Lisp for widths of lines

Hi Mr lispy,

I need a lisp file that will measure the perpendicular width between two polylines. The principle polyline must measure the widths from increments say of 10 units (nice to have this as an input).

The output of measured widths would be best sent to an ascii file but otherwise the text screen is cool.

Neat if the principle polyline could choose the left or the right side or both to determine the widths of the space between the other polylines. Maybe a selection option for the polyline to measure the perpendicular width from.

This will save a load of time.

You need a lisp routine to do this because....? I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish. Could you elaborate? Thank you.

Not sure really what you are after, possibly this?

Distance between two polylines?

Not sure really what you are after, possibly this?

 

Distance between two polylines?

Hi Lee,

yes exactly,

I have a large number of iterations which are proving to be time consuming. I am measuring by manual methods as you have pointed out but this is in need of improvement.

A lisp file is needed to measure the perpendicular distance between two polylines.

The two polylines do not have the same directions so the perpendicular measurement is on one them, the principle line.

The principle line is staked at 10 units say and another distance measurement is taken and so on....

idealy an option for selecting the unit spacing and an ascii file out put would be great.

hope this clarify's the issue.

bsimpson

Hi Remark,

I am using a seperate design program called Civildesigner for designing roads. The main design work we have is with upgrades to intersections with widening the road edges.

This means that each time I coordinate a centre line along the road I have to pick up the road edges using a width dimension which is input into Civildesigner in order to produce the relavant quantities and presentations for the road widening.

I hope I will be able to get this lisp file as this will save me measuring up the road edges countless times. I need to cut back on time for design.

Regards

bsimpson

Hi bsimpson,

I have quickly typed this LISP, but I am not sure if it completely suits your needs, but give it a go all the same.

It will dimension a set of lines all from the selection of a first line, and will always dimension the lines to one side.

Let me know if this helps at all.

(defun c:ldist (/ l1 l2 pt1s pt1e pt1 pt2s pt2e pt2)
   (setvar "cmdecho" 0)
   (if
       (setq l1 (car (entsel "\nSelect First Line: ")))
       (progn
           (while
               (setq l2 (car (entsel "\nSelect Second Line: ")))
               (setq pt1s (cdr (assoc 10 (entget l1))))
               (setq pt1e (cdr (assoc 11 (entget l1))))
               (if
                   (> (car pt1s)(car pt1e))
                   (setq pt1 (cdr (assoc 10 (entget l1))))
                   (setq pt1 (cdr (assoc 11 (entget l1))))
               ) ; end if        
               (setq pt2s
                   (cdr (assoc 10 (entget l2)))
               ) ; end setq
               (setq pt2e
                   (cdr (assoc 11 (entget l2)))
               ) ; end setq
               (if
                   (> (car pt2s)(car pt2e))
                   (setq pt2 (cdr (assoc 10 (entget l2))))
                   (setq pt2 (cdr (assoc 11 (entget l2))))
               ) ; end if
               (command "_dimlinear"
                   pt1
                   pt2
                   pause
               ) ; end dim
           ) ; end while
       ) ; end progn
       (alert "No Line Selected")
   ) ; end if
   (setvar "cmdecho" 1)
   (princ "\nFunction Complete.")
   (princ)
) ; end function

Hi Lee,

I had a look at the lisp routine and see that it is on the right track but I am in need of something more.

The routine allows a first and second line to be selected which is correct, however the output is not correct.

The routine needs to take perpendicular distance measurements at inturvals of say 10units, best to have an input of "what is the spacing along the first line" to the second line.

The result need not have a dimension line drawn but best output in a text screen or ascii file. typically with two columns as shown below;

SV dist

0 12.5

10 12.25

20 12.8

30 12.05

30.125 12.00

SV= stake value (spacing along first line)

dist = perpendicular distance from the first line to the second line

The dist measured from the first line to the second line is measured at the perpendicular to the first line and then the intersect of the second line.

I anticipate the routine could be improved.

bsimpson

Ahhh.... I understand now, thanks.

I'll see what I can do

"I anticipate the routine could be improved."

Indeed? How thoughtful of you.

Exactly, you have understood the question. I am looking forward to what you can do.

** I have had a think about the routine **

I could create a routine that requests two line selections and retrieves the angle of one of the lines, and then possibly using a "while" command, the LISP could consecutively draw lines perpendicular to one of the selected lines, (at a predetermined spacing defined by the user).

Then, using the "inters" function with "onseg" set to "nil" (assumes lines are infinite), one could retrieve the intersection between the perpendicular lines and the other selected line. And then the perpendicular distance could easily be calculated using a "distance" function between the two points.

The problem I am having however, is how to extract the calculated distance from the LISP and into a text/excel file.

But I expect someone else will be able to cope with this issue (I expect ASMI will know a thing or two )

Thanks for trying,

It is quite a task. The routine sounds solid and if ASMI can't win then maybe we could put the text into AutoCad in a text table?

Lets wait to here from ASMI I am sure he is around.

thanks

bsimpson

Search for batters & vba here its all done you will need to hack it a bit but it does exactly what you want perpendicular lines to two different polylines.

Found it "Batter ticks"

Hi Bigal,

I tried the routines on my computer.

there was an evolution of about 5 of them. I only managed to get one to partly work, it goes through the routine and correctly asks for the selection of two lines and then the input for the step. Alas the output is *cancel* I don't know Y.

bsimpson

Hi Lee,

I found the following routine that sends coordinates to a txt file maybe we could take the code and use it to resolve the problem you have;

"The problem I am having however, is how to extract the calculated distance from the LISP and into a text/excel file".

;export old style polyline vertex coords to a text file

; mfuccaro@hotmail.com

(defun c:pl2tx( / en ask i a file)

(while (not ask)

(setq en (car (entsel)))

(if en (setq ask (= "POLYLINE" (cdr (assoc 0 (entget en))))))

)

(setq file (open (getfiled "Output file"

(strcat (getvar "dwgprefix")

(substr (getvar "DWGNAME") 1 (- (strlen (getvar "dwgname")) 4)))

"txt" ;file type

1) "w"))

(setq i 0 sep ";") ;sep=separator

(while (or (zerop i) a)

(setq a (mapcar 'rtos (cdr (assoc 10 (entget (setq en (entnext en)))))))

(if a (write-line (strcat (car a) sep (cadr a) sep (caddr a)) file))

(setq i (1+ i))

)

(close file)

(princ (strcat "\n" (itoa (1- i)) " points exported"))

(princ)

)

bsimpson

No trick to file output. Use the following sub.

Note that the list must contain strings!!!

You must convert the following:

SV dist

'(0 12.5
 10 12.25
 20 12.8
 30 12.05
 30.125 12.00)

to this:

'("0 12.5"
 "10 12.25"
 "20 12.8"
 "30 12.05"
 "30.125 12.00")

(defun FileWrite (fn lst / fd)
 (if (setq fd (open fn "w"))
   (progn
     (foreach itm (layoutlist)
       (write-line itm fd)
     )
     (close fd)
   )
 )
)

Hi CAB,

thanks for the comment, however I would need the whole routine.

bsimpson