How to write (if /= with vb

I use lisp mostly, and am looking to increase my knowledge of programming within AutoCad, so this is my first attempt on my own.

How can you write /= (not equal) in vba? I have seen some methods like

If Lay <> Document.ActiveLayer Then

But it doesn't seem to work for me. Any tips and or comments on the code is appreciated as I am still learning.

Thanks in advance.
Tim

Sub ChangeAll2Layer0()
Dim BlkCol As Object
Dim BlkObj As Object
Dim Obj As Object
Dim LayCol As Object
Dim Lay As Object

Set LayCol = ThisDrawing.Layers
For Each Lay In LayCol
Lay.Lock = False
Lay.LayerOn = True
If Lay = Document.ActiveLayer Then
Lay.Freeze = False
End If
Next


Set BlkCol = ThisDrawing.Blocks
For Each BlkObj In BlkCol
For Each Obj In BlkObj
Obj.Layer = 0
Next
Next

AcadApplication.ZoomExtents
ThisDrawing.PurgeAll


End Sub

 

"<>" is indeed "/=" but only for values. You're comparing objects. VB
uses the Is operator for that:

If Not Lay Is Document.ActiveLayer

Have you considered getting a reference to the active layer or its name
before entering the loop? That's more efficient.

 

Here is your code tighten up a bit.

Public Sub ChangeAll2Layer0()
Dim BlkObj As AcadBlock
Dim Obj As AcadObject
Dim Lay As AcadLayer

For Each Lay In ThisDrawing.Layers
Lay.Lock = False
Lay.LayerOn = True
If Lay = ThisDrawing.ActiveLayer Then
Lay.Freeze = False
End If
Next Lay

For Each BlkObj In ThisDrawing.Blocks
For Each Obj In BlkObj
Obj.Layer = 0
Next Obj
Next BlkObj

Application.ZoomExtents
ThisDrawing.PurgeAll
End Sub

within AutoCad, so this is my first attempt on my own.

is appreciated as I am still learning.

 

No I didn't think of doing that, but that would be no problem to add. Will test now.

Thanks.
Tim

 

Thanks for the help all.

Now I have a different question. The way it is now working is ok, but it doesn't change the attributes of blocks. How can I write an If and statement? I didn't see anything in the help topics with vba or autocad, and couldn't find anything with a quick search of the ng.

What I'm look for is something like
If And Obj.ObjectName = "AcDbBlockReference" Obj.HasAttributes = True then

I tried it this way also, and it doesn't like it.

If Obj.ObjectName = "AcDbBlockReference" And Obj.HasAttributes = True Then

Then once that is working, to envoke the method to get the attributes is it just
Obj.GetAttributes ??

Here is what I am trying to do, but can't get it to work.
Set BlkCol = ThisDrawing.Blocks
For Each BlkObj In BlkCol
For Each Obj In BlkObj
If Obj.ObjectName = "AcDbBlockReference" And Obj.HasAttributes = True Then
For Each AttObj In Obj.GetAttributes
AttObj.Layer = 0
Next
End If
Obj.Layer = 0
Next
Next

Thanks again.
Tim

 

This is a collection of block definitions, not block inserts.

Grab all the blocks in your drawing using a filtered selection set. Then
you can step through the set as expected.

 

I thought that within the block collection the model and paper space blocks resided? If that is true, then wouldn't what I have written search through all model/paper space. Once it comes across a block, then it will test if it has attributes, and if so then it will change them to layer 0 also. That is why I did the double for each call.

Am I totally off base?
Thanks for your help, and patience.
Tim

 

Yes but you're looking for attributed block inserts, not blocks with
attribute definitions. That's why "AcDbBlockReference" and HasAttributes
are not working for you.

No. You'd have to iterate the contents of each layout block. Your
current code doesn't delve into the layouts at all. It simply asks if
the layout is a block reference with attributes and moves along when the
answer comes back "No".

No, you're just not looking at the right thing. Try this:

Dim fType(1) As Integer, fData(1) As Variant
Dim ss As AcadSelectionSet, blkRef As AcadBlockReference

fType(0) = 0 : fData(0) = "INSERT"
Set ss = new AcadSelectionSet("ss")
ss.Select , , fType, fData

For Each blkRef In ss
If blkRef.HasAttributes Then
'Do your thing
End If
Next

Fair warning: this simplistic approach has a couple of gotchas.

1) You must test for the presence of the selection set or the second run
will crash.

2) HasAttributes returns False if the insert has only constant attributes.

You might consider calling GetAttributes and GetConstantAttributes on
every block in the selection set. Using a For Next loop to iterate the
attribute entities will cause your processing code to be called only if
something is actually returned by those functions, thus alleviating the
need for error trapping.

 

If Obj.ObjectName = "AcDbBlockReference" And Obj.HasAttributes = True Then

Please note that the VB "And" operator does not short-circuit. If Obj.ObjectName <> "AcDbBlockReference" then it will still try to evaluate Obj.HasAttributes resulting in a run-time error.

 

For Each AttObj In Obj.GetAttributes

It doesn't like this line now. I guess it is because Obj.GetAttributes returns as a variant. How would I step though a variant?

Thanks again.
Tim

 

Thanks for letting me know. I guess I'm to used to lisp.

Tim

 

Here is what I got so far. I found a post that showed one way I'm guessing to work with variants, but when I plugged it in it's not working still.

Tim

Set BlkCol = ThisDrawing.Blocks
For Each BlkObj In BlkCol
If BlkObj.IsLayout = True Then
For Each Obj In BlkObj
If Obj.ObjectName = "AcDbBlockReference" Then
If Obj.HasAttributes = True Then
Set AttObj = Obj.GetAttributes
'For Each AttObj In Obj.GetAttributes
'above didn't work
For i = LBound(AttObj) To UBound(AttObj)
AttObj(i).Layer = 0
'AttObj.Layer = 0
Next
Set AttObj = Obj.GetConstantAttributes
For i = LBound(AttObj) To UBound(AttObj)
AttObj(i).Layer = 0
'For Each AttObj In Obj.GetConstantAttributes
'above didn't work
'AttObj.Layer = 0
Next
End If
End If
Obj.Layer = 0
Next
Else
For Each item In Obj
item.Layer = 0
Next
End If
Next

 

Drop the 'Set'.

 

With all due respect, Frank, IMHO Tim was on the right track. Looping
through the Blocks collection DOES indeed include the layout blocks. It's
just his approach to checking the object to see if it is an Insert and, if
it is, accessing the attributes, was flawed. This code does exactly what Tim
wanted to do, without the need for selection sets, which is mandatory if
working with ObjectDBX documents.

Sub PutAll2Layer0()
Dim BlkCol As AcadBlocks
Dim BlkObj As AcadBlock
Dim Obj As AcadEntity
Dim BlkRef As AcadBlockReference
Dim AttRef As AcadAttributeReference
Dim AttCol As Variant
Dim I As Integer

Set BlkCol = ThisDrawing.Blocks
For Each BlkObj In BlkCol
For Each Obj In BlkObj
If TypeOf Obj Is AcadBlockReference Then
Set BlkRef = Obj
If BlkRef.HasAttributes Then AttCol = BlkRef.GetAttributes
For I = 0 To UBound(AttCol)
Set AttRef = AttCol(I)
AttRef.Layer = "0"
Next I
End If
Obj.Layer = "0"
Next
Next

End Sub

 

That much was already stated along with why his code did not perform the
intended task.

No mention was made of ObjectDBX so I see no need to code for its use.
Given that, I avoid crawling all of model space and paper space as a
general rule when I know exactly what I'm looking for.

 

....snip....

You are correct that no mention was made of ObjectDBX. I just have a habit
of looking at things for a broader use, and based on Tim's input in the lisp
customization group he utilizes ODBX so I felt I should point it out.

However, the next part is where you are throwing an admitted newbie some bad
information, IMHO. You see, if you go back and look at his original code,
Tim is changing EVERY entity in EVERY block to layer 0. So he is already
'crawling' through all of model & paper space, I just showed how he could
add a check for blockrefs/attributes and change them along the way without
having to do a selection set AFTER he's already gone through them.

Now if he was only wanting attributed blocks, then I would agree with you.
But that is not what he was after.

Jeff

 

Indeed that may have been the case. I simply answered the question asked
rather than trying to intuit his purpose.

 

I just want to say thanks to everyone who posted. I learned a lot reading what you all said. I like the discussion because I can learn how other people write there code, since I'm only used to writing in lisp format.

Thanks for all the lessons. ;D
Tim