Block making with VB.Net

Hello, gentlemen. Is there anybody who elaborates software with VB.Net and
can tell me how to create a block, which can be seen in a list after
_insert command? The block making sub should get one argument.



Public Sub MakeBlock(ByVal blkName As String)

'blkName - the name of a block to be created



Dim db As Database

db =
Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDo
cument.Database



..

..

..





End Sub





I asked the same question couple months ago but got no answer.

 

I have no .NET experience, and don't have .NET, but here's a guess. Maybe
it'll get comments as to why it would not work.
-- James

Code:

Public Sub MakeBlock(ByVal blkName As String)

Dim db As Database
Dim t As AcadDocument

db =
Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDo
cument.Database;

Dim blockObj As AcadBlock;
Dim insertionPnt As Double[] = {0,0,0};

blockObj = db.Blocks.Add(insertionPnt, blkName);
blockObj.AddCircle insertionPnt, 1#;
blockObj.AddCircle insertionPnt, 2#;

End Sub

 

Doesn't the supplied AutoCAD example work?

Public WithEvents ACADApp As AutoCAD.AcadApplication

Public Sub MakeBlock(ByVal blkName As String)
Dim acadDoc As AutoCAD.AcadDocument
acadDoc = ACADApp.ActiveDocument
Dim blkColl As AutoCAD.AcadBlocks
Dim newBlock As AutoCAD.AcadBlock
Dim insertionPnt(2) As Double
blkColl = acadDoc.Blocks
insertionPnt(0) = 0.0# : insertionPnt(1) = 0.0# : insertionPnt(2) = 0.0#
newBlock = blkColl.Add(insertionPnt, blkName)
Dim Database As AutoCAD.AcadDatabase
Database = acadDoc.ModelSpace.Database
MsgBox("The number of Blocks in this database is: " & Database.Blocks.Count & vbCrLf & "Here is the block name you just created: " & Database.Blocks.Item(Database.Blocks.Count - 1).Name)
Database = Nothing
End Sub

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
ACADApp = GetObject(, "AutoCAD.Application.16.1")
Call MakeBlock(TextBox1.Text)
End Sub

 

James Belshan and Miko! Thank you.
But as far I can see your samples may work only in VBA but not in .Net.
Because there is a great difference between objects structure. DotNet has
the one of ObjectARX.
Your code will not be compiled in DotNet.

 

I wrote this in Visual Studio 2003. VB.NET. The code will run in a standalone exe.

 

standalone exe.
I see you point. But you used ActiveX Automation and got exe file. I use
ObjectARX wich means compiling dll.

 

His code can be compiled to a DLL and will work. ObjectARX compiles to a
ARX file, not a DLL. VB.NET and C# compile to DLLs or EXEs. Both have the
immenent power of ObjectARX.. Don't confuse ObjectARX with .NET. If you
really want to use ObjectARX, you're in the wrong ng.

What I *think* your problem is, is that you are confusing managed and
unmanaged code. His code was unmanaged using the COM InterOp to accomplish
the block creation. Unfortunately, any serious dev work in VB/C# will
require you to revert to COM in most cases.

-- Mike
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
___________________________
the trick is to realize that there is no spoon...

 

Here is a quick example of using the managed API to create a block in the
active drawing.

public ObjectId CreateBlockExample ()
{
Database activeDb = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase;

using (Transaction trans = activeDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
{
//Create a new Block Table Record
BlockTableRecord newBtr = new BlockTableRecord();
newBtr.Name = "MyAwesomeNewBlock";
newBtr.Origin = new Point3d(0, 0, 0);

//Open the Block Table of the active database for writing
BlockTable bt = (BlockTable) trans.GetObject(activeDb.BlockTableId,
OpenMode.ForWrite);

//Append the newBtr to the BlockTable
bt.Add(newBtr);

//Add it to the transaction
activeDb.TransactionManager.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(newBtr, true);

trans.Commit();

return newBtr.ObjectId;
}
}

Since you're using VB you'll need to convert the "using" block to a
"try..catch..finally" block to commit the transaction.

 

Thank you, everybody. Now I see things perfectly clear.