Changing Layer Settings to Standards Using Visual LISP

[Jeff@BOC]

All,

Happy Wednesday! Here is my new issue. I have written the LISP routine below. The idea is that it will get the layers in the current drawing, check them against a list of standard layers and if the layer is a standard layer the routine will set the color, linetype, plot setting and description from the standard. I can get it to run and set colors, but once I add any of the other settings, it stops working. As you can see, I have commented out the settings I can't get to run.

Any help is appreciated.

(defun c:standard (/ activedocument eachlayer dwglayername checklayer standardlayers standardlayername layercolor)
            (setq standardlayers
               (list
                 '("-ANNO-BRNG"
                   132
                   "Continuous"
                   1
                   "Annotation, Bearings and distance labels"
                  )
                 '("G-ANNO-DIMS"       132
                   "Continuous"       1
                   "Annotation, Dimensions"
                  )
                 '("G-ANNO-KEYN"      122
                   "Continuous"      1
                   "Annotation, Keynotes"
                  )
                 '("G-ANNO-LABL"     132
                   "Continuous"     1
                   "Annotation, Labels"
                  )
                 '("G-ANNO-LEGN"
                   132
                   "Continuous"
                   1
                   "Annotation, Legend, symbol keys"
                  )
                 '("G-ANNO-LOGO"
                   132
                   "Continuous"
                   1
                   "Annotation, Company logo"
                  )
               )
            )
  (vl-load-com)
  (setq activedocument (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-Acad-Object)))
  (vlax-for eachlayer (vla-get-layers activedocument)
    (setq dwglayername (vla-get-name eachlayer))
        (foreach checklayer standardlayers
      (setq standardlayername (nth 0 checklayer))
      (setq layercolor (nth 1 checklayer))
      ;(setq layerlinetype (nth 2 checklayer))
      ;(setq layerplotsetting (nth 3 checklayer))
      ;(setq layerdescription (nth 4 checklayer))
      (if (= dwglayername standardlayername)
        (vla-put-color eachlayer layercolor)
        ;(vla-put-linetype eachlayer layerlinetype)
        ;(vla-put-plottable eachlayer layerplotsetting)
        ;(vla-put-description eachlayer layerdescription)
        nil
      )
    )
)
)

[ngwalters412556]

It looks like to me you're just missing some progn's at your vla-for and foreach statements.

Try this (worked for me when I did a quick test):

  (vlax-for 
    eachlayer 
    (vla-get-layers activedocument)
    (progn
      (setq dwglayername (vla-get-name eachlayer))
      (foreach 
        checklayer 
        standardlayers 
        (progn
          (setq standardlayername (nth 0 checklayer))
          (setq layercolor (nth 1 checklayer))
          (setq layerlinetype (nth 2 checklayer))
          (setq layerplotsetting (nth 3 checklayer))
          (setq layerdescription (nth 4 checklayer))
          (if (= dwglayername standardlayername)
            (progn
              (vla-put-color eachlayer layercolor)
              (vla-put-linetype eachlayer layerlinetype)
              (vla-put-plottable eachlayer layerplotsetting)
              (vla-put-description eachlayer layerdescription)
            
            )
          )
        )
      )
    )
  )

You should also check at some point that your linetype's are loaded before you try to set the layer's linetype.

[Opie]

Do you have a list of layers you are wanting to standardize? Do all of them reside in the drawing?

Which would be faster?

1. Cycle through all of the layers in the drawing and for each layer found, cycle through the standard layer list to find a match OR
2. Cycle through the standard layer list to see if that layer is in the drawing

For me, I would cycle through the standard layer list to find a match. When a match is found, send it to a sub-routine to do the processing.

[Jeff@BOC]

Thanks Opie and Ngwalters! I am almost there. Ng's suggestion worked very well, but now I am trying to implement Opie's recommendations on subroutines. Maybe I am misunderstanding the use of arguments again, but I can get this to run as is and dump layer information. However, when I add the variables and send to my subroutine, no go.

Any suggestions or brilliant insights?

(defun c:laystand (/ activedocument       dwglayername
			  standardlayers       standardlayername
			  layercolor
			 )
;;;;; Subroutine
  (defun layerstandardsub (layername layercolor layerlinetype layerplotsetting layerdescription /)
  (vl-load-com)
  (setq activedocument (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-Acad-Object)))
  (setq layertable (vla-get-layers activedocument))
  (setq thelayer (vla-item layertable layername))
  (vla-put-color thelayer layercolor)
    (vla-put-linetype thelayer layerlinetype)
    (vla-put-plottable thelayer layerplotsetting)
    (vla-put-description thelayer layerdescription)
  )
;;;End Subroutine
  (setq activedocument(vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-Acad-Object)))
  (setq	standardlayers
	 (list
	   '("Layer1" 1 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 1 Description")
	   '("Layer2" 2 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 2 Description")
	   '("Layer3" 3 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 3 Description")
	   '("Layer4" 4 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 4 Description")
	   '("Layer5" 5 "Continuous" 0 "Layer 5 Description")
	  )
  )
  (foreach checklayer standardlayers
    (progn
      (setq standardlayername (nth 0 checklayer))
      (vlax-for	eachlayer (vla-get-layers activedocument)
	(progn
	  (setq dwglayername (vla-get-name eachlayer))
	  (if (= standardlayername dwglayername)
	    (setq layercolor (nth 1 checklayer))
	    ;(setq layerlinetype (nth 2 checklayer))
	    ;(setq layerplotsetting (nth 3 checklayer))
	    ;(setq layerdescription (nth 4 checklayer))
					;(vlax-dump-object eachlayer)
	    ;(layerstandardsub)
	    nil
	  )
	)
      )
    )
  )
)

Thanks,

Jeff

[Opie]

Jeff, Does this help explain the subroutine concept better?

(defun c:OpieStandardLayers (
			     ;;_ Any Arguments?
			     /
			     ;;_ Localized variables
			     LayerData
			     _Doc
			     )
  ;;_ Define layer standard as a list of data
  ;;_ Eventually, this could be placed as an external
  ;;_   data file, separate from the code
  (setq	LayerData
	 (list
	   '("Layer1" 1 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 1 Description")
	   '("Layer2" 2 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 2 Description")
	   '("Layer3" 3 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 3 Description")
	   '("Layer4" 4 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 4 Description")
	   '("Layer5" 5 "Continuous" 0 "Layer 5 Description")
	  )
  )
  (setq _Doc (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object)))

  (defun SubLayerStandards (DataList _Doc / LayerObject )
    ;;_ DataList consists of
    ;;_   Layer Name
    ;;_   Color
    ;;_   Linetype
    ;;_   Plottable state
    ;;_   Description
    (if	(and
	  ;;_ Check to see if datalist is a list
	  (= (type DataList) 'LIST)
	  ;;_ Search for layer name in drawing
	  (tblsearch "LAYER" (car DataLIST))
	  ;;_ Assign layer object to variable
	  (setq	LayerObject
		 (vla-get-layer
		   (vla-get-layers _Doc)
		   (car DataList)
		 )
	  )
	)
      ;; Map the following temporary function to the following lists
      (mapcar
	;;_ Temporary function to set properties
	'
	 (lambda (x y) (vlax-put-property LayerObject x y))
	;;_ List of properties to change
	'
	 ("Color" "Linetype" "Plottable" "Description")
	;;_ Data to assign to the properties
	(cdr DataList)
      )
    )
  )

  ;;_ Begin main function

  ;;_ Foreach item in the LayerData variable, temporarily assign it to 'n'
  (foreach n LayerData
    ;;_ Call subroutine to process data
    (SubLayerStandards n _Doc)
  )

  ;;_ Release object
  (vlax-release-object _Doc)
  ;;_ Return nil to command prompt
  (princ)
)

I have not tested this code to verify that it works.

[Jeff@BOC]

Opie,

Yes, I see how moving to a strategy of matching layer information handed off to the subroutine is much more efficient and also how arguments to the subroutine work. You are introducing two functions I've never used before, mapcar and lambda. I will undoubtedly be breaking them, pulling hair out and then reaching my eureka moments. I'll dig into this over the next couple of days as scheduling permits (i.e. in between meetings, regular work and unannounced deadlines )

As always, thanks Opie!

[BlackBox]

... You are introducing two functions I've never used before, mapcar and lambda. I will undoubtedly be breaking them, pulling hair out and then reaching my eureka moments. I'll dig into this over the next couple of days as scheduling permits (i.e. in between meetings, regular work and unannounced deadlines )

Be sure to add both the FUNCTION, and QUOTE " ' " functions to the required reading list.

Cheers

[Jeff@BOC]

Well, here is the next iteration. I really appreciate all of the support and when my brain is "rested", I will try to take on loading the layer settings from a separate file.

;;;; This routine loads a list of standard layers and settings
;;;; then passes each layer to a subroutine and searches the
;;;; current drawing for that layer.  If the layer exists, it
;;;; changes the settings to the match the standards.
;;;; Thanks to Kenny Ramage, Opie, ngwalters and BlackBox.

;; Subroutine to search the current drawing and set layer settings
;; to standard
(defun SUBROUTINE (n _Doc /)
  (if (and
	(= (type n) 'LIST)
	(tblsearch "LAYER" (nth 0 n))
      )
    (progn
      (setq LayerName (nth 0 n))
      (setq DocumentLayers (vla-get-layers _doc))
      (setq LayerObject (vla-item DocumentLayers LayerName))
      (mapcar
	'
	 (lambda (x y) (vlax-put-property LayerObject x y))
	'
	 ("Color" "Linetype" "Plottable" "Description")
	(cdr n
	)
      )
      nil
    )
  )
)

;; Initial routine to load standard layer settings,
;; then pass them to the subroutine.
(defun C:MAINCOMMAND (/)
  (setq	LayerData
	 (list
	   '("Layer1" 1 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 1 Description") '("Layer2" 2 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 2 Description")
	   '("Layer3" 3 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 3 Description") '("Layer4" 4 "Continuous" 1 "Layer 4 Description")
	   '("Layer5" 5 "Continuous" 0 "Layer 5 Description"))
  )
  (setq _Doc (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object)))
  (foreach n LayerData
    (SUBROUTINE n _Doc)
  )
)

Peace,

Jeff