Setting/getting an attribute value in a dynamic block

[pefi]

I need to apologise first, the issue seems to be so trivial that I should have is solved in a few minutes. Yet, I keep fighting for the last 2 h without any good results.

 

I need to set attribute value in an existing dynamic block. I started with "how can I read the attributes" and failed badly. After abusing an AI system I got the code:

(defun c:get_dba (/ ss blkRef vlaBlock attArray att)
  (setq ss (ssget '((0 . "INSERT"))))
  (if ss
    (progn
      (setq blkRef (ssname ss 0)) 
      (setq vlaBlock (vlax-ename->vla-object blkRef)) 
      
      (setq attArray (vla-getattributes vlaBlock))
      
      ;; Loop through the attributes and print their names and values
      (foreach att attArray ;looping through the array that way doesn't work
        (princ (strcat "\nAttribute Name: " (vla-get-TagString att))) 
        (princ (strcat " | Value: " (vla-get-TextString att))) 
      )
    )
    (princ "\nNo block selected.")
  )
  (princ)
)

I need to find i.e. TYPE and set it to AAA. The watch tree for attArray:

 

Any hints how can I:

1. Make the code to read the attributes

2. Set the attribute to AAA

 

I'm OK with the old school LISP, but the VL stuff beats me...

[Lee Mac]

I hate spending time correcting AI-generated code, but the first thing that sticks out is that the following:

(setq attArray (vla-getattributes vlaBlock))

 

Will return a safearray variant, which cannot be iterated directly using foreach.

 

Instead, you can use:

(setq attArray (vlax-invoke vlaBlock 'getattributes))

 

Which will return the data using native data types, i.e. a list.

 

You can find more examples here.

[pefi]

Thank you Lee Mac!! I'm not sure if the AI is doing more good or bad stuff. I used to dig deep, learn, write code, debug, done. Now, ask AI, clean the rubbish, ask again, clean more rubbish... Sometimes it works and sometimes it's sending you straight into a ditch, but in a way that is not easily recognisable unless you're an expert.

 

Gone testing, I'll report back.

 

Edit: your suggestion was 10/10

Attribute Name: FUNC_DESIG | Value: XV
Attribute Name: SEQ_NO | Value: XXXX
Attribute Name: BMS | Value:
Attribute Name: INSTR-TYP-DETAIL-NO | Value: 1
Attribute Name: FUNCTION | Value: ########
Attribute Name: TAG | Value:
Attribute Name: SIZE | Value:
Attribute Name: SYSTEM | Value:
Attribute Name: NOTE | Value:
Attribute Name: TYPE | Value: fghfh
Attribute Name: VENDOR | Value:
Attribute Name: DWG | Value:

I hope I can handle setting them to a new value....

Edit2:

Just in case someone has the same problem. This sets the attribute vale based on attribute name

(if (eq (vla-get-TagString att) "TYPE")(vla-put-TextString att "AAA"))

 

Edited March 26 by pefi
report back

[BIGAL]

Just a comment when you get the attributes as a list you can edit any attribute by its position in the list so don't need a Tag name search. (nth 9 atts) is "TYPE" the 1st item in a list is (nth 0 .Sometimes its easier to do it this way.

[Lee Mac]

  On 3/26/2025 at 11:15 PM, BIGAL said:

Just a comment when you get the attributes as a list you can edit any attribute by its position in the list so don't need a Tag name search. (nth 9 atts) is "TYPE" the 1st item in a list is (nth 0 .Sometimes its easier to do it this way.

Expand  

 

Personally I wouldn't rely on the attribute order unless absolutely necessary (i.e. when faced with duplicate attribute tags).

[pefi]

Thank you again! I need something that will survive block definition modification and I have no control over the drawings, but I can be sure there will be no attribute duplicates. We're in the process of changing the block definitions (adding more attributes) and the drawings are a data source for some data extract software, so duplicates are not going to happen.

Edited Thursday at 06:44 AM by pefi