Author Topic: Loading Linetypes  (Read 5976 times)

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jLm

  • Guest
Loading Linetypes
« on: May 14, 2004, 12:58:12 PM »
Can anybody tell me how I could compare the linetype table in ThisDrawing to a list or excel spreadsheet of linetype names and load those that are not yet in ThisDrawing? I am working on my first VBA routine, so you may have to dumb it down for me. thanks

Trev

  • Guest
Loading Linetypes
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2004, 11:52:12 PM »
I'd probably steer away from excel or any external lists etc. for your first VBA project.

The below example is taken from the acad developer help files.
the basics of it is: It is loading a particular linetype (in this case CENTER) from the acad.lin file.


Code: [Select]
Sub Example_Load()
    ' This example attempts to load the linetype "CENTER" from
    ' the acad.lin file. If the linetype already exists, then
    ' a message is displayed.
   
    Dim linetypeName As String
    linetypeName = "CENTER"
   
    ' Load "CENTER" line type from acad.lin file
    On Error Resume Next    ' trap any load errors
    ThisDrawing.Linetypes.Load linetypeName, "acad.lin"
   
    ' If the name already exists, then notify user
    If Err.Description = "Duplicate record name" Then
        MsgBox "A line type named '" & linetypeName & "' already exists.", , "Load Example"
    End If
   
End Sub





The following code will list all the linetypes loaded in the current drawing.
however there is no way to tell what the current/default linetype file is.
(at least none that I know of, or at least a heap of code to compare linetype structure against linetype files etc. etc. blah blah blah. to much unless really needed.)
The list of linetypes within the current drawing will be placed into a listbox called ListBox1. So you will need to create a form with a listbaox of that name, or change to a name of your choosing.

Code: [Select]

Sub ListLinetypes()
    Dim objLinetype As AcadLineType
    Dim iCounter As Integer
    Dim i As Variant
    Dim MyList() As String

    iCounter = 0
    For Each objLinetype In ThisDrawing.Linetypes
'   check if linetype comes from an xref linetype name will contain "|"
        If InStrRev(objLinetype.Name, "|") = 0 Then
            ReDim Preserve MyList(iCounter)
            MyList(iCounter) = objLinetype.Name
            iCounter = iCounter + 1
        End If
    Next
'   sort list order, calls the SortArray function
    SortArray MyList

'   put the sorted list in the ListBox
    For i = LBound(MyList) To UBound(MyList)
        ListBox1.AddItem MyList(i)
    Next
End Sub



The following code is used to sort a list.
place the code into a module.
Code: [Select]

Option Explicit

'begin array sort
Public Sub SortArray(StringArray() As String)
    Dim loopOuter As Integer
    Dim loopInner As Integer
    Dim i As Integer
    For loopOuter = UBound(StringArray) To _
      LBound(StringArray) Step -1
        For loopInner = 0 To loopOuter - 1
            If UCase(StringArray(loopInner)) > _
              UCase(StringArray(loopInner + 1)) Then
                Swap StringArray(loopInner), _
                  StringArray(loopInner + 1)
            End If
        Next loopInner
    Next loopOuter
End Sub


Private Sub Swap(a As String, b As String)
    Dim c As String: c = a: a = b: b = c
End Sub
'End array sort




So the basic task that you might like to try is.
Create a form that contains 2 listboxes. One of which can contain all the currently loaded linetypes within the drawing. The second listbox can contain a list of linetypes available from a selected linetype file.
For simplicity you may wish to code in a default linetype file.
Then add a button to load a selected linetype from the available list to load into the drawing. Then that linetype should appear in the current linetypes list.

Following that you may then wish to add another button that will open a select file dialog to browse & select a linetype file of your choice.

Hope that all makes sense & is of good use.