Hide Table of Contents

Manage Custom Coordinate Systems Example (VB.NET)

This example shows how to manage World, default, and named custom coordinate systems.

'-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Preconditions:
' 1. Create a VB.NET Windows console project.
' 2. Copy and paste this project into the VB.NET IDE.
' 3. Add a reference to:
'    install_dir\APISDK\tlb\DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.
' 4. Add references to System and System.Windows.Forms.

' 5. Start DraftSight.
' 6. Set a breakpoint in Main() and step through the macro.
'
'Postconditions:
'1. Inspect the Immediate Window.
'2. A new named custom coordinate system is created, renamed, and removed.
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Text
Imports DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Diagnostics

Module Module1
    
Dim dsApp As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.Application
    
Dim dsDoc As Document

    
Sub Main(ByVal args As String())
        
'Connect to DraftSight application
        dsApp = ConnectToDraftSight()
        
If dsApp Is Nothing Then
            Return
        End If

       
dsApp.AbortRunningCommand() ' abort any command currently running in DraftSight to avoid nested commands

        'Create new document
        dsDoc = dsApp.NewDocument("standard.dwt")
        
If dsDoc Is Nothing Then
            MessageBox.Show("Failed to create a new document in DraftSight.")
            
Return
        End If

        'Get custom coordinate system manager
        Dim dsCCSMgr As CustomCoordinateSystemManager = dsDoc.GetCustomCoordinateSystemManager()

        UsageOfDefaultCustomCoordinateSystems(dsCCSMgr)

        UsageOfNamedCustomCoordinateSystems(dsCCSMgr)
    
End Sub

    Sub UsageOfDefaultCustomCoordinateSystems(ByVal dsCCSMgr As CustomCoordinateSystemManager)
        
'Get World Coordinate System
        Dim dsWorldCCS As CustomCoordinateSystem = dsCCSMgr.GetWorldCustomCoordinateSystem()

        Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine &
"Get World CCS.")

        PrintCoordinateSystemParameters(dsWorldCCS)

        
'Get default bottom custom coordinate system
        Dim dsBottomCCS As CustomCoordinateSystem = dsCCSMgr.GetDefaultCustomCoordinateSystem(dsDefaultCustomCoordinateSystem_e.dsDefaultCustomCoordinateSystem_Bottom)

        Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine &
"Get default Bottom CCS.")

        PrintCoordinateSystemParameters(dsBottomCCS)

        
'Activate default bottom custom coordinate system
        dsBottomCCS.Activate()

        
'Get previous CCS; it should be WCS.
        Dim dsPreviousCCS As CustomCoordinateSystem = dsCCSMgr.GetPreviousCustomCoordinateSystem()

        Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine &
"Get previous CCS.")

        PrintCoordinateSystemParameters(dsPreviousCCS)

        
'Get active CCS; it should be bottom CCS.
        Dim dsActiveCCS As CustomCoordinateSystem = dsCCSMgr.GetActiveCustomCoordinateSystem()

        Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine &
"Get active CCS.")

        PrintCoordinateSystemParameters(dsActiveCCS)

        
'The active custom coordinate system can be modified
        'Change origin of active custom coordinate system
        Dim originX As Double = 2
        
Dim originY As Double = 3
        
Dim originZ As Double = 1
        dsCCSMgr.SetActiveCustomCoordinateSystemOrigin(originX, originY, originZ)

        Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine &
"Origin of active CCS has been changed.")

        PrintCoordinateSystemParameters(dsActiveCCS)

        
'Align custom coordinate system by entity
        AlignActiveCCSByEntity(dsCCSMgr)

        Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine &
"The active CCS has been aligned by line entity.")

        PrintCoordinateSystemParameters(dsActiveCCS)
    
End Sub

    Sub AlignActiveCCSByEntity(ByVal dsCCSMgr As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.CustomCoordinateSystemManager)
        
'Get model space
        Dim dsModel As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.Model = dsDoc.GetModel()

        
'Get sketch manager
        Dim dsSketchMgr As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.SketchManager = dsModel.GetSketchManager()

        
'Draw a line entity
        Dim startPoint As Double() = {5, 5, 0}
        
Dim endPoint As Double() = {12, 15, 0}
        
Dim dsLine As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.Line = dsSketchMgr.InsertLine(startPoint(0), startPoint(1), startPoint(2), endPoint(0), endPoint(1), endPoint(2))

        
'Align active CCS by the created line entity
        dsCCSMgr.AlignActiveCustomCoordinateSystemByEntity(dsLine, startPoint)
    
End Sub

    Sub UsageOfNamedCustomCoordinateSystems(ByVal dsCCSMgr As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.CustomCoordinateSystemManager)
        
'Get view manager
        Dim dsViewManager As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.ViewManager = dsDoc.GetViewManager()

        
'Set isometric view
        dsViewManager.SetPredefinedView(dsPredefinedView_e.dsPredefinedView_SWIsometric)

        
'Zoom extents
        dsApp.Zoom(dsZoomRange_e.dsZoomRange_Fit, Nothing, Nothing)

        
'Create a new named CCS by saving the active view as new CCS
        Dim name As String = "newCCS"
        Dim dsNewCCS As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.CustomCoordinateSystem = Nothing
        Dim saveViewResult As dsCreateObjectResult_e = dsCCSMgr.SaveActiveViewAs(name, dsNewCCS)
        
If dsNewCCS IsNot Nothing AndAlso dsCreateObjectResult_e.dsCreateObjectResult_Success = saveViewResult Then
            Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine & "New named CCS has been created by saving active view as new CCS.")

            PrintCoordinateSystemParameters(dsNewCCS)

            
'Rename new CCS
            Dim newName As String = name & "_Changed"
            If RenameCCS(dsNewCCS, newName) Then
                Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine & "The CCS has been renamed.")

                PrintCoordinateSystemParameters(dsNewCCS)

                
'Print named CCS list
                PrintNamedCCSList(dsCCSMgr)

                
'Remove the created CCS
                dsCCSMgr.RemoveCustomCoordinateSystem(newName)

                
'Print named CCS list
                PrintNamedCCSList(dsCCSMgr)
            
End If
        Else
            MessageBox.Show(String.Format("Failed to save the active view as new ""{0}"" custom coordinate system.", name))
        
End If
    End Sub

    Sub PrintNamedCCSList(ByVal dsCCSMgr As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.CustomCoordinateSystemManager)
        
Dim namedCCS As String() = DirectCast(dsCCSMgr.GetNamedCustomCoordinateSystemList(), String())
        
If namedCCS Is Nothing Then
            Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine & "There are no named custom coordinate systems in the current document.")
        
Else
            Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine & "Named custom coordinate systems:")

            
For Each name As String In namedCCS
                Debug.Print(name)
            
Next
        End If
    End Sub

    Function RenameCCS(ByVal dsNewCCS As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.CustomCoordinateSystem, ByVal newName As String) As Boolean
        Dim renameResult As dsCreateObjectResult_e = dsNewCCS.Rename(newName)
        
If dsCreateObjectResult_e.dsCreateObjectResult_Success <> renameResult Then
            MessageBox.Show(String.Format("Failed to rename custom coordinate system. New name should be {0}. Renaming result: {1}.", newName, renameResult.ToString()))

            
Return False
        End If

        Return True
    End Function

    Sub PrintCoordinateSystemParameters(ByVal dsCustomCoordinateSystem As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.CustomCoordinateSystem)
        Debug.Print(Environment.NewLine &
"Custom Coordinate System Parameters:")

        Debug.Print(
"Name = " & dsCustomCoordinateSystem.GetName())

        
Dim isDefault As Boolean
        Dim defaultFlag As dsDefaultCustomCoordinateSystem_e
        dsCustomCoordinateSystem.GetDefaultCustomCoordinateSystemFlag(isDefault, defaultFlag)
        Debug.Print(
"IsDefault = " & isDefault.ToString())
        Debug.Print(
"DefaultCustomCoordinateSystemFlag = " & defaultFlag.ToString())

        
Dim x As Double, y As Double, z As Double
        dsCustomCoordinateSystem.GetOrigin(x, y, z)
        Debug.Print(
String.Format("Origin ({0},{1},{2})", x, y, z))

        dsCustomCoordinateSystem.GetXAxisDirection(x, y, z)
        Debug.Print(
String.Format("XAxisDirection ({0},{1},{2})", x, y, z))

        dsCustomCoordinateSystem.GetYAxisDirection(x, y, z)
        Debug.Print(
String.Format("YAxisDirection ({0},{1},{2})", x, y, z))

        dsCustomCoordinateSystem.GetZAxisDirection(x, y, z)
        Debug.Print(
String.Format("ZAxisDirection ({0},{1},{2})", x, y, z))
    
End Sub

    Function ConnectToDraftSight() As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.Application
        
Dim dsApp As DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.Application = Nothing

        Try
            'Connect to DraftSight
            dsApp = DirectCast(Marshal.GetActiveObject("DraftSight.Application"), DraftSight.Interop.dsAutomation.Application)
        
Catch ex As Exception
            MessageBox.Show(
"Failed to connect to DraftSight. Cause: " & ex.Message)
            dsApp =
Nothing
        End Try

        Return dsApp
    
End Function
End
Module
 



Provide feedback on this topic

SOLIDWORKS welcomes your feedback concerning the presentation, accuracy, and thoroughness of the documentation. Use the form below to send your comments and suggestions about this topic directly to our documentation team. The documentation team cannot answer technical support questions. Click here for information about technical support.

* Required

 
*Email:  
Subject:   Feedback on Help Topics
Page:   Manage Custom Coordinate Systems Example (VB.NET)
*Comment:  
*   I acknowledge I have read and I hereby accept the privacy policy under which my Personal Data will be used by Dassault Systèmes

Print Topic

Select the scope of content to print:




x

We have detected you are using a browser version older than Internet Explorer 7. For optimized display, we suggest upgrading your browser to Internet Explorer 7 or newer.

 Never show this message again
x

Web Help Content Version: API Help (English only) 2024 SP05

To disable Web help from within SOLIDWORKS and use local help instead, click Help > Use SOLIDWORKS Web Help.

To report problems encountered with the Web help interface and search, contact your local support representative. To provide feedback on individual help topics, use the “Feedback on this topic” link on the individual topic page.