Topic: Save application settings on dwg

[Lupo76]

Hello everyone,
I made an application vlisp, requiring many settings (30).
Currently I have saved these settings to a text file that is written and read by the application.

However I'd like to save these settings directly in the dwg files so that each dwg file can have different settings.

is it possible?
Have you any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[Lee Mac]

Use a Dictionary.

[Marc'Antonio Alessi]

For 30 info you can use Xdata also.

[Lupo76]

Use a Dictionary.

Very interesting!
Tomorrow I will have a lot to learn

Thank You.

[Lupo76]

For 30 info you can use Xdata also.

mmmmm ... I use the xdata order to associate an object, but I would not know how to use them in this context

[huiz]

..


mmmmm ... I use the xdata order to associate an object, but I would not know how to use them in this context

You can add XData to layer 0, it is a little trick. That layer is always there. And so are your settings.

[MP]

Given a general description of "a program with settings" a dictionary is the right approach. The xdata on layer "0" (or similar prime table entry) trick is not the best approach since it's a sandbox anyone privvy to the trick can frolic in. It's not what a professionally written program would lean on IMO, so I can't advocate it, admitting I've done same many years ago (as a means of thwarting purging -- a hard owned dictionary is as robust). No hate, just sayin. And now off to work ... cheers.

[Lupo76]

Use a Dictionary.

I am studying the topic and doing some tests.
I understand that the various settings of my application must be entered on a list like this

(7 . "Setting1")
(8 . "Setting2")
(9 . "Setting3")
etc.

I would like to give a name to my settings.
Eg.
NameLayerWall="LayerWall"
ColLayerWall="5"
etc.

and then call up the various settings with a specially written routin
eg.
(setq LayWall (ReadSetting "NameLayerWall"))

Can I do this with Dictionaries and XRecord?
or I am forced to associate each setting a numerical code?

[Marc'Antonio Alessi]

..


mmmmm ... I use the xdata order to associate an object, but I would not know how to use them in this context

You can add XData to layer 0, it is a little trick. That layer is always there. And so are your settings.

Yes, I am using it from many years (+15?), no problem.
For complex data dictionary is more robust (and complex), this is a very good (old) example:

;; SaveData.lsp
;; Save *any* variable with the DWG
;;    Written  Nov 30, 1997.
;;    Updated for r15 and xdict-* functions added Dec 7, 1999.
;;
;;*************************************************************
;;   Copyright Vladimir Nesterovsky 1997, All Rights Reserved

http://vnestr.tripod.com/SaveData.lsp

[roy_043]

I think that Ldata, which is also stored in dictionaries, should be mentioned here.

I have heard that there have been issues in the past with Ldata: applications would crash, drawings would become corrupt and Autodesk, apparently, was less than completely honest about it all. If I remember the stories correctly, these problems occurred around the time of Release 14 or AutoCAD 2000. I have not heard of problems with Ldata in recent versions of AutoCAD.

The convenience of Ldata is that you do not need any special code to store Lisp data (=Ldata).
There are 5 built-in functions to deal with Ldata:

Code: [Select]

vlax-ldata-delete
vlax-ldata-get
vlax-ldata-list
vlax-ldata-put
vlax-ldata-test
Example:

Code: [Select]

(vlax-ldata-put "myDict" "myKey" '((STRING . "Abc") (POINT 1.0 2.0 3.0)))
(vlax-ldata-get "myDict" "myKey") => ((STRING . "Abc") (POINT 1.0 2.0 3.0))
To prove that Ldata is stored in a dictionary:

Code: [Select]

(dictsearch (cdr (assoc -1 (dictsearch (namedobjdict) "myDict"))) "myKey")
=>
(
  (-1 . <Entity name: cb2da80>)
  (0 . "VLO-VL")
  (5 . "3DF")
  (102 . "{ACAD_REACTORS")
  (330 . <Entity name: 18bab280>)
  (102 . "}")
  (330 . <Entity name: 18bab280>)
  (100 . "vlo_VL")
  (90 . -64512)
  (91 . 65)
  (92 . 3)
  (40 . 1.0)
  (40 . 2.0)
  (40 . 3.0)
  (300 . "((STRING . \"Abc\") (POINT (&VLO-R . 0) (&VLO-R . 1) (&VLO-R . 2)))")
)
Ldata can also be attached to a drawing entity. It is then stored in the extension dictionary of the entity.

[dgorsman]

One problem with LDATA: if a drawing is opened before the VL support is loaded, you'll get a proxy warning.  One of the reasons why I abandoned its use quite a while back.

[MP]

LData is never used in polite conversations.

[roy_043]

One problem with LDATA: if a drawing is opened before the VL support is loaded, you'll get a proxy warning.  One of the reasons why I abandoned its use quite a while back.

Being a BricsCAD user I didn't know about this problem. (vl-load-com) is a dummy function in BricsCAD and VL support is always available. Thanks for pointing this out.