Change layer of block on locked layer in paper space

[jpaulsen]

I work with LDT and LDT inserts a block named ACADD_ZZ in paper space to keep track of which project the drawing is associated with. Sometimes that block ends up on a locked layer which causes LDT to display errors.

My goal is to change the ADCADD_ZZ block to layer 0.

I just spent the last 1.5 hours reading the Help and forums and haven't gotten very far. I'm taking baby steps but this is what I have:

(defun c:test ()
;  (setq ss1 (ssget "x" '((2 . "addcad_zz"))))
;  (setq en (ssname ss1 0))
  (setq en (entnext))
  (setq ed (entget en))   ; Sets ed to the entity data for entity name en.
  (setq ed 
    (subst  (cons 8 "0")
    (assoc 8 ed)        ; Changes the layer group in ed.
    ed                  ; to layer 0.
    ) 
  ) 
  (entmod ed)             ; Modifies entity en's layer in the drawing.
)

I got this directly from the help. It works but only on the first object in the drawing (entnext). I tried adding lines 2 and 3 and commenting line 4 but that doesn't work. I get the following error:
; error: bad argument type: lselsetp nil

How do I select the ADCADD_ZZ block and change it's layer?

Will it be possible to change the layer of the block while the block is on a locked layer or will I need to unlock the layer first?

If I need to unlock the layer how do I retrieve the layer the block is on?

The last road block I see is not knowing which layout the block was inserted on.

Will I be able to change the block's layer if the layout that contains the block is not current?

If not, how do I figure out which layout contains the block?

Thanks for any help.

[T.Willey]

I work with LDT and LDT inserts a block named ACADD_ZZ in paper space to keep track of which project the drawing is associated with. Sometimes that block ends up on a locked layer which causes LDT to display errors.

My goal is to change the ADCADD_ZZ block to layer 0.

I just spent the last 1.5 hours reading the Help and forums and haven't gotten very far. I'm taking baby steps but this is what I have:

(defun c:test ()
;  (setq ss1 (ssget "x" '((2 . "addcad_zz"))))
;  (setq en (ssname ss1 0))
  (setq en (entnext))
  (setq ed (entget en))   ; Sets ed to the entity data for entity name en.
  (setq ed 
    (subst  (cons 8 "0")
    (assoc 8 ed)        ; Changes the layer group in ed.
    ed                  ; to layer 0.
    ) 
  ) 
  (entmod ed)             ; Modifies entity en's layer in the drawing.
)

I got this directly from the help. It works but only on the first object in the drawing (entnext). I tried adding lines 2 and 3 and commenting line 4 but that doesn't work. I get the following error:
; error: bad argument type: lselsetp nil

How do I select the ADCADD_ZZ block and change it's layer?

(setq ss (ssget "x" '((0 . "INSERT") (2 . "ACADD_ZZ"))))

Will it be possible to change the layer of the block while the block is on a locked layer or will I need to unlock the layer first?

You will have to unlock the layer first.

If I need to unlock the layer how do I retrieve the layer the block is on?

The layer name the entity is on is dxf code 8. The help files lists all this information.

The last road block I see is not knowing which layout the block was inserted on.

Doesn't matter if you are using code. If you use the command version, then it matters.

Will I be able to change the block's layer if the layout that contains the block is not current?

Yes.

Thanks for any help.

You're welcome. I hope that is enough to get you going in the right direction.

[irneb]

E.g.

(defun c:test (/ ss1 en ed lay);Add variables to be local, so it clears from RAM
  (setq ss1 (ssget "x" '((2 . "addcad_zz"))))
  (setq en (ssname ss1 0))
  (setq ed (entget en))   ; Sets ed to the entity data for entity name en.
  (setq lay (cdr (assoc 8 ed))) ;Get current layer of object
  ;; Check if layer is locked
  (if (and
        (setq lay (tblobjname "LAYER" lay));Get layer entity
        (setq lay (entget lay));Get layer data
        (> (logand (cdr (assoc 70 lay)) 4) 0);Check if locked
      )
    (progn
      (setq lay (cdr (assoc 2 lay)));Get layer name ... again
      (command "-LAYER" "_Unlock" lay "");Unlock layer
    )
    (setq lay nil);Else set layer name to nil
  )
  (setq ed
    (subst  (cons 8 "0")
    (assoc 8 ed)        ; Changes the layer group in ed.
    ed                  ; to layer 0.
    )
  )
  (entmod ed)             ; Modifies entity en's layer in the drawing.
  (if lay ;Check if layer was locked
    (command "-LAYER" "_LOck" lay "");Lock layer
  )
  
  (princ);Ensure that list of data doesn't get written to the command line after finishing
)

[jpaulsen]

Thanks for the replies. I have not had time to get back on this project. I will post here with my results when I do.

[jpaulsen]

Thank you for the responses. The additional code that IRNEB added was what I needed to deal with the locked layer.

When I first used IRNEB's code I was getting the same error (; error: bad argument type: lselsetp nil).

So I looked at the code a little closer and found an error in my original code. The block name in line 2 was incorrect. Once I corrected it IRNEB's code worked great. Likewise my code worked after removing the comment from lines 2 and 3 and removing line 4.

Again thanks for the help and thanks for the IF statement. That probably saved me another hour =)

[irneb]

You're welcome, glad we could help.