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Introduction to Macro Writing

Introduction to Macro Writing. Kate Morrical AutoCAD LT Technical Marketing Manager. Customization Without Programming. Agenda. What’s in: Writing Macros Using DIESEL in Macros Using Macros in CUI Elements Using Macros in Tool Palettes The Action Recorder What’s out: Linetypes

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Introduction to Macro Writing

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  1. Introduction to Macro Writing Kate Morrical AutoCAD LT Technical Marketing Manager

  2. Customization Without Programming

  3. Agenda • What’s in: • Writing Macros • Using DIESEL in Macros • Using Macros in CUI Elements • Using Macros in Tool Palettes • The Action Recorder • What’s out: • Linetypes • Hatch Patterns • Dynamic Blocks • Scripts • LISP/VBA/.NET/Everything Else

  4. Text Conventions • AutoCAD-generated command line text • USER-GENERATED TEXT OR NUMBERS • Enter, left-click or other special characters

  5. Writing Macros • Start with “want” statement • “I want to…” • First example: • “I want to draw a circle with a radius of 1 unit.” • Command line entry: Command: CIRCLE(enter) Specify center point for circle or [3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius)]: (left-click) Specify radius of circle or [Diameter]: 1(enter)

  6. Writing Macros, cont. • Put the pieces together: • circle • ; • \ • 1 • ; • circle;\1; • Not quite done yet, though.

  7. Writing Macros, cont. • What if a command were running when you started the macro? • You’d need to cancel it… • ^C^C • ^C^Ccircle;\1; • What if this was used in a non-English version of AutoCAD? • You’d need to translate the command • _circle • ^C^C_circle;\1;

  8. Detour: CUI Topics & Tool Palettes • Skipping to Page 16 of the handout

  9. Demo

  10. Back on Track: Writing Macros • Special Characters • Semicolon (;) • Blank Space ( ) • Backslash (\) • Underscore (_) • Dash/Hyphen (-) • Asterisk (*) • Caret (^) • Dollar Sign ($) • Example: Create Multiple Circles • *^C^C_circle;\1;

  11. Demo

  12. Rotate By Fixed Angle • Rotate an object by 180 degrees every time Command: ROTATE (enter) Current positive angle in UCS: ANGDIR=counterclockwise ANGBASE=0 Select objects: (left-click) 1 found Select objects: (enter) Specify base point: (left-click) Specify rotation angle or [Copy/Reference] <0>: 180(enter)

  13. Rotate By Fixed Angle • Clear any running commands • ^C^C • Start the rotate command • _rotate; • Let the user pick the object to rotate • \ • End the “select object” mode • ; • Let the user pick the base point • \ • Specify the rotation angle and end the command • 180; • Put it all together: ^C^C_rotate;\;180;

  14. Demo

  15. Copy and Rotate • Copy an object and then rotate it • Clear any running commands • ^C^C • Start the copy command • _copy; • Let the user pick the object to copy • \ • End the “select object” mode • ; • Let the user pick the base point and the second point • \\

  16. Copy and Rotate, cont. • Start the rotate command • _rotate; • Select the last object created • L; • End the “select object” mode • ; • Use the coordinates of the last point specified • @; • Let the user specify the rotation angle • \ • Put it all together: • ^C^C_copy;\;\\_rotate;L;;@;\

  17. Demo

  18. Macros for Dialog-Based Commands • Need to use command-line version • Type out the command, pay attention to every time you pick an option or press Enter. • Hatches • -hatch • Blocks • -insert • Layers • -layer

  19. Create a Hatch • Create a hatch with: • A pattern of ANSI37 • A scale of 4 • And a rotation of 45 degrees • Using the “select objects” method

  20. Create a Hatch, cont. Command: -HATCH (enter) Current hatch pattern: ANSI31 Specify internal point or [Properties/Select objects/draW boundary/remove Boundaries/Advanced/DRaw order/Origin/ANnotative]: P(enter) Enter a pattern name or [?/Solid/User defined] <ANSI31>: ANSI37 (enter) Specify a scale for the pattern <1.0000>: 4 (enter) Specify an angle for the pattern <0>: 45 (enter)

  21. Create a Hatch, cont. Current hatch pattern: ANSI37 Specify internal point or [Properties/Select objects/draW boundary/remove Boundaries/Advanced/DRaw order/Origin/ANnotative]: S(enter) Select objects:(left-click) 1 found Select objects:(enter) Current hatch pattern: ANSI37 Specify internal point or [Properties/Select objects/draW boundary/remove Boundaries/Advanced/DRaw order/Origin/ANnotative]:(enter)

  22. Create a Hatch, cont. • Replace all (left-click) with backslash and all (enter)with semi-colons: • ^C^C-hatch;p;ANSI37;4;45;s;\;;

  23. Demo

  24. Insert a Block • Insert a specified block with: • A scale of 12 • And a rotation of 90 degrees

  25. Insert a Block, cont. Command: -INSERT (enter) Enter block name or [?]: SAMPLE (enter) Units: Inches Conversion: 1.0000 Specify insertion point or [Basepoint/Scale/X/Y/Z/Rotate]: S (enter) Specify scale factor for XYZ axes <1>: 12 (enter) Specify insertion point or [Basepoint/Scale/X/Y/Z/Rotate]: R (enter) Specify rotation angle <0.0000>: 90 (enter) Specify insertion point or [Basepoint/Scale/X/Y/Z/Rotate]: (left-click)

  26. Insert a Block, cont. • Replace all (left-click) with backslash and all (enter)with semi-colons: • ^C^C-insert;sample;s;12;r;90;\ • Insert the same block exploded: • ^C^C-insert;*sample;\12;90; • Insert the block and explode it after placement: • ^C^C-insert;sample;s;12;r;90;\explode;L; • Insert the block, explode it after placement, then purge: • ^C^C-insert;sample;s;12;r;90;\explode;L;-purge; B;sample;N;

  27. Demo

  28. Create a Layer Command: -LAYER (enter)  Current layer: "0" Enter an option [?/Make/Set/New/Rename/ON/OFF/Color/Ltype/LWeight/MATerial/Plot/Freeze/Thaw/LOck /Unlock/stAte/Description/rEconcile]: M (enter)  Enter name for new layer (becomes the current layer) <0>: S-ANNO-TEXT (enter) Enter an option [?/Make/Set/New/Rename/ON/OFF/Color/Ltype/LWeight/MATerial/Plot/Freeze/Thaw/LOck /Unlock/stAte/Description/rEconcile]: C (enter)  New color [Truecolor/COlorbook] : 1 (enter) Enter name list of layer(s) for color 1 (red) <S-ANNO-TEXT>: (enter)

  29. Create a Layer, cont. Enter an option [?/Make/Set/New/Rename/ON/OFF/Color/Ltype/LWeight/MATerial/Plot/Freeze/Thaw/LOck /Unlock/stAte/Description/rEconcile]: L (enter)  Enter loaded linetype name or [?] <Continuous>: continuous (enter)  Enter name list of layer(s) for linetype "continuous" <S-ANNO-TEXT>: (enter) Enter an option [?/Make/Set/New/Rename/ON/OFF/Color/Ltype/LWeight/MATerial/Plot/Freeze/Thaw/LOck /Unlock/stAte/Description/rEconcile]: (enter)

  30. Create a Layer, cont. • Replace all (enters)from previous slides with semi-colons: • ^C^C-layer;M;S-ANNO-TEXT;C;1;;L;Continuous;;; • What if your linetype isn’t loaded? • Load it first! • ^C^C-insert;*LT_beam_removed;0,0;1;;-layer ;M;S-BEAM-STEL-DEMO;C;1;;L;BEAM_REMOVED;;;

  31. Demo

  32. Plot a Drawing Command: -PLOT (enter) Detailed plot configuration? [Yes/No] <No>: N(enter) Enter a layout name or [?] <Layout1>: Layout1 (enter) Enter a page setup name <>: Setup1 (enter) Enter an output device name or [?] <HP Officejet 4300 series>: (enter) Write the plot to a file [Yes/No] <N>: (enter) Save changes to page setup [Yes/No]? <N>: (enter) Proceed with plot [Yes/No] <Y>: (enter)

  33. Plot a Drawing, cont. • Replace all (enters)from previous slide with semi-colons: • ^C^C-plot;N;Layout1;Setup1;;;;;

  34. Demo

  35. Repeating Macros • Can’t use Enter or Spacebar to repeat macros • Can use right-click shortcut menu • Unless the macro was launched from the Ribbon (known issue)

  36. Bringing Macros Through Upgrades • Only thing to watch out for is changes in command options or names • For example • Introduction of PEDITACCEPT meant you could skip a step in the PEDIT command—broke a few macros that way

  37. DIESEL • Direct Interpretively Evaluated String Expression Language • Always preceded with a dollar sign • $M=$(diesel expression here) • Operators go first • $M=$(+,2,3) • $M=$(/,12,4)

  38. Using Variables in DIESEL • Start by using GETVAR to retrieve variable value: • $(getvar,DIMSCALE) • Then do some math with it: • $M=$(*,$(getvar,DIMSCALE),0.25) • Finally put it into a command: • ^C^C^Rfillet;r;<need number here>; • ^C^C^Rfillet;r;$M=$(*,$(getvar,DIMSCALE),0.25);

  39. Demo

  40. More DIESEL Macros • Two more macros that use DIMSCALE: • Start with: • $M=$(*,$(getvar,DIMSCALE),0.125) • Set single-line text height based on DIMSCALE: • ^C^C_dtext;<need number here>; • ^C^C_dtext;\$M=$(*,$(getvar,DIMSCALE),0.125); • Set multi-line text height based on DIMSCALE: • ^C^C_mtext;\h;<need number here>;\ • ^C^C_mtext;\h;$M=$(*,$(getvar,DIMSCALE),0.125);\

  41. Demo

  42. Conditional Expressions • DIESEL IF function similar to Excel IF function • $M=$(if,expression,true,false) • Expression: statement to evaluate • True: command sequence if expression is true • False: command sequence if expression is false • Good for toggling values

  43. Conditional Expressions, cont. • Build macro for toggling cursor size from 5% of screen to 100% of screen • Verbalize IF function: • “If the CURSORSIZE variable is already set to 100, change it to 5. If it’s not 100, change it to 100. • Verbalize the expression: • “Is the cursor size already 100%?” • Write the expression: • $(=,$(getvar,CURSORSIZE),100)

  44. Conditional Exprsesions, cont. • Verbalize the TRUE condition: • “If the expression is true, set the cursor size to 5%.” • Write the TRUE condition: • CURSORSIZE;5 • Verbalize the FALSE condition: • “If the expression is false, set the cursor size to 100%.” • Write the FALSE condition: • CURSORSIZE;100 • Put it all together: • $M=$(if,expression,true,false) • $M=$(if,$(=,$(getvar,CURSORSIZE),100), CURSORSIZE;5,CURSORSIZE;100)

  45. Demo

  46. User Variables • 10 built-in variables • Can’t rename, can’t use more • Five for integers • USERI1 through USERI5 • Five for real numbers (with decimal points) • USERR1 through USERR5

  47. User Variables, cont. • Use a variable to automatically increment the value of a block attribute • Start the Insert command and place the block: • Block definition must already exist in the drawing or in one of the support paths! • ^C^C-insert;label;\;; • Retrieve current value of USERI1: • $M=$(getvar,USERI1) • Use USERI1 as attribute value: • Block definition should contain only one attribute! • USERI1;

  48. User Variables, cont. • Increase the value of USERI1 by 1: • $M=$(+,$(getvar,USERI1),1); • Put it all together: • *^C^C-insert;label;\;;$M=$(getvar,USERI1); USERI1;$M=$(+,$(getvar,USERI1),1); • Asterisk repeats the command multiple times • You do have to remember to reset the value of USERI1 every time you run the macro

  49. The Action Recorder 2 3 4 5 1 6 7

  50. The Action Recorder • Guidelines for Creating Action Macros • Don’t use dialog-based commands • OR • Use the command-line equivalent for dialog boxes • Don’t accept the default entry for commands • Place macros in read-only folders for sharing

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