Finding the layer of an attribute's insert in an xref block.

I'm trying to find out what layer the INSERT of a selected ATTRIBUTE is on when the attribute is in
an xreff'd INSERT.

I'm using nentsel to select the attribute. Using the code below, if the attribute of the block is
on layer "0", it returns "0", but I really want to know the layer that it's block is on. I've
checked the Xref and the block is on layer "A-Anno-Text". But I can't seem to figure out how to get
the function to return "A-Anno-Text".

Any ideas?

;;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(defun C:FA (/ e ee eee la txt pos nb)

(setq e (nentsel "Select object:"))
(terpri)

(if (= (type e) 'LIST)
(progn
(if (= (length e) 4)
; then it's a nested block object
(setq nb (print (last e)) ; name list of the nested blocks
ee (terpri)
ee (foreach eee nb
(setq ee (entget eee))
(princ (field 0 ee))
(princ "\t : \t")
(princ (field 2 ee))
(princ "\t : \t")
(princ (field 8 ee))
(princ "\n")
)
la (if (= (length nb) 1)
(progn ; not a nested block, just return the name of the xref the selected component is on
(setq ee (entget (car e)))
(field 8 ee)
)
(progn ; it's a nested block, return the name of the layer of the innermost block
(setq nb (car nb) ; innermost block object
ee (entget nb)
; entity list of the innermost block
)
(field 8 ee)
)
)
)
)
; else it's a regular object, so get its layer name
(setq e (entget (car e)))
(princ (field 0 ee))
(princ "\t : \t")
(princ (field 2 ee))
(princ "\t : \t")
(princ (field 8 e))
(princ "\n")
)
)
(princ)
)

;;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(defun FIELD (val ent) (cdr (assoc val ent)))

;;------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Give this a shot:

(defun C:Test (/ pickObj myObj)
(vl-load-com)
(setq pickObj (nentsel))
(setq myObj (vlax-EName->vla-Object (car pickObj)))
(vla-Get-Layer (vla-ObjectIDToObject
(vla-Get-Database myObj)
(vla-Get-OwnerID myObj))))


--
R. Robert Bell


I'm trying to find out what layer the INSERT of a selected ATTRIBUTE is on
when the attribute is in
an xreff'd INSERT.

I'm using nentsel to select the attribute. Using the code below, if the
attribute of the block is
on layer "0", it returns "0", but I really want to know the layer that it's
block is on. I've
checked the Xref and the block is on layer "A-Anno-Text". But I can't seem
to figure out how to get
the function to return "A-Anno-Text".

Any ideas?

;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------

(defun C:FA (/ e ee eee la txt pos nb)

(setq e (nentsel "Select object:"))
(terpri)

(if (= (type e) 'LIST)
(progn
(if (= (length e) 4)
; then it's a nested block object
(setq nb (print (last e)) ; name list of the nested blocks
ee (terpri)
ee (foreach eee nb
(setq ee (entget eee))
(princ (field 0 ee))
(princ "\t : \t")
(princ (field 2 ee))
(princ "\t : \t")
(princ (field 8 ee))
(princ "\n")
)
la (if (= (length nb) 1)
(progn ; not a nested block, just return the name of the xref the
selected component is on
(setq ee (entget (car e)))
(field 8 ee)
)
(progn ; it's a nested block, return the name of the layer of the
innermost block
(setq nb (car nb) ; innermost block object
ee (entget nb)
; entity list of the innermost block
)
(field 8 ee)
)
)
)
)
; else it's a regular object, so get its layer name
(setq e (entget (car e)))
(princ (field 0 ee))
(princ "\t : \t")
(princ (field 2 ee))
(princ "\t : \t")
(princ (field 8 e))
(princ "\n")
)
)
(princ)
)

;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------

(defun FIELD (val ent) (cdr (assoc val ent)))

;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------

 

Thanks!
I do appreciate your help, because I sure couldn't figure out how to get it.

That works when it's in an XREF, but, alas, the routine seemed to bomb out when the object wasn't an
XREF.

So after much trial, I came up with this, FWIW:

;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(defun FIELD (val ent) (cdr (assoc val ent)))
;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(defun C:TA ()
(get-nested-layername (nentsel "Select object: "))
)
;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(defun get-nested-layername (sel / e po no la myObj ownerObj)
;; get the picked object list data
(setq po (entget (car sel))
la (field 8 po)
)

(if (and (= (length sel) 4) (= la "0"))
(progn
;; get the first nested object
(setq no (entget (car (last sel))))
)
)

(if (and (= (field 0 po) "ATTRIB")
(= (field 0 no) "INSERT")
(= la "0")
)
;; if it's an ATTRIB on layer "0" and it has a nested object that's an INSERT,
;; then get its owner object's layername...
(progn
(setq myObj (vlax-EName->vla-Object (car sel))
ownerObj (vla-ObjectIDToObject
(vla-Get-Database myObj)
(vla-Get-OwnerID myObj)
)
la (vla-Get-Layer ownerObj)
)
)
;; else if the picked object is on layer "0" and it has a nested object,
;; then get the nested object's layername...
(progn
(if (and (= la "0") no)
(setq la (field 8 no))
)
)
)
(princ "\nLayer: ")
la
)
;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I think I understand..... how about this function?

; get the insert entity name from the atrrib entity name
; [ename] - attrib entity name
; return: insert entity name in which [ename] is defined
; (attribInsert (car (nentsel "\nselect an attribute: ")))
(defun attribInsert (ename / data)
(while
(and
(setq ename (entnext ename))
(setq data (entget ename))
(/= "SEQEND" (cdr (assoc 0 data)))
)
)
(cdr (assoc -2 data))
)

Then just grab the layer name.

 

Thanks.

 

Then how about this?

(defun C:Test (/ pickObj myObj ownerObj)
(vl-load-com)
(setq pickObj (nentsel))
(setq myObj (vlax-EName->vla-Object (car pickObj)))
(setq ownerObj (vla-ObjectIDToObject
(vla-Get-Database myObj)
(vla-Get-OwnerID myObj)))
(vla-Get-Layer
(cond ((= (vla-Get-ObjectName ownerObj) "AcDbBlockTableRecord") myObj)
(ownerObj))))


--
R. Robert Bell


Thanks!
I do appreciate your help, because I sure couldn't figure out how to get it.

That works when it's in an XREF, but, alas, the routine seemed to bomb out
when the object wasn't an
XREF.

So after much trial, I came up with this, FWIW:

;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(defun FIELD (val ent) (cdr (assoc val ent)))
;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(defun C:TA ()
(get-nested-layername (nentsel "Select object: "))
)
;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(defun get-nested-layername (sel / e po no la myObj ownerObj)
;; get the picked object list data
(setq po (entget (car sel))
la (field 8 po)
)

(if (and (= (length sel) 4) (= la "0"))
(progn
;; get the first nested object
(setq no (entget (car (last sel))))
)
)

(if (and (= (field 0 po) "ATTRIB")
(= (field 0 no) "INSERT")
(= la "0")
)
;; if it's an ATTRIB on layer "0" and it has a nested object that's an
INSERT,
;; then get its owner object's layername...
(progn
(setq myObj (vlax-EName->vla-Object (car sel))
ownerObj (vla-ObjectIDToObject
(vla-Get-Database myObj)
(vla-Get-OwnerID myObj)
)
la (vla-Get-Layer ownerObj)
)
)
;; else if the picked object is on layer "0" and it has a nested object,
;; then get the nested object's layername...
(progn
(if (and (= la "0") no)
(setq la (field 8 no))
)
)
)
(princ "\nLayer: ")
la
)
;;--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Nope.
When you select a line within the block object, it returns "0" instead of the block name.
Of course the line defined within the block IS on layer "0", but I want that if it is on "0", then
to return the layer that its insert is on. (did I make any sense?)
The routine I posted (with added revisions to your original code), works.
But if you want to try to continue along this vein (at least until you strike gold) , feel free.
Thanks again!

 

You're welcome.

 

Yeah, it makes sense.

(defun C:Test (/ pickObj myObj blkObj rootObj ownerObj)
(vl-load-com)
(setq pickObj (nentsel))
(setq myObj (vlax-EName->vla-Object (car pickObj)))
(if (and (/= (vla-Get-ObjectName myObj) "AcDbAttribute")
(= (length pickObj) 4))
(setq blkObj (vlax-EName->vla-Object (car (nth 3 pickObj)))))
(setq rootObj (if (and blkObj (not (vlax-Property-Available-P blkObj
'Path)))
blkObj
myObj))
(setq ownerObj (vla-ObjectIDToObject
(vla-Get-Database rootObj)
(vla-Get-OwnerID rootObj)))
(vla-Get-Layer
(cond ((= (vla-Get-ObjectName ownerObj) "AcDbBlockTableRecord") rootObj)
(ownerObj))))


--
R. Robert Bell


Nope.
When you select a line within the block object, it returns "0" instead of
the block name.
Of course the line defined within the block IS on layer "0", but I want that
if it is on "0", then
to return the layer that its insert is on. (did I make any sense?)
The routine I posted (with added revisions to your original code), works.
But if you want to try to continue along this vein (at least until you
strike gold) , feel free.
Thanks again!

 

Not to complain about it, but, if the attribute in a block on a XREF is not on layer "0" it returns
the insert object's layer, not the attribute layer name (TA is my version, TB is your version):


Command:
Command: ta
Select object: "X-FP-001-C|Z-WORK"

Command:
Command: tb
Select object: "X-FP-001-C|A-anno-rnum"


The ATTRIBUTE is actually on layer Z-WORK in xref X-FP-001-C, however the INSERT is on layer
A-ANNO-RNUM

 

In your initial post that's what you said you wanted... "I'm trying to find
out what layer the INSERT of a selected ATTRIBUTE is on..." That is also the
title of your thread.

--
R. Robert Bell


Not to complain about it, but, if the attribute in a block on a XREF is not
on layer "0" it returns
the insert object's layer, not the attribute layer name (TA is my version,
TB is your version):


Command:
Command: ta
Select object: "X-FP-001-C|Z-WORK"

Command:
Command: tb
Select object: "X-FP-001-C|A-anno-rnum"


The ATTRIBUTE is actually on layer Z-WORK in xref X-FP-001-C, however the
INSERT is on layer
A-ANNO-RNUM

 

You're right, my mistake.

 

I should have added "if on layer 0"
Sorry.