Topic: Getting and setting the DimBlk ID used for Closed Filled Arrow

[kdub_nz]

this is based on a question here :
http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/net/dimblk-objectid-for-closed-filled-arrow/m-p/6052755#U6052755

I'm posting here because the code pane is "better"

The issue has several parts.

• the dim arrow blocks may not be in the database
• ... so add the block.
• the default 'Closed filled' is named with an empty string and the ObjectId will be Null
• look at db.Dimblk = ObjectId.Null;  for 'Closed filled'
• The code is proof of concept because I'm unsure of the intended final usage.

If you're not using C#6+  in VS 2015 then the String interpolation used for WriteLine formatting will need to be modified back to the old formatting.
If you're using VB then http://converter.telerik.com/ will be your friend.

Code - C#: [Select]

1. // Proof of concept code 2016-02-27
2. // codehimbelonga kdub @ theSwamp
3.  
4. using System;
5.  
6. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
7. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
8. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
9. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
10. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
11.  
12. using AcadApp = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Core.Application;
13.  
14. [assembly: CommandClass(typeof(DimBlocks.MyCommands))]
15.  
16. namespace DimBlocks {
17.     public class MyCommands {
18.         [CommandMethod("DoIt", CommandFlags.Modal)]
19.         public void MyCommand() {
20.             TM11();
21.             AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.WriteMessage(
22.                 "\n\n ====================================\n");
23.             TM12();
24.         }
25.  
26.         private static void TM11() {
27.             var doc = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
28.             var db = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Database;
29.             var ed = doc.Editor;
30.             var arrowName = string.Empty;
31.  
32.             // Get the current DIMBLK setting
33.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
34.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
35.  
36.             // Set to '_OPEN
37.             AcadApp.SetSystemVariable("DIMBLK", "_OPEN");
38.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
39.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
40.  
41.             // Set to default 'Closed filled'
42.             db.Dimblk = ObjectId.Null;
43.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
44.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
45.  
46.             // Set to '_DOT
47.             AcadApp.SetSystemVariable("DIMBLK", "_DOT");
48.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
49.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
50.         }
51.  
52.         private static void TM12() {
53.             var doc = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
54.             var db = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Database;
55.             var ed = doc.Editor;
56.             var arrowName = string.Empty;
57.             var dimBlockId = ObjectId.Null;
58.  
59.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
60.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
61.  
62.             dimBlockId = GetDimBlockId("DIMBLK", "_DOTBLANK");
63.             db.Dimblk = dimBlockId;
64.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
65.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {dimBlockId}\n");
66.  
67.             dimBlockId = GetDimBlockId("DIMBLK", "");
68.             db.Dimblk = dimBlockId;
69.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
70.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {dimBlockId}\n");
71.         }
72.  
73.  
74.         private static ObjectId GetDimBlockId(string dimBlkX, string newArrowName) {
75.             ObjectId arrowObjId = ObjectId.Null;
76.  
77.             if(string.IsNullOrEmpty(newArrowName)) {
78.                 return ObjectId.Null;
79.             }
80.  
81.             var db = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Database;
82.             var originalArrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable(dimBlkX);
83.  
84.             // Force AutoCAD to add the block to the db.
85.             AcadApp.SetSystemVariable(dimBlkX, newArrowName);
86.  
87.             // Restore the previous setting
88.             AcadApp.SetSystemVariable(dimBlkX, originalArrowName);
89.  
90.             using(Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()) {
91.                 var bt = (BlockTable)tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead);
92.                 arrowObjId = bt[newArrowName];
93.                 tr.Commit();
94.             }
95.             return arrowObjId;
96.         }
97.     }
98.  
99.     public class InitMyCommands : Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime.IExtensionApplication {
100.         public void Initialize() {
101.             AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.WriteMessage("\n\t\t\t*** type DOIT to run test \t***");
102.         }
103.  
104.         public void Terminate() {
105.             AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.WriteMessage("Cleaning up...");
106.         }
107.     }
108. }
109.  

re the image:
The empty dimblk names and null ID's are for the default 'Closed filled' arrow.

[Keith Brown]

Not real relevant to the thread but since you mentioned it.  The converter over at http://converter.telerik.com does not convert c#6.0 or the new VB stuff.  At least that is what I have found since I use it quite often.  I code in VB at work and C# at home.

[kdub_nz]

Not real relevant to the thread but since you mentioned it.  The converter over at http://converter.telerik.com does not convert c#6.0 or the new VB stuff.  At least that is what I have found since I use it quite often.  I code in VB at work and C# at home.

Thanks for the info Keith.
Fortunately I don't need to deal with VB often.

For those who may need one, which converter would you recommend ?

[kdub_nz]

I've cleaned up a subtle bug in the  GetDimBlockId method.
If the current DIMBLK value stored in the variable originalArrowName was the default 'Closed filled' the subsequent restoring of the DIMBLK variable may result in a crash.

The revised code is

Code - C#: [Select]

1.             // Restore the previous setting
2.             if(string.IsNullOrEmpty(originalArrowName)) {
3.                 db.Dimblk = ObjectId.Null;
4.             }
5.             else {
6.                 AcadApp.SetSystemVariable(dimBlkX, originalArrowName);
7.             }

I've also allowed for the newArrowName parameter to have the value of "." in line with the AutoCAD command line option.

Code - C#: [Select]

1.             if(string.IsNullOrEmpty(newArrowName)
2.                 || newArrowName.Equals(".")) {
3.                 return ObjectId.Null;
4.             }
5.  

Revised code :

Code - C#: [Select]

1. // Proof of concept code 2016-02-29
2. // codehimbelonga kdub @ theSwamp
3.  
4. using System;
5.  
6. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
7. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
8. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
9. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
10. using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
11.  
12. using AcadApp = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Core.Application;
13.  
14. [assembly: CommandClass(typeof(DimBlocks.MyCommands))]
15.  
16. namespace DimBlocks {
17.     public class MyCommands {
18.         [CommandMethod("DoIt", CommandFlags.Modal)]
19.         public void MyCommand() {
20.             TM11();
21.             AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.WriteMessage(
22.                 "\n\n ====================================\n");
23.             TM12();
24.         }
25.  
26.         private static void TM11() {
27.             var doc = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
28.             var db = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Database;
29.             var ed = doc.Editor;
30.             var arrowName = string.Empty;
31.  
32.             // Get the current DIMBLK setting
33.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
34.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
35.  
36.             // Set to '_OPEN'
37.             AcadApp.SetSystemVariable("DIMBLK", "_OPEN");
38.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
39.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
40.  
41.             // Set to default 'Closed filled'
42.             db.Dimblk = ObjectId.Null;
43.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
44.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
45.  
46.             // Set to '_DOT'
47.             AcadApp.SetSystemVariable("DIMBLK", "_DOT");
48.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
49.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
50.  
51.             // Set to '.'
52.             AcadApp.SetSystemVariable("DIMBLK", ".");
53.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
54.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK '.'is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
55.         }
56.  
57.         private static void TM12() {
58.             var doc = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
59.             var db = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Database;
60.             var ed = doc.Editor;
61.             var arrowName = string.Empty;
62.             var dimBlockId = ObjectId.Null;
63.  
64.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
65.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {db.Dimblk}\n");
66.  
67.             dimBlockId = GetDimBlockId("DIMBLK", "_DOTBLANK");
68.             db.Dimblk = dimBlockId;
69.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
70.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK is: {arrowName} \nID is: {dimBlockId}\n");
71.  
72.             dimBlockId = GetDimBlockId("DIMBLK", ".");
73.             db.Dimblk = dimBlockId;
74.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
75.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK '.' is: {arrowName} \nID is: {dimBlockId}\n");
76.  
77.             dimBlockId = GetDimBlockId("DIMBLK", "");
78.             db.Dimblk = dimBlockId;
79.             arrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable("DIMBLK");
80.             ed.WriteMessage($"\nDIMBLK '' is: {arrowName} \nID is: {dimBlockId}\n");
81.         }
82.  
83.  
84.         private static ObjectId GetDimBlockId(string dimBlkX, string newArrowName) {
85.             ObjectId arrowObjId = ObjectId.Null;
86.  
87.             if(string.IsNullOrEmpty(newArrowName)
88.                 || newArrowName.Equals(".")) {
89.                 return ObjectId.Null;
90.             }
91.  
92.             var db = AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Database;
93.             var originalArrowName = (string)AcadApp.GetSystemVariable(dimBlkX);
94.  
95.             // Force AutoCAD to add the block to the db.
96.             AcadApp.SetSystemVariable(dimBlkX, newArrowName);
97.  
98.             // Restore the previous setting
99.             if(string.IsNullOrEmpty(originalArrowName)) {
100.                 db.Dimblk = ObjectId.Null;
101.             }
102.             else {
103.                 AcadApp.SetSystemVariable(dimBlkX, originalArrowName);
104.             }
105.  
106.             using(Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()) {
107.                 var bt = (BlockTable)tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead);
108.                 arrowObjId = bt[newArrowName];
109.                 tr.Commit();
110.             }
111.             return arrowObjId;
112.         }
113.     }
114.  
115.     public class InitMyCommands : Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime.IExtensionApplication {
116.         public void Initialize() {
117.             AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.WriteMessage("\n\t\t\t*** type DOIT to run test \t***");
118.         }
119.  
120.         public void Terminate() {
121.             AcadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.WriteMessage("Cleaning up...");
122.         }
123.     }
124. }
125.  

New piccy attached: