Align Block and Attributes to X Y or Z

[RubberDinero]

I usually do extensive research before posting a question to this forum, but I have not been able to find the answer I'm looking for.

 

I'm trying to create a lisp that asks you for a plane

(getkword "X Y or Z <Y>:")

 

Then pick a point

(getpoint "\nSelect Point)

 

Pick blocks

(setq blks (ssget '((0 . "INSERT"))))

 

Finally aligns all blocks to the selected plane.

 

I have a Lisp that does this, except that when the blocks have attributes, the attributes stay in place and I would have to manually move them.

 

I know that a way to do it is to select all blocks i want and go to the properties and change either the X Y or Z values, but that also seems tedious.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[ronjonp]

Post your code.

[RubberDinero]

Here is one that I just found and it works great, but only on the Y axis. I noticed this one uses a Move command, and that would make sense as to why the attributes are also moving. unlike the entmod version

(defun c:abc ()

  (setq OS (getvar "OSMODE"))
  (setvar "OSMODE" 0)

(princ "\nSelect blocks or text to align horizontaly evenly: ")
(setq ss (ssget))

  (setq albl (entsel "\nSelect text or block to align with: "))
  (setq albl (car albl))
  (setq alpt (cdr (assoc 10 (entget albl))))
  (setq alpty (cadr alpt))
  (setq ctr 0)

    (while
      (setq ename (ssname ss ctr))
      (setq inpt (cdr (assoc 10 (entget ename))))
      (setq inptx (car inpt) )
      (setq inpty (cadr inpt))
      (setq newpt (list inptx alpty))
      (command "move" ename "" inpt newpt)
      (setq ctr (+ ctr 1))
    )

  (setvar "OSMODE" OS)
)

 

 

Thanks.

[Lee Mac]

I have a Lisp that does this, except that when the blocks have attributes, the attributes stay in place and I would have to manually move them.

 

If you are modifying the drawing database using entmod, you will need to separately modify the insertion point (DXF 10) of the INSERT entity, and the insertion point or alignment points (DXF 10/11) of all ATTRIB entities which follow.

 

Alternatively, if you modify the ActiveX insertionpoint property of the VLA Block Reference object, this will apply to the block reference and any associated attribute references, e.g.:

(defun c:ab ( / axs idx obj pnt sel )
   (initget "X Y Z")
   (setq axs (cond ((getkword "\nSelect axis [X/Y/Z] <Y>: ")) ("Y")))
   
   (if (and (setq sel (ssget "_:L" '((0 . "INSERT"))))
            (setq pnt (getpoint "\nSpecify alignment point: "))
            (setq pnt (trans pnt 1 (trans '(0 0 1) 1 0 t)))
       )
       (repeat (setq idx (sslength sel))
           (setq obj (vlax-ename->vla-object (ssname sel (setq idx (1- idx)))))
           (vla-put-insertionpoint obj (vlax-3D-point (mapcar '(lambda ( a b c ) (if (= axs c) b a)) (vlax-get obj 'insertionpoint) pnt '("X" "Y" "Z"))))
       )
   )
   (princ)
)
(vl-load-com) (princ)

[ronjonp]

Here's another:

(defun c:foo (/ a i k p s)
 ;; RJP - 01.03.2018
 (or (setq k (getenv "AlignBlocks")) (setq k "X"))
 (if (and (not (initget "X Y Z"))
   (setq k (cond ((getkword (strcat "\nAlignment [X/Y/Z] <" k ">: ")))
		 (k)
	   )
   )
   (setq p (getpoint "\nPick an alignment point: "))
   (setq s (ssget ":L" '((0 . "insert"))))
     )
   (progn
     (setenv "AlignBlocks" k)
     (setq i (vl-position k '("X" "Y" "Z")))
     (setq a (nth i p))
     (foreach b (mapcar 'vlax-ename->vla-object (vl-remove-if 'listp (mapcar 'cadr (ssnamex s))))
(setq p (vlax-get b 'insertionpoint))
(vlax-put b
	  'insertionpoint
	  (cond	((= 0 i) (list a (cadr p) (caddr p)))
		((= 1 i) (list (car p) a (caddr p)))
		((list (car p) (cadr p) a))
	  )
)
     )
   )
 )
 (princ)
)
(vl-load-com)

Edited January 3, 2018 by ronjonp
Fixed bug Lee pointed out

[Lee Mac]

@ronjonp, what if the source block has coordinates '(1 1 1) ?

[ronjonp]

@ronjonp, what if the source block has coordinates '(1 1 1) ?

 

DOH!

[RubberDinero]

Lee, you are on a whole different level! This worked great!

I definitely haven't dove into the VLA language aspect of creating Lisp, but it definitely seems like it's more powerful and somewhat easier to write, though i have no idea what I'm looking at(for the most part).

[RubberDinero]

Just tried yours and it also works great! I definitely need to start digging into these languages a lot deeper.

 

Edited: This one is reffering to ronjonp's code.

[RubberDinero]

Here's another:

(defun c:foo (/ a i k p s)
 ;; RJP - 01.03.2018
 (or (setq k (getenv "AlignBlocks")) (setq k "X"))
 (if (and (not (initget "X Y Z"))
   (setq k (cond ((getkword (strcat "\nAlignment [X/Y/Z] <" k ">: ")))
		 (k)
	   )
   )
   (setq p (getpoint "\nPick an alignment point: "))
   (setq s (ssget ":L" '((0 . "insert"))))
     )
   (progn
     (setenv "AlignBlocks" k)
     (setq i (vl-position k '("X" "Y" "Z")))
     (setq a (nth i p))
     (foreach b (mapcar 'vlax-ename->vla-object (vl-remove-if 'listp (mapcar 'cadr (ssnamex s))))
(setq p (vlax-get b 'insertionpoint))
(vlax-put b
	  'insertionpoint
	  (cond	((= 0 i) (list a (cadr p) (caddr p)))
		((= 1 i) (list (car p) a (caddr p)))
		((list (car p) (cadr p) a))
	  )
)
     )
   )
 )
 (princ)
)
(vl-load-com)

 

I'm going to use your code, because I noticed that if i pre-select the objects before invoking the command, it leave the grips visible and i can click the insertion grip after all the prompts and align to it.

Lee's code may do this as well, but i didn't try it.

Edited January 3, 2018 by RubberDinero

[ronjonp]

I'm going to use your code, because I noticed that if i pre-select the objects before invoking the command, it leave the grips visible and i can click the insertion grip after all the prompts and align to it.

Lee's code may do this as well, but i didn't try it.

 

I updated the code above to account for the bug Lee pointed out.

[Lee Mac]

Lee, you are on a whole different level! This worked great!

I definitely haven't dove into the VLA language aspect of creating Lisp, but it definitely seems like it's more powerful and somewhat easier to write, though i have no idea what I'm looking at(for the most part).

 

Excellent to hear.

 

ActiveX properties & methods are certainly more readable than DXF groups, but each (Vanilla/Visual) have their advantages & disadvantages depending on the task at hand.

[RubberDinero]

ActiveX properties & methods are certainly more readable than DXF groups, but each (Vanilla/Visual) have their advantages & disadvantages depending on the task at hand.

 

Now I have a starting point. Didn't even know the proper name. ActiveX Properties & Methods.

[Lee Mac]

Now I have a starting point. Didn't even know the proper name. ActiveX Properties & Methods.

 

You're welcome - you might find my post here a good starting point.