Topic: Viewport Layers Set To "Frozen" Are Still Visible

[MGorecki]

I have only one layout in the drawing.  When the code runs, it adds a new layout to the drawing from a template.  A dialog pops up and asks which layers they want to see in the new layouts viewport.  It also asks which layers they do not want to see in all the other layouts viewports (because a new layer was added and if there are many more layouts it will freeze the selected layers in all the other viewports).  When the program is done running, the new layout looks great.  It shows the layers I want to see, but, the existing layout still looks lthe same.  The layers are all still visible, even though the layer manager says that the layers I told to freeze are frozen.  It's like it's just not finishing up and ending the last part.

Here's the code that's supposed to freeze all the selected layers in all the other layouts viewports:

Code - vb.net: [Select]

1.     ' Freezes the selected layers in all other existing viewport layouts
2.     Public Sub freezeOtherLayouts(ByVal pageNumber As Integer, ByVal layersToFreezeLayerIds As ObjectIdCollection)
3.         Dim doc As Document = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument
4.         Dim db As Database = doc.Database
5.         Dim ed As Editor = doc.Editor
6.         Dim vp As Viewport = Nothing
7.         Dim viewPortFound As Boolean
8.         Dim freezeVPtrans As Transaction = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
9.  
10.         Try
11.             Dim myBT As BlockTable = db.BlockTableId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForRead)
12.             For Each btrID As ObjectId In myBT
13.                 Dim myBTR As BlockTableRecord = btrID.GetObject(OpenMode.ForRead)
14.                 ' If the block table record is a layout
15.                 If myBTR.IsLayout Then
16.                     viewPortFound = False
17.                     If Not myBTR.Name = "*Model_Space" Then
18.                         Dim layOut As Layout = myBTR.LayoutId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForRead)
19.                         ' If the layout is not the new layout
20.                         If layOut.TabOrder <> pageNumber Then
21.                             For Each id As ObjectId In myBTR
22.                                 Dim obj As DBObject = id.GetObject(OpenMode.ForWrite)
23.                                 ' If the object is a viewport (there is a model viewport which is found first, we want the second one)
24.                                 If TypeOf obj Is Viewport And viewPortFound = True Then
25.                                     Dim vpref As Viewport = DirectCast(obj, Viewport)
26.                                     ' Selected Viewport for write.
27.                                     vp = freezeVPtrans.GetObject(vpref.ObjectId, OpenMode.ForWrite)
28.                                     Dim lt As LayerTable = freezeVPtrans.GetObject(db.LayerTableId, OpenMode.ForRead)
29.                                     ' Freeze the selected layers in the viewports
30.                                     vp.FreezeLayersInViewport(layersToFreezeLayerIds.GetEnumerator())
31.                                     ed.Regen()
32.                                     lt.Dispose()
33.                                 End If
34.                                 If TypeOf obj Is Viewport Then
35.                                     viewPortFound = True
36.                                 End If
37.                             Next
38.                         End If
39.                     End If
40.                 End If
41.             Next
42.         Catch
43.             ed.WriteMessage("Error!")
44.         Finally
45.             freezeVPtrans.Commit()
46.             freezeVPtrans.Dispose()
47.         End Try
48.     End Sub

I just don't understand why the layers I selected to freeze (in layersToFreezeLayerIds) is still visible when the layer manager for the viewport shows them frozen.

Thanks,

[TheMaster]

Is the existing layout with the newly-frozen layers being regenerated?

[trembre]

 I wrote a batch "unfreezer" for viewport frozen layers years ago in VBA.  I don't know whether the same rules would apply, but the only way I could find to affect the state of layers frozen/thawed by viewport was by directly modifying the viewports relevant XData.  I'd have to dig out the code to get the specifics, but for the code to work I had to copy the original viewport, delete it from the drawing, delete the appropriate XData records from the copy, then re-create it. 

 Whether you'd have to be so clunky in .NET (or even VBA - all I know is it worked!), I wouldn't know, but the lack of any viewport XData modification stands out to me as a possible issue.

[MexicanCustard]

instead of ed.Regen() try vp.UpdateDisplay()

[MGorecki]

Hi Bullfrog, I have the "ed.Regen()" in the code after it freezes the layers in the viewport.

[MGorecki]

Hello Mexican Custard, I tried that just now, but it doesn't make a difference.  Thanks though.

[Delegate]

I did not have any problem getting the freezelayersinviewport to work and did not need vp.updatedisplay or ed.regen.

Try this code and see if it works on your computer - basically it freezes all layers in all viewports apart from the layout viewport. Then maybe we can see if the problem is elsewhere.

Code - C#: [Select]

1. using System;
2. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
3. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
4. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
5. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
6. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
7.  
8. // This line is not mandatory, but improves loading performances
9. [assembly: CommandClass(typeof(AutoCAD_CSharp_plug_in1.MyCommands))]
10.  
11. namespace AutoCAD_CSharp_plug_in1
12. {
13.  
14.    
15.     public class MyCommands
16.     {
17.        
18.         [CommandMethod("MyGroup", "MyCommand", "MyCommandLocal", CommandFlags.Modal)]
19.         public void MyCommand() // This method can have any name
20.         {
21.             Document acDoc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
22.             Database acCurDb = acDoc.Database;
23.             ObjectIdCollection ids = new ObjectIdCollection();
24.             using (Transaction acTrans = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
25.             {
26.                 LayerTable acLyrTbl;
27.                 acLyrTbl = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.LayerTableId,OpenMode.ForRead) as LayerTable;
28.                 foreach (ObjectId item in acLyrTbl)
29.                 {
30.                     ids.Add(item);
31.                 }
32.  
33.                 BlockTableRecord btr = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.CurrentSpaceId, OpenMode.ForRead) as BlockTableRecord;
34.                 RXClass VPClass = RXObject.GetClass(typeof(Viewport));
35.                 foreach (ObjectId item in btr)
36.                 {
37.                     if (item.ObjectClass == VPClass)
38.                     {
39.                         Viewport vp = acTrans.GetObject(item, OpenMode.ForWrite) as Viewport;
40.                         if (vp.Number != 1)
41.                         {
42.                             vp.FreezeLayersInViewport(ids.GetEnumerator());
43.                         }                  
44.                     }
45.                 }                
46.                 acTrans.Commit();
47.             }
48.  
49.         }        
50.  
51.     }
52.  
53. }
54.  
55.  

[MGorecki]

Hi Delegate,
Thank you for the code to try.  It did freeze all the layers in the new layout, but it did not change the layer visibility in the first layout viewport.
Could something be wrong with the first layout?  Maybe with the viewport itself?  I heard about viewports needing to be activated (though I'm not sure how to do that) before they can be changed.

Thanks,
Mark

[Delegate]

Hi

Sorry this maybe as written. I should have said I've got the blocktablerecord from the CurrentSpaceID  so will only work on the active layout unless you've changed it to loop through the layouts.

[MGorecki]

I'm new to a lot of the VB.Net stuff, you'll have to explain:
RXClass VPClass = RXObject.GetClass(typeof(Viewport));

What is this and what does it do?  How can I use it?

Thanks,
Mark

[MGorecki]

Ok I changed the code so that affects all layouts:

Code - vb.net: [Select]

1.     Public Sub FreezeAllInVPs()
2.         ' This method can have any name
3.         Dim acDoc As Document = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument
4.         Dim acCurDb As Database = acDoc.Database
5.         Dim ids As New ObjectIdCollection()
6.         Dim viewPortFound As Boolean, pageNumber As Integer = 2
7.  
8.         Using acTrans As Transaction = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
9.             Dim acLyrTbl As LayerTable
10.             acLyrTbl = TryCast(acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.LayerTableId, OpenMode.ForRead), LayerTable)
11.             For Each item As ObjectId In acLyrTbl
12.                 ids.Add(item)
13.             Next
14.  
15.             'Dim btr As BlockTableRecord = TryCast(acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.CurrentSpaceId, OpenMode.ForRead), BlockTableRecord)
16.             Dim myBT As BlockTable = acCurDb.BlockTableId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForRead)
17.             For Each btrID As ObjectId In myBT
18.                 Dim myBTR As BlockTableRecord = btrID.GetObject(OpenMode.ForRead)
19.                 ' If the block table record is a layout
20.                 If myBTR.IsLayout Then
21.                     viewPortFound = False
22.                     If Not myBTR.Name = "*Model_Space" Then
23.                         Dim layOut As Layout = myBTR.LayoutId.GetObject(OpenMode.ForRead)
24.                         ' If the layout is not the new layout
25.                         If layOut.TabOrder <> pageNumber Then
26.                             Dim VPClass As RXClass = RXObject.GetClass(GetType(Viewport))
27.                             For Each item As ObjectId In myBTR
28.                                 If item.ObjectClass = VPClass And viewPortFound = True Then
29.                                     Dim vp As Viewport = TryCast(acTrans.GetObject(item, OpenMode.ForWrite), Viewport)
30.                                     If vp.Number <> 1 Then
31.                                         vp.FreezeLayersInViewport(ids.GetEnumerator())
32.                                     End If
33.                                 End If
34.                                 If item.ObjectClass = VPClass Then
35.                                     viewPortFound = True
36.                                 End If
37.                             Next
38.                             acTrans.Commit()
39.                         End If
40.                     End If
41.                 End If
42.             Next
43.         End Using
44.     End Sub

In the new layout I had selected 2 layers to remain visible.  They were still visible, but when you double pick in the viewport and check the layer manager it shows that all layers have been frozen.
In the original layout, all layers were visible, but when I double picked in the viewport and checked the layer manager, it also showed that all layers were frozen.

[Delegate]

I'm new to a lot of the VB.Net stuff, you'll have to explain:
RXClass VPClass = RXObject.GetClass(typeof(Viewport));

What is this and what does it do?  How can I use it?

Thanks,
Mark

Its just another way of checking the type - could be circle, polyline etc.  Your method typeof means you have to cast to object before checking though won't make much difference unless large amount of items involved.

You can delete the viewportfound parts now. The vp.number <> 1 takes care of that. Sure someone will correct that if wrong.

Move the acTrans.commit to be above the End Using statement - your commiting before finishing.

If still not working maybe look at the calling code where you create the new layout - is it fully commited to database before your operations on layers and viewports? Throw in a ed.regen and vp.updatedisplay just to double check that to.

[MGorecki]

I removed the viewportFound parts, and now all layers get frozen in paperspace (can't see the title block or anything in ps) but the viewport layers are still visible.

[Delegate]

Oh dear read this and ignore what i Saïd  :ugly:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/NET/Layouts-and-Viewports/td-p/3128748

Also some info about activating layouts .

[MGorecki]

Ok, I can't believe it was so simple.  In a previous sub, I forgot to close a transaction (smacking head).  All fixed now, but thank you all for your helpful support.

[Delegate]

Thats great. I was playing around with the concepts for my own learning and came across a few problems of my own!

When adding viewports the layout needs to be current to use Layout.On otherwise you just get a rectangle that does not function in the layout.  Is there a way to add viewports to multiple layouts without making the layout current?? just to prevent the user see the layouts flicker across the screen 

Also I found Layout.GetViewports did not work for viewports added by programme  to existing layouts but only viewport added to a new layout added by programme!
Database.GetViewports picked them all up though!

I tried deep cloning the viewport to multiple layouts , which worked but is buggy and unstable build. So don't use the addviewport extension shown below!

Code - C#: [Select]

1. using System;
2. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
3. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
4. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
5. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
6. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
7.  
8. // This line is not mandatory, but improves loading performances
9. [assembly: CommandClass(typeof(AutoCAD_CSharp_plug_in1.MyCommands))]
10.  
11. namespace AutoCAD_CSharp_plug_in1
12. {
13.     public class MyCommands
14.     {
15.         [CommandMethod("MyGroup", "MyCommand", "MyCommandLocal", CommandFlags.Modal)]
16.         public void MyCommand() // This method can have any name
17.         {
18.             //layout to be skipped variables
19.             int pageNumber = 1;
20.             string layouttobeskipped = "";
21.  
22.             Document acDoc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
23.             Database acCurDb = acDoc.Database;
24.             ObjectIdCollection ids = new ObjectIdCollection();
25.             using (Transaction acTrans = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
26.             {
27.                 //Get ID of all layers for later freezing
28.                 LayerTable acLyrTbl = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.LayerTableId, OpenMode.ForRead) as LayerTable;
29.                 foreach (ObjectId item in acLyrTbl)
30.                 {
31.                     ids.Add(item);
32.                 }
33.  
34.                 //Get layout dictionary
35.                 DBDictionary dLayouts = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.LayoutDictionaryId, OpenMode.ForRead) as DBDictionary;
36.  
37.                 //Add New layouts for example testing
38.                 LayoutManager LM = LayoutManager.Current;
39.                 if (!dLayouts.Contains("New Layout"))
40.                 {
41.                     LM.CreateLayout("New Layout");
42.                     LM.CreateLayout("New Layout2");
43.                 }
44.                 else
45.                 {
46.                     if (dLayouts.Contains("New Layout2"))
47.                     {
48.                         LM.CreateLayout("New Layout3");
49.                         LM.CreateLayout("New Layout4");
50.                     }
51.                 }
52.  
53.                 //Add a viewport to each layout
54.                 foreach (DBDictionaryEntry item in dLayouts)
55.                 {
56.                     Layout la = acTrans.GetObject(item.Value, OpenMode.ForRead) as Layout;
57.                     //Gets name of layout to be skipped for later layer freezing
58.                     if (la.TabOrder == pageNumber)
59.                     {
60.                         layouttobeskipped = la.LayoutName;
61.                     }
62.                     if (la.LayoutName != "Model")
63.                     {
64.                         //Add New Viewport
65.                         acTrans.addviewport(la, acCurDb);
66.                         la.Dispose();
67.                     }
68.                 }
69.  
70.                 //Sets layout to be skipped
71.                 Layout laSKIP = acTrans.GetObject(LM.GetLayoutId(layouttobeskipped), OpenMode.ForRead) as Layout;
72.                 ObjectId BTRIDLayoutskipped = laSKIP.BlockTableRecordId;
73.  
74.                 //Cycle through database.viewport collection
75.                 ObjectIdCollection IDsVP = acCurDb.GetViewports(false);
76.                 foreach (ObjectId id in IDsVP)
77.                 {
78.                     Viewport vp = acTrans.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForWrite) as Viewport;
79.                     //Ignore layoutskipped
80.                     if (vp.BlockId != BTRIDLayoutskipped)
81.                     {
82.                         vp.FreezeLayersInViewport(ids.GetEnumerator());
83.                         vp.UpdateDisplay();
84.                     }
85.                     vp.Dispose();
86.                 }
87.                 acDoc.Editor.Regen();
88.                 LM.Dispose();
89.                 acTrans.Commit();
90.             }
91.         }
92.     }
93.  
94.     public static class myExtensions
95.     {
96.         public static void addviewport(this Transaction acTrans, Layout la, Database acCurDb)
97.         {
98.             using (LayoutManager LM = LayoutManager.Current)
99.             {
100.                 //Get database.viewports
101.                 ObjectIdCollection DBVPids = acCurDb.GetViewports(true);
102.  
103.                 if (DBVPids.Count == 0)
104.                 {
105.                     //No initialised layouts - Make first layout current
106.                     //viewport will be created - though need to check variable setting
107.                     LM.CurrentLayout = la.LayoutName;
108.                 }
109.  
110.                 //Check layout for viewports and clone if exists
111.                 ObjectIdCollection IDsVP = la.GetViewports();
112.                 Viewport VpNew = new Viewport();
113.                 if (IDsVP.Count != 0 && IDsVP.Count != 1)
114.                 {
115.                     Viewport vp = acTrans.GetObject(IDsVP[1], OpenMode.ForRead) as Viewport;
116.                     ObjectIdCollection ids = new ObjectIdCollection();
117.                     ids.Add(vp.ObjectId);
118.                     IdMapping IDMAP = new IdMapping();
119.                     acCurDb.DeepCloneObjects(ids, la.BlockTableRecordId, IDMAP, false);
120.                     ObjectIdCollection IDsVP2 = la.GetViewports();
121.                     VpNew = acTrans.GetObject(IDsVP2[IDsVP.Count], OpenMode.ForWrite) as Viewport;
122.  
123.                 }
124.  
125.                 if (IDsVP.Count <= 1)
126.                 {
127.                     if (IDsVP.Count == 0)
128.                     {
129.                         //Layout not initialized
130.                         la.UpgradeOpen();
131.                         la.Initialize();
132.                         la.DowngradeOpen();
133.                     }
134.                     //No viewports but layout initialized
135.                     //Find a viewport and clone it in
136.                     DBVPids = acCurDb.GetViewports(false);
137.                     ObjectIdCollection ids = new ObjectIdCollection();
138.                     ids.Add(DBVPids[1]);
139.                     IdMapping IDMAP = new IdMapping();
140.                     acCurDb.DeepCloneObjects(ids, la.BlockTableRecordId, IDMAP, false);
141.                     IDsVP = la.GetViewports();
142.                     VpNew = acTrans.GetObject(IDsVP[1], OpenMode.ForWrite) as Viewport;
143.                 }
144.                 //Example Viewport Settings
145.                 VpNew.CenterPoint = new Point3d(100, 100, 0);
146.                 VpNew.Width = 500;
147.                 VpNew.Height = 100;
148.                 VpNew.UpdateDisplay();
149.                 VpNew.Dispose();
150.             }
151.         }
152.     }
153.  
154. }

[MGorecki]

I've never tried to create a viewport on a layout, much less multiple layouts, but it sounds like something I'll end up looking into.  If I find anything, I'll let you know.
The funny thing about my code now is that after it's done running the viewports all look great, in that I'm getting what I wanted visually, but the layer manager is still being goofy.  I can double pick in the viewport that shows layer X and layer Y visible, then open the layer manager and see a number of layers including layer X and layer Y to be frozen.  It's like something just didn't quite finish.  I can save the drawing, close it and re-open it and the layer manager and the viewports are all just fine.  Weird.
Well thanks again for the info you posted.  I'm going to check out your code:

Code - C#: [Select]

1.  //Sets layout to be skipped
2. Layout laSKIP = acTrans.GetObject(LM.GetLayoutId(layouttobeskipped), OpenMode.ForRead) as Layout;
3. ObjectId BTRIDLayoutskipped = laSKIP.BlockTableRecordId;
4. //Cycle through database.viewport collection  
5. ObjectIdCollection IDsVP = acCurDb.GetViewports(false);
6. foreach (ObjectId id in IDsVP)
7. {
8. Viewport vp = acTrans.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForWrite) as Viewport;
9. //Ignore layoutskipped
10. if (vp.BlockId != BTRIDLayoutskipped)
11. {
12. vp.FreezeLayersInViewport(ids.GetEnumerator());
13. vp.UpdateDisplay();
14. }
15. vp.Dispose();
16. }
17. acDoc.Editor.Regen();
18. LM.Dispose();
19. acTrans.Commit();

Maybe that will help with the layer freeze and layer manager.

[Jeff H]

I know or was told that it was a confirmed bug when a LayerTableRecord IsHidden was true and you set it to false it would not show back in the UI.
 
There might be someway to refresh the manager, but to see if it is a similar problem, after running your code add a new layer then see if the layer manager updates.
 
 

[MGorecki]

Hi Jeff,
I was able to add a layer, but the layers manager didn't change the fozen/thawed layers.
I tried a new test morning.  My code launches AutoCad 2010 (I'm using Visual Studio 2010 and the 2010 objectARX) and after running the program the layers are as I described.  So I launched the same drawing in AutoCad 2008 and ran the same program.  There was no issue at all with the layer manager and frozen/thawed layers.  In AutoCad 2008, the frozen layers were frozen and the thawed layers were thawed.

[MGorecki]

I just tested it in AutoCad 2012 and it worked great.  The layer manager showed the correct forzen and thawed layers for all the viewports.  Have you heard of this kind of bug in AutoCad 2010?

[MGorecki]

Ok, just installed the Service Pack 2 for AutoCad 2010.  That fixed the Layer Manager freeze/thaw issue.