AcadNetAddinWizard & More

AutoCAD and Programming Languages – ObjectARX Skill Matrix

AutoCAD supports a variety of programming languages, interfaces and technologies, from the oldest but still very popular AutoLISP to the latest DesignScript and JavaScript. The API (Application Programming Interface) seems a more proper term to use to refer to them for AutoCAD generally only provides a bridge/interface between its drawing elements and some programming environments either internal or external. 

AutoCAD provides the following APIs (Application Programming Interface) so far.

• AutoLISP
• Visual LISP
• Menu Macros and DIESEL (Direct Interpretively Evaluated String Expression Language)
• ADS (AutoCAD Development System)
• ADSRX (AutoCAD Development System Runtime eXtension)
• ARX (AutoCAD Runtime eXtension)
• ObjectARX (Objectified AutoCAD Runtime eXtension)
• COM (Component Object Model)
• ActiveX Interfaces
    o VBA (Visual Basic for Application)
    o VB 6
    o Delphi
    o …
    o COM Interop
• .NET
    o C#
    o VB.NET
    o CLI (Common Language Infrastructure)/Managed C++
    o F#
    o …
• DesignScript
• JavaScript

We presented the skill matrix of AutoLISP, Visual LISP, and Menu Macros and talked a little bit about the ADS/ADSRX/ARX in early posts. In this article, let’s present a similar skill matrix using the same criteria for the most powerful AutoCAD API, ObjectARX.

ObjectARX is the upgraded version of ARX. It is based on C++ thus is object oriented and very powerful. Its running performance is the best among all AutoCAD APIs but on the other hand its learning curve scares most people away and development cycle is the longest.

    Skill Matrix of ObjectARX
    Criteria        Scale
Affordability        4 (SDK is free but IDE and compiler are not)
Availability         5 (separate SDK is available on web)
Capability        
    Language Itself   10 (the most powerful)
    User Interface    10 (MFC, WinForms, and WPF)
    AutoCAD Friendliness  4 (lots of stuffs have to be reinvented)
Efficiency     
    Running Performance  10 (the best)
    Development Effectiveness  3 (needing much more expertise/smartness/effort)
Compatibility/Portability   5 (declared binary compatible in three releases)
Learnability    1 (the most difficult API so far)
Code Reusability    6 (non-AutoCAD functions/classes can be reused by other C/C++ libs, different products, and even different OSes such as Linix and Mac)
Operability    10 (the Visual Studio provides everything)
Manageability    10 (solutions/projects/headers/resources/localization/etc.)
Code Safety     10 (compiled as native/machine code)
Maintainability    10 (object oriented; inheritance provided; …)
Interoperability    8 (can use COM interfaces; call commands via the acedCommand; can call .NET functions through mixed-mode)
Readability     8 (good for C/C++/C#/Java programmers)
Scalability     10 (can develop huge applications)
Applicability    2 (apply to AutoCAD/flavors; in-process only)

We give higher scales to ObjectARX as far as Language Capability, UI, Performance, Operability, Manageability, Code Safety, and Scalability are concerned.

The leading edge AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard), as its name indicates, focuses on .NET compliant languages (currently C#, VB.NET and CLI/Managed C++).

AutoCAD Jig & VB.NET: .NET ColorDialog and Block/ INSERT/BlockReference Jigging Using EntityJig

AutoCAD .NET API provides two concrete Jig classes for us to jig different entities in different circumstances, EntityJig and DrawJig. EntityJig is to jig a specific entity as its name indicates and the DrawJig is to jig anything that has graphics to draw, which can be a single entity, a group of entities, or even something that is not available natively in AutoCAD.
We have demonstrated various ways to jig a block (INSERT as used in AutoCAD users and BlockReference in programmers) such as by its position, rotation or both of these factors, from the block name input on, with the original graphics highlighted or not, with user cancellation handling or not, honoring UCS or not, and so on. We also demonstrated how to input a true color using the AutoCAD ColorDialog during the block (INSRT/BlockReference) inserting jig.

As we know, .NET also provides a ColorDialog. In this article, let us see how to use the .NET ColorDialog to input a true color for the block (INSERT/BlockReference) jig.

Here is the test command in VB.NET for the block insertion jig to get a true color from a .NET ColorDialog:

<CommandMethod("TestEntityJigger11")> _
Public Shared Sub TestEntityJigger11_Method()
    Dim ed As Editor = MgdAcApplication.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor
    Dim db As Database = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase
 
    Dim pr As PromptResult = ed.GetString(vbLf & "Block name:")
    If pr.Status = PromptStatus.OK Then
        Using tr As Transaction = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
            Dim bt As BlockTable = TryCast(tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead), BlockTable)
            Dim btr As BlockTableRecord = TryCast(tr.GetObject(bt(pr.StringResult), OpenMode.ForRead), BlockTableRecord)
            If btr IsNot Nothing Then
                Dim ent As New BlockReference(New Point3d(0, 0, 0), btr.ObjectId)
                If BlockInsertNetColorJig.Jig(ent) Then
                    Dim modelspace As BlockTableRecord = TryCast(tr.GetObject(bt(BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace), OpenMode.ForWrite), BlockTableRecord)
                    modelspace.AppendEntity(ent)
                    tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(ent, True)
                    tr.Commit()
                Else
                    ent.Dispose()
                    tr.Abort()
                End If
            End If
        End Using
    End If
End Sub

Here is what the .NET ColorDialog looks like after the test command runs and the keyword Color is chosen:

Here is what the rectangle block looks like right after the true color input from the .NET ColorDialog:

Please do not forget to set the color property of the rectangle inside the block definition as ByBlock, otherwise, the rectangle will not horror the Color property of the block reference that was just set.
 
Here is the core source in VB.NET:

#Region "Namespaces"
 
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Linq
Imports System.Xml
Imports System.Reflection
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Windows
Imports System.Windows.Media.Imaging
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.IO
 
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows
 
Imports MgdAcApplication = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application
Imports MgdAcDocument = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Document
Imports AcWindowsNS = Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows
 
#End Region
 
 
Namespace AcadNetAddinWizard_Namespace
    Public Class BlockInsertNetColorJig
        Inherits EntityJig
#Region "Fields"
 
        Public mCurJigFactorNumber As Integer = 1
 
        Private mPosition As Point3d
        ' Factor #1
        Private mRotation As Double
        ' Factor #2 
        Private mAngleOffset As Double
#End Region
 
#Region "Constructors"
 
        Public Sub New(ent As Entity)
            MyBase.New(ent)
            ent.TransformBy(MgdAcApplication.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem)
            mAngleOffset = TryCast(ent, BlockReference).Rotation
        End Sub
 
#End Region
 
#Region "Overrides"
 
        Protected Overrides Function Update() As Boolean
            Select Case mCurJigFactorNumber
                Case 1
                    TryCast(Entity, BlockReference).Position = mPosition
                    Exit Select
                Case 2
                    TryCast(Entity, BlockReference).Rotation = mAngleOffset + mRotation
                    Exit Select
                Case Else
                    Return False
            End Select
 
            Return True
        End Function
 
        Protected Overrides Function Sampler(prompts As JigPrompts) As SamplerStatus
            Select Case mCurJigFactorNumber
                Case 1
                    Dim prOptions1 As New JigPromptPointOptions(vbLf & "Block position:")
                    prOptions1.UserInputControls = UserInputControls.GovernedByUCSDetect Or UserInputControls.UseBasePointElevation Or UserInputControls.Accept3dCoordinates
                    prOptions1.Keywords.Add("Color")
                    Dim prResult1 As PromptPointResult = prompts.AcquirePoint(prOptions1)
                    If prResult1.Status = PromptStatus.Cancel Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.Cancel
                    End If
 
                    If prResult1.Value.Equals(mPosition) Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.NoChange
                    Else
                        mPosition = prResult1.Value
                        Return SamplerStatus.OK
                    End If
                Case 2
                    Dim prOptions2 As New JigPromptAngleOptions(vbLf & "Block rotation angle:")
                    prOptions2.BasePoint = mPosition
                    prOptions2.UseBasePoint = True
                    prOptions2.Keywords.Add("Color")
                    Dim prResult2 As PromptDoubleResult = prompts.AcquireAngle(prOptions2)
                    If prResult2.Status = PromptStatus.Cancel Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.Cancel
                    End If
 
                    If prResult2.Value.Equals(mRotation) Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.NoChange
                    Else
                        mRotation = prResult2.Value
                        Return SamplerStatus.OK
                    End If
                Case Else
                    Exit Select
            End Select
 
            Return SamplerStatus.OK
        End Function
 
#End Region
 
#Region "Method to Call"
 
        Public Shared Function Jig(ent As BlockReference) As Boolean
            Try
                Dim ed As Editor = MgdAcApplication.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor
                Dim jigger As New BlockInsertNetColorJig(ent)
                Dim pr As PromptResult
                Do
                    pr = ed.Drag(jigger)
                    If pr.Status = PromptStatus.Keyword Then
                        If pr.StringResult = "Color" Then
                            Dim cd As New System.Windows.Forms.ColorDialog()
                            cd.AllowFullOpen = True
                            cd.ShowHelp = True
                            cd.AnyColor = True
                            cd.SolidColorOnly = False
 
                            Dim netColor As System.Drawing.Color = System.Drawing.Color.FromArgb(jigger.Entity.Color.Red, jigger.Entity.Color.Green, jigger.Entity.Color.Blue)
                            cd.Color = netColor
 
                            If cd.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then
                                jigger.Entity.Color = Autodesk.AutoCAD.Colors.Color.FromRgb(cd.Color.R, cd.Color.G, cd.Color.B)
                            End If
                        End If
                    Else
                        jigger.mCurJigFactorNumber += 1
                    End If
                Loop While pr.Status <> PromptStatus.Cancel AndAlso pr.Status <> PromptStatus.[Error] AndAlso jigger.mCurJigFactorNumber <= 2
 
                Return pr.Status = PromptStatus.OK
            Catch
                Return False
            End Try
        End Function
 
#End Region
    End Class
End Namespace

Some highlights about the code may be helpful:

• The UserInputControls enumerator values GovernedByUCSDetect and Accept3dCoordinates for the JigPromptPointOptions indicate if the point input honors the UCS and if the picked point is in 3D.
• The UCS transformation can be obtained from the static property Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem.
• An entity type needs to be specified in the EntityJig derivative, as BlockReference here.
• The Sampler() override is to acquire input for the block position and rotation angle in a certain order.
• If the input is the same as the stored variable, we’d better return SamplerStatus.NoChange to avoid unnecessary flashing; if not, return SamplerStatus.OK.
• Please do not forget to handle the cancel/escape circumstance as demonstrated.
• The Update() override is to update the position and the rotation properties of the block in the same order as set in the Sampler().
• The Editor.Draw() is the power to fire the jig. If two properties need to be set, the jig needs to be fired off twice. That is why a while loop is used.
• The while loop needs to think about the PromptStatus.Keyword case of the PromptResult after each Jig Drag.
• Only after the jig succeeds should the BlockReference be added to the database to avoid database messy.

The leading edge AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) provides a coder, Entity Jigger, to help us create entity jig code automatically, quickly and reliably.

AutoCAD Jig & VB.NET: Insert and Non-Uniform Scale Block/INSERT/BlockReference Using EntityJig

AutoCAD .NET API provides two concrete Jig classes for us to jig different entities in different circumstances, EntityJig and DrawJig. EntityJig is to jig a specific entity as its name indicates and the DrawJig is to jig anything that has graphics to draw, which can be a single entity, a group of entities, or even something that is not available natively in AutoCAD.
We have demonstrated various ways to jig a block (INSERT as used in AutoCAD users and BlockReference in programmers) such as by its position, rotation or both of these factors, from the block name input on, with the original graphics highlighted or not, with user cancellation handling or not, honoring UCS or not, inputting True Color or not, and so on.

In this article, we are going to add the block scaling support.  Here is the test command in VB.NET:

<CommandMethod("TestEntityJigger10")> _
Public Shared Sub TestEntityJigger10_Method()
    Dim ed As Editor = MgdAcApplication.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor
    Dim db As Database = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase
 
    Dim pr As PromptResult = ed.GetString(vbLf & "Block name:")
    If pr.Status = PromptStatus.OK Then
        Using tr As Transaction = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
            Dim bt As BlockTable = TryCast(tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead), BlockTable)
            Dim btr As BlockTableRecord = TryCast(tr.GetObject(bt(pr.StringResult), OpenMode.ForRead), BlockTableRecord)
            If btr IsNot Nothing Then
                Dim ent As New BlockReference(New Point3d(0, 0, 0), btr.ObjectId)
                If BlockMovingRotatingScalingXY.Jig(ent) Then
                    Dim modelspace As BlockTableRecord = TryCast(tr.GetObject(bt(BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace), OpenMode.ForWrite), BlockTableRecord)
                    modelspace.AppendEntity(ent)
                    tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(ent, True)
                    tr.Commit()
                Else
                    ent.Dispose()
                    tr.Abort()
                End If
            End If
        End Using
    End If
End Sub

Here is what the block (INSERT/BlockReference) looks like when it’s jigging for the scale factor Y in percentage after a good block name, position, rotation angle and scale factor X are given.

Please note the purple one is there for the comparison purpose only for us to see the current white one is being properly scaled along the original Y direction, about 15% width as the original. The scale factor X (about 40%) has already been jigged. We do not bother to jig the scale factor Z as it does not make sense to our 2d graphics.

Here is the core source in VB.NET:

#Region "Namespaces"
 
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Linq
Imports System.Xml
Imports System.Reflection
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Windows
Imports System.Windows.Media.Imaging
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.IO
 
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows
 
Imports MgdAcApplication = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application
Imports MgdAcDocument = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Document
Imports AcWindowsNS = Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows
 
#End Region
 
 
Namespace AcadNetAddinWizard_Namespace
    Public Class BlockMovingRotatingScalingXY
        Inherits EntityJig
#Region "Fields"
 
        Public mCurJigFactorNumber As Integer = 1
 
        Private mPosition As Point3d
        ' Factor #1
        Private mRotation As Double
        ' Factor #2
        Private mScaleFactorX As Double
        ' Factor #3
        Private mScaleFactorY As Double
        ' Factor #4
        Private mAngleOffset As Double
#End Region
 
#Region "Constructors"
 
        Public Sub New(ent As Entity)
            MyBase.New(ent)
            ent.TransformBy(MgdAcApplication.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem)
            mAngleOffset = TryCast(ent, BlockReference).Rotation
        End Sub
 
#End Region
 
#Region "Overrides"
 
        Protected Overrides Function Update() As Boolean
            Select Case mCurJigFactorNumber
                Case 1
                    TryCast(Entity, BlockReference).Position = mPosition
                    Exit Select
                Case 2
                    TryCast(Entity, BlockReference).Rotation = mAngleOffset + mRotation
                    Exit Select
                Case 3, 4
                    TryCast(Entity, BlockReference).ScaleFactors = New Scale3d(mScaleFactorX, mScaleFactorY, 1)
                    Exit Select
                Case Else
                    Return False
            End Select
 
            Return True
        End Function
 
        Protected Overrides Function Sampler(prompts As JigPrompts) As SamplerStatus
            Select Case mCurJigFactorNumber
                Case 1
                    Dim prOptions1 As New JigPromptPointOptions(vbLf & "Block position:")
                    prOptions1.UserInputControls = UserInputControls.GovernedByUCSDetect Or UserInputControls.UseBasePointElevation Or UserInputControls.Accept3dCoordinates
                    Dim prResult1 As PromptPointResult = prompts.AcquirePoint(prOptions1)
                    If prResult1.Status = PromptStatus.Cancel Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.Cancel
                    End If
 
                    If prResult1.Value.Equals(mPosition) Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.NoChange
                    Else
                        mPosition = prResult1.Value
                        Return SamplerStatus.OK
                    End If
                Case 2
                    Dim prOptions2 As New JigPromptAngleOptions(vbLf & "Block rotation angle:")
                    prOptions2.BasePoint = mPosition
                    prOptions2.UseBasePoint = True
                    Dim prResult2 As PromptDoubleResult = prompts.AcquireAngle(prOptions2)
                    If prResult2.Status = PromptStatus.Cancel Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.Cancel
                    End If
 
                    If prResult2.Value.Equals(mRotation) Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.NoChange
                    Else
                        mRotation = prResult2.Value
                        Return SamplerStatus.OK
                    End If
                Case 3
                    Dim prOptions3 As New JigPromptDistanceOptions(vbLf & "Block scale factor X in percentage:")
                    prOptions3.BasePoint = mPosition
                    prOptions3.UseBasePoint = True
                    Dim prResult3 As PromptDoubleResult = prompts.AcquireDistance(prOptions3)
                    If prResult3.Status = PromptStatus.Cancel Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.Cancel
                    End If
 
                    If prResult3.Value.Equals(mRotation) Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.NoChange
                    Else
                        mScaleFactorX = prResult3.Value / 100
                        Return SamplerStatus.OK
                    End If
                Case 4
                    Dim prOptions4 As New JigPromptDistanceOptions(vbLf & "Block scale factor Y in percentage:")
                    prOptions4.BasePoint = mPosition
                    prOptions4.UseBasePoint = True
                    Dim prResult4 As PromptDoubleResult = prompts.AcquireDistance(prOptions4)
                    If prResult4.Status = PromptStatus.Cancel Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.Cancel
                    End If
 
                    If prResult4.Value.Equals(mRotation) Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.NoChange
                    Else
                        mScaleFactorY = prResult4.Value / 100
                        Return SamplerStatus.OK
                    End If
                Case Else
                    Exit Select
            End Select
 
            Return SamplerStatus.OK
        End Function
 
#End Region
 
#Region "Method to Call"
 
        Public Shared Function Jig(ent As BlockReference) As Boolean
            Try
                Dim ed As Editor = MgdAcApplication.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor
                Dim jigger As New BlockMovingRotatingScalingXY(ent)
                Dim pr As PromptResult
                Do
                    pr = ed.Drag(jigger)
                Loop While pr.Status <> PromptStatus.Cancel AndAlso pr.Status <> PromptStatus.[Error] AndAlso System.Math.Max(System.Threading.Interlocked.Increment(jigger.mCurJigFactorNumber), jigger.mCurJigFactorNumber - 1) <= 4
 
                Return pr.Status = PromptStatus.OK
            Catch
                Return False
            End Try
        End Function
 
#End Region
    End Class
End Namespace

Some highlights about the code may be helpful:

• The UserInputControls enumerator values GovernedByUCSDetect and Accept3dCoordinates for the JigPromptPointOptions indicate if the point input honors the UCS and if the picked point is in 3D.
• The UCS transformation can be obtained from the static property Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem.
• An entity type needs to be specified in the EntityJig derivative, as BlockReference here.
• The Sampler() override is to acquire input for the block position and rotation angle in a certain order.
• If the input is the same as the stored variable, we’d better return SamplerStatus.NoChange to avoid unnecessary flashing; if not, return SamplerStatus.OK.
• Please do not forget to handle the cancel/escape circumstance as demonstrated.
• The Update() override is to update the position and the rotation properties of the block in the same order as set in the Sampler().
• The Editor.Draw() is the power to fire the jig. If two properties need to be set, the jig needs to be fired off twice. That is why a while loop is used.
• The while loop needs to think about the PromptStatus.Keyword case of the PromptResult after each Jig Drag.
• Only after the jig succeeds should the BlockReference be added to the database to avoid database messy.

The leading edge AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) provides a coder, Entity Jigger, to help us create entity jig code automatically, quickly and reliably.

AutoCAD and Programming Languages – ADS/ADSRX/ARX

AutoCAD supports a variety of programming languages, interfaces and technologies, from the oldest but still very popular AutoLISP to the latest DesignScript and JavaScript. The API (Application Programming Interface) seems a more proper term to use to refer to them for AutoCAD generally only provides a bridge/interface between its drawing elements and some programming environments either internal or external. 

AutoCAD provides the following APIs (Application Programming Interface) so far.

• AutoLISP
• Visual LISP
• Menu Macros and DIESEL (Direct Interpretively Evaluated String Expression Language)
• ADS (AutoCAD Development System)
• ADSRX (AutoCAD Development System Runtime eXtension)
• ARX (AutoCAD Runtime eXtension)
• ObjectARX (Objectified AutoCAD Runtime eXtension)
• COM (Component Object Model)
• ActiveX Interfaces
    o VBA (Visual Basic for Application)
    o VB 6
    o Delphi
    o …
    o COM Interop
• .NET
    o C#
    o VB.NET
    o CLI (Common Language Infrastructure)/Managed C++
    o F#
    o …
• DesignScript
• JavaScript

The ADS, ADSRX, ARX were all intermediate APIs and ceased to present more than one decade ago. The ADS (AutoCAD Development System) was based on C so was not object oriented at all. It was the most powerful API around the AutoCAD versions 11 and 12 for DOS Operating System but actually nothing but some C wrappers around those AutoLISP functions such as entmake and entmode. And the DXF code operation was still the main stream. So it was easier for AutoLISPers to migrate to ADS programming.

The ADS was replaced by the ADSRX (AutoCAD Development System Runtime eXtension). The ADSRX (AutoCAD Development System Runtime eXtension) was based upon ADS and provided some more functions. It was a shorter life creature which should only live in the intermediate AutoCAD R13 (the first version supporting Windows).

Then the ADSRX went away again and the ARX (AutoCAD Runtime eXtension) came out, which was based on C++ and was partially object oriented. The ARX (AutoCAD Runtime eXtension) was renamed as ObjectARX (Objectified AutoCAD Runtime eXtension) in later versions and more and more AutoCAD native objects were objectified and exposed to the API.

Since they have all been obsolete for quite some years already, it may not seem necessary to list out their skill matrixes.

The leading edge AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard), as its name indicates, focuses on .NET compliant languages (currently C#, VB.NET and CLI/Managed C++).

AutoCAD Jig & VB.NET: Insert and Uniform Scale Block/INSERT/BlockReference Using EntityJig

AutoCAD .NET API provides two concrete Jig classes for us to jig different entities in different circumstances, EntityJig and DrawJig. EntityJig is to jig a specific entity as its name indicates and the DrawJig is to jig anything that has graphics to draw, which can be a single entity, a group of entities, or even something that is not available natively in AutoCAD.
We have demonstrated various ways to jig a block (INSERT as used in AutoCAD users and BlockReference in programmers) such as by its position, rotation or both of these factors, from the block name input on, with the original graphics highlighted or not, with user cancellation handling or not, honoring UCS or not, inputting True Color or not, and so on.

In this article, we are going to add the block scaling support.  Here is the test command in VB.NET:

<CommandMethod("TestEntityJigger9")> _
Public Shared Sub TestEntityJigger9_Method()
    Dim ed As Editor = MgdAcApplication.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor
    Dim db As Database = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase
 
    Dim pr As PromptResult = ed.GetString(vbLf & "Block name:")
    If pr.Status = PromptStatus.OK Then
        Using tr As Transaction = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()
            Dim bt As BlockTable = TryCast(tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead), BlockTable)
            Dim btr As BlockTableRecord = TryCast(tr.GetObject(bt(pr.StringResult), OpenMode.ForRead), BlockTableRecord)
            If btr IsNot Nothing Then
                Dim ent As New BlockReference(New Point3d(0, 0, 0), btr.ObjectId)
                If BlockMovingScalingRotating.Jig(ent) Then
                    Dim modelspace As BlockTableRecord = TryCast(tr.GetObject(bt(BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace), OpenMode.ForWrite), BlockTableRecord)
                    modelspace.AppendEntity(ent)
                    tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(ent, True)
                    tr.Commit()
                Else
                    ent.Dispose()
                    tr.Abort()
                End If
            End If
        End Using
    End If
End Sub

Here is what the block (INSERT/BlockReference) looks like when it’s jigging for the scale factor in percentage after a good block name, position, and rotation angle are given.

Please note the purple one is there for the comparison purpose only for us to see the current white one is being properly scaled, about 23% big as the original size. And the uniform scaling is applied here.

Here is the core source in VB.NET:

#Region "Namespaces"
 
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Linq
Imports System.Xml
Imports System.Reflection
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Collections
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Windows
Imports System.Windows.Media.Imaging
Imports System.Windows.Forms
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.IO
 
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows
 
Imports MgdAcApplication = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application
Imports MgdAcDocument = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Document
Imports AcWindowsNS = Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows
 
#End Region
 
 
Namespace AcadNetAddinWizard_Namespace
    Public Class BlockMovingScalingRotating
        Inherits EntityJig
#Region "Fields"
 
        Public mCurJigFactorNumber As Integer = 1
 
        Private mPosition As Point3d
        ' Factor #1
        Private mRotation As Double
        ' Factor #2
        Private mScaleFactor As Double
        ' Factor #3
        Private mAngleOffset As Double
#End Region
 
#Region "Constructors"
 
        Public Sub New(ent As Entity)
            MyBase.New(ent)
            ent.TransformBy(MgdAcApplication.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem)
            mAngleOffset = TryCast(ent, BlockReference).Rotation
        End Sub
 
#End Region
 
#Region "Overrides"
 
        Protected Overrides Function Update() As Boolean
            Select Case mCurJigFactorNumber
                Case 1
                    TryCast(Entity, BlockReference).Position = mPosition
                    Exit Select
                Case 2
                    TryCast(Entity, BlockReference).Rotation = mAngleOffset + mRotation
                    Exit Select
                Case 3
                    TryCast(Entity, BlockReference).ScaleFactors = New Scale3d(mScaleFactor, mScaleFactor, mScaleFactor)
                    Exit Select
                Case Else
                    Return False
            End Select
 
            Return True
        End Function
 
        Protected Overrides Function Sampler(prompts As JigPrompts) As SamplerStatus
            Select Case mCurJigFactorNumber
                Case 1
                    Dim prOptions1 As New JigPromptPointOptions(vbLf & "Block position:")
                    prOptions1.UserInputControls = UserInputControls.GovernedByUCSDetect Or UserInputControls.UseBasePointElevation Or UserInputControls.Accept3dCoordinates
                    Dim prResult1 As PromptPointResult = prompts.AcquirePoint(prOptions1)
                    If prResult1.Status = PromptStatus.Cancel Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.Cancel
                    End If
 
                    If prResult1.Value.Equals(mPosition) Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.NoChange
                    Else
                        mPosition = prResult1.Value
                        Return SamplerStatus.OK
                    End If
                Case 2
                    Dim prOptions2 As New JigPromptAngleOptions(vbLf & "Block rotation angle:")
                    prOptions2.BasePoint = mPosition
                    prOptions2.UseBasePoint = True
                    Dim prResult2 As PromptDoubleResult = prompts.AcquireAngle(prOptions2)
                    If prResult2.Status = PromptStatus.Cancel Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.Cancel
                    End If
 
                    If prResult2.Value.Equals(mRotation) Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.NoChange
                    Else
                        mRotation = prResult2.Value
                        Return SamplerStatus.OK
                    End If
                Case 3
                    Dim prOptions3 As New JigPromptDistanceOptions(vbLf & "Block scale factor in percentage:")
                    prOptions3.BasePoint = mPosition
                    prOptions3.UseBasePoint = True
                    Dim prResult3 As PromptDoubleResult = prompts.AcquireDistance(prOptions3)
                    If prResult3.Status = PromptStatus.Cancel Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.Cancel
                    End If
 
                    If prResult3.Value.Equals(mRotation) Then
                        Return SamplerStatus.NoChange
                    Else
                        mScaleFactor = prResult3.Value / 100
                        Return SamplerStatus.OK
                    End If
                Case Else
                    Exit Select
            End Select
 
            Return SamplerStatus.OK
        End Function
 
#End Region
 
#Region "Method to Call"
 
        Public Shared Function Jig(ent As BlockReference) As Boolean
            Try
                Dim ed As Editor = MgdAcApplication.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor
                Dim jigger As New BlockMovingScalingRotating(ent)
                Dim pr As PromptResult
                Do
                    pr = ed.Drag(jigger)
                Loop While pr.Status <> PromptStatus.Cancel AndAlso pr.Status <> PromptStatus.[Error] AndAlso System.Math.Max(System.Threading.Interlocked.Increment(jigger.mCurJigFactorNumber), jigger.mCurJigFactorNumber - 1) <= 3
 
                Return pr.Status = PromptStatus.OK
            Catch
                Return False
            End Try
        End Function
 
#End Region
    End Class
End Namespace

Some highlights about the code may be helpful:

• The UserInputControls enumerator values GovernedByUCSDetect and Accept3dCoordinates for the JigPromptPointOptions indicate if the point input honors the UCS and if the picked point is in 3D.
• The UCS transformation can be obtained from the static property Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem.
• An entity type needs to be specified in the EntityJig derivative, as BlockReference here.
• The Sampler() override is to acquire input for the block position and rotation angle in a certain order.
• If the input is the same as the stored variable, we’d better return SamplerStatus.NoChange to avoid unnecessary flashing; if not, return SamplerStatus.OK.
• Please do not forget to handle the cancel/escape circumstance as demonstrated.
• The Update() override is to update the position and the rotation properties of the block in the same order as set in the Sampler().
• The Editor.Draw() is the power to fire the jig. If two properties need to be set, the jig needs to be fired off twice. That is why a while loop is used.
• The while loop needs to think about the PromptStatus.Keyword case of the PromptResult after each Jig Drag.
• Only after the jig succeeds should the BlockReference be added to the database to avoid database messy.

The leading edge AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) provides a coder, Entity Jigger, to help us create entity jig code automatically, quickly and reliably.

Create C# Object Modifier Code Using AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard)

The build #0.7.5.0 of AutoCAD .Net Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) has been rolled out and provided a few new features. The Object Modifier coder is one of them.


If the cursor is inside a method body like the following and the Object Modifier is set as the above,
 

after the OK button is pressed, the following code snippet will be appended automatically to the method.

public static void ChangeCircle(Transaction tr, Database db, ObjectId id)
{
    Transaction trans = id.Database.TransactionManager.StartTransaction();
    using (trans)
    {
        DBObject obj = (DBObject)trans.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForWrite);
        if (obj is Circle)
        {
            Circle castObj = (Circle)obj;
            //Modify the object below ...
 
        }
 
        trans.Commit();
    }
}

Here are some more different flavors of the code generated by the Object Modifier coder.

public static void ChangeCircle1(Transaction tr, Database db, ObjectId id)
{
    Transaction trans = id.Database.TransactionManager.TopTransaction;
 
    DBObject obj = (DBObject)trans.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForWrite);
    if (obj is Circle)
    {
        Circle castObj = (Circle)obj;
        //Modify the object below ...
 
    }
 
    //trans.Commit();
}
 
public static void ChangeCircle2(Transaction tr, Database db, ObjectId id)
{
    Transaction trans = id.Database.TransactionManager.StartOpenCloseTransaction();
    using (trans)
    {
        DBObject obj = (DBObject)trans.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForWrite);
        if (obj is Circle)
        {
            Circle castObj = (Circle)obj;
            //Modify the object below ...
 
        }
 
        trans.Commit();
    }
}
 
public static void ChangeCircle3(Transaction tr, Database db, ObjectId id)
{
    DBObject obj = (DBObject)tr.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForWrite);
    if (obj is Circle)
    {
        Circle castObj = (Circle)obj;
        //Modify the object below ...
 
    }
 
    //tr.Commit();
}

As can be seen, the Transaction and the ObjectId instances can be passed from outside as method arguments.

The leading edge AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) provides various project wizards, item wizards, coders to help program AutoCAD .NET addins.

AcadNetAddinWizard Overruler And Sample Overrule Implementations

AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) provides an item wizard, Overruler, to help program various AutoCAD overrules. As can be noticed however the Overruler only creates some skeletons of selected AutoCAD .NET overrules for us.

How to implement those overrules and their methods in detail then?

In fact, in terms of the Centerline Circle overrules, a variety of such and most of their methods have already been addressed in many early posts. If readers are interested in, here are they for references.

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle TransformOverrule
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2013/01/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-transformoverrule.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle PropertiesOverrule Version 2
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2013/01/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-propertiesoverrule-version-2.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle DrawableOverrule Adding Selection Markers for Centerlines
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2013/01/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-drawableoverrule-adding-selection-markers-for-centerlines.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle ObjectOverrule
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2013/01/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-objectoverrule.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle DrawableOverrule Supporting Block References (INSERTs)
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2013/01/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-drawableoverrule-supporting-block-references-inserts.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Register and Un-Register Overrules
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2013/01/autocad-overrule-net-register-and-un-register-overrules.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – Support Different Length Ratio
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2013/01/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-support-different-length-ratio.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – GeometryOverrule
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-geometryoverrule.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Check if an Overrule Has Been Registered or Not
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/autocad-overrule-net-check-if-an-overrule-has-been-registered-or-not.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – Methods Reading and Writing Dictionary Entries
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-methods-reading-and-writing-dictionary-entries.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – GripOverrule1
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-gripoverrule1.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – GripOverrule
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-gripoverrule.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – HighlightOverrule
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-highlightoverrule.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – Add List Command Support Through PropertiesOverrule
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-add-list-command-support-through-propertiesoverrule.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – Xrecord in Extension Dictionary
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-xrecord-in-extension-dictionary.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle Overrule – Add Extension Dictionary Filter
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-overrule-add-extension-dictionary-filter.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – WorldDraw in WorldDraw
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-worlddraw-in-worlddraw.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – ViewportDraw
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-viewportdraw.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – Center Linetype
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-center-linetype.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Centerline Circle – Register and Unregister
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/autocad-overrule-net-centerline-circle-register-and-unregister.html

AutoCAD Overrule .NET: Create Centerline Circle
http://spiderinnet1.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/autocad-overrule-net-create-centerline-circle.html

AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) has provided an item wizard, Overruler, to help create AutoCAD .NET overrule derivative classes for any type of AutoCAD entity, implement their methods, and register/unregister the chosen overrules automatically in no time. 

Create Various Overrules in C# Using Overruler of AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard)

The build #0.7.5.0 of AutoCAD .Net Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) has been rolled out and provided a few new features. The Overruler item wizard is one of them.
 

The following wizard pages will show up one after another after the Add button is pressed.
 



 
If the Overruler settings are set as above, all AutoCAD overrules will be created automatically and accordingly for our Centerline Circle. Here is what the Solution Explorer looks like.
 

The auto-generated various overrules for centerline-circle will look like follows. Most namespaces are skipped for brevity purpose.

CenterlineCircle.cs
using System;
using System.Text;
using System.Linq;
using System.Xml;
using System.Reflection;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;
using System.Windows.Forms;
 
using System.IO;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
 
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows;
 
using MgdAcApplication = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application;
using MgdAcDocument = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Document;
using AcWindowsNS = Autodesk.AutoCAD.Windows;
 
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle
    {
        public void Register()
        {
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_DimensionStyleOverrule.Instance, true);
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_PropertiesOverrule.Instance, true);
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_OsnapOverrule.Instance, true);
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_TransformOverrule.Instance, true);
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_GripOverrule.Instance, true);
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_SubentityOverrule.Instance, true);
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_HighlightOverrule.Instance, true);
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_HighlightStateOverrule.Instance, true);
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_VisibilityOverrule.Instance, true);
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_GeometryOverrule.Instance, true);
            Overrule.AddOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_ObjectOverrule.Instance, true);
 
        }
 
        public void UnRegister()
        {
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_DimensionStyleOverrule.Instance);
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_PropertiesOverrule.Instance);
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_OsnapOverrule.Instance);
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_TransformOverrule.Instance);
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_GripOverrule.Instance);
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_SubentityOverrule.Instance);
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_HighlightOverrule.Instance);
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_HighlightStateOverrule.Instance);
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_VisibilityOverrule.Instance);
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_GeometryOverrule.Instance);
            Overrule.RemoveOverrule(RXClass.GetClass(typeof(Circle)), CenterlineCircle_ObjectOverrule.Instance);
 
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_DimensionStyleOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_DimensionStyleOverrule : DimensionStyleOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_DimensionStyleOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_DimensionStyleOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_DimensionStyleOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_DimensionStyleOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.ObjectId DimensionStyle(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Dimension dimension)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.ObjectId);
        }
 
        public override void GetDimstyleData(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Dimension dimension, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DimStyleTableRecord style)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void SetDimensionStyle(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Dimension dimension, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.ObjectId id)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void SetDimstyleData(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Dimension dimension, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DimStyleTableRecord style)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void SetDimstyleData(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Dimension dimension, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.ObjectId dimstyleId)
        {
 
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_GeometryOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_GeometryOverrule : GeometryOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_GeometryOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_GeometryOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_GeometryOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_GeometryOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Extents3d GetGeomExtents(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Extents3d);
        }
 
        public override void IntersectWith(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity ent, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Intersect intType, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3dCollection points, System.IntPtr thisGsMarker, System.IntPtr otherGsMarker)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void IntersectWith(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity ent, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Intersect intType, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Plane projPlane, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3dCollection points, System.IntPtr thisGsMarker, System.IntPtr otherGsMarker)
        {
 
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_GripOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_GripOverrule : GripOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_GripOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_GripOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_GripOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_GripOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override void GetGripPoints(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3dCollection gripPoints, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.IntegerCollection snapModes, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.IntegerCollection geometryIds)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void GetGripPoints(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.GripDataCollection grips, double curViewUnitSize, int gripSize, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Vector3d curViewDir, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.GetGripPointsFlags bitFlags)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void GetStretchPoints(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3dCollection stretchPoints)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void MoveGripPointsAt(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.IntegerCollection indices, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Vector3d offset)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void MoveGripPointsAt(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.GripDataCollection grips, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Vector3d offset, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.MoveGripPointsFlags bitFlags)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void MoveStretchPointsAt(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.IntegerCollection indices, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Vector3d offset)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void OnGripStatusChanged(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.GripStatus status)
        {
 
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_HighlightOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_HighlightOverrule : HighlightOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_HighlightOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_HighlightOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_HighlightOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_HighlightOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override void Highlight(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath subId, bool highlightAll)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void Unhighlight(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath subId, bool highlightAll)
        {
 
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_HighlightStateOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_HighlightStateOverrule : HighlightStateOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_HighlightStateOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_HighlightStateOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_HighlightStateOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_HighlightStateOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.GraphicsInterface.HighlightStyle HighlightState(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath subId)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.GraphicsInterface.HighlightStyle);
        }
 
        public override void PopHighlight(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath subId)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void PushHighlight(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath subId, Autodesk.AutoCAD.GraphicsInterface.HighlightStyle highlightStyle)
        {
 
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_ObjectOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_ObjectOverrule : ObjectOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_ObjectOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_ObjectOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_ObjectOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_ObjectOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override void Cancel(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject dbObject)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void Close(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject dbObject)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject DeepClone(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject dbObject, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject ownerObject, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.IdMapping idMap, bool isPrimary)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject);
        }
 
        public override void Erase(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject dbObject, bool erasing)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void Open(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject dbObject, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.OpenMode mode)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject WblockClone(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject dbObject, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime.RXObject ownerObject, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.IdMapping idMap, bool isPrimary)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject);
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_OsnapOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_OsnapOverrule : OsnapOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_OsnapOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_OsnapOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_OsnapOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_OsnapOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override void GetObjectSnapPoints(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.ObjectSnapModes snapMode, System.IntPtr gsSelectionMark, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3d pickPoint, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3d lastPoint, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Matrix3d viewTransform, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3dCollection snapPoints, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.IntegerCollection geometryIds)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void GetObjectSnapPoints(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.ObjectSnapModes snapMode, System.IntPtr gsSelectionMark, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3d pickPoint, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3d lastPoint, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Matrix3d viewTransform, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3dCollection snapPoints, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.IntegerCollection geometryIds, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Matrix3d insertionMat)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override bool IsContentSnappable(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity)
        {
            return default(bool);
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_PropertiesOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_PropertiesOverrule : PropertiesOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_PropertiesOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_PropertiesOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_PropertiesOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_PropertiesOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override System.Guid GetClassID(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObject entity)
        {
            return default(System.Guid);
        }
 
        public override void List(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity)
        {
 
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_SubentityOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_SubentityOverrule : SubentityOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_SubentityOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_SubentityOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_SubentityOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_SubentityOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override void AddSubentPaths(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath[] paths)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void DeleteSubentPaths(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath[] paths)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Matrix3d GetCompoundObjectTransform(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Matrix3d);
        }
 
        public override void GetGripPointsAtSubentPath(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath subPath, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.GripDataCollection grips, double curViewUnitSize, int gripSize, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Vector3d curViewDir, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.GetGripPointsFlags bitFlags)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override System.IntPtr[] GetGsMarkersAtSubentPath(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath subPath)
        {
            return default(System.IntPtr[]);
        }
 
        public override System.Guid GetSubentClassId(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath path)
        {
            return default(System.Guid);
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Extents3d GetSubentPathGeomExtents(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath path)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Extents3d);
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath[] GetSubentPathsAtGsMarker(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.SubentityType type, System.IntPtr gsMark, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Point3d pickPoint, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Matrix3d viewXform, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.ObjectId[] entAndInsertStack)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath[]);
        }
 
        public override void MoveGripPointsAtSubentPaths(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath[] path, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.GripDataCollection grips, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Vector3d offset, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.MoveGripPointsFlags bitFlags)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override void OnSubentGripStatusChanged(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.GripStatus status, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath subentity)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity SubentPtr(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath id)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity);
        }
 
        public override void TransformSubentPathsBy(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.FullSubentityPath[] paths, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Matrix3d xform)
        {
 
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_TransformOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_TransformOverrule : TransformOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_TransformOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_TransformOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_TransformOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_TransformOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override bool CloneMeForDragging(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity)
        {
            return default(bool);
        }
 
        public override void Explode(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.DBObjectCollection entitySet)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity GetTransformedCopy(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Matrix3d transform)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity);
        }
 
        public override bool HideMeForDragging(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity)
        {
            return default(bool);
        }
 
        public override void TransformBy(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry.Matrix3d transform)
        {
 
        }
    }
}

CenterlineCircle_VisibilityOverrule.cs
namespace OverrulesTest
{
    public class CenterlineCircle_VisibilityOverrule : VisibilityOverrule
    {
        protected CenterlineCircle_VisibilityOverrule()
        {
        }
 
        protected static CenterlineCircle_VisibilityOverrule mInstance;
 
        public static CenterlineCircle_VisibilityOverrule Instance
        {
            get
            {
                if (mInstance == null)
                    mInstance = new CenterlineCircle_VisibilityOverrule();
                return mInstance;
            }
        }
 
        public override void SetVisibility(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity, Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Visibility newVal, bool doSubents)
        {
 
        }
 
        public override Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Visibility Visibility(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Entity entity)
        {
            return default(Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.Visibility);
        }
    }
}

The leading edge AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) provides various project wizards, item wizards, coders to help program AutoCAD .NET addins.

Create C# Entity Appender Code Using AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard)

The build #0.7.5.0 of AutoCAD .Net Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) has been rolled out and provided a few new features. The Entity Appender coder is one of them.

If the cursor is inside a method body like the following and the Entity Appender is set as the above,
 
after the OK button is pressed, the following code snippet will be appended automatically to the method.

public static ObjectId CreateCircle()
{
 
    //ObjectId entId = ObjectId.Null;
 
    using (Circle newEnt = new Circle())    //The default parameterless constructor
    {
        //Initialize necessary properties below
        //newEnt.ColorIndex = 1;
 
        Transaction trans = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase.TransactionManager.StartTransaction();
 
        using (trans)
        {
            BlockTableRecord blkTR = (BlockTableRecord)trans.GetObject(HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase.CurrentSpaceId, OpenMode.ForWrite);
            newEnt.TransformBy(Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem);
 
            blkTR.AppendEntity(newEnt);
            trans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(newEnt, true);
 
            //entId = newEnt.ObjectId;
            trans.Commit();
        }
    }
}

Through few adjustments being made to the snippet as instructed by the comments, the method will become functional. Here is a good example.
public static ObjectId CreateCircle()
{
    ObjectId entId = ObjectId.Null; //uncommented out
 
    using (Circle newEnt = new Circle())    //The default parameterless constructor
    {
        //Initialize necessary properties below
        newEnt.ColorIndex = 1;   //uncommented out
        newEnt.Center = new Point3d(0, 0, 0); //added
        newEnt.Radius = 10.0; //added
 
        Transaction trans = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase.TransactionManager.StartTransaction();
 
        using (trans)
        {
            BlockTableRecord blkTR = (BlockTableRecord)trans.GetObject(HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase.CurrentSpaceId, OpenMode.ForWrite);
            newEnt.TransformBy(Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem);
 
            blkTR.AppendEntity(newEnt);
            trans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(newEnt, true);
 
            entId = newEnt.ObjectId;     //uncommented out
            trans.Commit();
        }
    }
 
    return entId; //added
}

Here are some more different flavors of the code generated by the Entity Appender coder.
public static void CreateCircle1()
{
    //ObjectId entId = ObjectId.Null;
 
    using (Circle newEnt = new Circle())    //The default parameterless constructor
    {
        //Initialize necessary properties below
        //newEnt.ColorIndex = 1;
 
        Transaction trans = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase.TransactionManager.TopTransaction;
 
        BlockTableRecord blkTR = (BlockTableRecord)trans.GetObject(HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase.CurrentSpaceId, OpenMode.ForWrite);
        newEnt.TransformBy(Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem);
 
        blkTR.AppendEntity(newEnt);
        trans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(newEnt, true);
 
        //entId = newEnt.ObjectId;
        //trans.Commit();
    }
}
 
 
public static void CreateCircle2()
{
    //ObjectId entId = ObjectId.Null;
 
    using (Circle newEnt = new Circle())    //The default parameterless constructor
    {
        //Initialize necessary properties below
        //newEnt.ColorIndex = 1;
 
        Transaction trans = HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase.TransactionManager.StartOpenCloseTransaction();
 
        using (trans)
        {
            BlockTableRecord blkTR = (BlockTableRecord)trans.GetObject(HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase.CurrentSpaceId, OpenMode.ForWrite);
            newEnt.TransformBy(Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem);
 
            blkTR.AppendEntity(newEnt);
            trans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(newEnt, true);
 
            //entId = newEnt.ObjectId;
            trans.Commit();
        }
    }
}
 
public static void CreateCircle3(Transaction trans)
{
    //ObjectId entId = ObjectId.Null;
 
    using (Circle newEnt = new Circle())    //The default parameterless constructor
    {
        //Initialize necessary properties below
        //newEnt.ColorIndex = 1;
 
 
        BlockTableRecord blkTR = (BlockTableRecord)trans.GetObject(HostApplicationServices.WorkingDatabase.CurrentSpaceId, OpenMode.ForWrite);
        newEnt.TransformBy(Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor.CurrentUserCoordinateSystem);
 
        blkTR.AppendEntity(newEnt);
        trans.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(newEnt, true);
 
        //entId = newEnt.ObjectId;
        //trans.Commit();
    }
}

The Database instance can also be passed from outside as method argument or created/obtained a bit earlier in the method. Please give it a try and feel its power and flexibility yourself.
The leading edge AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard) provides various project wizards, item wizards, coders to help program AutoCAD .NET addins.

AutoCAD and Programming Languages – Menu Macros and DIESEL

AutoCAD supports a variety of programming languages, interfaces and technologies, from the oldest but still very popular AutoLISP to the latest DesignScript and JavaScript. The API (Application Programming Interface) seems a more proper term to use to refer to them for AutoCAD generally provides a bridge/interface between its drawing elements and some programming environments either internal or external. 

AutoCAD provides the following APIs (Application Programming Interface) so far.

• AutoLISP
• Visual LISP
• Menu Macros and DIESEL (Direct Interpretively Evaluated String Expression Language)
• ADS (AutoCAD Development System)
• ADSRX (AutoCAD Development System Runtime eXtension)
• ARX (AutoCAD Runtime eXtension)
• ObjectARX (Objectified AutoCAD Runtime eXtension)
• COM (Component Object Model)
• ActiveX Interfaces
    o VBA (Visual Basic for Application)
    o VB 6
    o Delphi
    o …
    o COM Interop
• .NET
    o C#
    o VB.NET
    o CLI (Common Language Infrastructure)/Managed C++
    o F#
    o …
• DesignScript
• JavaScript

Menu Macros and DIESEL is used to define callbacks for AutoCAD menus such as buttons, menu items, shortcuts, mouse clicks, and even digital input devices in .MNU files. It’s the main technology to define AutoCAD UIs in the past. Since the CUI comes out, the Menu Macros and DIESEL has been less and less used.

It can be as simple as calling the ZOOM command for the right button click of the mouse.

[Button #2 Right]^C^C’_zoom ;

It can also contain some conditions and branches as follows.

ID_Copy [_Button(“Copy Object”, RCDATA_16_COPYOB, RCDATA_16_COPYOB)]$M=$(if,$(eq,+$(substr,$(getvar,cmdnames),1,4),grip),_copy,^C^C_copy)

Though it is not a real sense API (Application Programming Interface), its syntax system is petty huge and complex. Many online resources and books have addressed the legacy technology in detail, so we will not duplicate the effort here. Instead, let’s present a similar skill matrix using the same criteria for the Menu Macros and DIESEL based on our understanding and experiences.

       Skill Matrix of Menu Macros and DIESEL
==================================================================================
 Criteria            Scale
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Affordability              10 (embedded into AutoCAD itself)
Availability               8  (text editors can edit the menu macros directly;
                               AutoCAD provides comprehensive samples)
Capability       
 Language Itself           3 (define menus only; DIESEL similar to subset of AutoLISP)
 User Interface            2 (to define simple menu UIs and their callbacks)
 AutoCAD Friendliness      4 (not so bad)
Efficiency    
 Running Performance       3 (not good)
 Development Effectiveness 3 (not good)
Compatibility/Portability  9 (almost no portable issue)
Learnability               2 (no knowledge share; better start from samples)
Code Reusability           2 (only in AutoCAD menus)
Operability                1 (very poor)
Manageability              3 (.MNU, .MNR, .MNL file formats)
Code Safety                2 (has compiled version)
Maintainability            2 (can be separated in a few partial menus)
Interoperability           3 (can call commands; call AutoLISP functions in .MNL)
Readability                1 (cannot be poorer)
Scalability                2 (menu can be big; cannot fulfill big task itself)
Applicability              2 (can only apply to AutoCAD and its flavors)
==================================================================================

As can be seen, it has very low marks in most of skills because of its sole menu definition usage.  Therefore, we can forget about it in non-menu related tasks. Even if for UI related ones in recent AutoCAD versions, using the CUI API or creating the .CUI(x) files manually is obviously a better idea than the legacy .MNU stuffs.

The leading edge AutoCAD .NET Addin Wizard (AcadNetAddinWizard), as its name indicates, focuses on .NET compliant languages (currently C#, VB.NET and CLI/Managed C++).