The last little project I did, parts of it below, took about 12-15 hours in Visual Studio (COM) and on completion I dumbed it down and converted it to Excel VBA-Autocad, about 3-4 hours for that. The code does not have to rewritten. The improvements of VB.net have to be undone.
Visual studio is a vastly better programming environment than VBA. But the problem is distribution. If the distributed XLSM file has the wrong version of autocad referenced, Excel will open the dialog to change it when first opened. With an EXE its just a dead end. Netload does seem to have some flexibility in this area. I have been working on it. I think I have some success driving parts in autocad from a form with a draw button and textbox number input with autocad.net, so that is the next direction.
Nevertheless I am using Visual Studio to automate Autocad with COM (ActiveX) and, so far, it works great. Essentially I am getting full functionality just by pasting from excel VBA and correcting the syntax changes. But I can’t share it with any other autocad version.
Below are some thoughts on developing a Visual Studio toolbox template and typical methods for multi-view 2D parametrics, with COM, not dotnet.
The basic starting technique is to sketch the part a view at a time on an XY grid. On the sketch, draw a vertical line at each X coordinate needed, X1, X2 etc. Do the same thing for the Y axis. Now link those to the parameters.
For instance a sheetmetal formed pan with a double bend at each side – You will have LENGTH, WIDTH, EDGE and FLANGE. The entire thing is described with 4 variables.
to draw a face view –
X0 = 0
X1 = FLANGE
X2 = WIDTH – FLANGE
X3 = WIDTH
The Y values are the same except LENGTH is substituted for WIDTH.
Then put those together to create point objects – an array of 3 doubles. Its much simpler to create the x, y values first then create the point objects.
in this simplest case, I have a box sub and the creation of the points is buried in there.
a slightly more complicated side view starts to show how this helps manage the complexity.
While that is an ugly point list, hard to read, it was easy to write. The figure is double line, in case its hard to tell. I am hard coding the thickness at 1/16 inch but that could also be a variable. Start at X1,Y1 and go counter-clockwise around.
In a multi-view drawing, how do we get the side view out to the side? we draw it in place by just adding a displacement to the X values. If the view is above, we add to the Y values. If its up and over, we add to both.
The displacement will vary on a lot of factors, mainly the dimensions of the front view and the dimension space.
Without dimensions, its just a sketch. The main programming toolbox for simple 2D parametrics contains wrappers or helpers for
Line
Polyline
Circle
Slot (in this particular example)
A point creator (essential with VBA but not hardly necessary with VB.NET)
Selection Sets (for making a Block)
Mtext
Linear Dimension, horizontal and vertical
Making a Block
Make the form look the way you want, change all the textbox label text at the same time with the idea they will all become global variables. Move things around, then change all the textbox names at the same time. Declare global variables for everything on the screeen, and make a sub to Get_All_Vars. Load defaults either by typing values into the properties box or in form_load.
I have one button to draw all views, with check boxes to turn on or off. the button is simple.
Private Sub Btn_Draw1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Btn_Draw1.Click get_all_vars() 'get all vars from form draw_init() 'set layer, dimstyle If g_v1 Then view1() If g_v2 Then view2() If g_v3 Then view3() If g_v4 Then view4() If g_v5 Then view5() acadApp.Update() End Sub Sub draw_init() pt0 = Pt(0, 0, 0) acadDoc.SetVariable("clayer", "0") acadDoc.SetVariable("textstyle", "ArialN") 'g_sc is from form Dim str As String = "PP-" & g_sc acadDoc.ActiveDimStyle = acadDoc.DimStyles.Item(str) acadDoc.SetVariable("LTSCALE", 0.5 * g_sc) End Sub
Get_all_vars and draw_init are in the button, so the user can change the form and draw. Everything read in from the form is saved to a global variable. This makes it easier, there is no decision making over how to pass necessary variables. This is a small program.
Another expediency is the loading of drawing elements. I like to be able to start a program like this from a completely blank drawing. I load in a template drawing when the form loads. The template drawing has layer, dimension style, and text style information only. I have a half dozen dimension styles, all identical except for the dimension scale, and I name them pp-12, pp-16, pp-24 etc and set to the proper one from the scale on the form.
Sub Insert_delete() Dim strpath As String = "c:\prog\acad\" Dim strfile As String = "pnl_template.dwg" pt0 = Pt(0, 0, 0) Dim blockrefObj As AcadBlockReference blockrefObj = acadDoc.ModelSpace.InsertBlock(pt0, strpath & strfile, 1, 1, 1, 0) blockrefObj.Delete() End Sub
The first thing that has to be done is make a connection to autocad. you cannot make any autocad moves before connecting. Start_cad is called from Form_Load. It has to be first and it doesnt need to occur everytime the draw button is pushed.
Public Sub start_cad() m_ProgID = "AutoCAD.Application.22" Call Connect_acad(m_ProgID) Insert_delete() End Sub Public Sub Connect_acad(strProgID As String) acadApp = Nothing 'Dim strProgId As String = "AutoCAD.Application.22" Try '' Get a running instance of AutoCAD 'acadApp = GetObject(, strProgId) acadApp = CType(GetObject(, strProgId), AcadApplication) Catch Try '' Create a new instance of AutoCAD acadApp = CType(CreateObject(strProgId), AcadApplication) Catch ex As Exception MsgBox(ex.Message) Exit Sub End Try End Try acadApp.Visible = True '' Display the application ' MsgBox("Now running " & acadApp.Name & " version " & acadApp.Version) 'load whatever globals needed based on acadapp acadDoc = acadApp.ActiveDocument acadMs = acadApp.ActiveDocument.ModelSpace ThisDrawing = acadApp.ActiveDocument End Sub
the actual drawing subs are called View1, View2 etc. that is where we declare x and y values and branch off to the wrappers and helpers.
Function Line1(pnt1() As Double, pnt2() As Double, Optional strlayer As String = "none") As AcadLine ' line wrapper absolute pt args with optional layer Dim lineobj As AcadLine lineobj = acadDoc.ModelSpace.AddLine(pnt1, pnt2) If strlayer <> "none" Then lineobj.Layer = strlayer End If g_pt = pnt2 g_line = lineobj Return lineobj End Function Sub Mtxt1(ptx() As Double, dblwidth As Double, str As String, Optional height As Double = 0.125, Optional layer As String = "0") 'uses optional height , layer g_mtxt = acadDoc.ModelSpace.AddMText(ptx, dblwidth, str) g_mtxt.Layer = layer g_mtxt.Height = height End Sub Sub dimh(pt1() As Double, pt2() As Double, dimlocpt() As Double, Optional stylename As String = "none") Dim dimObj As AcadDimRotated dimObj = acadDoc.ModelSpace.AddDimRotated(pt1, pt2, dimlocpt, 0) dimObj.Layer = "Dim" If stylename <> "none" Then dimObj.StyleName = stylename dimObj.Update() End If g_dim = dimObj End Sub Sub dimv(pt1() As Double, pt2() As Double, dimlocpt() As Double, Optional stylename As String = "none") Dim dimObj As AcadDimRotated dimObj = acadDoc.ModelSpace.AddDimRotated(pt1, pt2, dimlocpt, PI / 2) dimObj.Layer = "Dim" If stylename <> "none" Then dimObj.StyleName = stylename dimObj.Update() End If g_dim = dimObj End Sub
I have found it easier to have separate subs for vertical and horizontal dims. With dimensions the endpoints are pretty straightforward, but the dimension line also has to be located. In old lisp routines, I always queried the dimstyle to see what the dimscale was. a half inch is a good distance to use between the part and the dimension line and between dimension lines. this is scaled times the overall scale factor, which is a textbox on the form. the location of the side views also use the scale to know how much space the dimensions take.
The dimension lines can be located with a Polarpoint type function. This works just like autocad’s built-in Utility.PolarPoint
Function ppt(pnt() As Double, ang As Double, dist As Double) As Double() Dim pnt1() As Double Dim x, y As Double x = dist * Math.Cos(Deg2rad(ang)) y = dist * Math.Sin(Deg2rad(ang)) pnt1 = Pt(pnt(0) + x, pnt(1) + y, 0) Return pnt1 End Function
if we are dimensioning a box with corners at pt0,1,2,3
g_sc is a global scale variable from form (default 16).
Dim spc As Double = 0.5 * g_sc pt0 = Pt(0,0,0) pt1 = Pt(pnl_wid, 0, 0) pt2 = Pt(pnl_wid, pnl_len, 0) pt3 = Pt(0, pnl_len, 0) dimh(pt0, pt1, ppt(pt0, 270, 2 * spc)) dimv(pt1, pt2, ppt(pt1, 0, 2 * spc)) dimh(pt3, pt2, ppt(pt3, 90, 2 * spc)) dimv(pt0, pt3, ppt(pt0, 180, 2 * spc))
Since these are overall dimensions, that puts them two spaces away so we can get another line in closer for details.
A basic tool for putting in a variable number of holes or slots at regular intervals and centering them on an any-size edge, is here,
L = N * C + 2R
I like to block drawing elements that are supposed to stay together. The front view of these panels are often put together side by side to form walls. if a block is made the assembly can be put together with ease. making a block in autocad activex is usually described as drawing in a BlockSpace, just like you would otherwise draw in a ModelSpace. That sounds fine in theory, but in practice it presents a problem to the wrapper helpers who all have something like
lineobj = acadDoc.ModelSpace.AddLine(pnt1, pnt2)
built into them. In Lisp i did have a switch on the argument list to draw in either ms or bs. in vb i am not sure that could be made to work so easily. Fortunately there is another method, and it allows much more flexibility.
the gist of the code is this
Dim B1 As AcadBlock B1 = acadDoc.Blocks.Item(strName) Dim items(i) As AcadEntity 'populate a selection set 'transfer the selection set to array Items acadDoc.CopyObjects(items, B1)
With that method we can draw in modelspace, select the items into a selection set with crossing or window, and send the selection set to the block making routine.
When making blocks there are 3 possible scenarios,
– the block name is not found and there are no complications, the new block is made, the items erased that formed the block and the block inserted,
– the block name is found but the block is not currently inserted, the old block definition can be deleted and proceed as above.
– the block name is found and there is an insert on the drawing, a message box is raised telling the user the block name is in use, the individual items are left on the screen, but there is no attempt to block.
Make_Block is a boolean function, so it indicates to the calling program whether it was successful or not. if succesful the calling program deletes the entities and inserts the block, if not then it does nothing.
the Try Catch error checking in VB.NET made this part of the code simpler than VBA.
Function Add_ss(strName As String) As AcadSelectionSet 'adds new empty named selection set Dim ss As AcadSelectionSet Try ss = acadDoc.SelectionSets.Item(strName) ss.Clear() Catch 'accessing ss created an error ss = acadDoc.SelectionSets.Add(strName) End Try Return ss End Function '' function ss_x - return selection set from crossing window Function ss_x(ss As AcadSelectionSet, pt1() As Double, pt2() As Double) As AcadSelectionSet 'items not visible do not select acadApp.Update() acadApp.ZoomAll() ss.Select(AcSelect.acSelectionSetCrossing, pt1, pt2) Return ss End Function Sub make_block_assy(strblk As String, pnt1() As Double, pnt2() As Double) Dim sset As AcadSelectionSet sset = Add_ss("SSBLOCK") sset = ss_x(sset, pt1, pt2) Dim result As Boolean result = Make_blk(sset, strblk) If result Then sset.Erase() sset.Clear() sset.Delete() g_entity = CType(acadDoc.ModelSpace.InsertBlock(pt0, strblk, 1, 1, 1, 0), AcadEntity) g_entity.Layer = "0" End If End Sub '' function make_blk '' input - acadselectionset, str name of block '' if new block name - make block, return true '' if old block name with no inserts - delete old reference then make block, return true '' if old block name with inserts - return false Function Make_blk(ss As AcadSelectionSet, strName As String) As Boolean Dim result As Boolean Dim B1 As AcadBlock Dim i As Integer Try B1 = acadDoc.Blocks.Item(strName) Try ' Found block, try to delete" B1.Delete() Catch ex As Exception ' delete generated an error, do nothing and exit function MsgBox("looks like there is an insert, I did not make a new block") result = False Return result End Try Catch ex2 As Exception ' no block found, adding End Try B1 = acadDoc.Blocks.Add(pt0, strName) i = ss.Count - 1 Dim items(i) As AcadEntity Dim item As AcadEntity 'loop ss and add acad entity objects to array For i = 0 To ss.Count - 1 item = ss.Item(i) items(i) = item Next i 'populate block with items in the array acadDoc.CopyObjects(items, B1) result = True Return result End Function
I left out a few details, I have 5 views drawn, the 6th would be a flat pattern layout, before bending.