topic PrinterConfigPath with two paths in .NET Forum

PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Anonymous — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:18:22 GMT

Hi,

I'm trying to set two locations in PrinterConfigPath, but it crashes with fatal error

Dim pref As AcadPreferences = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.Preferences
pref.Files.PrinterConfigPath = "T:\wPlotters;T:\Plotters"

note 1: one location works fine, but i can't figure out, how to put 2 locations there

note 2: when i set those paths manually, the property contains exactly that string

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Anonymous — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:00:17 GMT

Hmmm..

What version of Autocad and what version of Visual Studio?

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Anonymous — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:20:27 GMT

AutoCAD 2012, VS Express 2008

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Alexander.Rivilis — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:44:17 GMT

I did not try your's code but the same can be done with help of setting environment "PrinterConfigDir" (ObjectARX functions acedGetEnv/acedSetEnv and lisp functions (getenv) and (setenv).

How to call acedGetEnv/acedSetEnv from .NET:

http://www.theswamp.org/index.php?topic=33594.0

http://www.theswamp.org/index.php?topic=20237.msg362493#msg362493

http://www.caduser.ru/forum/index.php?PAGE_NAME=message&FID=49&TID=36668&MID=208004#message208004

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Anonymous — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:40:31 GMT

Okay so Here's some sample code I don't have any problem using the Autocad Preferences Object

    Public Application As Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application 'VB.NET Application Object

 Try
            'Acad Preferences Objects
            Dim acPrefComObj As AcadPreferences = Application.Preferences

            'Set Support Paths & Preferences
            With acPrefComObj.Files
                'Editor.WriteMessage("Entered Loop")

                'Change Value in Autocad Preferences if Variable is NOT empty---------------
                .CustomIconPath = sCustomIconPath
                .DriversPath = sDriversPath
               .PrinterDescPath = sPrinterConfigPath
               .PrinterConfigPath = sPrinterConfigPath
               .PrinterStyleSheetPath = sPrinterStyleSheetPath
                .SupportPath = sSupportPath
                .TempFilePath = sTempFilePath
                .TemplateDwgPath = sTemplateDwgPath
                 .ToolPalettePath = sToolPalettePath
                .AutoSavePath = sAutoSavePath

                '---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                '---------------------------------------------------------------------------

            End With


            Editor.WriteMessage(vbTab & "<<[Support Paths Set>>" & Environment.NewLine)

            '---------------------------------------------------------------------------
            'AUTOSAVE SET
            With acPrefComObj.OpenSave
                .AutoSaveInterval = 11
            End With

            Editor.WriteMessage(vbTab & "<<AutoSave Interval Set>>" & Environment.NewLine)

            '---------------------------------------------------------------------------

            '---------------------------------------------------------------------------
            'DefaultPlot File Path & Printer
            With acPrefComObj.Output
                .DefaultPlotToFilePath = _
                Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.MyDocuments)

                .DefaultOutputDevice = DefaultPrinterName()
            End With

            Editor.WriteMessage(vbTab & "<<Default Printer Set>>" & Environment.NewLine)
            '---------------------------------------------------------------------------


            Editor.WriteMessage(vbTab & "<<Support Settings Done>>" & Environment.NewLine)

            Editor.WriteMessage(vbTab & "<<----------------------------------------------->>" & Environment.NewLine)

        Catch ex As Exception

            Editor.WriteMessage("[ERROR:" & ex.Message & vbTab & ex.ErrorStatus.ToString)

        End Try

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Anonymous — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:49:49 GMT

I tested your code on my machine. Invalid Argurment error.

Doesn't like two different paths. Huh?

Who would have thought.

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Alexander.Rivilis — Thu, 17 May 2012 04:22:24 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

I tested your code on my machine. Invalid Argurment error.

Doesn't like two different paths. Huh?

Who would have thought.

The previous version of AutoCAD was not allowed to have more than one path in PrinterConfigPath. That is why there is a problem with Autocad Preferences Object (IMHO). If so, then the only solution - to use acedSetEnv as I wrote above.

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Anonymous — Thu, 17 May 2012 05:28:35 GMT

@Alexander.Rivilis wrote:
The previous version of AutoCAD was not allowed to have more than one path in PrinterConfigPath. That is why there is a problem with Autocad Preferences Object (IMHO). If so, then the only solution - to use acedSetEnv as I wrote above.

OK, I will give it a try. I was waiting for another possible solution, because I don't fully understand that invoke voodoo, so I try to avoid it, if I can.

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Alexander.Rivilis — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:46:38 GMT

Minimum testing with AutoCAD 2013.

C#:

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
using AcRx = Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
using AcEd = Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
using AcDb = Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
using AcAp = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
using AcWin = Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows;

[assembly: CommandClass(typeof(SetEnvInNet.MyCommands))]

namespace SetEnvInNet
{

    public static class Env
    {
        static int Ver = AcAp.Application.Version.Major;
        // AutoCAD 2007...2012
        [DllImport("acad.exe", CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Cdecl, CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, EntryPoint = "acedGetEnv")]
        extern static private Int32 acedGetEnv12(string var, StringBuilder val);
        // AutoCAD 2013...
        [DllImport("accore.dll", CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Cdecl, CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, EntryPoint = "acedGetEnv")]
        extern static private Int32 acedGetEnv13(string var, StringBuilder val);
        static public string GetEnv(string var)
        {
            StringBuilder val = new StringBuilder(16536);
            if (Ver <= 12) acedGetEnv12(var, val); else acedGetEnv13(var, val);
            return val.ToString();
        }
        // AutoCAD 2007...2012
        [DllImport("acad.exe", CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Cdecl, CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, EntryPoint = "acedSetEnv")]
        extern static private Int32 acedSetEnv12(string var, string val);
        // AutoCAD 2013...
        [DllImport("accore.dll", CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Cdecl, CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, EntryPoint = "acedSetEnv")]
        extern static private Int32 acedSetEnv13(string var, string val);
        static public void SetEnv(string var, string val)
        {
            if (Ver <= 12) acedSetEnv12(var, val); else acedSetEnv13(var, val);
        }

    }
    public class MyCommands
    {
        static public void AddPath(string var, string path)
        {
            StringBuilder oldpath = new StringBuilder(Env.GetEnv(var));
            oldpath.Append(";"); oldpath.Append(path);
            Env.SetEnv(var, oldpath.ToString());
        }

        [CommandMethod("SetPath", CommandFlags.Modal)]
        public void TestAddPath()
        {
            AcWin.OpenFileDialog dlg = new AcWin.OpenFileDialog("Select Directory:", "", "", "", 
                AcWin.OpenFileDialog.OpenFileDialogFlags.AllowFoldersOnly);
            DialogResult ds = dlg.ShowDialog();
            if (ds == DialogResult.OK)
            {
                AddPath("PrinterConfigDir",dlg.Filename);
            }
        }
    }
}

VB.NET (converted from C# with http://www.developerfusion.com/tools/convert/csharp-to-vb/)

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput
Imports AcRx = Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime
Imports AcEd = Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput
Imports AcDb = Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
Imports AcAp = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
Imports AcWin = Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows

<Assembly: CommandClass(GetType(SetEnvInNet.MyCommands))>

Namespace SetEnvInNet

	Public NotInheritable Class Env
		Private Sub New()
		End Sub
		Shared Ver As Integer = AcAp.Application.Version.Major
		' AutoCAD 2007...2012
		<DllImport("acad.exe", CallingConvention := CallingConvention.Cdecl, CharSet := CharSet.Unicode, EntryPoint := "acedGetEnv")> _
		Private Shared Function acedGetEnv12(var As String, val As StringBuilder) As Int32
		End Function
		' AutoCAD 2013...
		<DllImport("accore.dll", CallingConvention := CallingConvention.Cdecl, CharSet := CharSet.Unicode, EntryPoint := "acedGetEnv")> _
		Private Shared Function acedGetEnv13(var As String, val As StringBuilder) As Int32
		End Function
		Public Shared Function GetEnv(var As String) As String
			Dim val As New StringBuilder(16536)
			If Ver <= 12 Then
				acedGetEnv12(var, val)
			Else
				acedGetEnv13(var, val)
			End If
			Return val.ToString()
		End Function
		' AutoCAD 2007...2012
		<DllImport("acad.exe", CallingConvention := CallingConvention.Cdecl, CharSet := CharSet.Unicode, EntryPoint := "acedSetEnv")> _
		Private Shared Function acedSetEnv12(var As String, val As String) As Int32
		End Function
		' AutoCAD 2013...
		<DllImport("accore.dll", CallingConvention := CallingConvention.Cdecl, CharSet := CharSet.Unicode, EntryPoint := "acedSetEnv")> _
		Private Shared Function acedSetEnv13(var As String, val As String) As Int32
		End Function
		Public Shared Sub SetEnv(var As String, val As String)
			If Ver <= 12 Then
				acedSetEnv12(var, val)
			Else
				acedSetEnv13(var, val)
			End If
		End Sub

	End Class
	Public Class MyCommands
		Public Shared Sub AddPath(var As String, path As String)
			Dim oldpath As New StringBuilder(Env.GetEnv(var))
			oldpath.Append(";")
			oldpath.Append(path)
			Env.SetEnv(var, oldpath.ToString())
		End Sub

		<CommandMethod("SetPath", CommandFlags.Modal)> _
		Public Sub TestAddPath()
			Dim dlg As New AcWin.OpenFileDialog("Select Directory:", "", "", "", AcWin.OpenFileDialog.OpenFileDialogFlags.AllowFoldersOnly)
			Dim ds As DialogResult = dlg.ShowDialog()
			If ds = DialogResult.OK Then
				AddPath("PrinterConfigDir", dlg.Filename)
			End If
		End Sub
	End Class
End Namespace

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Rob.O — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 23:13:47 GMT

I know this topic is a couple of years old, but I am trying to replicate this in 2015 with no sucess.

Has anyone written an update that works in 2015?

Strange thing... if I strip out all of the Initialization functionality, and turn it into a class library, I can get it to work through an Visual Studio debug session. But if I build the solution and startup AutoCAD detached from Visual Studio, it will not run properly after NETLOADing the function. It runs, but after I open the Options dialog, it hangs for about 2 minutes before it finally opens. Then, the paths are only displying the latest value entered instead of both values I have added.

Anyone know of a reason why it would work through a debug session, but not through a detached session of AutoCAD?

TIA!

Rob

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Alexander.Rivilis — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 08:17:38 GMT

Function acedGetEnv in ObjectARX 2015 has new signature:

int            acedGetEnv (const ACHAR *sym, ACHAR  *var, size_t nBufLen);

instead of ObjectARX 2014 and early:

int            acedGetEnv (const ACHAR *sym, ACHAR  *var);

So code have to look like this (not tested):

[DllImport("accore.dll", CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Cdecl, CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, EntryPoint = "acedGetEnv")]
extern static private Int32 acedGetEnv15(string var, StringBuilder val, UIntPtr valLen);

Re: PrinterConfigPath with two paths

Rob.O — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 14:49:59 GMT

Thank you Alexander!

I saw that the function changed when I was looking through the 2015 arxdoc.chm for info on it, but I kind of glazed over it!

Works perfectly!

Keep up the great work!

Rob