VB? VBA? Visual Studio (.net) (2005) Waht App should I use?

I am looking to purchse a new softwar package to start learning to write
VB(A) for AutoCAD.
If my understanding is correct, there are resources that are needed for more
complicated coding that requires more than just the VBA that can be written
with the Visual Basic editor that comes with AutoCAD 2005.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

First off you don't need to buy anyhing to write vba - AutoCAD, Word,
Excel, Access all have their own editing environment built in. Since you're
learning, I'd stick to them before you try anything else. Go to your
library and pickup VBA for Dummies to get started. Once you decide to
branch out into the non-vba world, you can use SharpDevelop to write VB.NET
and C#.NET - and its FREE TOO! You just need to download the Microsoft .NET
SDK and the .NET Framework - both free as well.

-- Mike
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's CAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies
___________________________
the trick is to realize that there is no spoon...

 

Mike,

Do you know of any references for AutoCAD apps written in C#? I just need some basic info. I used to work with VBA and would prefer not to go back to it.

Thank you
Tom

 

I don't know of many samples for C# other than what AutoDesk put out in the last event. If you would be specific I would share some of my C# code if it fits.

Regards,

Bob Coward
CADS, Inc

800-366-0946

 

Bob, Any c# samples you could share would be helpful...Tks.

the last event. If you would be specific I would share some of my C# code
if it fits.

 

Paul,

I'm making a little snippet post because I'd like Anne to suggest where and how we apply this type of information exchange.

I'm posting the following C# snippet to support that request I made to find Dot Net a home on the discussion list. The following snippet doesn't have a home in this discussion area. It not ObjectA specific, VBA, or VB(Classic) and will probably make some scream OT, OT. Others might also feel this is completely confusing and again OT.

Comments Anne? I think there is at this time a relatively small handfull of people who really want to focus on this area but could escalate quickly as companies upgrade.


static void Main()
{
Application.Run(new Form1());
}

private void AddLine_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
//' COMMENTS : Every time you press the button "AddLine" a new line is
//' added to your Drawing.
//' All these lines are drawn one over the other so you see
//' only one line in your screen.
//' If you like, you can make your code more clever
//' e.g. changing the StartPoint or EndPoint
//' every time this Click event is called.
//'
//' Define a new object as Line
CITestLib.CILINE Entity;
//'
//' Call method AddCircle to add a circle to the
//' entities collection of the Document.
//' The parameters you pass are center coordinates and radius
//'
Entity = CITestLib.ActiveDocument.Entities.AddLine(new object[] {-5, -5}, new object[] {5, 5});
Entity.PenColor = CITestLib.Constants.CIColorGreen;
Entity.Invalidate();

Regards,

Bob Coward
CADS, Inc

800-366-0946

 

If you are looking for anything specific, let me know. I don't know of
anything on the market yet except for ADN. I'm working on a compilation at
the moment that I hope to get published.

-- Mike
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's CAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies
___________________________
the trick is to realize that there is no spoon...

 

While its written in C#, it's not really the focus of the group you are
asking for because its just suped up VB. If we're going to have a C#
specific area it should be geared toward using the managed .net not the
com. If its com, this is still the right location.

-- Mike
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's CAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies
___________________________
the trick is to realize that there is no spoon...

 

Bob, Thanks so much...There have started to be some c# posts in "objectarx"
group...Not much though...

and how we apply this type of information exchange.

find Dot Net a home on the discussion list. The following snippet doesn't
have a home in this discussion area. It not ObjectA specific, VBA, or
VB(Classic) and will probably make some scream OT, OT. Others might also
feel this is completely confusing and again OT.

of people who really want to focus on this area but could escalate quickly
as companies upgrade.

{-5, -5}, new object[] {5, 5});

 

I have figured out how to make COM calls...It's managed code I am still
learning..(alright haven't learned yet...) Knew it was off subject for
this group... but sometimes ya just gotta take a chance..ha...

Maybe we could adopt managed c# as a pet sub_group for this one...With all
the off topic bs we all put up with anyway... something constructivly off
subject couldn't clog things up too much.... Maybe just on the weekends
when were all avoiding work anyway...ha..

Thanks All..Have a grand weekend...Paul

 

Mike,

Still too in the dark to actually know what it is I need to learn...Got
VS.Net for Dummies last night...Good book bad name...Figured I should learn
something about c# before I start wasting peoples time with CAD
questions....

Using 05 c# Express doesn't help any...Bit buggy(laggy). Going to bite the
bullet and purchase VS03 this week..

Thank You,

Paul

 

Paul,

Have you looked at the ObjectARX SDK that accompanies ACAD 2005? The samples contain the following that might get you moving forward with Dot Fred (Bill Vaughn Reference) and ACAD. The ObjectARX SDK provides several basic VB .NET samples in the \samples\dotNet directory.

We too are preparing code reference for Dot Net and ACAD and will be available on our site via pdf sometime soon. If you want something specific let the list know, it could be a question away.

This sample demonstrates some extra basics of using the .NET API with AutoCAD. It defines three commands:

COMINTEROP - Demonstrates the basics of accessing objects exposed in the ActiveX COM object model. In this case it is the AcadApplication, AcadDocuments and AcadDocument objects. The function then goes on to modify the description of each layer listed in the layer table.

HYPER - Demonstrates how to add a HyperLink object to a Line added to Model Space.


XRECORD - Demonstrates how to create an XRecord, and populate it using the .NET equivalent of resbufs, called 'ResultBuffer'.

If you don't have access to this the class is as follows:

Imports System
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
Imports System.Reflection
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop
Imports System.Diagnostics
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.PlottingServices
Imports DBTransMan = Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.TransactionManager

'to test:
'1. use the NETLOAD command to load mgdarx.dll
'2. issue one of the supported commands (XREC, HYPER, COMINTEROP)
Namespace MgdArx
_

Public Class MyCommands

'this method will be automatically hooked into the AutoCAD command interpreter
'type "cominterop" on the command line after loading this application with
'the NETLOAD command
<CommandMethod("COMINTEROP", CommandFlags.Session)> _
Public Shared Sub ComInteropCommand()
'use AcadApplication property to the to the COM object model
Dim acadApp As AcadApplication = CType(Application.AcadApplication, AcadApplication)
'use the COM object model to iterate through the docs
Dim acadDoc As AcadDocument
For Each acadDoc In acadApp.Documents
'use the static FromAcadDocument method to convert a COM
'document to a mnaged document
Dim doc As Document = Document.FromAcadDocument(acadDoc)

'Declare a document manager object
Dim docMgr As DocumentManager = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager
' use the document manager to lock the document...note: disposal of the lock (below) unlocks the document!
Dim docLock As DocumentLock = docMgr.LockDocument(doc)

Try
'use ObjectId to convert between COM wrappers for database
'objects and their managed wrappers.
Dim id As New ObjectId()
id.OldId = acadDoc.ActiveLayer.ObjectID
Dim ltr As LayerTableRecord = CType(id.Open(OpenMode.ForWrite), LayerTableRecord)
Try
ltr.Description = "Changed by the cominterop command"
Finally
ltr.Dispose()
End Try
Finally
docLock.Dispose() ' unlock the document
End Try
Next acadDoc
End Sub 'ComInteropCommand

'this method will be automatically hooked into the AutoCAD command interpreter
<CommandMethod("HYPER")> _
Public Shared Sub HyperCommand()
Dim db As Database = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Database
Dim tm As DBTransMan = db.TransactionManager
'start a transaction
Dim myT As Transaction = tm.StartTransaction()
Try
'create a line
Dim line As New Line(New Point3d(0, 0, 0), New Point3d(1, 1, 0))
Dim bt As BlockTable = CType(tm.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead, False), BlockTable)
Dim btr As BlockTableRecord = CType(tm.GetObject(bt(BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace), OpenMode.ForWrite, False), BlockTableRecord)
'add it to the model space block table record
btr.AppendEntity(line)
'make sure that the transaction knows about this new object
tm.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(line, True)
'add some hyperlinks
Dim hyper As New HyperLink()
hyper.Name = "www.autodesk.com"
line.Hyperlinks.Add(hyper)
If line.Hyperlinks.Contains(hyper) Then
hyper.Name = "www.gotdotnet.com"
End If
line.Hyperlinks.Add(hyper)
Dim i As Integer
For i = 0 To line.Hyperlinks.Count - 1
Debug.WriteLine(line.Hyperlinks(i).ToString())
Next i 'commit transaction
myT.Commit()
Finally
myT.Dispose()
End Try
End Sub 'HyperCommand

<CommandMethod("XRECORD")> _
Public Shared Sub XRecCommand()
Dim db As Database = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Database
Dim tm As DBTransMan = db.TransactionManager
'start a transaction
Dim myT As Transaction = tm.StartTransaction()
Try
Dim rec As New Xrecord()
rec.Data = New ResultBuffer( _
New TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.Text), "This is a test"), _
New TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.Int8), 0), _
New TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.Int16), 1), _
New TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.Int32), 2), _
New TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.HardPointerId), db.BlockTableId), _
New TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.BinaryChunk), New Byte() {0, 1, 2, 3, 4}), _
New TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.ArbitraryHandle), db.BlockTableId.Handle), _
New TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.UcsOrg), New Point3d(0, 0, 0)))

Dim dict As DBDictionary = CType(myT.GetObject(db.NamedObjectsDictionaryId, OpenMode.ForWrite, False), DBDictionary)
dict.SetAt("test", rec)
tm.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(rec, True)
'list the entries we just added
CommandLinePrompts.Message("Xrecord items:" + ControlChars.Lf)
Dim rb As TypedValue
For Each rb In rec.Data
CommandLinePrompts.Message(String.Format("TypeCode={0}, Value={1}" + ControlChars.Lf, rb.TypeCode, rb.Value))
Next rb
'add some xdata on the xrecord (silly but this is just a test)
'first have to register an app
Dim tbl As RegAppTable = CType(myT.GetObject(db.RegAppTableId, OpenMode.ForWrite, False), RegAppTable)
Dim app As New RegAppTableRecord()
app.Name = "MyApp"
tbl.Add(app)
tm.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(app, True)

rec.XData = New ResultBuffer(New TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.ExtendedDataRegAppName), "MyApp"), New TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.ExtendedDataAsciiString), "This is some xdata string"))
'list them
CommandLinePrompts.Message("Xdata items:" + ControlChars.Lf)
For Each rb In rec.XData
CommandLinePrompts.Message(String.Format("TypeCode={0}, Value={1}" + ControlChars.Lf, rb.TypeCode, rb.Value))
Next rb
'commit transaction
myT.Commit()
Finally
myT.Dispose()
End Try
End Sub 'XRecCommand
End Class 'MyCommands
End Namespace 'MgdArx

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Bob Coward
CADS, Inc.

800-366-0946

 

Bob et. al.

Its been 15 years since the use of the Internet has been commercialized
and during that period of time AutoDesk has sold 27 releases of
AutoCAD.

Creating a hyperlink in the editor has been subverted and sabotaged
by AutoDesk who I content does not want customers or developers
to be able to use the products with HTTP and web enabled applications.

--
<%= Clinton Gallagher, "Twice the Results -- Half the Cost"
Architectural & e-Business Consulting -- Software Development
NET
URL http://www.metromilwaukee.com/clintongallagher/

samples contain the following that might get you moving forward with Dot
Fred (Bill Vaughn Reference) and ACAD. The ObjectARX SDK provides several
basic VB .NET samples in the \samples\dotNet directory.

available on our site via pdf sometime soon. If you want something specific
let the list know, it could be a question away.

AutoCAD. It defines three commands:

ActiveX COM object model. In this case it is the AcadApplication,
AcadDocuments and AcadDocument objects. The function then goes on to modify
the description of each layer listed in the layer table.

..NET equivalent of resbufs, called 'ResultBuffer'.

CType(Application.AcadApplication, AcadApplication)

disposal of the lock (below) unlocks the document!

CType(id.Open(OpenMode.ForWrite), LayerTableRecord)

OpenMode.ForRead, False), BlockTable)

CType(tm.GetObject(bt(BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace), OpenMode.ForWrite,
False), BlockTableRecord)

CType(myT.GetObject(db.NamedObjectsDictionaryId, OpenMode.ForWrite, False),
DBDictionary)

CommandLinePrompts.Message(String.Format("TypeCode={0}, Value={1}" +
ControlChars.Lf, rb.TypeCode, rb.Value))

CType(myT.GetObject(db.RegAppTableId, OpenMode.ForWrite, False),
RegAppTable)

TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.ExtendedDataRegAppName), "MyApp"), New
TypedValue(CInt(DxfCode.ExtendedDataAsciiString), "This is some xdata
string"))

CommandLinePrompts.Message(String.Format("TypeCode={0}, Value={1}" +
ControlChars.Lf, rb.TypeCode, rb.Value))

 

Why? Seems strange...

 

Hi Clinton,

A number of other users of this group have already commented on your
irrelevant and unintelligible comments.

Why not go away and enjoy yourself somewhere else and stop wasting our
bandwidth ?

The fact that Autodesk have released 27 versions of their software would
seem to me that they are actively improving it. I think that is a good
thing for their customers.
--


Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

 

Hi guys...Broke down and got some serious C# books..Been a while since I've
used C++ but syntax seems familiar..

The vb app I am writting is limited in it's ability to extract 3d Data..I
don't have solids that are complex...just long boxes in most cases...Logs
that make up a log home...I was hopeing that c# might give more control over
analyzing this data...All that is availible in VB for solid is it's centriod
and volume...Tough to get a picture of what kind of solid I'm looking at
with such limited info...(ie length, profile,points...)

Any sample on extracting solid data would be helpful if either of you have
anyting...or anyone else for that matter... Thanks as usual....

TFYT!

Paul

 

Clinton -

PLEASE just make code comments and leave out the conspiracy
theories. Doing so would prevent the discussion group moderators
from removing most of your messages.

 

I'd have to look into it for you, Paul. You might have to wait till the
next release as this one mostly exposes the COM equivalents thru the
managed API.

-- Mike
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's CAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies
___________________________
the trick is to realize that there is no spoon...

 

How has creating a hyperlink in the editor been 'subverted and
sabotaged' ? Feel free to expound on this.

Also, what motive is there for Autodesk to not want customers or
developers to be able to use [AutoCAD] with HTTP or web-enabled
applications?

 

I really wouldn't know why and have to guess as I don't think like
corporate slimesters but if I tried real hard my guess would be
Autodesk cheats its customers because they have been trying
to force them to pay to use Buzzsaw.

--
<%= Clinton Gallagher, "Twice the Results -- Half the Cost"
Architectural & e-Business Consulting -- Software Development
NET
URL http://www.metromilwaukee.com/clintongallagher/