topic Re: Using ManagedMapApi.dll in Windows Forms Applications? in AutoCAD Map 3D Developer Forum

Using ManagedMapApi.dll in Windows Forms Applications?

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:47:38 GMT

Hi everybody,

I´ve got one question concerning the managedmapapi.dll file from Civil3D 2010:

I want to create a small application for copying XData information to ObjectData tables. Therefore, I have to use the managedmapapi.dll file found in the install directory of Civil3D.
The problem is, that whenever I try to access any member of that dll, I get the following error message in Visual Studio:
File or Assembly "ManagedMapApi, Version=13.0.34.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null" or a dependency can not be found.

I know there´s a sample code in the ObjectARX SDK, but it creates a dll file - I want to create a windows forms application using the dll.

Is there any help you could give me?

Best regards so far,
Wolfgang

Re: Using ManagedMapApi.dll in Windows Forms Applications?

norman.yuan — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:07:39 GMT

ObjectARX/Map ObjectARX and their .NET API conterparts can only be used inside AutoCAD. That is, you cannot use ManagerMapAPI.dll in a stand-alone Win form application.

So, if you have to develop a external exe app, you will automate AcadMap/Civil 3d via Acad COM API and Map's COM API (AMVBAPI.dll/tlb). Note, MAP COM API has not been updated since AcadMap2005 (and may be never updated any more), its power is kind of limited, comparing to Map ObjectARX .NET API.

Re: Using ManagedMapApi.dll in Windows Forms Applications?

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:29:10 GMT

Well,

thanks a lot for your reply, this will definitely help me!

Is there any other way of inventing an interface to copy XData information (being attached to drawing objects) to ObjectData-Tables?

Best regards,
Wolfgang

Re: Using ManagedMapApi.dll in Windows Forms Applications?

norman.yuan — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:47:32 GMT

Why you need to inventing some API? to get XData to Object Data, the existing COM API and ObjectARX Map API (C++ or .NET) are certainly enough to do your work.

My previous reply just pointed out that if you do it from external EXE app, you can only use COM API, not the Map .NET API (well, strictly speaking, you can expose .NET API code as COM, but this is a more complicated topic).

I am not fan of automating Acad(Map) from external application. If you have to search a lots of entities in drawings and retrieve Xdata, then attach Object Data to each of those entity, doing this process from outside AutoCAD will be very slow. Well, if you have to do it in external app via COM API, I'd suggest you first do it with VBA (set reference to AmVbApi.dll), and then port it to external app.

But, if I were you, I'd either do it with pure VBA, or Map .NET API, completely inside AutoCAD Map/Civil 3D.

Re: Using ManagedMapApi.dll in Windows Forms Applications?

Anonymous — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:54:08 GMT

I agree with Norman, why reinvent the wheel.
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2865624&linkID=9240857

--
Murph
www.map3d.wordpress.com

"norman.yuan" wrote in message news:6239738@discussion.autodesk.com...
Why you need to inventing some API? to get XData to Object Data, the
existing COM API and ObjectARX Map API (C++ or .NET) are certainly enough to
do your work.

My previous reply just pointed out that if you do it from external EXE app,
you can only use COM API, not the Map .NET API (well, strictly speaking, you
can expose .NET API code as COM, but this is a more complicated topic).

I am not fan of automating Acad(Map) from external application. If you have
to search a lots of entities in drawings and retrieve Xdata, then attach
Object Data to each of those entity, doing this process from outside AutoCAD
will be very slow. Well, if you have to do it in external app via COM API,
I'd suggest you first do it with VBA (set reference to AmVbApi.dll), and
then port it to external app.

But, if I were you, I'd either do it with pure VBA, or Map .NET API,
completely inside AutoCAD Map/Civil 3D.

Re: Using ManagedMapApi.dll in Windows Forms Applications?

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:27:49 GMT

Thanks again for your replies,

maybe I should´ve defined the goal I want to reach:
The tool that I need will only be used once to copy (quite a lot) of xdata to ObjectData - that´s it. So basically I don´t have to concern about speed issues etc.
So that means, I could use the .dlls within VBA? Also the ManagedMapApi.dll, which is needed for the ObjectData operations? I´ll check that out today, together with the .lsp file, which was posted above...

EDIT: ManagedMapApi.dll can´t be loaded into VBA, but the AmVbApi.dll gives access to the ObjectData tables and its records - THANK YOU!

Best regards,
Wolfgang Edited by: jordy78 on Aug 20, 2009 8:55 AM