Is there a way to get an image of an object using VBA in Microstation?

Viktor_Kulik said:

if i zoom into an area that it can provide an image of what's being displayed

In addition to Jan's ideas there is also printing & plotting.  MicroStation offers a large range of print formats, ranging from images to vector.  The easiest way to drive the printer output with V8i is to queue key-ins, and you can continue to use key-ins with CONNECT.

Look, here's an article about printing with VBA!

Printing seems to be the simple approach, just create fences around objects I want to output. This could equal a couple hundred images per file, so we'll see how efficient it runs. I'll definitely compare between this and Jan's suggestions. 

Viktor_Kulik said:

Printing seems to be the simple approach, just create fences around objects

You can do that and more.  Investigate Print Organizer: it has a lot of functionality directed at managing multiple prints.  It reduces the need to write VBA macros to control printing.

Well, the images would be needed within another application, not as individual printing files. So I'm not interested in doing this via another GUI such as Print Organizer, which in my opinion is too complex to be useful (but that's another topic), and too buggy to trust consistently (also another topic).

Hi Viktor,

You may want to load and review this MicroStation VBA example:

C:\ProgramData\Bentley\CONNECT Edition\Configuration\WorkSpaces\Example\WorkSets\MetroStation\Standards\Macros\PictureExample.mvba

This example uses an MSForm and GetPicture method to generate the image for display using all elements or selected ones.

As Jan recommended, these MicroStation VBA Help file topics are also relevant and helpful:

• GetPicture (Code Example). Please see additional note from docs below.
• DrawToEnhancedMetafile (Code snip)
• And: DrawToFile (Code Example)

HTH,
Bob

GetPicture (Help Topic Notes):

• PictureExample.mvba in the WorkSpace\Example\Standards\Macros demonstrates how to use GetPicture.
• Developers using the object model from .NET will need to use Element.DrawToEnhancedMetafile instead of Element.GetPicture.

Viktor_Kulik said:

the images would be needed within another application, not as individual printing files

You can print a a large range of formats, including raster images.  Look at the print drivers in ..\WorkSpace\System\Plotdrv

The VBA functions that create metafiles create vector picture (EMF) files. 

Viktor_Kulik said:

the images would be needed within another application, not as individual printing files

You can print a a large range of formats, including raster images.  Look at the print drivers in ..\WorkSpace\System\Plotdrv

The VBA functions that create metafiles create vector picture (EMF) files.