Книги_AutoCad_1 / AutoCAD 2006 VBA_A Programmer’s Reference_Joe Sutphin__2005_

348 C H A P T E R 1 5 ■ L AYO U T A N D P L OT C O N F I G U R AT I O N S

The CanonicalMediaName Property

You can read or set the paper size to be used when plotting using the CanonicalMediaName property of the Layout or PlotConfiguration object. You specify the paper size by a name given as a string, and changes to this property won’t take effect until the drawing has been regenerated.

Object.CanonicalMediaName = strPaperSize

This code snippet shows how to read the current setting of the paper size for the active layout of a drawing:

Public Sub PaperSizeNames()

MsgBox "The paper size for the active layout is " & _

ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout.CanonicalMediaName

End Sub

The result of this code may be similar to that shown in Figure 15-5.

Figure 15-5. PaperSizeNames output

The GetCanonicalMediaNames Method

You can use the GetCanonicalMediaNames method to retrieve the names of the available paper sizes for a specified plot device. The return value for this method is an array of strings holding the names of the available paper sizes.

varPaperSizeNames = Object.GetCanonicalMediaNames()

It’s advisable to call the RefreshPlotDeviceInfo method before you use this method for the first time, and each time you’re changing the default plot device. This ensures that the plot, paper size names, and plot style table information accurately reflect the current system state.

The GetPaperSize Method

Although you can read the CanonicalMediaName property to find out the name of the paper size to be used, you may want to know the actual width and height dimensions. The GetPaperSize method retrieves the width and height of the configured paper, given in the current paper units.

Object.GetPaperSize Width, Height

Table 15-9 shows the GetPaperSize method’s parameters.

Table 15-9. GetPaperSize Method Parameters

The following code example incorporates the property and methods associated with the paper size. First, the available paper sizes for the current layout are retrieved and displayed to the user. If the user then enters one of these in an input box, the dimensions of the chosen paper size display.

Public Sub PaperSize()

Dim varPaperSizeNames As Variant

Dim strPaperSizeNames As String

Dim intCount As Integer

Dim strChoosenPaperSize As String

varPaperSizeNames = ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout.GetCanonicalMediaNames strPaperSizeNames = "These are the paper sizes available:" & vbCrLf For intCount = 0 To UBound(varPaperSizeNames)

strPaperSizeNames = strPaperSizeNames & _ varPaperSizeNames(intCount) & ", "

Next intCount

strPaperSizeNames = strPaperSizeNames & vbCrLf & " Please choose one."

strChoosenPaperSize = InputBox(strPaperSizeNames, "Pick a paper size")

For intCount = 0 To UBound(varPaperSizeNames)

If StrComp(strChoosenPaperSize, varPaperSizeNames(intCount), 1) = 0 _ Then GoTo DisplaySize

Next intCount

MsgBox "You did not enter a valid paper size name." Exit Sub

DisplaySize:

Dim dblPaperWidth As Double

Dim dblPaperHeight As Double

Dim lngPaperUnits As Long

Dim strPaperUnits As String

350 C H A P T E R 1 5 ■ L AYO U T A N D P L OT C O N F I G U R AT I O N S

ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout.GetPaperSize dblPaperWidth, dblPaperHeight lngPaperUnits = ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout.PaperUnits

Select Case lngPaperUnits Case 0

strPaperUnits = "inches" dblPaperWidth = dblPaperWidth / 25.4 dblPaperHeight = dblPaperHeight / 25.4

Case 1

strPaperUnits = "millimeters" End Select

MsgBox dblPaperWidth & " by " & dblPaperHeight & " " & strPaperUnits End Sub

The Plot Scale

You normally draw an AutoCAD drawing in units that reflect the true size of the object being represented. Therefore, when you print your drawing you’ll probably need to scale the plot so that it fits comfortably onto the paper. There are two types of plot scales, and both give the ratio of the plot size to drawing size. The first is the standard scale and it’s set to one of AutoCAD’s predefined scales. The second, custom scale, can be set to any value.

The StandardScale Property

You can use the StandardScale property to set the plot scale to one of the predefined AutoCAD scales.

Object.StandardScale = lngAcPlotScale

This must be one of the AcPlotScale constants detailed in Table 15-10.

Table 15-10. AcPlotScale Constants

The GetCustomScale Method

You use this method to examine the scale for a layout or plot configuration.

Object.GetCustomScale(Numerator, Denominator)

Table 15-11 shows the GetCustomScale method’s parameters.

Table 15-11. GetCustomScale Method Parameters

You can use the following code to retrieve the scales used in each of the layouts of your drawing:

Public Sub GetScales()

Dim objLayout As AcadLayout

Dim dblNumerator As Double

Dim dblDenominator As Double

352 C H A P T E R 1 5 ■ L AYO U T A N D P L OT C O N F I G U R AT I O N S

For Each objLayout In ThisDrawing.Layouts 'Get custom scale information

objLayout.GetCustomScale dblNumerator, dblDenominator If objLayout.PaperUnits = acInches Then

MsgBox "The scale of " & objLayout.Name & _

" is " & dblNumerator & " inches = " & _ dblDenominator & " Drawing Units"

ElseIf objLayout.PaperUnits = acMillimeters Then MsgBox "The scale of " & objLayout.Name & _

" is " & dblNumerator & " millimeters = " & _ dblDenominator & " Drawing Units"

Else

MsgBox "The scale of " & objLayout.Name & " is " & _ dblNumerator & " pixels = " & dblDenominator & _ " Drawing Units"

End If Next

End Sub

The SetCustomScale Method

This method works in a similar way to GetCustomScale, described previously, except it sets the plot scale. Any changes you make through this method become effective only after the drawing has been regenerated.

Object.SetCustomScale(Numerator, Denominator)

Table 15-12 shows the SetCustomScale method’s parameters.

Table 15-12. SetCustomScale Method Parameters

The UseStandardScale Property

You use this property to read or set whether a plot should use a standard or custom scale. It holds a Boolean value that is set to True if a standard scale is in use or False if a custom plot scale is in use.

Object.UseStandardScale = blnStandardScale

The following code sample employs the UseStandardScale property to retrieve the type of scale used for each layout and displays that information to the user:

Public Sub UseStandardScale()

Dim objLayout As AcadLayout

For Each objLayout In ThisDrawing.Layouts If objLayout.UseStandardScale Then

MsgBox "The scale of " & objLayout.Name & " is a Standard scale"

Else

MsgBox "The scale of " & objLayout.Name & " is a Custom scale" End If

Next End Sub

The PlotRotation Property

If you want to plot a layout at an angle other than the default of 08, then you’ll need to specify the angle of rotation using the PlotRotation property. This property allows you to select predefined angles of 08, 908, 1808, and 2708, measured counterclockwise in the XY plane from the X-axis of the WCS. Changes to the PlotRotation property won’t take effect until the drawing has been regenerated.

Object.PlotRotation = lngAcPlotRotation

Any AcPlotRotation constant shown in Table 15-13 is an acceptable value for this property.

Table 15-13. AcPlotRotation Constants

In the following code sample, the user is asked at which angle he or she would like to preview the active layout. The preview then displays, and finally the PlotRotation property returns to its original value.

Public Sub PlotAngle()

Dim strPlotAngle As String

Dim lngStoreAngle As Long

lngStoreAngle = ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout.PlotRotation

strPlotAngle = InputBox("For a plot preview please enter the angle" & _ "(in degrees: 0, 90, 180 or 270) that you would like" & _ " your layout plotted at", , "0")

354 C H A P T E R 1 5 ■ L AYO U T A N D P L OT C O N F I G U R AT I O N S

Select Case strPlotAngle

Case "0"

ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout.PlotRotation = ac0degrees

Case "90"

ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout.PlotRotation = ac90degrees

Case "180"

ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout.PlotRotation = ac180degrees

Case "270"

ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout.PlotRotation = ac270degrees

Case Else

MsgBox "You entered an invalid value"

Exit Sub

End Select

ThisDrawing.Regen acActiveViewport

ThisDrawing.Plot.DisplayPlotPreview acFullPreview

ThisDrawing.ActiveLayout.PlotRotation = lngStoreAngle

ThisDrawing.Regen acActiveViewport

End Sub

Summary

In this chapter you explored several topics specific to plotting. This is one area in which AutoCAD 2000 and later versions are vastly different from previous versions. In AutoCAD 2000 and higher, Autodesk added a lot of plotting power, and when you’re programming your plotting applications, the use of plot configuration files can reduce the amount of hard coding required by taking advantage of the features built into the AutoCAD product. Some differences exist between AutoCAD 2000, 2000i, 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006 as far as programmatic capabilities with respect to plotting and plot configuration management, be sure to refer to the appropriate documentation for your platform.

356C H A P T E R 1 6 ■ C O N T R O L L I N G M E N U S A N D TO O L B A R S

•AutoCAD 2006 introduces the concept of work spaces. These are collections of menu settings, specifying the order of pull-downs, location, and visibility of toolbars, and so on. The work spaces are stored in the current main .cui file. Unfortunately, there is no ActiveX access to work spaces.

•In AutoCAD 2005 and earlier, there is only one main menu and many partial menus. In AutoCAD 2006, there are Main and Enterprise (read-only) menus, each of which can

have partial menus attached. To attach menus to the Enterprise menu, it is necessary to temporarily make it the Main menu while using the CUILOAD command. Unfortunately, there is no ActiveX access to the Enterprise menu setting. The user has to change this in the Options dialog box.

In summary, the AutoCAD 2006 menu overhaul, while introducing some useful concepts, has placed various obstacles in the way of the VBA programmer’s ability to safely make changes to the menu system. In light of these problems, you may want to consider using AutoCAD’s CUI interface to create partial menus for your users, rather than doing it under program control as described in this chapter. If you still want VBA control over your AutoCAD 2006 menus, read on.

■Note This chapter’s content is specific to AutoCAD 2000 and later. The previous object models didn’t expose any objects to deal with menus and toolbars.

I will start this chapter with the MenuGroups collection because it’s the parent object of the MenuGroup object, which in turn is the parent object of the ToolBars and PopupMenus collections. The MenuBar collection holds all the PopupMenu objects that are currently displayed in the AutoCAD menu bar.

The MenuGroups Collection

The menus loaded into the current session of AutoCAD are contained in the MenuGroups collection. These menus, grouped into MenuGroup objects, may or may not be visible on the menu bar, but they’re all still contained within this collection. Each MenuGroup object provides access to the toolbars and pop-up menus available within an AutoCAD session.

Loading Menu Groups

You can use the Load method of the MenuGroups collection to load a new menu group contained in a menu file (.mnc, .mns, .mnu, or .cui) into an AutoCAD session.

Set MenuGroupObject = MenuGroupsCollection.Load (MenuFileName [,BaseMenu])

Table 16-1 shows the Load method’s parameters.

Table 16-1. The Load Method’s Parameters

Using the Load method with the BaseMenu parameter set to True equates to executing the MENU command inside the AutoCAD application and selecting a file through the Select Customization File dialog box (see Figure 16-1). Alternatively, you can execute the MENULOAD or CUILOAD command and check the Replace All option in the Menu Customization dialog box (see Figure 16-2). The newly loaded menu file becomes the only loaded menu group and completely replaces the previous menu bar.

Figure 16-1. Using the Select Customization File dialog box to load a menu file