Question
I just found a macro that dimensions arcs, but there is a problem when used. The dimension that appears does not take on the characteristics of my dimension style. It takes on the text size, but it only dimensions in decimals and I use architectural units. How can I rewrite this macro so that it will take on all of the characteristics of my dimension style? Is there a way I can write in a working name (dimarc) for this command so that I won't have to use the toolbar button every time?
Here is the macro:
^C^C_pedit;\;;_list;@;;_explode;last;_dimangular; @;t;$M=$(substr,$(getvar,PERIMETER),1,$(-,$(strlen,$(getvar,PERIMETER)),$(-,8,$(getvar,dimdec))));\
Forum Responses
(CAD Forum)
From contributor D:
Try this lisp routine.
;Save to dimarc.lsp file and
;type dimarc at the promt
;(rtos number [mode [precision]])
;1 Scientific
;2 Decimal
(cons 1 (rtos ArcLength 4 5));<-------
(assoc 1 dimobj)dimobj))
(entmod dimobj))
(princ "\nThat ain't no arc"))
(princ))
If you run the lisp routine from vlisp it will go away when you close the drawing and you will have to reload it every time you want to use it. By adding it to your start up suite, it will automatically load for you.
Replace it with this:
(cons 1 (strcat(rtos ArcLength 5 4)"\""));<-------
(assoc 1 dimobj)dimobj))
(entmod dimobj))
(princ "\nThat ain't no arc"))
(princ))
I changed the type to fractions by changing the #4 to a 5 in the statement (rtos ArcLength 4 5). The first # represents the type to display, hence the 1-5 list at the beginning of the post. The second # is the precision. When dealing with fractions (first # is set to 5), the precision is how the fraction is displayed.
1 = Whole number (if a dimension is 2 ½ it will read 2)
2 = nearest 1/4
3 = nearest 1/8
4 = nearest 1/16
5 = nearest 1/32 and so on
If you notice, the replacement code has something added (strcat(rtos ArcLength 5 4) “\“”)). Here is how this code fragment breaks down. The ArchLength is a variable that holds the actual arch length of the arc you selected. (Example: 15.7500)
Rtos is a lisp command that converts a real number (that’s a number that has a decimal in it) to a string (that is anything enclosed in quote marks “15.7500”). The two numbers you see after ArchLength tells Rtos how to convert the variable ArcLength. In this case, we told it to use fractions by putting the 5 in there and we want a precision of 1/16 so Rtos now returns “15 ¾”.
Now we add another lisp command strcat. This command combines several strings into one single string. Notice the “\””. This is a string that contains \”. Remember, a string always starts with a quote” and ends with a quote” so to turn \” into a string you add the starting and ending quotes “\”” (are you lost yet?). The \” will create the inch mark you asked for.
So strcat puts the two strings “15 ¾” and “\”” together to make 15 ¾”. Any questions?
First way:
1. Copy the lisp routine. Make your change to the setting you want. Rename the command name c:dimarc to c:dimarc2 or whatever is good for you, as long as it is not an existing AutoCAD command, and always leave the c:. The c: is what makes it available to type into the command window.
2. Do a save as new name.lsp
3. Repeat the procedure until you have a routine set up for each type that you want.
4. Now add them to your start up suite. You can either type the name of the routine or you can create a couple of buttons to call the various routines for you.
Example: if you named one of the routines c:dimarc2, make a button and enter the macro ^C^Cdimarc2; and it will call the routine when clicked. The ^C^C clears the last command. You don’t need to put the C: just the name and make sure you put the semicolon at the end.
Second way (on the fly):
Set up a couple of variables to take place of the type and precision and one for the prompt question response.
You can’t use the word type because it is a lisp command, so let's use typ and prec.
Now set up the prompt question you will be asked.
To keep from entering bad input, we will use the initget command to limit what the response will be. (initget “S D E A F” 1) the s is for Scientific. The d is for decimal and so on. You can delete the letter of the ones that you don’t want, just make sure there is a space between each letter.
Now prompt for the answer (answ is the variable that will hold the prompt answer).
(setq answ (strcase(getkword “\nScientific,Decimal,Enginerring,Architecural,Fractional:”)))
Just type the first letter for what you want. The strcase will convert anything you type to an uppercase letter.
Now write a couple of if statements to set the two variables to what you want.
I suggest that you predetermine the precision for each type to keep things simple.
On with the show. I’ll do one, you do the rest. You will need one for each available answer.
(if (= answ “S”)(setq typ 1 prec 3));_end if Scientific ß-- this is a note.
What you just said was "if the answer to the question is “S”, set the variable typ to 1 and the variable prec to 3" or whatever precision you choose.
Now create the other if statements, one for each type you want.
Now we have three things to do.
1. Replace the existing numbers in the code with our new variables
(rtos ArcLength 5 5) becomes (rtos ArcLength typ prec)
2. Find a place to put all of the cool code we created at the beginning. Looking at the code, contributor D was anticipating user error, like any good programmer should. You will find a spot right after it asks you to “Select an Arc” that double checks the selection to be an “ARC”. If the object is an ARC, it processes the next lines of code. If not, it bypasses them and goes to a message “This ain’t no arc”. So we want our stuff to be in the part that only runs if the object is an arc. That is right after the lisp command (prong . Paste all that radical new code you created right after the (prong
(initget statment)
(prompt statment)
(if statments)
3. Kill your variable! As a good programmer, you give life and must take it away. Otherwise, your variable will get you when you least expect it. They have no respect for their creator and therefore must die when they are no longer needed.
To kill your variable, simply add them to the ones contributor D created
(defun c:dimarc ( / arclength center dimobj en endpoint obj startpoint)
The part of the code fragment above ( / arclength center dimobj en endpoint obj startpoint) is where you do this. Just add typ prec and answ to the end of the list
( / arclength center dimobj en endpoint obj startpoint typ prec answ)
Save your routine now!
Load it up and give it a spin, if it works. Great job! If it crashes your computer and it explodes into a billion pieces, I never met you and don’t have a clue what you're talking about.
The fourth and final way is to replace
(cons 1 (rtos ArcLength 4 5))
with
(cons 1 (rtos ArcLength (getvar "dimlunit")(getvar "dimdec")))
This will pick up your current dimension style settings.
Now all we have to do is get the questioner's suffix in there for fractions
(if (= (getvar "dimlunit") 5)(prong
(setq dimobj (entget (entlast))
dimobj (subst
(cons 1 (strcat(rtos ArcLength (getvar "dimlunit")(getvar "dimdec"))"\""));<-------
(assoc 1 dimobj)dimobj)))
(progn
(setq dimobj (entget (entlast))
dimobj (subst
(cons 1 (rtos ArcLength (getvar "dimlunit")(getvar "dimdec")));<-------
(assoc 1 dimobj)dimobj))))
place the above code between:
(command "_dimangular" en Center StartPoint EndPoint "\\")
and
(entmod dimobj))
Overwriting everything in between.
Comment from contributor A:
Here's a routine for changing the format of the dimension in AutoCAD. It does not change the value of the dimension, however it rounds off the dimension for fractions (3.758 becomes 3 ¾). Where fractional tolerance permits this is not a problem. Here's the routine, edit in notepad, saved as spdim.lsp:
(defun c:spdim()
(initget "F D")
(setq dse(getkword "Type: Dec/Frac (if(= "F" dse)(setq ds 5))
(if(= "D" dse)(setq ds 2))
(setvar "dimlunit" ds)
(if(= 2 ds)(setvar "dimdec" 3))
(if(= 5 ds)(setvar "dimdec" 5))
)
Load the file into AutoCAD by:
Command: (load "spdim")
Here's a macro line in AutoCAD for the horiz dim:
^C^Cspdim;dim;hor;\\\\
It prompts you for F or D, you do a normal selection for dimensioning horizontal and the format comes out either as a stacked fraction or decimal.
