Inserting Blocks with VBA...

[frostrap]

I've been looking but haven't found a solution to this one yet.

This may be hard to explain, so I'm going to throw some code out there, and hopefully someone can help me out.

Please ask questions and I'll clarify as needed.

Essentially this code initiates the insertion of a block, but only predetermines the scale, leaving the insertion point and rotation up to the user to determine.

I need the user to be able to visually rotate the block on screen before completing the insertion.

Is there any way of accomplishing what the following code does, in vba without using the .sendcommand method (perhaps with an insertblock method)?

ThisDrawing.SendCommand "-insert" & vbCr & thePath & vbCr & "S" & vbCr & theScale & vbCr

I can send the rest of the Sub if you would like to see it.

There are several reasons why I need to do this, I'll explain more as people ask... that way I wont have to write a larger book than I already have!

Thanks for everything

Joe

[ASMI]

I think you cannot to do it without SendCommand (I can be wrong). Try something like this to complete your expression and continue of program execution:

ThisDrawing.SendCommand "(command " & Chr(34) & "._-insert" & Chr(34) & vbCr & Chr(34) & thePath & _
                          Chr(34) & " pause" & vbCr & Chr(34) & "1" & Chr(34) & vbCr & Chr(34) & theScale & Chr(34) & _
                          vbCr & Chr(34) & " pause" & Chr(34) & ")" & vbCr

[ska67can]

how about something like this:

Dim oBlock As AcadBlockReference
Dim Pt1 As Variant
Dim iAngle As Double
 
Pt1 = ThisDrawing.Utility.GetPoint(, "Select Basepoint: ")
iAngle = ThisDrawing.Utility.GetAngle(Pt1, "Select Rotation Angle: ")
Set oBlock = ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.InsertBlock(Pt1, thePath, 1#, 1#, 1#, iAngle)

ska

[ASMI]

> ska67can

Read first post

I need the user to be able to visually rotate the block on screen before completing the insertion.

[LCE]

You could fudge it.
Insert the block first, then use move to set the insertion point, and rotate with reference to set the angle...
Then confirm it and it will keep the block, else delete it...
Like I said, fudging it...

[frostrap]

I think I'm going to end up fudging it as LCE suggests.

ska, how does "._-insert" differ from "-insert"?

[SEANT]

The “.” preceding a command will force Autocad to use its own core command. This feature is there because it is possible to redefine a command of a given name.

As a matter of fact it may be just what’s required if the situation described here:

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=23403

is the problem at hand. Normally, employing that “SendCommand” configuration does not modify the FILEDIA variable; is it possible that the INSERT command has been redefined on your setup?

[frostrap]

I've looked through the lisp files that could contain a redefinition of insert and also have looked at the command alias's, but didn't find anything.

Actually, the reason I'm searching for alternatives to the insert command are not directly related to the mysterious filedia problem from the other post.

There are two reasons that I was looking to not use sendcommand.

One: I need the blocks being inserted to be inserted on a layer other than the current default layer. To accomplish this, I was temporarily changing the default layer to the insertion layer, inserting the block, then changing the default layer back to the original layer. Unfortunately, this isn't always working. If, after the insert command is issued, but before the block is inserted, the user tries to pan, AutoCAD resets the default layer to the original layer, away from the layer that I want the block to go on. To resolve this I will just change the block's layer after it's been inserted, rather than initially changing the layer that the block is being put on.

Two: This VBA program is initiated by a small lisp routine. This allows the user to initialize the macro via the command line command "TTY". Once the user is done inserting the block they want, the VBA program closes. When the user hits enter (if TTY was the last command typed) AutoCAD should run the TTY command, and launch the block manager. Unfortunately, if I have issued a command (such as "._-insert") in the VBA code, AutoCAD will recognize that command as the last command instead of "TTY", so the user, expecting to relaunch the block manager, unintentionally launches the insert command.

I have a workaround for this in my mind, but haven't tested it yet, and was hoping to get some more suggestions from the folks on here.

That was a mouthful! Any other ideas?

[LCE]

I would strongly advise that you look into the use of VB.NET, rather than VBA as it will help with a lot of what you have explained above. No need to run it from a lisp as the command is defined in the vb.net app. and you can call commands without sending them to the command line. So the last command would be your defined command, rather than any that you call from your app.

[SEANT]

Using .NET is good advice – unfortunately 2004 predates that API.

Is “dynamic feedback” actually that important? Sure, it would be nice but withholding that bit of eye candy to avoid SENDCOMMAND seems worth it.

Something like this may give sufficient reference:

Sub InsertWithReference()
Dim varInsertPt As Variant
Dim varInsertPtTran As Variant
Dim entInsert As AcadBlockReference
Dim dblOr(2) As Double
Dim dblX(2) As Double
Dim dblZ(2) As Double
Dim varZ As Variant
Dim varX As Variant
Dim dblAngle As Double
Dim entRay As AcadRay
   dblX(0) = 1#
   dblZ(2) = 1#
   With ThisDrawing
      varZ = .Utility.TranslateCoordinates(dblZ, acUCS, acWorld, 1)
      varInsertPt = .Utility.GetPoint(, "Insertion Point: ")
      varInsertPtTran = .Utility.TranslateCoordinates(varInsertPt, acWorld, acUCS, 0)
      varX = .Utility.TranslateCoordinates(dblX, acOCS, acUCS, 1, varZ)
      dblAngle = .Utility.AngleFromXAxis(dblOr, varX)
      varX(0) = varInsertPtTran(0) + 1
      varX(1) = varInsertPtTran(1)
      varX(2) = varInsertPtTran(2)
      Set entInsert = .ModelSpace.InsertBlock(varInsertPt, "A", 1#, 1#, 1#, -dblAngle)'adjust block name as needed
      Set entRay = .ModelSpace.AddRay(varInsertPt, .Utility.TranslateCoordinates(varX, acUCS, acWorld, 0))
      entRay.Highlight True
      varX = .Utility.GetPoint(varInsertPtTran, "Adjust angle: ")
      varInsertPtTran = .Utility.TranslateCoordinates(varInsertPt, acWorld, acOCS, 0, varZ)
      varX = .Utility.TranslateCoordinates(varX, acWorld, acOCS, 0, varZ)
      dblAngle = .Utility.AngleFromXAxis(varInsertPtTran, varX)
      entInsert.Rotation = dblAngle
      entRay.Delete
   End With
End Sub