XData or something else?

[mihajlovic.milosh]

I need to save some data for each block reference and then with reactors update block attributes using that saved data and geometric properties of that block. For instance, one block attribute contains X coordinate, prefix text, suffix text and coordinate precision. Each time the block is moved, the program needs to update X coordinate.

Sp, what should I use: xData or something else?

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Each time the block is moved, the program needs to update X coordinate.

I don't know what AutoCAD-version you are using, but why don't you use the built-in fields in attributes (>>>details<<<)? If you add a field into the attribute that grabs the insertion-X from your blockreference everything is done without any programming!

- alfred -

[owenwengerd]

Unless you must support very old versions of AutoCAD, I would use a field and let AutoCAD do the work. Otherwise, xdata would be fine if your data is always very small. If there's a potential for using up all the xdata space, an extension dictionary would be the next choice.

[mihajlovic.milosh]

Actually, I am using fields right now. But I don't know how to update fields from the reactor. When I try to regen from reactor acad crashes... Any thoughts?

[Alexander.Rivilis · Accepted solution]

acdbEvaluateFields function can help you to update fields.

[mihajlovic.milosh]

Thank you.

But this doesn't work (it raises FATAL ERROR dialog in AutoCAD):

	void modified(const AcDbObject* dbObj) {
		AcDbObject *pBlkRef;
		ErrorStatus err = acdbOpenObject(pBlkRef, dbObj->objectId(), AcDb::kForWrite);
		if (err != eOk) {
			pBlkRef->close();
			return;
		}
		err = acdbEvaluateFields(dbObj->objectId(), AcDbField::kAutomatic);
		if (err != eOk) {
			pBlkRef->close();
			return;
		}
		pBlkRef->close();
	}

[mihajlovic.milosh]

OK I realized what's the problem.

The reactor's modified() function is called when object->close() function is invoked. So acdbEvaluateFields() throws eWasNotified. But I need to call acdbEvaluateFields() from the modified() function. I also tried with objectClosed() method - the same story...

Does somebody have a clue how can I solve this? 

[Alexander.Rivilis]

What about:

void modified(const AcDbObject* dbObj) 
{
   acdbEvaluateFields(dbObj->objectId(), AcDbField::kAutomatic);
}

?

IMHO. This is not the best place to call acdbEvaluateFields. I would prefer to use a command-reactor (for example, commandEnded). modified-reactor can collect AcDbObjectId of modified objects in order to call acdbEvaluateFields in command-reactor.

[mihajlovic.milosh · Accepted solution]

The problem was that you cannot call acdbEvaluateFields() when closing the object. I had to remember which object was edited in an editor reactor and then in commandEnded() funciton call acdbEvaluateFields().

[Alexander.Rivilis]

---

@mihajlovic.milosh wrote:

The problem was that you cannot call acdbEvaluateFields() when closing the object. I had to remember which object was edited in an editor reactor and then in commandEnded() funciton call acdbEvaluateFields().

---

Now OK?

[mihajlovic.milosh]

Yes.

Though I have one more question. Can I somehow make persistent editor reactor that would load with the concrete DWG file?

[Alexander.Rivilis]

No.