[CONNECT C#] Create a cell from library using Bentley.DgnPlatformNET/Bentley.GeometryNet (not Interop)

As Jan mentioned, it is not very easy to plot a cell using strictly the DgnPlatformNET.
Here is how I am placing basic cells..  Perhaps this could be expanded upon to have better support for things like parametrics.
It is not perfect, but it works for the majority of cases that I need.

            if (cellInfo == null || cellInfo.Model == null)
            {
                Debug.Print("Cell Info does not contain a model. Returning null");
                return null;
            }
			
            // Iterate over every element of the cells model and recreate it in our active model.
            IEnumerator<Element> elements = cellInfo.Model.GetElements().GetEnumerator();

            // Calculate the conversion factor from the cell model to the active model.
            ModelInfo cellModelInfo = cellInfo.Model.GetModelInfo();
            UnitDefinition cellMasterUnits = cellModelInfo.GetMasterUnit();
            ModelInfo activeModelInfo = Ms.GetActiveModel().GetModelInfo();
            UnitDefinition activeMasterUnits = activeModelInfo.GetMasterUnit();
            
            activeMasterUnits.GetConversionFactorFrom(out double scale, cellMasterUnits);

            // Unitless whole cells need to be scaled for some reason...
            if (cellMasterUnits.IsStandardUnit == StandardUnit.UnitlessWhole)
            {
                double cellToMasterScale = cellModelInfo.UorPerMaster / activeModelInfo.UorPerMaster;
                scale *= cellToMasterScale;
            }
            
            // Scale the element to the model units.
            DTransform3d trns = new DTransform3d(scale, 0, 0, position.X, 0, scale, 0, position.Y, 0, 0, scale, position.Z);
            TransformInfo tInfo = new TransformInfo(trns);

			List<Element> cellChildren = new List<Element>();
			
            while (elements.MoveNext())
            {
                Element ele = elements.Current;
                if (ele == null)
                    continue;

                // If we include these elements, microstation crashes. :(  I think it is just the DgnApplicationData (Meta data attached to DGN)
                if (ele.ElementType == MSElementType.MicroStation || ele.ElementType == MSElementType.Table || ele.ElementType == MSElementType.TableEntry || ele.ElementType == MSElementType.ReferenceAttachment || ele.ElementType == MSElementType.DgnStoreHeader || ele.IsInvisible) //ele.ElementType == MSElementType.ReferenceAttachment
                    continue;

                // These elements also cause a crash... ignore them.
                if (ele is ExtendedNonGraphicsElement )
                    continue;
                
                Element newEle = ele.Clone();
                newEle.FromUor(cellInfo.Model);

                newEle.ApplyTransform(tInfo);

                newEle.ToUor();
               
                cellChildren.Add(newEle);
            }

            elements.Dispose();

            DPoint3d origin = position.ToUor();

			CellHeaderElement cellElement = new CellHeaderElement(_model, cellInfo.Name, origin, DMatrix3d.Identity, cellChildren);

            if (ViewIndependent)
                elem.IsPointCell = true;
			
            trns = DTransform3d.FromUniformScaleAndFixedPoint(origin, userScale);
            tInfo = new TransformInfo(trns);
            cellElement?.ApplyTransform(tInfo);
            
            return cellElement;
        

Maury said:

Here is how I am placing basic cells

I take my hat off to your diligence!  But this is why the API exists and why it should provide a CreateCellInstance(string cellName, DgnFile cellLibrary) method. 

Jan Šlegr said:

It has been asked and discussed several times, but as far as I remember, without clear vision or promise from Bentley.

Nor an explanation of why such a basic yet fundamental method is absent.

Jon Summers said:

Nor an explanation of why such a basic yet fundamental method is absent.

Robert Hook ?

Maury said:

Robert Hook ?

I guess somebody from Sunand Sandurkar's team would be better contact, because I guess it's power platform functionality. But ... any info from anybody will be welcomed :-)

Regards,

  Jan

FYI. Mayuresh Kanade created Enhancement 1095519 to address this request.

Has any work been done on creating this functionality yet? I'm currently on CE 10.17 and still can't find a 

CreateCellInstance(string cellName, DgnFile cellLibrary)

I just check and Enhancement 1095519 is not being working on. but from my inquiry they are looking at potentially scheduling this work. Hopefully we can get some movement on this.

I just check and Enhancement 1095519 is not being working on. but from my inquiry they are looking at potentially scheduling this work. Hopefully we can get some movement on this.