Block information collection

Hello all,

I have a working routine in Lisp that creates a door (based on a few variables) in any wall, trims the wall and makes a block of the door...hooray for me Now, what I would like to do is create another routine that scans the drawing for these door blocks created with this routine, select one of them form a list and insert it.

When the door is created I am augmenting the given block name with "_xx" so that when I tblsearch in this new routine I assume I could use some wildcard or something to retrieve the list of blocks with this extra bit on the end. (comments on the viability of that concept are more than welcome)

The real question, however, is once I get the right block how do I extract the overall width of the block so I know how far to trim the wall it will be inserted into? When the door is made and stored as a block the outside of jamb to outside of jamb distance is always in the X plane. What is the most effective way to get the overall X dimension of the saved block?

I have a feeling it may be inserting the block, entget, entlast, and then some assoc extraction. I just can’t figure what code it might be. I have looked at the dxf code stuff but it doesn't seem to help me.

Also, I thought of making an attribute in the block that would hold this information that then could be extracted and used. I would rather not do this if I don't have to though.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. The code is below.

Thanks,
Drew Jones

;------------------------
; INSERT DOORS
;------------------------
(defun c:jdoor (/ clayer os-mode 0-mode frstln ent pnt1 pnt3 pnt3 wid1 wid2 opn1 opn2 opn3 dwid blknm)
(setq c-layer (getvar "clayer")
os-mode (getvar "osmode")
o-mode (getvar "orthomode")
)
(setvar "coords" 2)
(if (not (tblsearch "layer" "A-DO-SWG"))
(command "layer" "m" "A-DO-SWG" "c" "27" "" "")
)
(if (not (tblsearch "layer" "A-DO"))
(command "layer" "m" "A-DO" "c" "5" "" "")
)
(setq frstln (entget(car(nentsel "\nSelect swing side of wall to insert door into:")))
ent (cdr(assoc -1 frstln))
)
(setvar "clayer" (cdr(assoc 8 frstln)))
(setvar "osmode" 32) ; this is the only osmode that works with otrack point selection
(setvar "orthomode" 1)
(command "._ucs" "_ob" ent)
(setq pnt1 (getpoint "\nHinge point location:")
pnt2 (getpoint pnt1 "\nDirection of swing?:")
pnt3 (getpoint pnt1 "\nDirection of opening?:")
)
(setvar "osmode" 128)
(setq wid1 (getdist pnt1 "\nWall thickness \(snap or input\)")
wid2 (rtos wid1 4 8)
)
(setvar "osmode" 0)
(setq opn1 (getdist "\nOpening size \(3'-0\" default\):")
opn1 (if (= nil opn1) 36 opn1)
opn2 (rtos opn1 4 8)
opn3 (rtos (+ opn1 2) 4 8)
dwid "1 1/2\""
)
(command "._ucs" "_3" pnt1 pnt2 pnt3)
(command "._ucs" "_z" "270")
(command "._zoom" "_w" (strcat "40," (rtos (+ opn1 40) 4 8)) (strcat "-" (rtos (+ opn1 40) 4 8) ",-" (rtos (+ wid1 40) 4 8)))
(command "._line" "2,0" (strcat "2," "-" wid2) "") ;wall trim line
(command "._line" (strcat "-" opn3 ",-" wid2) (strcat "-" opn3 ",0") "") ;wall trim line
(command "._trim" "" "0,0" (strcat "0,-" wid2) "")
(command "layer" "s" "A-DO" "")
(command "_.rectang" "0,0" (strcat "@-" dwid "," opn2)) ;door
(command "_.rectang" "0,0" (strcat "@2,-" wid2)) ;hinge jamb
(command "_.rectang" (strcat "-" opn3 ",0") (strcat "@2" ",-" wid2)) ;strike side jamb
(command "layer" "s" "A-DO-SWG" "")
(command "._arc" "_c" "0,0" (strcat "0," opn2) (strcat "-" opn2 ",0")) ;door swing
(setq blknm (getstring "\nDoor block name:"))
(while (tblsearch "block" (strcat blknm "_xx")) (setq blknm (getstring "\nName already inuse, choose another one:"))) ;block name loop
(command "._block" (strcat blknm "_xx") "0,0" "0,1" "0,-1" (strcat "-" opn2 ",-1") (strcat "-" opn2 ",1") "") ;block creation
(setvar "clayer" "0")
(command "._insert" (strcat blknm "_xx") "0,0" "1" "1" "") ;block insertion
(setvar "clayer" c-layer)
(setvar "osmode" os-mode)
(setvar "orthomode" omode)
(command "_.ucs" "" )
(princ)
)

 

Have you considered making the width of the door part of the block name (ie: *_36_xx)?

Dave

 

You might try something like using the door *type* in the name
- DOORSS..... = single swing
- DOORDS.... = double swing
- etc.

add the specifics of the door to the inserted block in xdata. this will give
you a much more flexible format for storing information. if you tie all
needed information to the name, what happens if you decide to add more data?
using xdata will allow you to this without disrupt your
naming/inserting/search & extract functions.


--
Daron
We are human beings,
not human doings.

variables) in any wall, trims the wall and makes a block of the
door...hooray for me Now, what I would like to do is create another
routine that scans the drawing for these door blocks created with this
routine, select one of them form a list and insert it.

so that when I tblsearch in this new routine I assume I could use some
wildcard or something to retrieve the list of blocks with this extra bit on
the end. (comments on the viability of that concept are more than welcome)

the overall width of the block so I know how far to trim the wall it will be
inserted into? When the door is made and stored as a block the outside of
jamb to outside of jamb distance is always in the X plane. What is the
most effective way to get the overall X dimension of the saved block?

some assoc extraction. I just can't figure what code it might be. I have
looked at the dxf code stuff but it doesn't seem to help me.

information that then could be extracted and used. I would rather not do
this if I don't have to though.

wid2 opn1 opn2 opn3 dwid blknm)

(rtos (+ opn1 40) 4 8) ",-" (rtos (+ wid1 40) 4 8)))

"\nName already inuse, choose another one:"))) ;block name loop

opn2 ",-1") (strcat "-" opn2 ",1") "") ;block creation

 

Dave, Daron,

Thanks for your replies. I think that the xdata, while being uncharted territory for me, is the way to run. I have found what i need to find in the help file to get me started, but I will be back if I need a little more guidance. Are there undocumented hang-ups that i might be made aware of before I get started?

Thanks again,
Drew

 

the help files are pretty good if you want to figure it out yourself. if you
want some code to read / write xdata, i can help you there too.

a few suggestions... if you have an acad.lsp (for example) that loads other
functionality, i suggest putting your read / write xdata functions here. you
can use the same code for more than just your doors, and have your door
functions call the xdata functions.

also, if you have express tools installed, look under *Tools / Xdata Attach
& List Entity Xdata*. this will give you an idea of how you can add xdata to
just about anything. you may not need that much detail, but you'll get the
idea.

i'm not here too often, but if you get stuck & want off-line help, e me at
cadadmin at. dfdch dot. com.

--
Daron
We are human beings,
not human doings.

territory for me, is the way to run. I have found what i need to find in
the help file to get me started, but I will be back if I need a little more
guidance. Are there undocumented hang-ups that i might be made aware of
before I get started?

 

Daron,

Thanks for extending a helping hand. The hardest part of all this is getting started properly. If you could impart to me the general structure of an xdata read/write code that would be very cool. I will try my own hand at this later today or later this week. If I get stuck I will drop you a line.

Thanks,
Drew