Through the Interface

Hi Alexander,

Yes... this is certainly possible - both acedCommand() and acedCmd() could be P/Invoked if you really wanted. I tend to avoid using them from a native command, it's just safest not to go down that path due to re-entrancy issues.

If you only register your function as a [LispFunction] then there is less risk, although frankly I always tread carefully with these two functions and use them only when absolutely necessary.

Cheers,

Kean

Hi CSharpBird,

It's my pleasure. 🙂

I was thinking of something in this direction - I'll certainly add it to my list and see whether someone in the team feels like taking it on as a topic.

BTW - my team also owns the ObjectARX SDK samples, so if you have specific feedback about them, do drop me an email about what more you'd like to see.

Regards,

Kean

[CommandMethod("TEST4", param1, param2]_

I guess this part didn't post due to the angle brackets so I replaced them with square brackets

Sorry to bring up this post, but I've read so much but never got a final and neat solution.

I believe that a very common task for Acad programmers is to perform repeatitive task over a bunch of drawings.
That's usually done with the help of a dialog form or a palette or something similar to allow the user to select the drawing to manipulate and then press that cute button that will allow the program to work unattended and them to get a coffee break.

Well, maybe 90% of the tasks can be solved with a clean NET programming, but sometimes there is simply no other way than to send a command string to autocad, just to mention one, a beatiful "_audit _y " since the NET equivalent is still a work-in-progress.

My question is: since most of the cases, we're working in the Application context, what is the best practice to execute a command, wait for its execution, save the document at hand and continue with the next file?

I've seen many solutions, included Tony's that would address exactely this case and implements a sort of ExecuteInDocumentContext() function, but (maybe to my fault) I often get into re-entrancy issues and I'm unable to get a stable and reliable solution.

I think the problem is exactely in how to send command synchronously in a NET environment.
SendCommand would be great, I've used it for years in VBA after all, but I'm trying to stay COM-free 'cause I have to target multiple platform, both 32 and 64bit, and multiple AutoCAD versions.
NET is a great help from this point of view, but maybe is not enough?

Hi Kean,
I learned about the undocumented function acedEvaluateLisp, that works great for evaluating lisp commands. To P/Invoke in NET:

[DllImport("acad.exe", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Cdecl,EntryPoint = "?acedEvaluateLisp@@YAHPB_WAAPAUresbuf@@@Z")]
extern private static int acedEvaluateLisp(string lispLine, out IntPtr result);

I am running into an issue when I try to execute the same code on a 64 bit operating system. The code throws an exception that the EntryPoint is invalid. As you mentioned earlier using acedCommand and acedCmd causes re-entrance and that leads into all sorts of problems, and any of the other function mentioned not applicable, since I need the lisp executed synchronously. Any ideas?

Hi Kean,

I have a problem maybe you can help with. I want to call a command without closing/disposing my form. The command will not execute until I have done this. Any ideas?

Hello.
I an query:
by example send a command with:
SendStringToExecute (_POINT 1,1,0 ", False, False, True)
as I capture the parameters _point ie get the 1,1,0.
thanks

hi kean

when i pick a point in autocad then i display a dialogbox
if use clicks on ok in dialoag box then i used to pick the another point in auto cad

now i load a lisp file and execute a lispfunction inputing these two points to the function

then basing on these points a drawing is generated using lisp function

here is my code

<autodesk.autocad.runtime.commandmethod("dvk")> _
Public Sub HelloCommand()
PointArryListX = New ArrayList
PointArryListY = New ArrayList
acadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.SendStringToExecute("(LOAD " & Chr(34) + "c:/LispSld/generatedwg.lsp" & Chr(34) & " )" & vbCr, False, False, True)
Dim plp As String = ""
Dim f As Cable.Form1
Dim myDB As Database
Dim myEd As Editor
Dim myPEO As New Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput.PromptPointOptions(vbLf & "Select a DVK Point:")
Dim myPS As Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput.PromptStatus
Dim myTransMan As Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.TransactionManager
Dim myTrans As Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Transaction
AcadDoc = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument
Do
f = New Cable4.Form1
plp = ""
myDB = AcadDoc.Database
myEd = AcadDoc.Editor
myPEO = New Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput.PromptPointOptions(vbLf & "Select a dvk Point " + PointArryListX.Count.ToString() + " :")
'myPEO.SetRejectMessage("You must select a Point." & vbCrLf)
myPEO.AllowNone = True
myPEO.UseBasePoint = False
Dim myPER As Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput.PromptPointResult
myPER = myEd.GetPoint(myPEO)
myPS = myPER.Status
Select Case myPS
Case Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput.PromptStatus.OK
Dim picked As Point3d = myPER.Value
PointArryListX.Add(picked.X.ToString())
PointArryListY.Add(picked.Y.ToString())

Case Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput.PromptStatus.Cancel
'MsgBox("You cancelled.")
Exit Sub
Case Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput.PromptStatus.Error
MsgBox("Error warning.")
Exit Sub
Case Else
Exit Sub
End Select
'If f.ShowDialog() <> DialogResult.Cancel Then
' plp = "y"
'Else
' plp = "n"
'End If
f.ShowDialog()
plp = Cable4.myClass1.pLoop
If plp = "y" Then
Series = Cable4.myClass1.txtSeries
Tag = Cable4.myClass1.txtTag
Width = Cable4.myClass1.txtWidth
Thick = Cable4.myClass1.txtThick
Height = Cable4.myClass1.txtHeight
End If
'f.Close()
If PointArryListX.Count > 1 Then
Dim cnt As Integer
cnt = PointArryListX.Count
Dim cmd As String = ""
cmd = cmd + "_ca" + vbCr
cmd = cmd + PointArryListX.Item(cnt - 2) + vbCr
cmd = cmd + PointArryListY.Item(cnt - 2) + vbCr
cmd = cmd + PointArryListX.Item(cnt - 1) + vbCr
cmd = cmd + PointArryListY.Item(cnt - 1) + vbCr
cmd = cmd + Series + vbCr
cmd = cmd + Tag + vbCr
cmd = cmd + Width + vbCr
cmd = cmd + Thick + vbCr
cmd = cmd + Height + vbCr
cmd = cmd + "Ladder" + vbCr
cmd = cmd + "Tray_Type" + vbCr
cmd = cmd + "n" + vbCr
acadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.SendStringToExecute(cmd, True, False, True)
acadApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.SendStringToExecute("y" + vbCr, True, False, True)

End If

Loop While plp = "y"

but i could not call the lisp function
when itry to call the lisp function
the command is prompting to select a point

please help me

Hi Kean,
I have a problem maybe you can help with.
In VB. Net sending commands directly to the AutoCAD command line by using SendStringToExecute method.
EchoCommand parameter set to False. Command sent not visible in the AutoCAD command line, but we can see it after clicking the right mouse. Is there any method to see .NET command as last one insteed the LISP one sent by .NET?
Regards,
Emilia

Hi Kean ,
I wanna ask u : if I wanna execute an interruptible cad command through .net (it takes an input from the user e.g : _appload ) .Please tell me how could I send the path of the lisp file with the command itself.(when I execute the command ,the open file dialog box is displayed then I can browse to file normally , but I want to pass the path as a parameter .(I don't want the open file dialog to be displayed to the user) ??
Any help ???

Hi Kean,

Don't you love when someone comments on one of your posts coming on 5 years old? 🙂

Anyhow, I noticed that a command's session/document context appears to control whether the COM SendCommand() is executed synchronously or asynchronously, well at least for AutoCAD 2012. I was going mad trying to get some code to execute synchronously and thought it was worth mentioning. If you try the following you'll see what I mean...

// Command in "session" context will execute synchronously.
[CommandMethod("Async")]
public static void Async() {
AcadApplication app = Application.AcadApplication as AcadApplication;
app.ActiveDocument.SendCommand("._CIRCLE 0,0 5 ._ZOOM Extents ");
Application.ShowAlertDialog("Rectangle created!");
}

// Command in "session" context will execute synchronously.
[CommandMethod("Sync", CommandFlags.Session)]
public static void Sync() {
AcadApplication app = Application.AcadApplication as AcadApplication;
app.ActiveDocument.SendCommand("._CIRCLE 0,0 5 ._ZOOM Extents ");
Application.ShowAlertDialog("Rectangle created!");
}

Cheers,
Art

Hi Art,

I don't mind comments on 5-year old posts, as long as they don't ask questions. 😉

Thanks for the pointer - I wasn't aware of the distinction (although it does make some sense). I'm curious whether it's a recent phenomenon or has always worked like that. Hmmm.

Regards,

Kean

It's been a while since I've used the TrueView API, myself, and - in any case - I make a point of avoiding providing support via my blog (I just don't have the time - if I started doing so I wouldn't have time for anything else).

Please post your question via ADN, if you're a member, or otherwise one of our online discussion groups.

Regards,

Kean

Hi ...
I m getting my toolbar when I run my objectarx application...but when I clicked any button on toolbar..command display at the command text but can not automatically fired up...until i press the enter..please suggest me some solution....
If possible i need some code.....
Thanks in advance....
Rakesh Shinde, Pune...

Artvegas thank you so much for that clarification. I've spent the better part of a day trying to get SendCommand to execute synchronously, and was just about to give up. For informative purposes I'm running AutoCad 2011 32 bit, so that behaviour has been active at least since 2011.

Hi Mario,

Try getting the handle for the entity you want and passing it to the command-line as the argument to the (handent) function to make the entity name get passed to the command:

(handent "1BD")

Cheers,

Kean

Hi Kean. I need help!

i have a c# project. this project load lisp file (synchronous) with :
[System.Security.SuppressUnmanagedCodeSecurity]
[DllImport("accore.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, CallingConvention = CallingConvention.Cdecl, EntryPoint = "?acedEvaluateLisp@@YAHPEB_WAEAPEAUresbuf@@@Z")]
extern public static int acedEvaluateLisp(string lispLine, out IntPtr result);

It's Ok with AutoCAD 2013 when i run Acad.exe.
It's KO with AutoCAD 2013 when i run accoreconsole.exe

Bug? Have you a solution for this?

Best greets

hello Mr. Kean
please tell me, Can I use trial version of Autocad2010

Hi Kean,

Many thanks. I was struggling with passing entities to SendCommand

Hi Jay,

If it works for you, then fine. I can't say whether it's "OK" or not, as .NET was a preview release and - in any case - AutoCAD 2005 hasn't been supported for some years now.

Hopefully it'll work for you,

Kean

This is unsurprising: .NET was in preview mode in AutoCAD 2005.

If you need to write an app for 2005 I suggest using the COM API (whether from VBA or .NET), LISP or ObjectARX. Or using a newer version of the product, of course.

Kean

Please post follow-up questions to the discussion groups. This is getting way off topic, and my blog is really not a support forum.

Kean

Hi Kean! Thanks for all your articles, they've been a big help to me and other developers I work with. I was wondering what SendStringToExecute would look like in calling the UNDO command because doc.SendStringToExecute("_UNDO M") and ("_UNDO B") don't seem to work to mark a position to undo to and then undo-ing back to it.