Get and Set Drawing Properties Example (VB.NET)
This example shows how to get and set standard and custom drawing properties.
'--------------------------------------------------------------
' Preconditions:
' 1. Create a VB.NET Windows console project.
' 2. Copy and paste this example into the VB.NET IDE.
' 3. Add a reference to:
' install_dir\APISDK\tlb\DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.dll.
' 4. Add a reference to System.Windows.Forms.
' 5. Start DraftSight and open a document.
' 6. Press F5.
'
' Postconditions:
' 1. Connects to DraftSight.
' 2. Gets the active document.
' 3. Gets and sets standard and custom drawing properties.
' 4. Displays a message box showing the total number of
' drawing custom properties. Click OK to close the message
' box.
' 5. Displays a message box showing the first custom property
' in the list of custom properties. Click OK to close
' the message box.
' 6. Displays a message box instructing you to
' type DRAWINGPROPERTIES at the prompt in the
' command window to open the drawing properties dialog.
' Click OK to close the message box.
' 7. Examine the properties on both tabs of the drawing
' properties dialog.
'----------------------------------------------------------------
Imports System
Imports DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Module Module1
Sub Main()
Dim dsApp As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.Application
'Connect to DraftSight application
dsApp = GetObject(, "DraftSight.Application")
If dsApp Is Nothing Then
Return
End If
'Abort any command currently running in DraftSight to avoid nested commands
dsApp.AbortRunningCommand()
'Get active document
Dim dsDoc As Document = dsApp.GetActiveDocument()
If dsDoc Is Nothing Then
MessageBox.Show("There are no open documents in DraftSight.")
Return
End If
'Get drawing properties
Dim dsDrawingProperties As DrawingProperties = dsDoc.GetDrawingProperties()
If dsDrawingProperties Is Nothing Then
MessageBox.Show("There are no valid drawing properties.")
Return
End If
'Set drawing properties
dsDrawingProperties.Author = "Me"
dsDrawingProperties.Keywords = "test,sample"
dsDrawingProperties.Comments = "Properties created by this DraftSight API application"
dsDrawingProperties.Title = "Title"
dsDrawingProperties.Subject = "Test"
'Add key and value to the drawing custom properties
Dim key As String = "0123"
Dim value As String = "Test Value"
dsDrawingProperties.AddCustomProperty(key, value)
'Set another drawing custom property
dsDrawingProperties.SetCustomProperty("9234", "234")
'Remove previously added drawing custom property
dsDrawingProperties.RemoveCustomProperty("234")
'Set drawing custom property with an index number
dsDrawingProperties.SetCustomPropertyAt(1, "testvalue")
'Get number of custom properties
Dim nbrCustomProperties As Integer = 0
Dim nbrCustomPropertiesStr As String = ""
nbrCustomProperties = dsDrawingProperties.GetCustomPropertyCount
nbrCustomPropertiesStr = nbrCustomProperties.ToString()
MessageBox.Show("Number of custom properties: " + nbrCustomPropertiesStr)
Dim keyValue As String = ""
If nbrCustomProperties >= 0 Then
'Get first drawing custom property and key value in the list of drawing custom properties
Dim customProperty As String = dsDrawingProperties.GetCustomPropertyAt(0, keyValue)
MessageBox.Show("Custom property: " + customProperty + ", Key: " + keyValue)
End If
'Type DRAWINGPROPERTIES at the prompt in the command window
'to see the drawing properties
MessageBox.Show("Type DRAWINGPROPERTIES at the prompt in the command window to open the drawing properties dialog. Examine the properties on both tabs.")
End Sub
End Module