow the user to do as many vertexes as
desired, then upon completion of the PLine, do a RevisionCloud, by object,
last entity, and no to reverse loops. The latter all automatically. I can
get I defined number of vertexes, but I can't seem to figure out how to get
the openended PLine to work.
Anyone have a suggestions?
The goal here is to make a rev cloud by object a single task. Rather than
drawing a rectangle or closed polyline, then doing revcloud, typing object,
picking the object, and then return for default loops, I just pick the tool,
pickpoints and I'm done. The pline gets converted to a rev cloud, with the
right loop sizes and orientation, on the right layer.

BTW, the answer to my earlier macro question, how to get Mid2Points to work
in a macro, looks like this:
^C^C_breakline;S;.125;E;.0625;M2P;\\M2P;\\;

I get a break line, with specified block size and extension, on the right
layer, with M2P snaps for both pick points automatically. I will use it for
stairs, where I always draw my break line from mid tread to mid of next
tread. Pretty slick.

Best,
Gordon

 

Since you say you want to do this "by object" and choose "no to reverse
loops", you must be in a recent enough release that Revcloud is a native
command, rather than an Express Tool. If that's the case, my "suggestion"
is just to invoke Revcloud directly. You can start the menu item with layer
settings, and set arc lengths within the command (unlike in the Express
Tool, where it looks like you need the dialog box to do that). I'm not
understanding why you would want to make a polyline and then convert it.

But if you really do want to do that, check out (while) and the "cmdactive"
system variable. You could find examples of their use in various threads in
the newsgroup history.

--
Kent Cooper, AIA

.....

 

Hi Gordon,

[...]

Diesel has no direct support for looping, so I fear it's easier to do it
in e.g. lisp, although that leaves out LT.

Any Layer setting applied to the Toolpalette entry is respected, so the
following should do it.

; RCPOLY
; author: ruul AT gmx.net - 2004/11/18
(defun c:rcpoly ( / elast ent)
(setq elast (entlast))
(setvar "osnapcoord" 1)
(command "_pline")
(while (wcmatch (strcase (getvar "cmdnames")) "*PLINE*")
(command pause)
)
(if (/= elast (setq ent (entlast)))
(command "_revcloud" "_o" ent "_n")
)
'Thanks
)
; ---- that's it ----------

ruul

 

Yes, R2005, so cloud is finally native. As for why I want to do it this way,
I really hate the look of a freehand cloud, with the loops sized by speed of
movement and such. My preference is to draw a recangle or closed pline and
convert, it just looks cleaner. But that requires two commands, the pline
and the cloud, and setting the loop size (because I also use a cloud with
different loop size for hedges and other planting), choosing by Object, etc.
The goal was to have a single Tool that lets you pick points, and you end up
with a cloud, with correct loop size, on the right layer, with no extra
effort.

I was thinking of that, but I would really like to keep it as a menu macro,
as it is easier for people to customize, and it works in LT.

It was worth a try, tho'

Gordon