simple lisp help please

; Simple macro to allow easy rotating of text
; sets direction to 0 and clockwise to n so that crosshairs run parallel
; with the rotated object. resets direction and clockwise at end for key
; template

(defun C:met-rt()
(setvar "CMDECHO" 0)

; change direction to 0 and clockwise to n
(command "units" "" "" "" "" "0" "n" "")

; rotate command
(command "rotate" )

; change direction back to 270 and clockwise to y
(command "units" "" "" "" "" "90" "y" "")

(setvar "CMDECHO" 1)
(princ)
)

problem is that it doesnt work!
i dont understand why, my lisp knowledge is rather limited.

thanks

pad

 

the rotate call is a little sparse! look at how the rotate command runs in autocad - it requires object(s), a base point and an angle.

Regards
Dave

 

thanks dave
ive added a little to the lisp:

(defun C:met-rt()
(setvar "CMDECHO" 0)

; change direction to 0 and clockwise to n
(command "units" "" "" "" "" "0" "n" "")

(setq t (entsel "Select text: ") )

(command "rotate" t "" "" )

; change direction back to 270 and clockwise to y
(command "units" "" "" "" "" "90" "y" "")

(setvar "CMDECHO" 1)
(princ)
)


the rotation seems to work, the problem now is the resetting of the units
at the end. it just doesnt happen??

in autocad - it requires object(s), a base point and an angle.

 

Thanks Jon

very helpful
unfortunately i'm still getting the problem with the units not being reset
at the end.
ive tried the pause command just before (command "units" "" "" "" "" "90"
"y" "")
but its still not doing it.
argh!
its necessary because many of the other lisps i use need the units set up
with north as 0 and clockwise angles.

this is the commandline output when running the lisp:

Command: met-rt

Select objects: 1 found

Select objects: Unknown command "MET-RT". Press F1 for help.

Invalid point.
Function cancelled
Specify base point:
Specify rotation angle or [Reference]:
Command:

i should note that i'm using acad2002, maybe upgrade in a couple of months
time.

cheers
pad

 

What exactly are you trying to do?

(setq currentrotangle (cdr (assoc 50 (entget (car (entsel))))))

Will retrieve the rotation angle in radians. Look into ENTMOD and radians to degrees conversions.

 

basically its a lisp to speed up the rotating of text/blocks along lines.
our standard template has north as 0 and clockwise angles so this means when
rotating text/blocks the cross hairs run at 90 deg to the text/blocks.
with the template changed to 90 and clockwise off the crosshairs run
parallel to the text/block being rotated which makes it easier to eye in.

the lisp wants to

a) set template to (command "units" "" "" "" "" "0" "n" "")

b) rotate selected object/text

c) set template to (command "units" "" "" "" "" "90" "y" "")

d) end

thats all no conversion necessary

but i cant get the damn thing to work though ;o(

pad

to degrees conversions.

 

<<b) rotate selected object/text>>

Rotated to what?

 

maybe along a line or rotated to any angle of my choice.

its for landsurvey drawings.

 

to whatever i choose it to be with my mouse
or to the angle of an adjacent poly line.

thanks
pad

 

Then you need to pause the routine to allow you to select the base point, get the current angle and get a point for the rotation angle.

Getting the current angle, accurately, will require getting the association code 50 of the selected text and converting it to degrees.

 

the rotation seems to work well enough now, its not required to be very
accurate just visually accurate at plotting scales of 1:50 to 1:500.

the problem i'm faced with now is the resetting of the template, it for some
reason will not work.
i need to find a lisp book i think.

(defun C:met-rt (/ SelectionSet)
(setq SelectionSet (ssget))
;; If something was selected ...
(if SelectionSet
;; Do it
(progn
(setvar "CMDECHO" 0)
;; change direction to 0 and clockwise to n
(command "units" "" "" "" "" "0" "n" "")

;; rotate command
(command "rotate" SelectionSet "" "")

;; change direction back to 270 and clockwise to y
(command "units" "" "" "" "" "90" "y" "")

(setvar "CMDECHO" 1)
)
;; Otherwise ...
(alert "Nothing selected!")
)
(princ)
)

thanks for your help its appreciated.

get the current angle and get a point for the rotation angle.

association code 50 of the selected text and converting it to degrees.

 

When I first started doing site plans, I thought I should use North=0
and angles clockwise, but soon discovered that Surveyor's units
scheme was designed for the units allowed to remain East=0 and
angles measured CCW. If you leave the units scheme that way, when
you key in line 0,0 @12<N , you will find that North still goes up and
that all other angle directions perform well.

Then you don't have to worry about text rotation.

 

i hear what your saying doug
i use a fair lisp routines and they rely on north being 0
using (command "units" "" "" "" "" "0" "n" "") has worked on lisp routines
for me in the past.
so i am stuck with using north as 0 and clockwise.

its no big deal, it would have been a nice little routine to speed up the
presentation of the text.

cheers

 

<<the problem i'm faced with now is the resetting of the template, it for some reason will not work.>>

Resetting what in the template? What template?

 

the drawing template.

i have to use units set at north 0 and clockwise angles.

if you look at this lisp:

(defun C:met-rt (/ SelectionSet)
(setq SelectionSet (ssget))
;; If something was selected ...
(if SelectionSet
;; Do it
(progn
(setvar "CMDECHO" 0)
;; change direction to 0 and clockwise to n
(command "units" "" "" "" "" "0" "n" "")

;; rotate command
(command "rotate" SelectionSet "" "")

;; change direction back to 270 and clockwise to y
(command "units" "" "" "" "" "90" "y" "")

(setvar "CMDECHO" 1)
)
;; Otherwise ...
(alert "Nothing selected!")
)
(princ)
)


you will see that the units are first changed to east as 0 and counter
clockwise angle (command "units" "" "" "" "" "0" "n"
"")
then the rotation command is used
then
the units are changed to 0 as north and clockwise angles for compatibility
with my other lisp routines.
this is the bit that isnt working (command "units" "" "" "" "" "90" "y" "")


ok i wont mention templates again it has seemed to confuse things

 

This should work for you. I took John's and added some
(defun C:met-rt (/ SelectionSet)
(setq SelectionSet (ssget))
;; If something was selected ...
(if SelectionSet
;; Do it
(progn
(setvar "CMDECHO" 0)
;; change direction to 0 and clockwise to n
(command "units" "" "" "" "" "0" "n" )
;; rotate command
(command "rotate" selectionset "")
(while (= 1 (getvar "cmdactive"))
(command pause))
;; change direction back to 270 and clockwise to y
(command "units" "" "" "" "" "90" "y")
(setvar "CMDECHO" 1)
)
;; Otherwise ...
(alert "Nothing selctied!")
)
(princ)
)


You could also do the rotate like
(command "rotate" selectionset "" pause pause)


"Pad" <

 

that is the one, works a treat!

thank you very much both John and Doug

excellent stuff.