Counting Blocks Within a Boundary

[Beeftimer]

Hello, all. I have a question concerning block counting. I have become familiar with the BCOUNT command, but I wanted to take it one step further for my particular application.

 

What I have is several viewports within a drawing. Each viewport represents a particular floor of a building. Furthermore, within each floor are "loops" defined by colored, dashed lines in which there reside certain devices (blocks). Identical devices may exist within other loops on the same floor.

 

Here's the question: Is there a way to count (and possibly export that data to a spreadsheet) the number of blocks that reside within each loop boundary? The boundaries are rarely simply rectangles. It's easy to count the number of blocks within a viewport, but I'm having trouble figuring out (if there even IS a way) how to count the number of blocks within my loop boundaries.

 

**I should clarify and say that, when I say viewports, what I really mean is layouts. There is one viewport per layout/floor. Sorry if this caused any confusion or cringing.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Beef

Edited January 14, 2015 by Beeftimer

[lamensterms]

Hi Beef,

 

As far as selecting blocks within a loop/closed polyline - may I suggest the rountine in post #2 of this thread... http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?11682-Selecting-objects-within-a-polyline&

 

Here is a great LISP routine (by Lee Mac) that counts blocks with the option to export to a CSV file (can also insert a table/schedule into your drawing. http://www.lee-mac.com/blockcounter.html

 

Use these routines in conjunction and you should be all set.

[Beeftimer]

Thank you, Lamensterms. This looks perfect! I've never used scripting in AutoCAD before. Can you tell me, is this C programming language?

 

*EDIT*

 

Also, is there not a way to use the DATAEXTRACTION command (that already exists) in conjunction with this script?

 

Beef

[lamensterms]

These are both LISP programs. They can be loaded via the Tools menu > Load Applications...

 

There is a whole forum here at CadTutor dedicated to LISP. Some very helpful folk with some very handy solutions to problems.

[Beeftimer]

Ah, so it's a programming language all on its own. Interesting. I'll have to look into this more closely. Thank you so much for your help.

 

Beef

[BIGAL]

Just change *text to Insert and try this

 

; get text with closed pline example
(defun getcoords (ent)
 (vlax-safearray->list
   (vlax-variant-value
     (vlax-get-property
   (vlax-ename->vla-object ent)
   "Coordinates"
     )
   )
 )
)

(defun co-ords2xy (/ xy)
; convert now to a list of xy as co-ords are x y x y x y if 3d x y z x y z
(setq numb (/ (length co-ords) 2))
(setq I 0)
(repeat numb
(setq xy (list (nth i co-ords)(nth (+ I 1) co-ords) ))
(setq co-ordsxy (cons xy co-ordsxy))
(setq I (+ I 2))
)
)
; program starts here
(setq plist (ssget (list (cons 0 "lwpolyline"))))
(setq numb (sslength plist))
(setq J 0)
(repeat numb
(setq co-ords (getcoords (ssname plist J)))
(co-ords2xy)
(setq ss (ssget "WP" co-ordsxy (list (cons 0 "*text")))) ; selection set of text within polygon
(princ (sslength ss)) ; this is howmany texts etc 
(setq co-ordsxy nil)
(setq J (+ J 1))
(setq ss nil)
) ; end repeat

[Beeftimer]

BIGAL,

 

The code that lamensterms directed me to works pretty well, but I definitely appreciate your input. Maybe I'll try this one too and see what the difference is. It might help me to understand the language.

 

Thanks!

Beef

[lamensterms]

Hi again Beef, it would be pretty easy to bring these two routines together into one command. That is something I would be happy to help you with. My knowledge of LISP is pretty limited, but it can be quite easy to build a good routine, combining a few different routines. Good luck and please let me know how you go.

[SLW210]

I moved your thread to the AutoLISP, Visual LISP & DCL Forum.