Reading the Insbase of a Block Definition drawing using ObjectDBX

[ColinHolloway]

Hi All

 

Sorry this is a re-post. I couldn't work out how to move a post to the correct area.

 

I need to read the Insbase value of an unopened drawing using ObjectDBX. I have already written code that can extract attributes and re-path xref's so the method of opening the drawing database is known. What I need to know is the property name of the Base or Insbase in Modelspace of a drawing.

 

I have opened the drawing database as variable dbxdoc and using (vlax-dump-object (vla-get-ModelSpace dbxdoc)) I get:

 

; IAcadModelSpace: A special Block object containing all model space entities

; Property values:

; Application (RO) = Exception occurred

; BlockScaling = 0

; Comments = ""

; Count (RO) = 96

; Document (RO) = #

; Explodable = -1

; Handle (RO) = "2"

; HasExtensionDictionary (RO) = -1

; IsDynamicBlock (RO) = 0

; IsLayout (RO) = -1

; IsXRef (RO) = 0

; Layout (RO) = #

; Name = "*MODEL_SPACE"

; ObjectID (RO) = 55

; ObjectID32 (RO) = 55

; ObjectName (RO) = "AcDbBlockTableRecord"

; Origin = (0.0 0.0 0.0)

; OwnerID (RO) = 56

; OwnerID32 (RO) = 56

; Path = AutoCAD.Application: Not applicable

; Units = 0

; XRefDatabase (RO) = AutoCAD.Application: No database

 

The property Origin is NOT the base for this drawing as the insbase is:

Command: insbase

Enter new value for INSBASE :

 

The value for insbase must be accessable in the database somewhere but it is eluding me at this time.

 

Thanks in advance for any responses,

 

Colin

[Lee Mac]

The only thing that comes to mind is:

 

(vla-getvariable <VLA Document Object> "INSBASE")

However, the getvariable / setvariable methods are not exposed to an ObjectDBX Document Object.

[SLW210]

In the future, let a moderator move your original post.

[ColinHolloway]

Hi Lee,

 

Thanks for your reply. I was hoping that it was you that responded, even though this time you were a bearer of bad news.

 

Based on your reply I got creative and found a way of getting the INSBASE value I needed! Here is a snippet of my solution:

 

empty is name of drawing template

DwgName is name of xref drawing

inspt is INSBASE value for DwgName

 

 
   (if (/= DwgName (vla-get-fullname doc))
        (setq
            dbxDoc (vla-GetInterfaceObject app "ObjectDBX.AxDbDocument.18")
            dbxopen (vl-catch-all-apply 'vla-open (list dbxDoc empty))
        ) ; end setq
   ) ; end if
   (if (vl-catch-all-error-p dbxopen)
        (setq dbxDoc nil)
   )
   (if (not (= dbxDoc nil))
        (progn
            (vla-attachexternalreference (vla-get-modelspace dbxDoc) DwgName
            (vl-filename-base DwgName) (vlax-3d-point (list 0 0 0)) 1. 1. 1. 0. :vlax-true
        )
        (setq BLKS (vla-get-blocks dbxdoc))
        (vlax-for ENT BLKS
             (if (= (vla-get-isxref ENT) :vlax-true)
                 (progn
                  (setq inspt (vlax-safearray->list (vlax-variant-value (vla-get-origin ENT))) )
                 ) ; end progn
             ) ; end if
        ) ; end vlax-for
        (vlax-release-object BLKS)
        (vlax-release-object dbxDoc)
        ) ; end progn
   ) ; end if

[Lee Mac]

Nice idea Colin - I've never tried attaching an XRef to a ObjectDBX Document (I didn't think it would work since XRefs are not loaded in Drawings opened with ObjectDBX), but if that indeed works, that's great

[ColinHolloway]

Yeah it works a treat! I like it when you think "what if?" and it rewards you with a solution.

[Lee Mac]

Yeah it works a treat! I like it when you think "what if?" and it rewards you with a solution.

 

Definitely! The 'what ifs' are definitely worth a punt