AutoCAD 2014 .

NET
API
Developer Technical Services

Developer Technical Services

Worldwide Workgroup
Over 25 Specialists World Wide
Virtually 24 hour support, 5 days a week

Americas Team
US (CA, AZ, WA), Canada, Brazil

European Team
Switzerland, United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, Russia

APac Team
China, Japan, India

Getting Support
http://www.autodesk.com/adn-devhelp
Provides access to
On-line knowledge base
Call submission
Newsgroups

Calls are logged automatically

1-3 day turnaround
Callbacks as needed

Answers to frequently asked questions are posted in our online knowledge base

Course Objective
It is to understand:
the fundamentals of the AutoCAD .NET API
how to teach yourself the AutoCAD .NET API
where to get help afterwards

What it is not:
Teach you .NET framework or C# , VB programming language
Give you complete coverage of all API functions

Class Agenda
Lectures with Labs
Slides give an abstract overview
Labs and discussion give a practical perspective

Lectures
Overview of .NET.
AutoCAD .NET Visual Studio project settings Hello World!
User Interaction - User Input and Entity Selection
Database Fundamentals Symbol tables, Transactions
User Interface design Win Form Dialogs and Palettes
Event handling Reacting to AutoCAD Events in .NET. Database
Dictionaries, XRecords, Table Traversal
Point Monitor
Jigs
Additional User Interface Elements (Non CUI related)

Class Schedule
Time 9:30 - 5:30
Lunch 12:00 - 1:00
Day 1
Overview of .NET
Visual Studio Project Settings Lab 1
User Input Lab 2
Creating Entity, Block definition and Block References Lab 3
UI Design Win form Dialogs, Palettes and Event Handling Lab 4
Day 2
Dictionaries Lab 5

Point Monitor Lab 6

Jigs - Lab 7
Non-CUI related UI elements Lab 8

.NET Overview

What is .NET?

Benefits of programming in .NET

Important Concepts

.NET Overview
What is .NET?
Components of .NET
The .NET Framework used for building and running all kinds of
software, including Web-based applications, smart client applications,
and XML Web Services

Developer tools such as Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 / 2010 / 2012

A set of servers that integrate, run, operate, and manage Web
services and Web-based applications

Client software that helps developers deliver a deep and compelling

user experience across a family of devices and existing products.

.NET Framework
VB

C++

C#

JScript

ASP.NET

Windows Forms

Data and XML

Base Class Library
Common Language Runtime

Visual Studio 2010 / 2012

Common Language Specification

.NET Overview
What is .NET?
NET Framework
Common Language Runtime (CLR)
Object-Oriented programming environment
Common execution environment for .NET applications
-Similar to Java VM but with much stronger interoperability
Framework Class Library (FCL)
Object Oriented Collection of re-usable types
(Source: MSDN)

.NET Overview
CLR Execution Model
Source code
Compiler
Managed
Code
(dll or exe)

VB

C#

C++

vbc.exe

csc.exe

cc.exe

Assembly
IL Code

Assembly
IL Code

Assembly
IL Code

Common Language Runtime

JIT Compiler
Native Code

Operating System Services

What is Microsoft .NET?

What we know from our experience so far
Intelligent symbolic representation
Mature language constructs
Collections, Events, Delegates
Common programming pitfalls addressed
Memory management, consistent Exception handling, unified strings

Source and binary inter-module communication

goes beyond C++ and COM
Meta data allows design- and run-time object usage and extension

Programming style
Multiple supported languages Choose your weapons

.NET Overview

What is .NET?

Benefits of programming in .NET

Important Concepts

.NET Overview
Benefits of programming in .NET
Consistent Object Oriented Development platform
Automatic memory management Garbage collection
Support for multiple languages
(Source: MSDN)

.NET Overview
Consistent Object Oriented Development platform
Everything you see can be treated as an Object!
Dim myLine As New Line()
myLine.StartPoint = New Point3d(0, 0, 0)
myLine.EndPoint = New Point3d(10, 10, 0)
myLine.GetClosestPointTo(New Point3d(5, 5.1, 0), False)
Dim x as Interger = 7
Dim s as String = x.ToString()

Objects are instances of a Type or Class (for example myLine

is an object and Line is a type)
Objects have properties such as StartPoint, and methods such
as GetClosestPointTo()

.NET Overview
Consistent Object Oriented Development
platform
Mature API Constructs
Whats wrong with this function?
int acedSSGet(const char * str,
const void * pt1,
const void * pt2,
const struct resbuf * filter,
ads_name ss);

.NET Overview
Consistent Object Oriented Development platform
Mature API Constructs
Some 6 new classes defined to encapsulate acedSSGet()
Dim values(2) As TypedValue
Define the selection criteria
values(0) = New TypedValue(DxfCode.Start, Circle)
values(1) = New TypedValue(DxfCode.Color, 1)
Dim selFilter As New SelectionFilter(values)
Dim selOpts As New PromptSelectionOptions()
selOpts.AllowDuplicates = True
Run the selection
Dim res As PromptSelectionResult = Editor.GetSelection(selOpts, selFilter)

.NET Overview
Benefits of programming in .NET
Consistent Object Oriented Development platform
Automatic memory management (Garbage
collection)
and consistent exception handling
Support for multiple languages
(Source: MSDN)

.NET Overview
Benefits of programming in .NET
Automatic memory management

Old Way (C++) - Potential for memory leaks!

char *pName=(char*)malloc(128);
strcpy(pName,"Hello");
//...
free(pName);

New Way - .NET

C++ - String *pName=new String("Hello")

VB - Dim Name As String = "Hello"
C# - String Name=Hello;

// Garbage collection handles deallocation; no delete!0

.NET Overview
Benefits of programming in .NET
Consistent exception handling
Old Way VB: Can be very confusing and problematic!
On Error GoTo UnexpectedError
Dim x As Double=10/0 error!
UnexpectedError:
MsgBox Str$(Err.Number)
New VB .NET
Try
Dim x As Double=10/0 error which throws exception
Catch
what happened? Division by Zero!
Finally
cleanup - do this either way
End Try

.NET Overview
Benefits of programming in .NET
Consistent Object Oriented Development platform
Automatic memory management (Garbage collection)
and consistent exception handling
Support for multiple languages
(Source: MSDN)

.NET Overview
Benefits of programming in .NET
Support for multiple languages
C#, VB most commonly used
Can interop between code written in different languages. For
example, a class written in C# can be inherited from a class
written in VB! In fact, AutoCADs managed assemblies are
written using managed C++ which you will access from VB.NET.
No significant difference in performance as all languages
compile to IL (Intermediate Language) executed by the CLR

.NET Overview

What is .NET?

Benefits of programming in .NET

Important Concepts

.NET Overview
Important Concepts
Assemblies
Fundamental unit of deployment and
execution in .NET
Contains a manifest that describes the
assembly
Boundary for code execution and access
permission

Assembly
Manifest
Name?
What files make up the assembly?
Dependent assemblies?
Version and Culture?

netmodule

(Source: MSDN)

Dlls

Bmp

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs
Overview of .NET.
AutoCAD .NET Visual Studio project settings Hello World!
User Interaction - Simple User Input and Entity Selection
Database Fundamentals Symbol tables, Transactions
Database Fundamentals Dictionaries, XRecords, Table
Traversal
More User Interaction Advanced Prompts
User Interface design - WinForm Dialogs and Palettes
Event handling Reacting to AutoCAD Events in .NET.

AutoCAD .NET API Documentation

How do I get started?
ObjectARX SDK Includes:
SDK Samples!
ObjectARX Developers Guide
Managed Reference Guide
Arxmgd.chm

ADN website
DevNotes
DevHelp Online

Visual Studio Class Browser

Development Environment
Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 (SP1) or
Microsoft Visual Studio 2012
AutoCAD 2014
Microsoft Windows 8
Microsoft Windows 7
Microsoft Windows XP

.NET Debugging Tools

Reflector
Browse .NET assemblies, disassemble, decompile
http://sharptoolbox.madgeek.com
Ildasm
Disassemble .NET assemblies
Visual Studio Tools
Fuslogv
Diagnose load time problems
Visual Studio Tools
FxCop
Check conformance with Design Guidelines
http://www.gotdotnet.com/team/fxcop/

Snoop Tools (for AutoCADs database)

ArxDbg (C++)
MgdDbg(C#)

ObjectARX SDK
ADN

Visual Studio project settings Hello World!

Start with a Class Library application type with DLL
output.
Add references to AutoCADs managed assemblies
acdbmgd.dll
Database services and DWG file manipulation
(like ObjectDBX)
acmgd.dll
AutoCAD Application specific
accoremgd.dll
AutoCAD core logic
Find them in the AutoCAD install folder
(set COPY LOCAL = FALSE)
C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2014
C:\ObjectARX 2014\inc

How does a plugin for AutoCAD work ?

Code witten in
Visual Basic .NET

Reference to AutoCAD
DLLs. Use it from
ObjectARX INC folder

Project VB.NET

Compile

Assembly
(.dll)

Load inside AutoCAD

with NETLOAD

Visual Studio project settings Hello World!

Reference namespaces you will use in your project
In VB.NET Use Imports keyword:
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
Access to the AutoCAD application
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput
Access to the AutoCAD editor
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime
Command registration
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
Access to the AutoCAD Database and Entities

Visual Studio project settings Hello World!

Add a simple command HelloWorld
Make a function an AutoCAD command by adding an attribute
Public Class Class1
<CommandMethod("HelloWorld")> _
Public Function HelloWorld()
End Function
End Class

The attribute is added to the metadata for that function

CommandMethod or CommandMethodAttribute type accepts several
parameters in its constructor such as group name, global and local
names, command flags and more (Use the object browser)

Visual Studio project settings Hello World!

To print a string to command line
Get the editor object for the active document
Dim ed As Editor =
Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor

Call the editors WriteMessage method

Public Class Class1
<CommandMethod("HelloWorld")> _
Public Function HelloWorld()
ed.WriteMessage("Hello World")
End Function
End Class

Loading .NET assembly

NETLOAD command
AUTOLOADER
Startup
On command invocation
Demand Load (Registry)
Startup
On command invocation
On request
From another application

On proxy detection
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D001:409\Applications\AcLayer]
"DESCRIPTION"="AutoCAD Layer Manager"
"LOADER"="C:\\Program Files\\AutoCAD 2014\\aclayer.dll"
"LOADCTRLS"=dword:0000000e
"MANAGED"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACADD001:409\Applications\AcLayer\Commands]
"LAYER"="LAYER
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACADD001:409\Applications\AcLayer\Groups]
"ACLAYER_CMDS"="ACLAYER_CMDS

Use Installers to set these keys!

AutoLoader
AutoCAD loads bundles from
%appdata%\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins
Each bundle has PackageContents.xml

NETLOAD or Registry Keys

HKEY_CURRENT_USER

For all users

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

For a specific user only

SOFTWARE

R18.0: 2010
.1: 2011
.2:2012

Autodesk

R19.0: 2013
.1: 2014

AutoCAD
R19.0
ACADB001:409

409: English
416: Portuguese
X000: Civil3D
X001: AutoCAD 040A: Spanish

"DESCRIPTION"="Custom App Name"

"LOADER"="C:\\folder\\appName.dll"
"LOADCTRLS"=dword:0000000e
YourAppName "MANAGED"=dword:00000001

Applications

Lab 1 Hello World!

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs
Overview of .NET.
AutoCAD .NET Visual Studio project settings Hello World!
User Interaction - User Input and Entity Selection
Database Fundamentals Symbol tables, Transactions
User Interface design Win Form Dialogs and Palettes
Event handling Reacting to AutoCAD Events in .NET. Database
Dictionaries, XRecords, Table Traversal
Point Monitor
Jigs
Additional User Interface Elements

Prompting for User Input

Use PromptXXXOptions to set the parameters for prompting
XXX is the value type we want to prompt, such as Angle, String,
Distance, Corner etc.
Use Message and Keywords properties to set the prompt string and
list of keywords
Use AllowYYY to set conditions for prompting. For e.g.,
AllowNegative

To prompt, use Editors GetXXX functions

Examples - GetAngle, GetString, GetDistance, GetCorner etc
Pass PromptXXXOptions into GetXXX

Result of prompting stored in PromptResult or derived types

Examples PromptDoubleResult, PromptIntegerResult etc.

Prompt for a point on screen

Config the options to select a point on screen
Dim pointOptions As New PromptPointOptions("Select a point: ")

Ask the user to select the point and store the selection
result
Dim pointResult As PromptPointResult =

ed.GetPoint(pointOptions)
Create
a Point3d variable to store the selected point
Requires an additional imports for Point3d: Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry

Dim selectedPoint As Point3d = pointResult.Value

Write the point coordinates (XYZ)

ed.WriteMessage(selectedPoint.ToString())

More User Interaction

PromptsXXXOptions is used to control prompting such as
Set the Message
Enter Number of Sides:

Set Keywords
Enter Number of Sides [Triangle/Square/Pentagon] :

Set Defaults
Enter Number of Sides [Triangle/Square/Pentagon] <3>:

Set Allowed values

Enter Number of Sides [Triangle/Square/Pentagon] <3>: -5
Value must be positive and nonzero.

PromptXXXResult is used to obtain result of prompting

Additional prompts
Types:
PromptPointOptions
PromptStringOptions
PromptDoubleOptions
PromptAngleOptions
PromptCornerOptions
PromptDistanceOptions
PromptEntityOptions
PromptIntegerOptions
PromptKeywordOptions
PromptNestedEntityOptions
PromptSelectionOptions
Etc.

Help file
for the
rescue!

Dotnet 2014 Wizards

AppWizard Templates for a VB.NET or C# application

Lab 2 User Input

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs
Overview of .NET.
AutoCAD .NET Visual Studio project settings Hello World!
User Interaction - User Input and Entity Selection
Database Fundamentals Symbol tables, Transactions
User Interface design Win Form Dialogs and Palettes
Event handling Reacting to AutoCAD Events in .NET. Database
Dictionaries, XRecords, Table Traversal
Point Monitor
Jigs
Additional User Interface Elements

AutoCAD Drawing Database

In-Memory representation of the Dwg File
Objects are stored hierarchically in the database - Db Structure
All objects have identities ObjectId, like Primary Key in a relational
database
Objects are always accessed in a transaction
The transaction defines the boundary of database operations
Objects have to be opened first in a transaction before they can be used

Objects can refer to other objects such as a line having a reference to a

layer

DWG

Database Structure: Overview

Database

BlockTable

BlockTableRecord

LayerTable

LayerTableRecord

Other tabels

DBDictionary

TextStyleTable

Materials

DimStyleTable

Visual Styles

UcsTable

Others
(Custom)

Model Space

LineTypeTable

Paper Space 0

Other layers

ViewTable

Paper Space 1

ViewportTable

Other blocks

RegAppTable

Database Components
Symbol Tables
Examples Layer Table, Linetype Table, Textstyle Table etc.
Containers to store Symbol Table Records
Example LayerTableRecord, LinetypeTableRecord etc
All Symbol Tables have common methods of a container
such as
Add to add a record
Item to lookup an entry with a search string
Has To know if an entry exists
Is enumerable
Each symbol table can hold only records of a specific type
For example, a LayerTable can hold only
LayerTableRecords
Use SnoopDb to see where the Layers reside

Getting a Database Object

Construct One
In Memory

Get the one currently active in AutoCAD

HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase()

Object Identity - ObjectID

All Objects that exist in the database have an
ObjectId
Is unique per session (or instance) of AutoCAD
Is generated automatically for an object when it is added to
the database
Non-database resident objects do not have an ObjectId set
Can be cached to open an object later

Get it using ObjectId property

Transactions
Transactions
Sets the boundary for database operations
Handles exception cleanly
Operates with a single Undo filer
Can be
committed All database operations are saved
rolled back All database operations are aborted
Can be nested

Nesting Transactions
1

Transaction 2
Transaction 1

obj1

3
obj2

obj3

obj2

obj1
Database

1. Client starts Trans1 and gets Obj1 & Obj2

2. Client starts Trans2 and gets Obj2 & Obj3
3. Client commits Trans2
Trans2 changes are committed
4a. Client commits Trans1
Trans1 changes are committed
4b. Client aborts Trans1 instead
Trans1 (and Trans2) changes are rolled back

obj3
obj2

Transactions
Standard db access with Transactions
Public Function MyFunc()
Get the database current in AutoCAD
Dim db As Database = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase()
Start a transaction using the database transaction manager
Dim trans As Transaction = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
Try
Do all database operations here
Lets get the block table from the database
Drill into the database and obtain a reference to the BlockTable
Dim bt As BlockTable = trans.GetObject(db.BlockTableId,
OpenMode.ForWrite)
Everything successful, so commit the transaction
trans.commit()
Catch
trans.Abort()
Finally
All ok. Call Dispose explicitly before exiting
trans.dispose()
End Try
End Function

Recommended Transaction Use

Standard DB access with Transactions
Public Function MyFunc()
Get the database current in AutoCAD
Dim db As Database = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase()
Start a transaction using the database transaction manager
Using trans As Transaction =
db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
Do all database operations here
Lets get the block table from the database
Drill into the database and obtain a reference to the BlockTable
Dim bt As BlockTable = trans.GetObject(db.BlockTableId,
OpenMode.ForWrite)
Everything successful, so commit the transaction
trans.commit()
End Using
End Function

Transaction - Opening an Object

Use transactions GetObject to open an object
The first parameter is the ObjectId
Second parameter is the open mode
ForRead Access but not Modify
ForWrite Modify and Access
ForNotify When the object is notifying

Dim bt As BlockTable = trans.GetObject( _

db.BlockTableId, _
OpenMode.ForWrite _
)

Adding an Object to the database

Find the right owner to add a newly created object to
All objects have exactly one owner
For example, newly created LayerTableRecord can only be added to the
Layer Table, its owner, or a newly created entity can be only added to a
block table record

Use Add method for adding Symbol Table Records to add to Symbol
Table
Use AppendXXX to add add other kinds of objects to its owners For
example
AppendEntity to add to BlockTableRecord

Once an object is added to an owner, always let the transaction know!

For example :
newBtr.AppendEntity(circle) Add our circle to its owner the BTR
trans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(circle, True)

Database Structure: Model Space

Under BlockTable
Model Space is a BlockTableRecord
(BTR)
This concept also applies to Paper Spaces and
other internal and user-defined blocks

Each BTR contains Entities

One type of entity for each
geometric type
Is enumerable Iterate with For
Each

Database
BlockTable
BlockTableRecord
Model Space
Entity
Line
Polyline
MText
Circle
Many others...

Append an Entity to Model Space

Dim db As Database = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Database
Using trans As Transaction = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction
'open the current space (can be any BTR, usually model space)
Dim mSpace As BlockTableRecord = trans.GetObject(db.CurrentSpaceId, _
OpenMode.ForWrite)
'Create and configure a new line
Dim newLine As New Line
newLine.StartPoint = New Point3d(0, 0, 0)
newLine.EndPoint = New Point3d(10, 10, 0)
'Append to model space
mSpace.AppendEntity(newLine)

Open the current space for

write. Can be any other
Create and BTR.
configure

a new line (inmemory)

Append to the current space,
now the line it is database
resident

'Inform the transaction

trans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(newLine, True)
trans.commit()
End Using 'Dispose the transaction

Object memory management

Note managed objects wrap an unmanaged C++ object!
So we create them with New, Do they need to be disposed?
No - garbage collection disposes the object when it wants to reclaim memory
If the object is not in the database this deletes the underlying
unmanaged object
If the object is in the database this Closes the underlying unmanaged
object

If opened in a transaction, disposing or committing the

transaction closes it automatically! Clean memory
management.
Manual Dispose is required in a few cases, e.g. Transaction
(Using)

Object Model Overview

classmap.dwg
in ObjectARX distribution

Important Managed Classes

Lab 3
Create Entity, Block and Block Reference

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs
Overview of .NET.
AutoCAD .NET Visual Studio project settings Hello World!
User Interaction - User Input and Entity Selection
Database Fundamentals Symbol tables, Transactions
User Interface design Win Form Dialogs and Palettes
Event handling Reacting to AutoCAD Events in .NET. Database
Dictionaries, XRecords, Table Traversal
Point Monitor
Jigs
Additional User Interface Elements

Forms and UI Basics

Win Form API basics
How create a form
Common used controls
Respond to user actions
Using the form

Windows OS is based on windows

Everything on screen is some type of window
You move focus across windows
The window with focus is usually highlighted and will receive
keyboard input

Forms are specialized windows

Can host other windows, in this case controls

Forms with WinForms API

Require reference to System.Windows.dll
Namespace System.Windows.Forms
Main features
Forms
Controls for forms (button, textbox, combobox)
Ready to use forms (dialogs to open, save, folder)
Others (menus, ribbon, tooltip)

Creating my first Form

Add a Windows Form

Add controls for the form

Controls are variable too

Each control is a variable rename for further use
Current variable name and
type
Select a control, mouse rightclick
Change the name
here

Properties

Do something when the user click!

For some controls we need execute something when the user
interacts with it
Example: when the user clicks on a button

Select Events
Select a button,
mouse right-click,
Properties
Or just double-click
on the button, same
result

Select Click, then

mouse double-click to
create the method
button1_click

Create the control events

TIP

User Interface Design

AutoCAD Defined
Menus Application level menu, Context menu
Dialogs
AutoCADs Enhanced Secondary Windows ( Palettes )
Color, Linetype, Lineweight, OpenFile dialogs
Tabbed Dialog Extensions (to Options Dialog)
Status Bar
Tray
Drag-Drop
And more. Explore Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows namespace

Windows Defined
Windows Forms (Winform)
Host of other controls defined in CLR

Using a form inside AutoCAD

Modal forms
Application.ShowModalDialog

Modeless forms (consider Palette instead)

Application.ShowModelessDialog

Persists size and position automatically

Palette in AutoCAD
Create a user control
Create a PaletteSet
Add the user control to the palette using Add method.
Set the Visible property of the paletteset

Handling Events
Event
message sent by an object to notify something has happened
message is received in a function call by one or more listeners
event sender only requires function pointer to dispatch a message
any interested party can implement the function and receive the
event
function must have a specific signature that the sender requires
Use .NET delegates to wire sender and receiver
Delegates

Like a class (can be instantiated) but with a signature

Holds references to functions having same signature
Like Type-Safe function pointer
Can encapsulate any method which matches the specific signature

Using Delegates
Delegates in AutoCADs .NET API usually have EventHandler suffix
Lookup the signature of the delegate in the object browser

Implement a function with same signature

Instantiate the delegate passing address of the function into its
constructor
Add the delegate instance to senders list of listeners
C#, use += operator
VB, use AddHandler

Delegate myDelegate = new Delegate(address of myFunction);

EventSender.Event += myDelegate;
myFunction(delegate signature)
{
}
Dont forget to remove the listener!

Event Handling - Example

Create the event handler (callback)
Sub objAppended(ByVal o As Object, ByVal e As ObjectEventArgs)
MessageBox.Show("ObjectAppended!")
Do something here
Do something else, etc.
End Sub

Associate the event handler with an event

Dim db As Database
db = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase()
AddHandler db.ObjectAppended, New
ObjectEventHandler(AddressOf objAppended)

Disconnect the event handler

RemoveHandler db.ObjectAppended, AddressOf objAppended

Lab 4
PaletteSet and DB Events

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs
Overview of .NET.
AutoCAD .NET Visual Studio project settings Hello World!
User Interaction - User Input and Entity Selection
Database Fundamentals Symbol tables, Transactions
User Interface design Win Form Dialogs and Palettes
Event handling Reacting to AutoCAD Events in .NET. Database
Dictionaries, XRecords, Table Traversal
Point Monitor
Jigs
Additional User Interface Elements

Dictionaries and XRecords

Dictionaries (Type DbDictionary)
Containers to hold data only
Holds other Dictionaries
Holds non-graphical Objects (derived from DbObject but not DbEntity!)
Is enumerable
Each item has a string key
Items searchable with a string key using GetAt() or Item

Two Root dictionaries

Named Objects Dictionary (NOD)
Owned by the database
Available by default
Used to store database level data
Extension Dictionary
Owned by an Entity
Created by the user only when needed
Used to store entity level data

Use SnoopDb to look where the dictionaries are stored

Dictionaries and XRecords

XRecord
Data containers
Holds data in a Resbuf chain (Result Buffer)
Resbuf Linked List of TypedValues (DataTypeValue pair)

No Key to search values within a Resbuf.

Should know the order data is stored in the list

XRecords can be added to Dictionaries

If stored in NOD database level data
If stored in Extension Dictionary entity-level data

Get NOD
To get the NOD for the database
Dim db = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase
Dim NOD As DBDictionary =
trans.GetObject(db.NamedObjectsDictionaryId,
OpenMode.ForWrite, False)

To create an ExtensionDictionary for an entity

myEntity.CreateExtensionDictionary()

Dictionary Hierarchy
Named Object Dictionary
Extension Dictionary
DBDictionary
SetAt
GetAt

One DBDictionary can contain others.

Good to organize the structure.
DBDictionary
Also avoid conflict with other apps.
SetAt
GetAt

Xrecord
Data

ResultBuffer

New
AsArray

Array of
TypeValues

Iterating Through Containers

Objects that are enumerable
Symbol Tables
Block Table Records
Dictionaries
Polylines
PolyFaceMesh & PolygonMesh
ACIS Solids
Called traversers
BlockReferences (Inserts)
Only useful when attributes are present

Symbol Table Traversal

Start with a database pointer
HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase Get used to this one!

Iterate down into each sub-table from there

Dim db As Database = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase()
Dim bt As BlockTable = trans.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForWrite)
Dim id As ObjectId
For Each id In bt
Dim btr As BlockTableRecord = trans.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForRead)
Next

Lab 5
Adding Custom Data

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs
Overview of .NET.
AutoCAD .NET Visual Studio project settings Hello World!
User Interaction - User Input and Entity Selection
Database Fundamentals Symbol tables, Transactions
User Interface design Win Form Dialogs and Palettes
Event handling Reacting to AutoCAD Events in .NET. Database
Dictionaries, XRecords, Table Traversal
Point Monitor
Jigs
Additional User Interface Elements

Input Point Monitor

Allows us to monitor relevant input in AutoCAD
Provides relevant data to the input received Osnap, Draw context, various
computed points, Entities underneath aperture etc.
Allows you to draw temporary graphics, and to easily implement tooltips.
Created with the PointMonitor event of the editor
The delegate is a PointMonitorEventHandler

Input Point Monitor

AppendToolTipText
Context
GetPickedEntities
FullSubentityPath

DrawContext
Geometry.Draw

Lab 6

PointMonitor

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs
Overview of .NET.
AutoCAD .NET Visual Studio project settings Hello World!
User Interaction - User Input and Entity Selection
Database Fundamentals Symbol tables, Transactions
User Interface design Win Form Dialogs and Palettes
Event handling Reacting to AutoCAD Events in .NET. Database
Dictionaries, XRecords, Table Traversal
Point Monitor
Jigs
Additional User Interface Elements

Jigs
Allows you to graphically manipulate and form an
Entity in real time.
Two types of Jig available
EntityJig Controls only one entity
DrawJig Controls one or more.
Need to use a Class that inherits from EntityJig or DrawJig

Jigs
The constructor for this class takes
the entity being jigged.
Use the Editor Drag function to start
the Jig
Pass in the Jig

Jig Functions
Two functions that must be overridden
Sampler
Used to get input from the user

Update
Used to update the entity that is being jigged.

Jig Function - Sampler

One Argument Passed into this function
JigPrompts
AcquirePoint, AcquireDistance

Returns SamplerStatus
NoChange
OK

Jig Function - Update

Change the Properties of the Entity
Use a Select Case
To Get multiple inputs

Lab 7

Jigs

Class Agenda
Lectures and Labs
Overview of .NET.
AutoCAD .NET Visual Studio project settings Hello World!
User Interaction - User Input and Entity Selection
Database Fundamentals Symbol tables, Transactions
User Interface design Win Form Dialogs and Palettes
Event handling Reacting to AutoCAD Events in .NET. Database
Dictionaries, XRecords, Table Traversal
Point Monitor
Jigs
Additional User Interface Elements

Context menu
Application Level
Application.AddDefaultContextMenuExtension

Object Level
Application. AddObjectContextMenuExtension per RXClass

Tabbed Dialog Extensions

Create a new tab inside Options dialog
Create a user control
Hook to Application.DisplayingOptionDialog event
Add the tab (user control) in the event handler
private void TabHandler(object sender, TabbedDialogEventArgs e)
{
myCustomTab myCustomTab = new myCustomTab();
TabbedDialogAction tabbedDialogAct = new TabbedDialogAction(myCustomTab.OnOk);
TabbedDialogExtension tabbedDialogExt = new
TabbedDialogExtension(myCustomTab, tabbedDialogAct);
e.AddTab("My Custom Tab", tabbedDialogExt);
}

Drag and Drop

Handle MouseMove
Create an instance of your DropTarget class
Call Application.DoDragDrop
Application.DoDragDrop ( this, this, Forms.DragDropEffects.All,
new MyDropTarget() );
public class MyDropTarget : Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows.DropTarget
{
public override void OnDrop(System.Windows.Forms.DragEventArgs e)
{
}
}

Lab 8
Additional User Interface Elements
(Non CUI based)

More API Resources

Blogs
Through the Interface
(AutoCAD.NET)
http://through-the-interface.typepad.com/through_the_i
nterface/
AutoCAD DevBlog
http://adndevblog.typepad.com/autocad/

Developer Center : http://

www.autodesk.com/developautocad

API Training Classes : www.autodesk.com/apitraining

DevTVs, Recorded Webcasts, Code Samples ADN website
http://adn.autodesk.com

Discussion Groups : http://discussion.autodesk.com

Thank You !