Place Text through VBA

Unknown said:

CadInputQueue.SendKeyin "place text"
CadInputQueue.SendKeyin sText

In general, if you queue a user key-in using VBA then the result is the same as if you performed that task manually.  In other words, MicroStation can't distinguish between you typing place dialogtext icon and VBA queueing place dialogtext icon.

If a key-in causes MicroStation to pop a dialog, then it will pop that dialog.

If you want to avoid the consequents of a user key-in, then use VBA to create objects directly, in the way that others have suggested.  Search VBA help for examples.  Searching for CreateTextElement1 reveals an example under topic Elements and Levels.

Thanks for the replies. Has basically got what i wanted.

The only thing is that i would like the user to place the text where they would like, is there a way i can put the new text element to the cursor and have the user select the point? rather than define the point?

You must have Procedures for all Procedures defined in your Interface.

(Just click them all once in our VBA IDE.)

You guys are absolute legends!

All working. Many thanks for helping out!

Just a bit further to this... the client has asked if its possible to show a preview of the text on the screen (i personally think its not needed but hey they pay the bills so least i can do is ask)

In the above, I know that VBA doesn't actually create the text element until the datapoint is clicked, so i'm not sure if this is possible.

They basically want to be able to see where the text is going to be placed, so much like the text already predefined at the cursor just waiting for a insertion point.

Any ideas?

Thanks again!

Hi Rob,

you can display dynamic elements when Primitive Command is active. The right place to do it is Dynamics methods in IPrimitiveCommandEvents, because this method is called everytime the cursor is moved.

You can check for example Line Element Creation Command example in MicroStation VBA help to see how to do it.

If there is no dynamic, Transient Elements can be used to display elements that don't exist in design file.

With regards,

 Jan

Thanks Jan. I have had a look at the example and it was helpful but still couldn't give the result the client wants.

Below is the code that i have pieced together from the example and also from what the guys helped me with above. The exact code below, essentially work the same as before

If i add another "ActiveModelReference.AddElement otext" into the Dynamics section, then its achieves sort of what i'm after, where the text is placed at the cursor, however everytime the mouse is moved it will place the text... ending up with hundreds of text elements on the design.

Is there anything from below that could be changed to get the result the client wants?

I have seen a few programs (i think it was part of an MDL) that could do exactly as im after so i assume this is possible?

Implements IPrimitiveCommandEvents

Private m_strText As String
Private m_atPoints(0 To 1) As Point3d
Private m_nPoints As Integer

Public Property Let Text(s As String)
  m_strText = s
End Property

Sub IPrimitiveCommandEvents_Datapoint(Point As Point3d, ByVal oView As View)

    If m_nPoints = 0 Then
        CommandState.StartDynamics
        m_atPoints(0) = Point
        m_nPoints = 1
        ShowPrompt "Place end point"
    ElseIf m_nPoints = 1 Then
        m_atPoints(1) = Point
        Dim otext As TextElement
        Set otext = CreateTextElement1(Nothing, m_strText, Point, Matrix3dIdentity)
        ActiveModelReference.AddElement otext
        otext.Redraw msdDrawingModeNormal
        m_atPoints(0) = m_atPoints(1)
    End If

End Sub


Private Sub IPrimitiveCommandEvents_Dynamics(Point As Point3d, ByVal View As View, ByVal DrawMode As MsdDrawingMode)

    If m_nPoints = 1 Then
        m_atPoints(1) = Point
        Dim otext As TextElement
        Set otext = CreateTextElement1(Nothing, m_strText, Point, Matrix3dIdentity)
        otext.Redraw msdDrawingModeNormal
    End If
End Sub

Private Sub IPrimitiveCommandEvents_Keyin(ByVal Keyin As String)

End Sub

Private Sub IPrimitiveCommandEvents_Reset()
    CommandState.StartPrimitive Me
    m_nPoints = 0
End Sub

Private Sub IPrimitiveCommandEvents_Start()
    ShowPrompt "Select insertion point for text"
End Sub

Unknown said:

If i add another "ActiveModelReference.AddElement otext" into the Dynamics section

You never can do that. _Dynamics method is called when a cursor is moved, which means it can happen tens times every second. _DataPoint is the best place to add element into a model.

Unknown said:

Is there anything from below that could be changed to get the result the client wants?

This thread has become pretty long and it's hard to find out what your client wants. Can you describe step by step how the tool should work ? Something like (just an example):

1. Tool is started, the user is asked to enter text into a dialog.
2. Until datapoint is pressed, text is dynamically displayed at cursor.
3. If reset button is pressed, text is erased.
4. If datapoint is pressed, text is added into model and the tool is restarted.

What I miss in the information available is a definition how mouse buttons should work.

With regards,

  Jan

Hi Jan,

The Steps listed above are correct apart from number 1.

1. Text is assigned from somewhere else in the VBA. Will be passed a string
2. Until datapoint is pressed, text is dynamically displayed at cursor. (this is so the user can see that the program is wanting the user to place text, plus being able to fit it in the design without accidently overlapping other elements)
3. If reset button is pressed, text is erased.
4. If datapoint is pressed, text is added into model and the tool is restarted.

Some small corrections:

Private Sub IPrimitiveCommandEvents_Dynamics(Point As Point3d, ByVal View As View, ByVal DrawMode As MsdDrawingMode)

   If m_nPoints = 1 Then

       m_atPoints(1) = Point

       Dim otext As TextElement

       Set otext = CreateTextElement1(Nothing, m_strText, Point, Matrix3dIdentity)

       otext.Redraw msdDrawingModeTemporary

   End If

End Sub

Private Sub IPrimitiveCommandEvents_Reset()

   'Better to do a clear reinitialization

   CommandState.StartPrimitive New MyClass()

   m_nPoints = 0

End Sub

Hi Rob,

few notes (not sitting at my computer, so sorry, no code):

• Because only the first data point is important for you, you don't have to count points and you can start dynamics immediately when tool is started.
• The first data point is the place where the text should be added to a model and as Stefan recommends, the tools should be restarted there.
• I prefer (but it's just personal style) in such case to create text immediately when the tool is started (because you know the text already) at 0,0 coordinates and make it available for the rest of the code. Both in dynamic and datapoint you can use Transform3dFromPoint3d to create Transform3d and use it to shift the text to the dynamic or data point using textElm.Transform method.

Regards,

  Jan

Got you wrong Rob.

I thought you wanted to place a line and a text.

Please find a example attached.

Got you wrong Rob.

I thought you wanted to place a line and a text.

Please find a example attached.

Perfect Stefan!

Only 1 small problem though, when the reset button is clicked nothing happens.

Is it ok to simply add in "    CommandState.StartDefaultCommand"

or when working with classes is it best to do it another way?