Copy user defined attribute to raw description using .net

[samthomasdigital]

Hi Jeff,

I am trying to write a script to do the following.

For each (cogo point in drawing)

                {

                If (Raw description == THISCODE*)

                                {

                                Replace THISCODE with User defined attribute 1

                                }

                applyDescriptionKey()

                }

I am running Civil 3D 2013.

Having read through a few of your other threads I noticed that applyDescriptionKey() is 2013 specific.

Cheers,

Sam

[Jeff_M · Accepted solution]

Hi Sam,

I hope you don't get used to someone whipping out some quick code  but I was actually working on something similar recently so I kindof already had some test code here. This should more than get you started. How fluent are you in C#? You will need to add teh appropriate References and using statements...

private void swapdescforudp(string description, UDPString udp)
        {
            CivilDocument civdoc = CivilApplication.ActiveDocument;
            using (Transaction tr = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
            {
                foreach (ObjectId id in civdoc.GetAllPointIds())
                {
                    CogoPoint pt = (CogoPoint)id.GetObject(OpenMode.ForRead);
                    if (pt.RawDescription == description)
                    {
                        try
                        {
                            pt.UpgradeOpen();
                            pt.RawDescription = pt.GetUDPValue(udp);
                            pt.ApplyDescriptionKeys();
                        }
                        catch { }
                        finally { pt.DowngradeOpen(); }
                    }
                }
                
                tr.Commit();
            } 
        }

        [CommandMethod("UDPToDesc")]
        public void udptodesccommand()
        {
            string udpname = "TEST";
            UDPString udp = null;
            CivilDocument civdoc = CivilApplication.ActiveDocument;
            foreach (UDP obj in civdoc.PointUDPs)
            {
                if (obj.Name == udpname)
                {
                    udp = (UDPString)obj;
                    break;
                }
            }
            if (udp == null)
                return;
            swapdescforudp("test", udp);
        }

[samthomasdigital · Accepted solution]

Hey Jeff,

What you sent me looks excellent! I have some perl knowledge that google taught me but C# looks fairly similar.

I really appreciate the help and I should be able to tweak it myself from here. 

I'll let you know how I go.

You're a legend!

Sam

[samthomasdigital]

Hey Jeff,

I worked through the Civil 3D API developers guide and got it working! Thanks for the (massive) head start. Much appreciated.

Sam.

[Jeff_M]

Glad I could help, Sam. Now, if you could mark the post that helped you as the solution instead of your own post... 

[samthomasdigital]

Hey Jeff!

I have modified the code so that it takes both attributes 1 and 2 then concatenates them. It was all going great until I realised that I can't access the Survey User-Defined Attributes. I can't find any documentation on this in the developers guide. Do you know if it is possible?

Cheers,

Sam

[Jeff_M]

Can you post a small sample file? I don't use the Survey DB so I'm not sure... Are you accessing the points in the DB before adding them to the drwing, or are these Survey points in the drawing?

[samthomasdigital]

Hey Jeff,

I had a custom import format file that when I was importing the CSV as survey data Civil 3D was creating another set of attributes Survey User-Defined that I couldn't access through my dll. But...

I found a better way! If I import the points the traditional way then add them to a survey database afterwards I don't get the duplicate attributes and I can use the code you supplied me.

I would have had to modify all the labels styles to include either Attribute 1 or the new one that was created on import Point.Attibute 1 anyway. Painful.

Thanks for the help. Should be all good now.

Sam