Author Topic: Lisp results based on external data  (Read 16788 times)

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MGEE

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #15 on: November 17, 2003, 11:53:06 AM »
Nope. I guess I need to put my thinking cap on & get this thing fine tuned to the quickest, easiest method to get my end result.
Do you know of a way to link several commands together? Maybe that could be a step in another dirction but better than manually drawing the whole thing?
Thanks

daron

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #16 on: November 17, 2003, 03:38:31 PM »
Quote from: MGEE
Do you know of a way to link several commands together?

I think that would be called putting user-defined functions into a main function.

Guest

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #17 on: November 17, 2003, 10:57:03 PM »
Making the rectangular box (is this a tank or reservoir) is
 easy. Extracting the data from excel is the hard part. Have
 you search for 3D routines that does similar things that you
 want either at Cadalog.com or Caddepot.com. I think iHave
 seen some demo that creates ANSI flanges.

hendie

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #18 on: November 18, 2003, 03:50:48 AM »
Quote from: MGEE
I guess I need to put my thinking cap on & get this thing fine tuned to the quickest, easiest method to get my end result.


you mentioned that the data for the nipples (down Dent) was in an XLS spreadsheet. If you had the "box" data in there as well, you could draw the whole thing in one go.
How is your data formatted ? I mean, exactly what data do you store in respect to the nipples ? ~ diameters, lengths  ~ how are they positioned ? relative to the box ?

MGEE

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #19 on: November 18, 2003, 08:49:11 AM »
In a cell would be say from insertion point, (25"X,112"Y)
There would be a diameter and length. (4.5"diax6"l) for the size of the nipple. And the box is actually representing an Evaporative Condenser. I would have 2 or 3 Fans on one side say the 0 direction and the connections nipples on the 270 direction. If I can get code to place the nipples, then I think I can expand on it to cut the holes for the fans. And then add an insert of a block that is linked to the XLS which would be the Fan & Grill.
How can I post a pic of one?

hendie

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #20 on: November 18, 2003, 09:01:31 AM »
Quote from: MGEE
How can I post a pic of one?

see over here

SMadsen

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #21 on: November 18, 2003, 09:16:15 AM »
Quote from: hendie
... the data for the nipples (down Dent) ...

Funny coincidence, there's also a guy on this forum called Dent  :lol:

MGEE

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #22 on: November 18, 2003, 10:24:35 AM »
O.K. I posted a pic in the Lilly pond.

daron

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #23 on: November 18, 2003, 10:39:42 AM »
And the next thing you should do, since we really don't want to make everybody hunt it down is to copy the link and post it, like this [url]http://theswamp.org/lilly.pond/MGEE/EVAP.JPG[/url] or use [img][/img]

MGEE

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #24 on: November 18, 2003, 10:48:16 AM »
Appologies to all, as you can tell I'm new to posting img's.[/url]

hendie

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #25 on: November 18, 2003, 10:55:54 AM »
ah, glad to see someone esle is watching this topic as well.

Q: do you have access to Access ? (if you see what I mean !)
the reason I ask is because I've never used Vlisp to connect to a spreadsheet but I have connected through VBA to an MDB file.

Now, if it were me  :shock:  I'd do it the following way:
Have all the info (Box length, width depth etc + all cylinderinfo) stored in Access and just run a query to pull the data from Access and create the whole shebang in one go. Or you could do it all via a dialogue box...

you mentioned that you have the info in a spreadsheet...
Quote
In a cell would be say from insertion point, (25"X,112"Y)

what insertion point ? is that relative to the origin of the box ? or an absolute coordinate ?
Is the nipple a cylinder a tube or a revolved solid ? Are there always the same number of fans / nipples / whatever ?

what we really need form you is some pseudo code detailing exactly the steps you need to take to complete one of these thingamajiggies
i.e.
prompt user for box dimensions
create box
prompt for face to add nipples to
add nipples
prompt for face to add fans to
add fans
etc etc

also, what version of Acad, Excel, Acces do you have ? it all makes a difference

daron

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #26 on: November 18, 2003, 11:10:31 AM »
Quote from: MGEE
Appologies to all, as you can tell I'm new to posting img's.[/url]
It's okay. Everybody needs to be taught eventually.

MGEE

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #27 on: November 18, 2003, 11:21:34 AM »
hendie or Daron,
I once heard of a program that recorded your every move. As your talkin about giving you. What's your thoughts on this? Saposidly, it wrote a lisp routine of your footprints? I can actually give you a rundown buy drawing one and then cut & paste the text window. would that be good enough?
Also, I'd like to have the ONE user input option to select the Model of this thingamajiggie cause there are several, and it's insertion point. Which would be the refference for the rest of the entities to be generated by the VBA routine.

hendie

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #28 on: November 18, 2003, 11:39:54 AM »
ooohh time is tihgt and I'm just about to finish here and I'm on holiday tomorrow...

I think you might be missing the point slightly here.
What you have to consider is how many variables there are.. by that I mean, is the box always the same size ? are there always the same number of nipples ? are they always the same diameter, same number of fans etc.... ad infinitum...
If you want to write code to take care of this function for you , you have to consider taking all the variables into account. It's no good designing a programme to create a box with three nipples when you want to draw a box with 2 or 4 ! see wot I mean ?
One major problem here is that you know what you need to draw ~we don't know unless you tell us.
The best person to answer this question is you.... consider what you want to achieve.... now how do you want to achieve that target... think carefully !

my interpretation of what you have told us so far is something along the lines of...
create a box
add (up to 3 {or more}) nipple extrusions
add (some number of) fans

Now, I would probably go with a dialogue box asking for box length width & height
with a section for nipples ~ number of, diameters and lengths
same for fans
now you need to know where to place the nipples etc, so at some point you need to change the UCS, so you probably want the "insertion" point for the nipples relative to some origin on the box
same for the fans
and any other gizmos to be attached

SO, I would
1 create the box,
prompt the user for a "face" for the nipples to be inserted on
change the UCS to that "face"
insert the nipples
repeat the process for the fans etc
and any other gizmos

or take it a step further, have ALL the info in a database and just query the database to create the whole shebang. But you would need to have the info stored in the database in a format that is suitable for the programme.

MGEE

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Lisp results based on external data
« Reply #29 on: November 18, 2003, 12:54:17 PM »
O.K. I'm looking at the tutorials for VBAIDE right now. So with the Grace of god I'll develope this application that looks at the XLS sheet to get all the info from, with the exception of the insertion point. Thank you for all your knowledge & TIME.
I'm sure we will be talking more in the future.
Have a GREAT Holiday and God Bless.
MGEE