topic Get properties and place them into an attribute block in .NET Forum

Get properties and place them into an attribute block

hmsnake — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 19:27:50 GMT

Hello, I am attacking a very ambitious project right now. I want to create a C# (.NET) command that:
1. I want to insert an attribute block into a layout. The user should be able to choose a DWG file that the attribute lives in with the file explorer. Give the user the option to insert into the current layout or into every layout within a SSM

2. I want it to get all of the properties from the layout and the SSM it is part of.

3. The name of each property (i.e. Totsheet) matches corresponds to a prompt in the attribute block. It should identify the prompt name and then insert the property gotten:

I started by trying to achieve each goal individually (see below) and they work. They are slightly simpler versions, but I figured I could ramp them up when the time came. I used Audrey Bushman's code to access the SSM because I could not figure it out myself. I am using ChatGPT to help as well since I am not familiar with the API.

My problems are:
1. I cant get the layout properties, only the SSM properties.
2. I can replace things within an attribute, but not the way I want to. The code that I've pieced together takes a string in from the user, then replaces all of the attributes with that string. I havent figured out any other attribute replacements that will work.

if this is impossible i will be sad but not surprised.. thank you all in advance

Re: Get properties and place them into an attribute block

Ed__Jobe — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 18:23:55 GMT

Please post your code to a code window.

Re: Get properties and place them into an attribute block

hmsnake — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 18:26:41 GMT

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices; using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput; using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime; using System.Windows.Forms; public class InsertExternalBlock { [CommandMethod("InsertExtBlock")] public void InsertBlockFromExternalFile() { // Get the current document and editor Document doc = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument; Editor ed = doc.Editor; // Prompt user to select a DWG file to insert as a block OpenFileDialog openFileDialog = new OpenFileDialog { Filter = "DWG Files (*.dwg)|*.dwg", Title = "Select the DWG File to Insert as a Block" }; if (openFileDialog.ShowDialog() != DialogResult.OK) { ed.WriteMessage("\nOperation cancelled."); return; } string dwgFilePath = openFileDialog.FileName; // Run the AutoCAD INSERT command to insert the DWG as a block ed.Command("_.-INSERT", dwgFilePath, "0,0,0", "1", "1", "0"); } }

using System; using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices; using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices; using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput; using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime; [assembly: CommandClass(typeof(YourNamespace.UpdateBlockAttributesCommand))] namespace YourNamespace { public class UpdateBlockAttributesCommand : IExtensionApplication { public void Initialize() { } public void Terminate() { } [CommandMethod("UpdateBlockAttributes")] public void UpdateBlockAttributes() { Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument; Database db = doc.Database; Editor ed = doc.Editor; // Prompt user to enter the string PromptStringOptions promptStringOptions = new PromptStringOptions("\nEnter the string to insert into the block attributes: "); PromptResult promptResult = ed.GetString(promptStringOptions); if (promptResult.Status != PromptStatus.OK) { ed.WriteMessage("\nOperation canceled."); return; } string userInput = promptResult.StringResult; using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()) { // Iterate through all block references in the drawing BlockTable blockTable = (BlockTable)tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead); foreach (ObjectId blockId in blockTable) { BlockTableRecord blockRecord = (BlockTableRecord)tr.GetObject(blockId, OpenMode.ForRead); // Check if block name contains "Attrib" if (blockRecord.Name.Contains("Attrib")) { // Iterate through all block references in the current space (ModelSpace or PaperSpace) BlockTableRecord currentSpace = (BlockTableRecord)tr.GetObject(db.CurrentSpaceId, OpenMode.ForWrite); foreach (ObjectId entityId in currentSpace) { Entity entity = (Entity)tr.GetObject(entityId, OpenMode.ForRead); if (entity is BlockReference blockRef) { // Check if the block reference matches the desired block if (blockRef.Name.Equals(blockRecord.Name, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)) { foreach (ObjectId attId in blockRef.AttributeCollection) { AttributeReference attRef = (AttributeReference)tr.GetObject(attId, OpenMode.ForWrite); attRef.TextString = userInput; } } } } } } tr.Commit(); } ed.WriteMessage("\nAttributes updated for blocks with 'Attrib' in their name."); } } }

using System; using System.Text; using System.Windows.Forms; // For MessageBox using cad = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application; using App = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices; using Db = Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices; using Ed = Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput; using Rtm = Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime; using Comp = ACSMCOMPONENTS24Lib; using Autodesk.Civil.DatabaseServices; [assembly: Rtm.ExtensionApplication(typeof(Bushman.AutoCAD.SheetSetTools.SheetSetCommands))] [assembly: Rtm.CommandClass(typeof(Bushman.AutoCAD.SheetSetTools.SheetSetCommands))] namespace Bushman.AutoCAD.SheetSetTools { public class SheetSetCommands : Rtm.IExtensionApplication { const string ns = "bush"; // namespace [Rtm.CommandMethod(ns, "ss-get-properties", Rtm.CommandFlags.Modal)] public void GetSheetSetProperties() { App.Document doc = cad.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument; Db.Database db = doc.Database; Ed.Editor ed = doc.Editor; Comp.AcSmSheetSetMgr mng = new Comp.AcSmSheetSetMgr(); Comp.IAcSmEnumDatabase enumerator = mng.GetDatabaseEnumerator(); enumerator.Reset(); Comp.AcSmDatabase smDb = enumerator.Next(); if (smDb != null) { try { smDb.LockDb(db); Comp.AcSmSheetSet sheetset = smDb.GetSheetSet(); if (sheetset != null) { StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(); sb.AppendLine($"Sheet Set Name: {sheetset.GetName()}"); sb.AppendLine($"Description: {sheetset.GetDesc()}"); // Retrieve custom properties Comp.AcSmCustomPropertyBag customProperties = sheetset.GetCustomPropertyBag(); if (customProperties != null) { // List of desired custom property names string[] desiredProperties = new string[] { "Project Name", "Project Number", "Issued Date:", "Title1", "Title2", "Title3", "TotSheets" }; // Iterate through desired properties foreach (var propertyName in desiredProperties) { try { var property = customProperties.GetProperty(propertyName) as Comp.AcSmCustomPropertyValue; if (property != null) { sb.AppendLine($"{propertyName}: {property.GetValue()}"); } else { sb.AppendLine($"{propertyName}: [Not Found]"); } } catch (Exception ex) { sb.AppendLine($"{propertyName}: Error retrieving value - {ex.Message}"); } } } else { sb.AppendLine("No custom properties found."); } // Display the properties in a message box MessageBox.Show(sb.ToString(), "Sheet Set Properties"); } else { ed.WriteMessage("\nNo sheet set is available."); } } catch (Exception ex) { ed.WriteMessage($"\nError: {ex.Message}"); } finally { smDb.UnlockDb(db, true); } } else { ed.WriteMessage("\nNo sheet set is open."); } } private string GetCustomPropertyValue(Comp.AcSmCustomPropertyBag customProperties, string propertyName) { try { var property = customProperties.GetProperty(propertyName) as Comp.AcSmCustomPropertyValue; if (property != null) { return property.GetValue(); } } catch (Exception ex) { // Log or handle the exception if needed Console.WriteLine($"Error retrieving custom property {propertyName} - {ex.Message}"); } return null; } public void Initialize() { App.Document doc = cad.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument; Ed.Editor ed = doc.Editor; ed.WriteMessage("\nSheetSetTools. © Andrey Bushman, 2013\n\n"); } public void Terminate() { // Empty body. } } }

Re: Get properties and place them into an attribute block

Ed__Jobe — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 18:45:39 GMT

If I get more time, I might be able to add more, but here's an extension method that will help.

BTW, I think it's Andrey, not Audrey.

//InsertBlockReference /// <summary> /// Insert a block into the current space. You can optionally fill attribute values. /// </summary> /// <param name="target">The BlockTableRecord of the (model/paper) space to insert the block in.</param> /// <param name="blkName">A string of the block's name.</param> /// <param name="insertPoint">A Point3d to be used as the insertion point.</param> /// <param name="attValues">A Dictionary&gtstring, string&lt in the form of Key, value. /// To be used to supply tag string values. If a key is not found for an attribute, /// the value from the AttributeDefinition is used.</param> /// <returns><see cref="Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.BlockReference"/> of the inserted block.</returns> public static BlockReference InsertBlockReference( this BlockTableRecord target, string blkName, Point3d insertPoint, Dictionary<string, string> attValues = null) { if (target == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("target"); Database db = target.Database; Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.TopTransaction ?? throw new AcRx.Exception(ErrorStatus.NoActiveTransactions); BlockReference br = null; BlockTable bt = (BlockTable)tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead); ObjectId btrId = bt.GetBlock(blkName); if (btrId != ObjectId.Null) { br = new BlockReference(insertPoint, btrId); _ = (BlockTableRecord)tr.GetObject(btrId, OpenMode.ForRead); target.AppendEntity(br); tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(br, true); br.AddAttributeReferences(attValues); } return br; }

Re: Get properties and place them into an attribute block

hmsnake — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 19:54:53 GMT

Oh my gosh you are so right🖐 I will play around with this, thank you! If you have any information on accessing layout properties (within the same sheet set manage) that would be much appreciated as well!

Re: Get properties and place them into an attribute block

ActivistInvestor — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 20:00:58 GMT

@Ed__Jobe wrote:
If I get more time, I might be able to add more, but here's an extension method that will help.
BTW, I think it's Andrey, not Audrey.

br.AddAttributeReferences(attValues);

That's not a method of BlockReference, so it must be an an extension method that comes from the same source as the rest of the code.

Re: Get properties and place them into an attribute block

Ed__Jobe — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 14:51:17 GMT

@ActivistInvestor wrote:

@Ed__Jobe wrote:

If I get more time, I might be able to add more, but here's an extension method that will help.

BTW, I think it's Andrey, not Audrey.

br.AddAttributeReferences(attValues);

That's not a method of BlockReference, so it must be an an extension method that comes from the same source as the rest of the code.

Yes, thanks.

/// <summary> /// Extension method that returns adds <see cref="AttributeReference"/>'s to a <see cref="BlockReference"/>. /// AttributeReference values are taken from the Dictionary attValues argument. /// </summary> /// <param name="target">A BlockReference to add the AttributeReferences to.</param> /// <param name="attValues">The Dictionary to get attribute values from. /// The first string is the Key and is equal to the AttributeDefinition.Tagstring. /// The second string is the attribute value.</param> /// <returns>Void.</returns> public static void AddAttributeReferences(this BlockReference target, Dictionary<string, string> attValues) { if (target == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("target"); Transaction tr = target.Database.TransactionManager.TopTransaction ?? throw new AcRx.Exception(ErrorStatus.NoActiveTransactions); BlockTableRecord btr = (BlockTableRecord)tr.GetObject(target.BlockTableRecord, OpenMode.ForRead); foreach (AttributeDefinition attDef in btr.AttributeDefinitions(tr)) { if (!attDef.Constant) { AttributeReference attRef = new AttributeReference(); attRef.SetAttributeFromBlock(attDef, target.BlockTransform); if (attValues != null && attValues.ContainsKey(attDef.Tag.ToUpper())) { attRef.TextString = attValues[attDef.Tag.ToUpper()]; } target.AttributeCollection.AppendAttribute(attRef); tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(attRef, true); } } } /// <summary> /// Extension method that returns a <see cref="Collection"/> of <see cref="AttributeDefinition"/>'s from a <see cref="BlockTableRecord"/>. /// </summary> /// <param name="btr">This BlockTableRecord to use.</param> /// <param name="trans">The Transaction within which to pass the Collection of AttributeDefinitions.</param> /// <returns>A Collection of AttributeDefinitions.</returns> public static Collection<AttributeDefinition> AttributeDefinitions(this BlockTableRecord btr, Transaction trans) { Collection<AttributeDefinition> atts = new Collection<AttributeDefinition>(); RXClass theClass = RXObject.GetClass(typeof(AttributeDefinition)); // Loop through the entities in model space foreach (ObjectId objectId in btr.Cast<ObjectId>()) { // Look for entities of the correct type if (objectId.ObjectClass.IsDerivedFrom(theClass)) { AttributeDefinition attd = objectId.OpenAs<AttributeDefinition>(trans); atts.Add(attd); } } return atts; }

Re: Get properties and place them into an attribute block

ActivistInvestor — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 01:39:08 GMT

The reason I put code on GitHub is because of this very problem - I can't afford to take the time to find and add all of the code which the code I'm sharing is dependent on, and in some cases, the dependencies can be half-a-dozen layers deep.

I don't write code that can exist in a vacuum (the way coding examples are written), because that's totally unacceptable for real-world application development . So, sharing snippets of code or individual methods is very difficult, as very little of the code I've written over the years can exist or work in a vacuum, without any dependence on other custom-developed code.

btr.AttributeDefinitions(tr)

If you're sharing your code, you can post it in a GitHub repository along with all of the code it's dependent on, and then just share a link to it, and you don't need to worry about finding out and adding what's missing.

Re: Get properties and place them into an attribute block

Ed__Jobe — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 14:48:46 GMT

Yes, that's a good idea. I've only recently gotten access to GitHub here at work and I've been starting to do that.