Messages

Sorry, no need to use a ResultBuffer and it seems to be faster using a SelectionSet

Here's a new way:
        struct DuplicatePattern
        {
            public string Name;
            public string Layer;
            public ObjectId OwnerId;
            public double PositionX;
            public double PositionY;
            public double PositionZ;
            public double Rotation;
            public double ScaleX;
            public double ScaleY;
            public double ScaleZ;
        }

        private int DeleteDuplicatedBlockRef()
        {
            Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
            Editor ed = doc.Editor;
            Database db = doc.Database;
            int result = 0;
            SelectionFilter filter = new SelectionFilter(new TypedValue[1] { new TypedValue(0, "INSERT") });
            PromptSelectionResult psr = ed.SelectAll(filter);
            if (psr.Status != PromptStatus.OK)
                return 0;
            using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
            {
                BlockTable bt = (BlockTable)tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead);
                List<DuplicatePattern> Patterns = new List<DuplicatePattern>();
                foreach (ObjectId id in psr.Value.GetObjectIds())
                {
                    BlockReference br = (BlockReference)tr.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForRead, false);
                    DuplicatePattern dp = new DuplicatePattern();
                    dp.OwnerId = br.OwnerId;
                    dp.Name = br.Name;
                    dp.Layer = br.Layer;
                    dp.PositionX = Math.Round(br.Position.X, 6);
                    dp.PositionY = Math.Round(br.Position.Y, 6);
                    dp.PositionZ = Math.Round(br.Position.Z, 6);
                    dp.Rotation = Math.Round(br.Rotation, 6);
                    dp.ScaleX = Math.Round(br.ScaleFactors.X, 6);
                    dp.ScaleY = Math.Round(br.ScaleFactors.Y, 6);
                    dp.ScaleZ = Math.Round(br.ScaleFactors.Z, 6);
                    if (Patterns.Contains(dp))
                    {
                        br.UpgradeOpen();
                        br.Erase();
                        result++;
                    }
                    else
                        Patterns.Add(dp);
                }
                tr.Commit();
            }
            return result;
        }

As far as I know, while using a 'Using' statement on an object, you don't need to explicitly call dispose. The object should be automatically disposed at the end of the code block  or if an exception is thrown.

With a transaction, all the objects opened with Transaction.GetObject() and the new ones added to the transaction with AddNewlyCreatedDBObject() should be automatically disposed too.
But if an error occurs before 'new' objects are added to the database, they won't be disposed.

If an exception occurs before the transactions is committed, the Dispose() is called by 'Using' and all changes made to database within this transaction are rolled back.

So, in my opinion, the F_GetCurrentLayout method should be like this (no need to Commit the transaction while there were no changes to the Database):
Public Function F_GetCurrentLayout() As Layout
Dim db As Database = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase
Dim lm As LayoutManager = LayoutManager.Current
Using tr As Transaction = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
Return DirectCast(tr.GetObject(lm.GetLayoutId(lm.CurrentLayout), OpenMode.ForRead), Layout)
End Using
End Function
To learn more about when and what disposing, you can have a look to this video

1_ Extension methods is a way to add methods to an already existing class. Usually they're compiled in a separate dll so that while this dll is refered by another project, these methods are available the same way as built-in methods.
In the upper example, a 'Duplicate' method is added to the BlockReference class, it's visible in the intellisense as:
Bool BlockReference.Duplicate(BlockReference br).
But as I said, you can define a private method inside your class: Bool Duplicate(BlockReference br1, BlockReference br2).

2_ I really think the structure/GetHashCode... way isn't the simpler one because you have to compare objects with different types (String, Point3d, Double, ...) with tolerances. This way is easy using LISP which allows to build list of different type objects.
The 'for' statement used in the upper example is a classical way to run through collections. It's optimised here by removing the duplicated items from the collection at each loop.

3_ As all functional programming languages, F# provides specific higher order functions to deal with collections (List, Array, Seq) which have none equivalent ones in VB or C#.

The Duplicate method can be defined inside the class too, as a private method with 2 arguments.

This is the way used in this F# implementation.

module DupBlks

open System
open System.Collections.Generic
open Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
open Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
open Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput
open Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry
open Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime

let Duplicate (a: BlockReference) (b: BlockReference) =
    let tol = new Tolerance(1e-6, 1e-6)
    a.Name = b.Name &&
    a.OwnerId = b.OwnerId &&
    a.Position = b.Position &&
    a.Layer = b.Layer &&
    Math.Round(a.Rotation, 5) = Math.Round(b.Rotation, 5) &&
    a.ScaleFactors = b.ScaleFactors

let DeleteDuplicatedBlockRef() =
    let db = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase
    use tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
   
    let getRefs (bt: BlockTable) =
        let mutable lst = []
        for id in bt do
            let btr = tr.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForRead) :?> BlockTableRecord
            for oId in btr.GetBlockReferenceIds(true, false) do
                lst <- tr.GetObject(oId, OpenMode.ForWrite) :?> BlockReference :: lst
        lst

    let rec findDups acc blks =
        match blks with
        | [] -> acc
        | h :: t -> let pair = List.partition (fun x -> Duplicate x h) t
                    findDups (acc @ (fst pair)) (snd pair)
    let delBlk lst =
        List.iter (fun (x: BlockReference) -> x.Erase()) lst
        lst.Length
               
    let cnt = tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead) :?> BlockTable
              |> getRefs |> findDups [] |> delBlk
    tr.Commit()
    cnt
       
[<CommandMethod("Test")>]
let Test() =
    try
        let del = DeleteDuplicatedBlockRef()
        Application.ShowAlertDialog(del.ToString() + " duplicated block(s) have been erased")
    with
        |ex -> Application.ShowAlertDialog(ex.Message)

Hi,

Here's a little example to ceate a new layout with a viewport (maximum size according to paper margins).

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

using AcAp = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application;

namespace LayoutAndViewportSample
{
    public class CreateVpCommand
    {
        [CommandMethod("Test")]
        public void Test()
        {
            Editor ed = AcAp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor;
            Database db = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase;
           
            try
            {
                using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
                {
                    DBDictionary layouts = (DBDictionary)tr.GetObject(db.LayoutDictionaryId, OpenMode.ForWrite);

                    // Get a layout name from the user
                    PromptStringOptions pso = new PromptStringOptions("\nEnter the layout name: ");
                    pso.AllowSpaces = true;
                    string name;
                    do
                    {
                        PromptResult pr = ed.GetString(pso);
                        if (pr.Status != PromptStatus.OK)
                            return;
                        name = pr.StringResult;
                    }
                    while (layouts.Contains(name));

                    // Create and activate the new layout
                    ObjectId layoutId = LayoutManager.Current.CreateLayout(name);
                    LayoutManager.Current.CurrentLayout = name;

                    // Calculate the maximum viewport size
                    Layout lay = (Layout)tr.GetObject(layoutId, OpenMode.ForWrite);
                    Point2d
                        minPt = lay.PlotPaperMargins.MinPoint,
                        maxPt = lay.PlotPaperMargins.MaxPoint,
                        pSize = lay.PlotPaperSize;
                    double width, height;
                    if ((int)lay.PlotRotation % 2 == 0)
                    {
                        width = pSize.X - maxPt.X - minPt.X;
                        height = pSize.Y - maxPt.Y - minPt.Y;
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        width = pSize.Y - maxPt.Y - minPt.Y;
                        height = pSize.X - maxPt.X - minPt.X;
                    }

                    // add the viewport to the layout BlockTableRecord
                    BlockTableRecord btr = (BlockTableRecord)tr.GetObject(lay.BlockTableRecordId, OpenMode.ForWrite);
                    Viewport vp = new Viewport();
                    vp.Width = width;
                    vp.Height = height;
                    vp.CenterPoint = new Point3d(width / 2.0, height / 2.0, 0.0);
                    btr.AppendEntity(vp);
                    tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(vp, true);
                    tr.Commit();
                }
            }
            catch (System.Exception ex)
            {
                ed.WriteMessage("\nError: " + ex.Message);
            }
        }
    }
}

target audience:{beginner}

Hi,

The _osnap dialog box as a palette



The 'OsPalette' class where the OSPALETTE command (to show the palette) is defined.
    using System;
    using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
    using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows;

    namespace OsnapPalette
    {
        public class OsPalette
        {
            static PaletteSet ps;
            internal static OsmodeControl osmCtrl;

            public OsPalette()
            {
                osmCtrl = new OsmodeControl();
            }

            public void Show()
            {
                if (ps == null)
                {
                    ps = new PaletteSet("OSPALETTE", new Guid("{379AD059-A26C-4a3b-A05C-313A799D48CA}"));
                    ps.Style =
                      PaletteSetStyles.ShowPropertiesMenu |
                      PaletteSetStyles.ShowAutoHideButton |
                      PaletteSetStyles.ShowCloseButton;
                    ps.Name = "Accrochages aux objets";
                    ps.MinimumSize = new System.Drawing.Size(300, 340);
                    ps.Add("Accrobj", osmCtrl);
                }
                ps.Visible = true;
            }

            [CommandMethod("OSPALETTE")]
            public void Accobj()
            {
                this.Show();
            }
        }
    }

The 'OsmodeControl' class
    using System;
    using System.Collections.Generic;
    using System.Windows.Forms;
    using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
    using AcAp = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application;
    using AcAs = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;

    namespace OsnapPalette
    {
        public partial class OsmodeControl : UserControl
        {
            private Dictionary<int, CheckBox> modes = new Dictionary<int, CheckBox>();

            public OsmodeControl()
            {
                InitializeComponent();
                modes.Add(1, this.chkEnd);
                modes.Add(2, this.chkMid);
                modes.Add(4, this.chkCen);
                modes.Add(8, this.chkNod);
                modes.Add(16, this.chkQua);
                modes.Add(32, this.chkInt);
                modes.Add(64, this.chkIns);
                modes.Add(128, this.chkPer);
                modes.Add(256, this.chkTan);
                modes.Add(512, this.chkNea);
                modes.Add(2048, this.chkPrj);
                modes.Add(4096, this.chkExt);
                modes.Add(8192, this.chkPar);
                InitCheckBoxes();
                AcAp.SystemVariableChanged +=
                    new AcAs.SystemVariableChangedEventHandler(AcAp_SysvarChanged);
            }

            void AcAp_SysvarChanged(object sender, AcAs.SystemVariableChangedEventArgs e)
            {
                if (e.Name == "OSMODE" || e.Name == "AUTOSNAP")
                    InitCheckBoxes();
            }

            private void InitCheckBoxes()
            {
                short osmode = (short)AcAp.GetSystemVariable("OSMODE");
                foreach (KeyValuePair<int, CheckBox> pair in modes)
                {
                    pair.Value.Checked = (osmode & pair.Key) == pair.Key;
                }
                this.chkF3.Checked = (osmode & 16384) == 0;
                this.chkF11.Checked = (((short)AcAp.GetSystemVariable("AUTOSNAP")) & 16) == 16;
            }

            private void cmdAll_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
            {
                foreach (KeyValuePair<int,CheckBox> pair in modes)
                {
                    pair.Value.Checked = true;
                }
            }

            private void cmdNone_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
            {
                foreach (KeyValuePair<int, CheckBox> pair in modes)
                {
                    pair.Value.Checked = false;
                }
            }

            private void OsmodeControl_MouseLeave(object sender, EventArgs e)
            {
                Document doc = AcAp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
                int autosnap = (short)AcAp.GetSystemVariable("AUTOSNAP");
                autosnap = chkF11.Checked ? autosnap | 16 : autosnap - (autosnap & 16);
                int osmode = 0;
                foreach (KeyValuePair<int,CheckBox> pair in modes)
                {
                    if (pair.Value.Checked)
                        osmode += pair.Key;
                }
                if (!chkF3.Checked)
                    osmode += 16384;
                using (DocumentLock docLock = doc.LockDocument())
                {
                    AcAp.SetSystemVariable("OSMODE", osmode);
                    AcAp.SetSystemVariable("AUTOSNAP", autosnap);
                }
            }
        }
    }

target audience:{intermediate}

Hi,

This code was inspired by a Tony Tanzillo's one using the Mtext.ExplodeFragments() method to remove all Mtext formatting.

A command: STRIPMT to unformat all selected Mtexts
A LISP function: gc-GetStrippedMtextString to return the unformated text string of the mtext which ename is passed as argument to the function

using System.Text;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

using AcAp = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application;

namespace StripMtextSample
{
    public class StripMtext
    {
        private StringBuilder m_sb = null;

        private string GetStrippedMtextContents(MText mt)
        {
            m_sb = new StringBuilder();
            mt.ExplodeFragments(new MTextFragmentCallback(FragmentCallback));
            return m_sb.ToString();
        }

        private MTextFragmentCallbackStatus FragmentCallback(MTextFragment fragment, object obj)
        {
            m_sb.Append(fragment.Text);
            return MTextFragmentCallbackStatus.Continue;
        }

        [CommandMethod("STRIPMT", CommandFlags.Modal | CommandFlags.UsePickSet)]
        public void StripSelSet()
        {
            Document doc = AcAp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
            Database db = doc.Database;
            Editor ed = doc.Editor;
            SelectionFilter filter = new SelectionFilter(new TypedValue[] { new TypedValue(0, "MTEXT") });
            ed.WriteMessage("\nSelect mtexts (or type 'Enter' for 'all').");
            PromptSelectionResult psr = ed.GetSelection(filter);
            if (psr.Status == PromptStatus.Error)
                psr = ed.SelectAll(filter);
            if (psr.Status != PromptStatus.OK)
                return;
            try
            {
                using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
                {
                    foreach (ObjectId id in psr.Value.GetObjectIds())
                    {
                        MText mt = (MText)tr.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForWrite);
                        mt.Contents = GetStrippedMtextContents(mt);
                    }
                    tr.Commit();
                }
            }
            catch (System.Exception e)
            {
                ed.WriteMessage(string.Format("\nError: {0}\n", e.Message));
            }
        }

        [LispFunction("gc-GetStrippedMtextString")]
        public string GetStrippedMtextString(ResultBuffer resbuf)
        {
            try
            {
                if (resbuf == null)
                    throw new LispException("to few arguments");
                TypedValue[] arg = resbuf.AsArray();
                if (arg.Length > 1)
                    throw new LispException("to many arguments");
                if (arg[0].TypeCode != (short)LispDataType.ObjectId)
                    throw new LispException(string.Format("incorrect argument type: lentityp: {0}", arg[0].Value));
                Database db = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase;
                using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
                {
                    MText mt = tr.GetObject(((ObjectId)arg[0].Value), OpenMode.ForRead) as MText;
                    if (mt == null)
                        throw new LispException("incorrect argument type: not a mtext");
                    return GetStrippedMtextContents(mt);
                }
            }
            catch (LispException e)
            {
                AcAp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.WriteMessage("\nError: {0}\n", e.Message);
                return null;
            }
        }
    }

    class LispException : System.Exception
    {
        public LispException(string message)
            : base(message)
        {
        }
    }
}
target audience:{intermediate}