programaticaly invoke the command to import survey data

[mfernandes]

I need to programaticaly invoke the command to import survey data.

What would be the vb.net code to bring up and run the Import Survey Data wizard.

I would like to have my program automaticaly delete the point group that is created by the import event.

I hope it does not involve  "shell" command etc etc

thanks in advance.

[mfernandes]

I found a solution to my question.

It can be found at this link

http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%20.NET%20Developer's%20Guide/index.html?url=WS1a919382...

essentially

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime
 
<CommandMethod("SendACommandToAutoCAD")> _
Public Sub SendACommandToAutoCAD()
  Dim acDoc As Document = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument

'' runs the import survey data wizard 

 acDoc.SendStringToExecute("_AeccImportSurveyData ", True, False, False)

End Sub

 

now I just need to get a list of point groups before and after.

Then delete the point group that is recently created.

If anyone has a suggestion, please let me know. It will save me the time.

thanks

[Jeff_M]

Do you need to be running the command like that? You could monitor the CommandWillStart Event, when that command is started add an eventhandler for the ObjectModified Event, then check the objects that are modified, when you get the PointGroup object, save the ObjectId. Have an Editor_EnteringQuiescentState event handler that can then delete that Object after the command ends.

[mfernandes]

Thanks Jeff, I can see why you have reached Expert Elite

I knew LISP and VBA inside out a long time ago, and only now have some time to get into dot net.

So this is a little, ok, maybe a lot, over my head. Also it has been a number of years since.

I understand what you are saying in concept, but have no idea where to even begin.

my current proccess is simple looking for sample codes and using that to relearn.

so any help you can offer is appreciated.

step1. CommandWillStart,                  I assume checks if the survey import event is run.

step2. ObjectModified,                        I assumes checks when a new group is created.

step3 Editor_EnteringQuiescentState  I assume is an event that will delete the objectId i.e. point group.

do you have sample codes or snippets for these three steps that I can take apart and retool to work for what I am creating.

thanks

[Jeff_M]

I'll see what I can drum up. My biggest problem will be trying to explain it properly in VB.NET vs C# (which is what all of my code is in).

[Jeff_M · Accepted solution]

Here is a quick example, in C#, of doing what I described. Besides being C#, this doesn't quite work how you wished, as I don not get a PG created when using the AeccImportSurveyData wizard...not sure what I'm not doing that you are (Idon't use the Survey DB at all, so I'm sure I missed a step somewhere).

So I added/commented some of the code so I could test it by manually adding a PointGroup.

    public class TestSurvey
    {
        ObjectId pgId;
        Editor ed;
        Database db;

        [CommandMethod("SurveyTest")]
        public void surveytest()
        {
            Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
            pgId = ObjectId.Null;
            ed = doc.Editor;
            db = doc.Database;
            doc.CommandWillStart += doc_CommandWillStart;
            //db.ObjectAppended += db_ObjectAppended; //uncomment to test adding a PointGroup manually
            ed.EnteringQuiescentState += ed_EnteringQuiescentState;
        }

        void doc_CommandWillStart(object sender, CommandEventArgs e)
        {
            if(e.GlobalCommandName == "AECCIMPORTSURVEYDATA")
            {
                db.ObjectAppended += db_ObjectAppended; //comment out to test without the command
            }
        }

        void db_ObjectAppended(object sender, ObjectEventArgs e)
        {
            string dxfname = e.DBObject.GetRXClass().DxfName;
            if(dxfname =="AECC_POINT_PG")
            {
                pgId = e.DBObject.ObjectId;
                db.ObjectAppended -= db_ObjectAppended;
            }
        }

        void ed_EnteringQuiescentState(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if(pgId!=ObjectId.Null)
            {
                using (DocumentLock doclock = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.LockDocument())
                {
                    using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartOpenCloseTransaction())
                    {
                        CivilApplication.ActiveDocument.PointGroups.Remove(pgId);
                        pgId = ObjectId.Null;
                        tr.Commit();
                    }
                }
            }
        }

    }

[mfernandes]

thanks Jeff

This is a great start.

given that it has been a numbers of years that I have been trying to migrate from VBA to VB.net, it has been on the back of my mind to maybe, I should invest the time to switch to C# instead. There seem to be more samples in C#.

Maybe this is the push I need. thanks.

I will go through the code and attempt to dissect it to see how it works. huge, Kudos coming your way.

On a side note, utilizing a survey database in C3D offers the advantage of project collaboration.

Survey database do for points, survey figures, breaklines etc, as what shortcuts do for surfaces, alignment etc.

In the import wizard, if you toggle the insert points to drawing to yes than by default a point group is created.

Yes, you can delete this point group, but autodesk developers, in the import dialog, should have given us the option to either create the point group or not.

[mfernandes]

Hey Jeff......Brilliant code.

thanks for the tip on adding the 

using System;
 using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
 using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
 using AcDb = Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
 using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
 using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
 using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
 using Autodesk.Civil.DatabaseServices;
 using CivilDb = Autodesk.Civil.DatabaseServices;
 using Autodesk.Civil.ApplicationServices;

I had the using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput; missing.

The code "works as designed"

The issue is if I run the import survey data from either the command line or from the Home tab, create ground data panel the code line

void doc_CommandWillStart(object sender, CommandEventArgs e)

is fired.

But if I run the command by right clicking on the survey database, the code does not work.

I guess essentially I will have to find what triggers the import dialog box and trap to that.

All the same thanks very much for you snippet of code it offered a very valuable lesson on trapping to a command event.

Now I just need to find out what command I need to trap to.

If you have any suggestions please let me know.

[Jeff_M]

Yes, I had noticed that selecting the command from the Survey tab doesn't trigger the Command* events. I wasn't sure if you were trying to do so, or not, base don the original quesry. I have been unable to find a suitable alternative to find what has created a PG. Since the PG created by the Survey wizard uses the same name as the Inport Event, I think I'd try to find something that can compare the last import event with any newly created PG's name..but haven't had time to see if there is a way to do so.