LISP to Select Blocks and Add Attributes

[Kyle.para]

Hi All,

We have to add a ton of attributes to all of our blocks.

I found code that was originally written by Lee Mac, but it was designed to type in the block name that you wanted.

I just want to be able to select all the blocks that I want and then have it insert the tags into all of the blocks that are selected.

I tried to change the "name enter box" to a select command but the program comes back with no blocks found.

Sorry I am new to this and may as well be trying to learn another language.

(defun c:addattribs ( / blk def )
  ; Get Entities
    (while (not blk)
            (princ "\nSelect Blocks to Update:")
               (setq blk (ssget '((-4 . "<NOT") (0 . "INSERT,POLYLINE,VIEWPORT") (-4 . "NOT>"))))
    ) ;_  end while
        )
        (if (/= "" blk)
        (progn
            (setq def (vla-item (vla-get-blocks (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))) blk))
            (vla-addattribute def
                (getvar 'textsize)
                acattributemodelockposition
                "New Attribute 1"
                (vlax-3D-point 0 0)
                "NEW_TAG1"
                "New Value 1"
            )
            (vla-addattribute def
                (getvar 'textsize)
                acattributemodelockposition
                "New Attribute 2"
                (vlax-3D-point 0 (- (* 1.5 (getvar 'textsize))))
                "NEW_TAG2"
                "New Value 2"
            )
            (command "_.attsync" "_N" blk)
        )
    )
    (princ)
)
(vl-load-com) (princ)

Thanks.

[Ranjit_Singh2]

I had explained that earlier as well. See post 11. 

[Kyle.para]

Ranjit, I noticed that also but I have no clue how to mix it with this code.

         (vla-addattribute def
             (getvar 'textsize)
             acAttributeModeInvisible
             "New Attribute 1"
             (vlax-3D-point 72 84)
             "NEW_TAG1"
             "New Value 1"
          )

Thanks,

[john.uhden]

As to the text height, reread Post #11 by @Ranjit_Singh2, who deserves all the credit.  The only time I created an ATTDEF as part of a block definition was in 2003 using (entmake).

[Kyle.para]

You guys must like watching a fish tread water. Lol.

Sorry this stuff is not as simple as it seems to me.

Here's the finalized code.  Thanks for your help.

(defun c:addattribs ( / ss i blk blks def )
    (and
       (setq ss (ssget '((0 . "INSERT"))))
       (setq i (sslength ss))
       (while (> i 0)
          (setq blk (cdr (assoc 2 (entget (ssname ss (setq i (1- i)))))))
          (if (not (vl-position blk blks))(setq blks (cons blk blks)))
       )
    )
    (foreach blk blks
         (setq def (vla-item (vla-get-blocks (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))) blk))
         (vla-addattribute def
             8 acAttributeModeInvisible
             "New Attribute 1"
             (vlax-3D-point 72 84)
             "NEW_TAG1"
             "New Value 1"
          )
         (vla-addattribute def
             8 acAttributeModeInvisible
             "New Attribute 2"
             (vlax-3D-point 72 72 (- (* 0 (getvar 'textsize))))
             "NEW_TAG2"
             "New Value 2"
         )
         (command "_.attsync" "_N" blk)
     )
    (princ)
)
(vl-load-com) (princ)

[john.uhden]

Um, what's with

(- (* 0 (getvar 'textsize)))

?

we hafta start getting this done before the tide starts running out.

[Anonymous]

No kidding @john.uhden

I have a new problem now.  How do I enter in the prompt in the code?

I tried to do it like:

             (vlax-3D-point 72 84)
             "ITEM\U+0020$"
         "ENTER"
         "$"
       )

Thanks, Kyle

[john.uhden]

For which items do you want to prompt?

[Kyle.para]

I just want it to say "enter item #" on the prompt when you double click the block after the attribute is inserted.

Right now the prompt is blank.

[john.uhden]

The third item supplied to the addattribute method is the prompt.  I think in your example it was something like "New Attribute 1."  Did you use an empty string "" instead ?  Or is attsynch not doing its job?  Or might you need a regen before the babies are finished being born?  My AutoCAD 2002 precedes attsynch, so I can't test, but I would think it should include a vla-update on the inserts.

[Kyle.para]

Yeah you're right John.

I figured out the problem I was trying to insert into a dynamic block and it wasn't in the original position.

As soon as I reset the block everything was working fine.

I spoke to soon and now have one last issue.

Do you know how to change the justification of the attribute?

I would like one of them to be in the center position.

Thanks, Kyle

[john.uhden]

Treating the attribute as a vla-object, you can...

(vlax-put object 'Alignment 4) ;; for middle justification

For center justification, use 1.

[Kyle.para]

I know this is probably something simple, but I am getting an "error object nil" message when I add it to the code.

I'm thinking object should be something related to my code, but I don't know.  I wish I understood this stuff better.

[john.uhden]

It's only simple once you know everything like @ВeekeeCZ or @Kent1Cooper.

Most AutoLisp functions return a value.

F'rinstance (+ 1 2) returns 3

so if you (setq n (+ 1 2)) then you are setting the symbol n to the return value of 3.

In your case, (vla-addattribute def ...) will return a vla-object ID (um, if it is successful).

So, if you were to (setq Object (vla-addatribute ...)) then the symbol Object would be bound to the attribute's vla-object ID.

That allows you to change certain properties of the Object.

One way to learn of any object's properties is to use the function (vlax-dump-object) which returns a listing of all the object's properties, some of which may be classified as RO, which stands for Read Only, and cannot be changed via AutoLisp.

To give you my previous answer, what I did was to double-click on an attribute and read its justification in the dialog box.

Then I used (setq att (car (nentsel))) to obtain the entity name of the attribute.  (nentsel being for nested entities)

Then I got the attribute's object name via (setq Object (vlax-ename->vla-object Att))

And then read its properties using (vlax-dump-object Object) where I noticed the Alignment property.

So I double-clicked again, changed the justification, and dumped the Object again, noting the changed alignment property value.

Most of the time we don't really remember all the properties and possible values, so we use the above technique to learn of them.

You must learn to do the same, or become a pest.  I trust that you will do the former, not the latter, though asking challenging questions is not being a pest because we all get to learn.

Read again and again and test for yourself.  I got so sick of typing "vlax-dump-object" that my acaddoc.lsp has a line...

(setq dump vlax-dump-object)

so that all I have to type is (dump Object).

[Kyle.para]

John I don't mind trying that, but I honestly don't even know where to begin.

How do I setup that in a program to check the properties?

I tried editing that command a million times this morning and I am getting no where.

By "Object" in my code are we talking about "def"?

[john.uhden]

Please post your latest code and I will fix it for you.  You want the attribute center justified, right?

Is there more than one attribute you want centered, or just one?  Please tell me their tag names.

[Kyle.para]

I'm sorry John, but I truly have tried. I just need it middle center justified because I need to place it in a circle.

It would be: Tag = "ITEM\U+0020$", Prompt = "ENTER ITEM #", Value = "$"

Thank you very much!

(defun c:add$ ( / ss i blk blks def )
    (and
       (setq ss (ssget '((0 . "INSERT"))))
       (setq i (sslength ss))
       (while (> i 0)
          (setq blk (cdr (assoc 2 (entget (ssname ss (setq i (1- i)))))))
          (if (not (vl-position blk blks))(setq blks (cons blk blks)))
       )
    )
    (foreach blk blks
         (setq def (vla-item (vla-get-blocks (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))) blk))
         (vla-addattribute def
         8 acattributemodelockposition
         "ENTER ITEM #"
         (vlax-3D-point 72 84)
         (vlax-put def acAlignmentmiddle)
         "ITEM\U+0020$"
         "$"
         )
         (command "_.attsync" "_N" blk)
     )
    (princ)
)
(vl-load-com) (princ)

[john.uhden · Accepted solution]

I wasn't able to test thoroughly because I have only ACAD 2002 without "ATTSYNC" or the lock option, but I think you will find it works...

(defun c:add$ ( / ss i blk blks def AttObj)
    (and
       (setq ss (ssget '((0 . "INSERT"))))
       (setq i (sslength ss))
       (while (> i 0)
          (setq blk (cdr (assoc 2 (entget (ssname ss (setq i (1- i)))))))
          (if (not (vl-position blk blks))(setq blks (cons blk blks)))
       )
    )
    (foreach blk blks
         (setq def (vla-item (vla-get-blocks (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))) blk))
         (setq AttObj
            (vla-addattribute def
              8
              acattributemodelockposition
              "Enter Item #"
              (vlax-3D-point 72 84)
              "ITEM\U+0020$"
              "$"
            )
         )
         (vlax-put AttObj 'Alignment acAlignmentmiddle) ;; 4
         (command "_.attsync" "_N" blk)
     )
    (princ)
)
(vl-load-com) (princ)

Please let me know if/how it works; accepting the response as a solution is good too.

[Kyle.para]

Thanks a lot John!

[Dany.jee]

Hello John, I am very interested by this lisp,

I have the same needs a big library and the same 15 attributes to add on every blocks.

I tried to change the code but it doesn't run.

The dirrefence is that I need to add attributes and the code (vlax-3D-point 72 84) doesn't change nothing of position of the attributes .

Moreover the  acattributemodeinvisible doesnt work too. ( I use autocad 2016, maybe it's the problem?)

Could you help me with plz  

(defun c:add$ ( / ss i blk blks def AttObj)
(and
(setq ss (ssget '((0 . "INSERT"))))
(setq i (sslength ss))
(while (> i 0)
(setq blk (cdr (assoc 2 (entget (ssname ss (setq i (1- i)))))))
(if (not (vl-position blk blks))(setq blks (cons blk blks)))
)
)
(foreach blk blks
(setq def (vla-item (vla-get-blocks (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))) blk))
(setq AttObj
(vla-addattribute def
3
acattributemodeposition
"New Attribute 1"
(vlax-3D-point 72 84)
"NEW_TAG1"
"New Value 1"
)
)
(setq AttObj
(vla-addattribute def
3
acattributemodeposition
"New Attribute 2"
(vlax-3D-point 72 -168)
"NEW_TAG2"
"New Value 2"
)
)
(setq AttObj
(vla-addattribute def
3
acattributemodeinvisible
"New Attribute 3"
(vlax-3D-point 72 -252)
"NEW_TAG3"
"New Value 3"
)
)
(vlax-put AttObj 'Alignment acAlignmentmiddle) ;; 4
(command "_.attsync" "_N" blk)
)
(princ)
)
(vl-load-com) (princ)

[john.uhden]

I am truly sorry, but I don't remember any of that code being mine.

Perhaps I added or revised something trying to assist, but I really am not familiar with the entire code.

Please look back to see from whom it came.