Topic: RE: Opening a drawing from a button in LISP

[jshel101]

Hello, I just wanted to comment on what a great site this is.

I am creating a program that i am having a problem with. Part of the routine is to have the user press a button, from a LISP dialog box, and a drawing opens up. the user will modify the attributes in the drawing, then save and close it.

What I am having problems with is that I want my dialog box to open back up so the user can perform other functions. I have talked to a few people about this and they suggested I should call my dialog box again, or to create a reacotr on how to do this. But i am not sure what the best way to do this. I am fairly new to LISP programming, so i am not sure where to go from here.

If anyone has any suggestions, that would be great.

Thanks,

[Maverick®]

 Hi jshel101!  Welcome to the Swamp.

*whispers* It might be helpful if you could post some of what you have started. 

[T.Willey]

First off, Welcome to the swamp.

I don't think you can do what you want with lisp the way you want to do it.  Lisp will only run in the drawing that calls it, so you can't run the lisp to open a new drawing, and then change items with the lisp in the drawing just opened, and then have the dialog stay open for more input.

[jshel101]

Hi jshel101!  Welcome to the Swamp.

*whispers* It might be helpful if you could post some of what you have started. 

Sorry, here is what i have so far for the button.

Code: [Select]

(action_tile "revblock" "(c:revupdate)")

(defun c:revupdate ()
  (setq full-fname "C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Application Data\\Bentley\\Plant 2004\\iso\\revblock.dwg")
  (setq full-fname (strcat "\"" full-fname "\""))
  (command "vbastmt" (strcat "AcadApplication.Documents.Open " full-fname))
);End defun
DCL Code for that button

Code: [Select]

: button {
      key = "revblock";
      label = "SET REVBLOCK";
      mnemonic = "S";
      is_default = true;
      fixed_width = true;
      alignment = centered;
  }
When I run this, my AutoCAD locks up. Not sure what else i can do.

thanks,

<edit> fixed the code tags for ya. Mav.

[Keith™]

Why not write the code in VBA (along with the dialogs) I promise you it will be a whole lot easier, even if you don't know VBA ...

The main problem is that lisp is drawing specific, meaning that it cannot operate from one drawing to another without some activex calls, and if you are not familiar with vba, it becomes more difficult to know what to do.

[jshel101]

Why not write the code in VBA (along with the dialogs) I promise you it will be a whole lot easier, even if you don't know VBA ...

The main problem is that lisp is drawing specific, meaning that it cannot operate from one drawing to another without some activex calls, and if you are not familiar with vba, it becomes more difficult to know what to do.

Thanks, I will see if i can do this with VBA. I haven't programmed in VBA for quite a while, so it should be fun.

[Keith™]

Just remember, we are here to help you with your venture ... perhaps not to do it ... but to offer as much guidance as possible ... we like to call it the fisherman ideology. For a little overview of the concept see this thread