Insert Block with VB.NET

[-KarL-]

I am finally getting around to converting my programs over to VB.NET and I have been able to find a lot of sample code to help out but the one thing I can't figure out is inserting blocks. Anyone have any sample code I can look at to try to figure this out.

 

Thanks,

-KarL-

[gile]

Hi,

 

You can have a look at this tutorial:

http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/autocad_2007_.net_training.zip

 

or here:

http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%20.NET%20Developer%27s%20Guide/index.html

[-KarL-]

I have been using the autodesk site link a lot already, but haven't found anything on inserting blocks, unless I am looking in the wrong spot.

[gile]

Here's a little sample (C#, sorry, but quite easy to translate)

 

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

namespace BlockInsertion
{
   public class Class1
   {
       [CommandMethod("Test")]
       public void Test()
       {
           Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
           Database db = doc.Database;
           Editor ed = doc.Editor;

           // Get the block name
           PromptStringOptions pso = new PromptStringOptions("\nEnter block name: ");
           PromptResult pr = ed.GetString(pso);
           if (pr.Status == PromptStatus.OK)
           {
               // Start a transaction
               using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
               {
                   // Test if block exists in the block table
                   BlockTable bt = (BlockTable)tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead);
                   if (!bt.Has(pr.StringResult))
                   {
                       ed.WriteMessage("\nBlock not found.");
                   }
                   else
                   {
                       ObjectId id = bt[pr.StringResult];

                       // Get insertion point
                       PromptPointOptions ppo = new PromptPointOptions("\nSpecify insertion point: ");
                       PromptPointResult ppr = ed.GetPoint(ppo);
                       if (ppr.Status == PromptStatus.OK)
                       {
                           Point3d pt = ppr.Value.TransformBy(ed.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem);

                           // Create a block reference
                           BlockReference br = new BlockReference(pt, id);

                           // Get Model space
                           BlockTableRecord btr = (BlockTableRecord)tr.GetObject(bt[blockTableRecord.ModelSpace], OpenMode.ForWrite);

                           // Add the block reference to Model space
                           btr.AppendEntity(br);
                           tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(br, true);
                       }
                   }

                   // Commit the transaction
                   tr.Commit();
               }
           }
       }
   }
}

[gile]

The same one using a Jig.

 

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

namespace BlockInsertion
{
   class BlockJig : EntityJig
   {
       Point3d pt;
       public BlockJig(BlockReference br) : base(br)
       {
           pt = br.Position;
       }

       protected override SamplerStatus Sampler(JigPrompts prompts)
       {
           JigPromptPointOptions jpo = new JigPromptPointOptions("\nInsertion point: ");
           jpo.UserInputControls = UserInputControls.Accept3dCoordinates;
           PromptPointResult ppr = prompts.AcquirePoint(jpo);
           if (ppr.Status == PromptStatus.OK)
           {
               if (pt == ppr.Value)
               {
                   return SamplerStatus.NoChange;
               }
               else
               {
                   pt = ppr.Value;
                   return SamplerStatus.OK;
               }
           }
           return SamplerStatus.Cancel;
       }

       protected override bool Update()
       {
           ((BlockReference)Entity).Position = pt;
           return true;
       }
   }

   public class TestCommand
   {
       [CommandMethod("Test")]
       public void Test()
       {
           Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
           Database db = doc.Database;
           Editor ed = doc.Editor;
           PromptStringOptions pso = new PromptStringOptions("\nEnter block name: ");
           PromptResult pr = ed.GetString(pso);
           if (pr.Status == PromptStatus.OK)
           {
               using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
               {
                   BlockTable bt = (BlockTable)tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead);
                   if (!bt.Has(pr.StringResult))
                   {
                       ed.WriteMessage("\nBlock not found.");
                   }
                   else
                   {
                       ObjectId id = bt[pr.StringResult];
                       BlockReference br = new BlockReference(new Point3d(0.0, 0.0, 0.0), id);
                       BlockJig bJig = new BlockJig(br);
                       pr = ed.Drag(bJig);
                       if (pr.Status == PromptStatus.OK)
                       {
                           BlockTableRecord btr = (BlockTableRecord)tr.GetObject(bt[blockTableRecord.ModelSpace], OpenMode.ForWrite);
                           btr.AppendEntity(br);
                           tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(br, true);
                       }
                   }
                   tr.Commit();
               }
           }
       }
   }
}

[-KarL-]

Any chance you can translate this into VB code?

ObjectId id = bt[pr.StringResult];

I think that is where I am having the problem

 

Thanks for the help so far

-KarL-

[gile]

Any chance you can translate this into VB code?

ObjectId id = bt[pr.StringResult];

I think that is where I am having the problem

 

Thanks for the help so far

-KarL-

 

Dim id As ObjectId = bt(pr.StringResult)

 

Or (maybe more explicit):

Dim blockName As string = pr.StringResult
Dim id As ObjectId = bt(blockName)

[shirazbj]

thx. know how to insert now.

[xdbk07]

Hi gile,

 

I want to select block by click it and replace some attribute value (using Jig). Please let me know how to do?

 

Thanks,