.NET

[#1]

What is the difference between the two? I am running some code to pull the .TextString from the attribute but if I pull it from an AcadAttribute I usually just get a '-' and if I pull it from an AcadAttributeReference I get the correct thing.

Currently I'm looping through the entire model spaces entity collection to find blocks and then attributes in that block. Is there an easier way? Can one use selection sets?

[#2]

Hi,

For example, Block Definition is a template and Block reference is an instance created using that template.

On similar lines, we have an attribute definition and an attribute reference.

For this reason, when you extract the text info from the attribute definition, it returns nothing because it is only a template.

Only the instances will have valid values.

Regarding your other query : You will need to iterate through the model space to find the block references. Selection API do not work on entities not visible in the editor, but a zoom all before you use it may help.

[#3]

Thanks for the reply. That clears up my first question. For the second, one I am still a bit confused. For example I have this:

For Each entity As AcadEntity In modelSpace
    If TypeOf entity Is AcadBlockReference Then
        Dim block = DirectCast(entity, AcadBlockReference)

        '//loop through the attributes
    End If
Next

 Can this be made any faster? Enumerating all the entities in an ACAD drawing can take some time.

[#4]

If you're using Interop so you can try this quick code scratch,

just you don't forget to change the drawing name before.

See result in the command line

{code}

         Public Sub InteropDemo()

        Dim miss As Object = Type.Missing

        Dim AcadApp As AcadApplication = New Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop.AcadApplication()

        AcadApp.Visible = True

        AcadApp.WindowState = AcWindowState.acMax

        Dim adoc As AcadDocument = AcadApp.Documents.Open("c:\test\MyDrawing.dwg")

        adoc.Application.ZoomExtents()

        Dim util As AcadUtility = adoc.Utility

        Dim oSset As AcadSelectionSet = adoc.SelectionSets.Add("mySset")
        '  get current tab name
        Dim layout As Object = adoc.GetVariable("ctab")
        '  using filter
        '  important: use short[] for dxf codes:
        Dim dxfcode As Short() = New Short() {0, 66, 410}
        '  use object[] for dxf values:
        Dim dxfvalue As Object() = New Object() {"insert", 1, layout}
        '  select all attributed block instances in the current tab
        oSset.Select(AcSelect.acSelectionSetAll, miss, miss, DirectCast(dxfcode, Object), DirectCast(dxfvalue, Object))
        '  send  message to the command line:
        adoc.Utility.Prompt(String.Format(vbLf & "Selected: {0} objects", oSset.Count))

        For Each ent As AcadEntity In oSset
            '  important: cast if AcadEntity is AcadBlockReference
            Dim oblkRef As AcadBlockReference = TryCast(ent, AcadBlockReference)

            If oblkRef IsNot Nothing Then
                '  send  message to the command line:
                util.Prompt(String.Format(vbLf & "Block Name:" & vbTab & "{0}", oblkRef.Name))

                Dim attVar As Object = oblkRef.GetAttributes()
                '  important: cast if object is array
                If attVar.GetType().IsArray Then

                    Dim attColl As Object() = TryCast(DirectCast(attVar, Object()), Object())

                    If attColl IsNot Nothing Then

                        For i As Integer = attColl.GetLowerBound(0) To attColl.GetUpperBound(0)
                            '  important: cast if object is AcadAttributeReference
                            Dim attRef As AcadAttributeReference = TryCast(attColl(i), AcadAttributeReference)

                            If attRef IsNot Nothing Then
                                '  send  message to the command line:
                                util.Prompt(String.Format(vbLf & "Tag:   {0}" & vbTab & "Value:   {1}", attRef.TagString, attRef.TextString))

                            End If
                        Next
                    End If
                End If
            End If
        Next

    End Sub

{code}

~'J'~

[#5]

Thanks! I'll dissect your code and see how it turns out.