VB.Net - Print Paperspace to PDF

[hrobert445725]

Dear All,



I can not figure out how to print my autocad drawings - all located in a same folder - to pdf from a Visual Studio App.

So far, I can open a Autocad Drawing, but after that, can for activated the particular PaperSpace (called "A3 - ENGLISH").

The PC3 file is Herve.pc3 and Herve.pmp.


Here below the code I have but not working. I look on google but still can not figure out how to di it.
Thank you
Herve

Imports System
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Text
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Interop.Common
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Data.OleDb
Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports Excel = Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel


Module Mdl_Print
    Dim AcadApp As AcadApplication
    Dim AcadDoc As AcadDocument

    Public Sub PDF_Print()

        Dim dirInfo As New DirectoryInfo(Frm_Main.LblFolder1.Text)
        Dim fileInfo As FileInfo

        Dim AcadApp As AcadApplication = New AcadApplication
        AcadApp.Visible = True
        AcadApp.WindowState = AcWindowState.acMax
        Dim success As Boolean = False


        For Each fileInfo In dirInfo.GetFiles("*.dwg") 'dwg for Autocad
            AcadDoc = AcadApp.Documents.Open(fileInfo.FullName)


            Dim oSS As AcadSelectionSet
            oSS = AcadApp.ActiveDocument.SelectionSets.Add("oSS")
            oSS.Clear()


            Try
                Dim ftype(0) As Int16
                Dim fdata(0) As Object
                ftype(0) = 410  'layout
                fdata(0) = "A3 - ENGLISH"

                oSS.Select(AcSelect.acSelectionSetAll, , , ftype, fdata)

                Dim objPrefFiles As AcadPreferencesFiles
                Dim PC3PathOld As String
                Dim PC3PathNew As String
                Dim PMPPathOld As String
                Dim PMPPathNew As String

                Dim PtConfigs As AcadPlotConfigurations
                Dim PlotConfig As AcadPlotConfiguration
                Dim PtObj As AcadPlot
                Dim BackPlot As Object

                'Set the preferences object
                objPrefFiles = AcadDoc.Application.Preferences.Files

                'Get the current Printer Config Path (pc3)
                PC3PathOld = objPrefFiles.PrinterConfigPath
                MessageBox.Show(PC3PathOld, "old Printer Config path (pc3)")
                objPrefFiles.PrinterConfigPath = "C:\Users\ROBERT\Documents\Deb + Herve + Will\B - Herve\Technip\Autocad\1st project\OpenExcel\PC3 Files"
                PC3PathNew = objPrefFiles.PrinterConfigPath
                MessageBox.Show(PC3PathNew, "new Printer Config path (pc3)")

                'Get the current Printer Desc Path (pmp)
                PMPPathOld = objPrefFiles.PrinterDescPath
                MessageBox.Show(PMPPathOld, "Printer Desc Path (pmp)")
                objPrefFiles.PrinterDescPath = "C:\Users\ROBERT\Documents\Deb + Herve + Will\B - Herve\Technip\Autocad\1st project\OpenExcel\PMP Files"
                PMPPathNew = objPrefFiles.PrinterDescPath
                MessageBox.Show(PMPPathNew, "Printer Desc Path (pmp)")



                PtObj = AcadDoc.Plot
                AcadApp.ActiveDocument.AcPlotType.acExtents()

                PtConfigs = AcadDoc.PlotConfigurations
                ''Add a new plot configuration
                PtConfigs.Add("PDF", False)
                '
                ''The plot config you created become active
                PlotConfig = PtConfigs.Item("PDF")
                
                ''Use this method to set the scale
                PlotConfig.StandardScale = AcPlotScale.acScaleToFit
                ''Updates the plot
                PlotConfig.RefreshPlotDeviceInfo()

                'Here you specify the pc3 file you want to use
                PlotConfig.ConfigName = "Herve.pc3"

                'You can select the plot style table here
                PlotConfig.StyleSheet = "monochrome.ctb"

                'You can select the Scale Line Weight
                PlotConfig.ScaleLineweights = True

                'Specifies Paper Size
                PlotConfig.CanonicalMediaName = "ISO_A3_(420.00_x_297.00_MM)"

                'Specifies whether or not to plot using the plot styles
                PlotConfig.PlotWithPlotStyles = True

                BackPlot = AcadDoc.GetVariable("BACKGROUNDPLOT")
                AcadDoc.SetVariable("BACKGROUNDPLOT", 0)

                'Updates the plot
                PlotConfig.RefreshPlotDeviceInfo()
                MessageBox.Show("scale" & PlotConfig.StandardScale)
                MessageBox.Show("canonical media name" & PlotConfig.CanonicalMediaName)
                MessageBox.Show("config name" & PlotConfig.ConfigName)
                MessageBox.Show("plot type" & PlotConfig.PlotType)
                MessageBox.Show("scale line weight" & PlotConfig.ScaleLineweights)

                'Now you can use the PlotTofile method
                If PtObj.PlotToFile(Replace(AcadDoc.FullName, "dwg", "pdf"), PlotConfig.ConfigName) Then
                    AcadDoc.Utility.Prompt(vbLf + "PDF Was Created")
                Else
                    AcadDoc.Utility.Prompt(vbLf + "PDF Creation Unsuccessful")
                End If

                'If you wish you can delete the plot configuration you created programmatically, and set the 'BACKGROUNDPLOT' system variable to its original status.
                PtConfigs.Item("PDF").Delete()
                PlotConfig = Nothing
                AcadDoc.SetVariable("BACKGROUNDPLOT", BackPlot)

                objPrefFiles.PrinterConfigPath = "C:\Users\ROBERT\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2014\R19.1\enu\Plotters"
                objPrefFiles.PrinterDescPath = "C:\Users\ROBERT\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2014\R19.1\enu\Plotters\PMP File

                oSS.Clear()

                If AcadDoc.Saved Then
                    AcadDoc.Close(False)
                End If
                AcadDoc = Nothing
                AcadApp.Quit()

                AcadApp = Nothing
                success = True
            Catch ex As Exception
                MsgBox(ex.Message + vbLf + ex.StackTrace)
                success = False
            End Try
            '            AcadDoc.Close()
            AcadDoc = Nothing
            '            AcadApp.Quit()
        Next
        AcadApp.Quit()
    End Sub

[squatman]

Did you ever get this sorted man?

Looks like you're using the exact code I've finally managed to come across.

I have it printing, if PlotConfig already there, just looking to create PlotConfig if not already in the drawing.

Understand it's been some years, but I looked at automating AutoCAD 12 years ago, and only now have I got round to looking again and actually making progress. Although it seems difficult to get documentation on it, everything seems to .NET API which needs the drawing to open and then load a .dll and then run the command, COM/ObjectARX seems a lot nicer, and less code also. Hopefully speak soon.

[Ed Jobe]

Hi. Welcome to AUGI.
It's not clear what you are trying to do. Are you trying to print without opening the file in the editor?

[squatman]

Hi Ed Jobe,

Thanks for your response.

I was just wondering if the posted got sorted because I've finally got it working, so I might be able to help.

I also stated that my understanding for .NET API is that the drawing files opens, a .dll is loading and then commands ran. The COM/ObjectARX seems to suit my plan better that my application can load/open the drawing file and read/write data and also print. The code seems simpler too. But I touched on I've struggled with finding good working examples and maybe I've misunderstood.

I would love it if the AutoCAD application could load in the background (hidden) and do the work, but acApp.visible = false doesn't seem to do that.

I also want to take a look at RealDWG for computers that only have AutoCAD LT, but the TechSoft3D website doesn't seem to load properly.

[BlackBox]

<snip>
I also stated that my understanding for .NET API is that the drawing files opens, a .dll is loading and then commands ran. The COM/ObjectARX seems to suit my plan better that my application can load/open the drawing file and read/write data and also print. The code seems simpler too. But I touched on I've struggled with finding good working examples and maybe I've misunderstood.

I would love it if the AutoCAD application could load in the background (hidden) and do the work, but acApp.visible = false doesn't seem to do that.

I also want to take a look at RealDWG for computers that only have AutoCAD LT, but the TechSoft3D website doesn't seem to load properly.

Consider Core Console.

[squatman]

BlackBox,

Thank you for your response.

I've had a quick search for AutoCAD Core Console and vb.net. As with all my searches for .net and AutoCAD programming it seems difficult to get clear documentation or examples.

Does Core Console only work by targeting the accoreconsole.exe with subsequent switches to either run an AutoCAD built in command, a created .dll or LISP script?

Can it be used how I currently use my ObjectARX/COM/Interop?

For some reason the forum isn't letting me post code.

Thank you.

- - - Updated - - -

This is my current code, can coreconsole be used with code like this?

        'AutoCAD app
        Dim acadApp As AutoCAD.AcadApplication = GetObject(, "AutoCAD.Application")
        Try
            acadApp = GetObject(, "AutoCAD.Application")
        Catch ex As Exception
            acadApp = CreateObject("AutoCAD.Application")
        End Try
        'Dim acadApp As AutoCAD.AcadApplication = CreateObject("AutoCAD.Application")
        acadApp.Visible = True

        Dim acDoc = acadApp.Documents.Open("C:\Users\user\Desktop\Drawing.dwg", False)

        'Active doc
        'Dim acDoc As AutoCAD.AcadDocument = acadApp.ActiveDocument

        ' Create a selectionset to select only "INSERT" with attributes
        Dim ss As AutoCAD.AcadSelectionSet = acDoc.SelectionSets.Add("test")
        ss.Select(AutoCAD.AcSelect.acSelectionSetAll)

        For Each el In ss
            Try
                Dim blk As AutoCAD.AcadBlockReference = el
                'Iterate through the block attribute collection
                For Each att As AutoCAD.AcadAttributeReference In blk.GetAttributes()
                    If att.TagString = "DRAWING_NO" Then
                        att.TextString = "DOC-001"
                    End If
                Next
            Catch ex As Exception

            End Try
        Next

        'Delete the selection set
        ss.Delete()

[BlackBox]

Here's an example of how simple it is to leverage Core Console from Windows Shell menu:

https://forums.augi.com/showthread.p...=1#post1357300


And here's another example using LISP from within CAD, using the active session's current Profile:

https://forums.augi.com/showthread.p...=1#post1339054


Most native AutoCAD Commands will work OOTB, occasionally you'll need to take an extra step to say iterate LISP's (layoutlist) for plotting multi-layout drawings:

https://www.theswamp.org/index.php?t...9440#msg609440


HTH

[Ed Jobe]

To post code in a reply, click on the Go Advanced button at the lower right. Then surround your code with code tags. The toolbar button looks like the pound sign, hashtag.

I made a post at the swamp that shows how you can run accoreconsole.exe from a bat file. All you have to do is open Windows Explorer and drag/drop a bunch of files onto it.

[squatman]

Thank you both for your responses.

So I think I was right, there isn't an ObjectARX/COM/Interop for AcCoreConsole itself; meaning I can't have the code in my Application doing the work.

I would have to write a LISP script/routing that does the work, and load AcCoreConsole from my Application and tell it to run the LISP script/routine.

If I've got that correct, in your opinion is LISP my best solution as I need to pass variable/information from my Application to AcCoreConsole?

Thank you.

[BlackBox]

Thank you both for your responses.

So I think I was right, there isn't an ObjectARX/COM/Interop for AcCoreConsole itself; meaning I can't have the code in my Application doing the work.

I would have to write a LISP script/routing that does the work, and load AcCoreConsole from my Application and tell it to run the LISP script/routine.

If I've got that correct, in your opinion is LISP my best solution as I need to pass variable/information from my Application to AcCoreConsole?

Thank you.

You can ARX/NETLOAD a plugin's assembly into Core Console (as shown in my 3rd link above) - you just have to use ARX/.NET API (internal) in lieu of COM (external).

For a simple 'plot' app, save yourself some overhead and use the native (likely ARX) Commands for that, if possible - that said, if you need to delete/import/reload layer states first, import named page setups, etc, then ARX/.NET API will be much faster, and increase the speedup gained with using Core Console to process multiple drawings in parallel (where PUBLISH processes drawings in series).

Just use the right tool for the job.

Cheers