How to insert a block with custom properties using AutoLISP? - lisp

Question

I'm trying to insert blocks with custom properties. How do I set those variables?
Within the Deciduous block there is a custom property called "visibility" with various different styles (Visibility 1, Visibility 2, Visibility 3, ...).
For instance, how would I insert the Deciduous block with Visibility 3.
(DEFUN C:TREE ( / DECIDUOUS CONIFER SHRUBMEDIUM SHRUBSMALL)
(INITGET 1 "DECIDUOUS CONIFER SHRUBMEDIUM SHRUBSMALL")
(OR
(SETQ RETKWORD (GETKWORD "\nSpecify tree type: [DECIDUOUS/CONIFER/SHRUBMEDIUM/SHRUBSMALL]:"))
(SETQ RETKWORD "DECIDUOUS")
)
(IF (= RETKWORD "DECIDUOUS")
(PROGN
(SETQ OLDLAYER (GETVAR "CLAYER"))
(SETQ FLAG (TBLSEARCH "LAYER" "L-PLNT-DECD"))
(IF FLAG
(SETVAR "CLAYER" "L-PLNT-DECD")
)
(INITGET 1 "Visibility1 Visibility2 Visibility3")
(OR
(SETQ CMDKWORD (GETKWORD "\nPick a command: [Visibility1/Visibility2/Visibility3]:"))
)
(IF (= CMDKWORD "Visibility3")
(PROGN
(COMMAND "INSERT"
"TT-L-TREE-DECIDUOUS"
)
)
)
(PRINC)
)
)
)

Answer 1

The answer to this question ultimately depends on whether or not you require the visual preview of the inserted block reference, as afforded by the AutoCAD INSERT command.
Since the standard AutoCAD INSERT command does not prompt for dynamic block parameter values during block insertion, you'll need to insert the block and then manipulate the visibility state using the ActiveX properties & methods of the inserted dynamic block reference, specifically, using the getdynamicblockproperties method.
If the visual preview of the inserted block is NOT required...
...then you can forego the INSERT command entirely, and use the insertblock method of the target container object (modelspace/paperspace/block definition), which will return a block reference vla-object.
Here is a basic example demonstrating how to use the insertblock method:
(defun c:test ( / dwg ins )
(if
(and
(setq dwg (getfiled "Select Block" "" "dwg" 16))
(setq ins (getpoint "\nSpecify insertion point: "))
)
(vla-insertblock
(vlax-get-property
(vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))
(if (= 1 (getvar 'cvport))
'paperspace
'modelspace
)
)
(vlax-3D-point (trans ins 1 0))
dwg
1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0
)
)
(princ)
)
(vl-load-com) (princ)
This method will return a block reference vla-object, whose dynamic block properties you can then manipulate using the array of dynamic block properties returned by the getdynamicblockproperties method.
Since you are looking to modify the Visibility State in particular, you may wish to consider the following set of functions that I have developed as part of my dynamic block library to modify the visibility state of a supplied block reference object:
;; Set Dynamic Block Visibility State - Lee Mac
;; Sets the Visibility Parameter of a Dynamic Block (if present) to a specific value (if allowed)
;; blk - [vla] VLA Dynamic Block Reference object
;; val - [str] Visibility State Parameter value
;; Returns: [str] New value of Visibility Parameter, else nil
(defun LM:SetVisibilityState ( blk val / vis )
(if
(and
(setq vis (LM:getvisibilityparametername blk))
(member (strcase val) (mapcar 'strcase (LM:getdynpropallowedvalues blk vis)))
)
(LM:setdynpropvalue blk vis val)
)
)
;; Get Visibility Parameter Name - Lee Mac
;; Returns the name of the Visibility Parameter of a Dynamic Block (if present)
;; blk - [vla] VLA Dynamic Block Reference object
;; Returns: [str] Name of Visibility Parameter, else nil
(defun LM:getvisibilityparametername ( blk / vis )
(if
(and
(vlax-property-available-p blk 'effectivename)
(setq blk
(vla-item
(vla-get-blocks (vla-get-document blk))
(vla-get-effectivename blk)
)
)
(= :vlax-true (vla-get-isdynamicblock blk))
(= :vlax-true (vla-get-hasextensiondictionary blk))
(setq vis
(vl-some
'(lambda ( pair )
(if
(and
(= 360 (car pair))
(= "BLOCKVISIBILITYPARAMETER" (cdr (assoc 0 (entget (cdr pair)))))
)
(cdr pair)
)
)
(dictsearch
(vlax-vla-object->ename (vla-getextensiondictionary blk))
"ACAD_ENHANCEDBLOCK"
)
)
)
)
(cdr (assoc 301 (entget vis)))
)
)
;; Get Dynamic Block Property Allowed Values - Lee Mac
;; Returns the allowed values for a specific Dynamic Block property.
;; blk - [vla] VLA Dynamic Block Reference object
;; prp - [str] Dynamic Block property name (case-insensitive)
;; Returns: [lst] List of allowed values for property, else nil if no restrictions
(defun LM:getdynpropallowedvalues ( blk prp )
(setq prp (strcase prp))
(vl-some '(lambda ( x ) (if (= prp (strcase (vla-get-propertyname x))) (vlax-get x 'allowedvalues)))
(vlax-invoke blk 'getdynamicblockproperties)
)
)
;; Set Dynamic Block Property Value - Lee Mac
;; Modifies the value of a Dynamic Block property (if present)
;; blk - [vla] VLA Dynamic Block Reference object
;; prp - [str] Dynamic Block property name (case-insensitive)
;; val - [any] New value for property
;; Returns: [any] New value if successful, else nil
(defun LM:setdynpropvalue ( blk prp val )
(setq prp (strcase prp))
(vl-some
'(lambda ( x )
(if (= prp (strcase (vla-get-propertyname x)))
(progn
(vla-put-value x (vlax-make-variant val (vlax-variant-type (vla-get-value x))))
(cond (val) (t))
)
)
)
(vlax-invoke blk 'getdynamicblockproperties)
)
)
You might call the above functions from the earlier example I provided in the following way (changing the name of the visibility state to suit your block of course):
(defun c:test ( / dwg ins )
(if
(and
(setq dwg (getfiled "Select Block" "" "dwg" 16))
(setq ins (getpoint "\nSpecify insertion point: "))
)
(LM:SetVisibilityState
(vla-insertblock
(vlax-get-property
(vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))
(if (= 1 (getvar 'cvport))
'paperspace
'modelspace
)
)
(vlax-3D-point (trans ins 1 0))
dwg
1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0
)
"YourVisibilityState"
)
)
(princ)
)
(vl-load-com) (princ)
If the visual preview of the inserted block IS required...
...Then aside from rolling your own version of the standard INSERT command using a grread loop (which would also need to imitate all drawing aids, such as Object Snap, and Orthomode), you would need to make use of the INSERT command.
However, since the visibility state of the block can only be changed following the insertion of the block reference, the visual preview displayed to the user will be inaccurate.
To get the best of both worlds, I have previously proposed the following possible solution (along with an accompanying function posted here):
;; Example demonstrating a method to insert a Dynamic Block with a Visibility State already set.
;; Lee Mac - 2013-12-24
(defun c:test ( / *error* att blk def doc ent new obj par spc tmp vis )
(defun *error* ( msg )
(if (= 'int (type att))
(setvar 'attreq att)
)
(foreach obj (list new def)
(if (and (= 'vla-object (type obj)) (not (vlax-erased-p obj)))
(vl-catch-all-apply 'vla-delete (list obj))
)
)
(if (not (wcmatch (strcase msg t) "*break,*cancel*,*exit*"))
(princ (strcat "\nError: " msg))
)
(princ)
)
(cond
( (= 4 (logand 4 (cdr (assoc 70 (tblsearch "layer" (getvar 'clayer))))))
(princ "\nCurrent layer locked.")
)
( (null (setq blk (getfiled "Select Dynamic Block with Visibility States" "" "dwg" 16)))
(princ "\n*Cancel*")
)
( (progn
(setq doc (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object))
spc (vlax-get-property doc (if (= 1 (getvar 'cvport)) 'paperspace 'modelspace))
obj (vlax-invoke spc 'insertblock '(0.0 0.0 0.0) blk 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0)
)
(vla-put-visible obj :vlax-false)
(= :vlax-false (vla-get-isdynamicblock obj))
)
(princ "\nSelected block is not dynamic.")
(vla-delete obj)
)
( (null (setq par (LM:getvisibilityparametername obj)))
(princ "\nSelected block does not have a visibility parameter.")
(vla-delete obj)
)
( (null (setq vis (car (LM:listbox "Choose a Visibility State" (acad_strlsort (LM:getdynpropallowedvalues obj par)) 0))))
(princ "\n*Cancel*")
(vla-delete obj)
)
( t
(LM:setdynpropvalue obj par vis)
(setq tmp 0)
(while (tblsearch "block" (setq blk (strcat "tmp" (itoa (setq tmp (1+ tmp)))))))
(vla-put-visible
(car
(vlax-invoke doc
'copyobjects
(list obj)
(setq def (vlax-invoke (vla-get-blocks doc) 'add '(0.0 0.0 0.0) blk))
)
)
:vlax-true
)
(vla-delete obj)
(setq ent (entlast)
att (getvar 'attreq)
)
(setvar 'attreq 0)
(if
(and
(vl-cmdf "_.-insert" blk "_S" 1.0 "_R" 0.0 "\\")
(not (eq ent (setq ent (entlast))))
(= "AcDbBlockReference" (vla-get-objectname (setq new (vlax-ename->vla-object ent))))
)
(progn
(vla-explode new)
(vla-delete new)
)
)
(vl-catch-all-apply 'vla-delete (list def))
)
)
(princ)
)
;; Get Visibility Parameter Name - Lee Mac
;; Returns the name of the Visibility Parameter of a Dynamic Block (if present)
;; blk - [vla] VLA Dynamic Block Reference object
;; Returns: [str] Name of Visibility Parameter, else nil
(defun LM:getvisibilityparametername ( blk / vis )
(if
(and
(vlax-property-available-p blk 'effectivename)
(setq blk
(vla-item
(vla-get-blocks (vla-get-document blk))
(vla-get-effectivename blk)
)
)
(= :vlax-true (vla-get-isdynamicblock blk))
(= :vlax-true (vla-get-hasextensiondictionary blk))
(setq vis
(vl-some
'(lambda ( pair )
(if
(and
(= 360 (car pair))
(= "BLOCKVISIBILITYPARAMETER" (cdr (assoc 0 (entget (cdr pair)))))
)
(cdr pair)
)
)
(dictsearch
(vlax-vla-object->ename (vla-getextensiondictionary blk))
"acad_enhancedblock"
)
)
)
)
(cdr (assoc 301 (entget vis)))
)
)
;; Get Dynamic Block Property Allowed Values - Lee Mac
;; Returns the allowed values for a specific Dynamic Block property.
;; blk - [vla] VLA Dynamic Block Reference object
;; prp - [str] Dynamic Block property name (case-insensitive)
;; Returns: [lst] List of allowed values for property, else nil if no restrictions
(defun LM:getdynpropallowedvalues ( blk prp )
(setq prp (strcase prp))
(vl-some '(lambda ( x ) (if (= prp (strcase (vla-get-propertyname x))) (vlax-get x 'allowedvalues)))
(vlax-invoke blk 'getdynamicblockproperties)
)
)
;; Set Dynamic Block Property Value - Lee Mac
;; Modifies the value of a Dynamic Block property (if present)
;; blk - [vla] VLA Dynamic Block Reference object
;; prp - [str] Dynamic Block property name (case-insensitive)
;; val - [any] New value for property
;; Returns: [any] New value if successful, else nil
(defun LM:setdynpropvalue ( blk prp val )
(setq prp (strcase prp))
(vl-some
'(lambda ( x )
(if (= prp (strcase (vla-get-propertyname x)))
(progn
(vla-put-value x (vlax-make-variant val (vlax-variant-type (vla-get-value x))))
(cond (val) (t))
)
)
)
(vlax-invoke blk 'getdynamicblockproperties)
)
)
;; List Box - Lee Mac
;; Displays a DCL list box allowing the user to make a selection from the supplied data.
;; msg - [str] Dialog label
;; lst - [lst] List of strings to display
;; bit - [int] 1=allow multiple; 2=return indexes
;; Returns: [lst] List of selected items/indexes, else nil
(defun LM:listbox ( msg lst bit / dch des tmp rtn )
(cond
( (not
(and
(setq tmp (vl-filename-mktemp nil nil ".dcl"))
(setq des (open tmp "w"))
(write-line
(strcat "listbox:dialog{label=\"" msg "\";spacer;:list_box{key=\"list\";multiple_select="
(if (= 1 (logand 1 bit)) "true" "false") ";width=50;height=15;}spacer;ok_cancel;}"
)
des
)
(not (close des))
(< 0 (setq dch (load_dialog tmp)))
(new_dialog "listbox" dch)
)
)
(prompt "\nError Loading List Box Dialog.")
)
( t
(start_list "list")
(foreach itm lst (add_list itm))
(end_list)
(setq rtn (set_tile "list" "0"))
(action_tile "list" "(setq rtn $value)")
(setq rtn
(if (= 1 (start_dialog))
(if (= 2 (logand 2 bit))
(read (strcat "(" rtn ")"))
(mapcar '(lambda ( x ) (nth x lst)) (read (strcat "(" rtn ")")))
)
)
)
)
)
(if (< 0 dch)
(unload_dialog dch)
)
(if (and tmp (setq tmp (findfile tmp)))
(vl-file-delete tmp)
)
rtn
)
(vl-load-com) (princ)
My solution essentially involves temporarily inserting a block reference, configuring the visibility state appropriately, creating a temporary block definition containing the configured dynamic block, and then exploiting the visual preview offered by the standard INSERT command to insert the temporary block reference, which is then exploded & purged from the drawing.

Answer 2

Blocks with custom properties are called Dynamic blocks.
Details and samples You can find here
p.s.
Thank You #LeeMac