public static void LoadAndSaveBlocks()
{
// Create a block to be used as sample
Block baseBlk = new Block("BaseBlock");
baseBlk.Record.Units = DrawingUnits.Millimeters;
baseBlk.Entities.Add(new Line(new Vector3(-5, -5, 0), new Vector3(5, 5, 0)));
baseBlk.Entities.Add(new Line(new Vector3(5, -5, 0), new Vector3(-5, 5, 0)));
AttributeDefinition attdef = new AttributeDefinition("MyAttribute")
{
Prompt = "Enter a value:",
Value = 0,
Position = Vector3.Zero,
Layer = new Layer("MyLayer")
{
Color = AciColor.Red
}
};
baseBlk.AttributeDefinitions.Add(attdef);
// Blocks are saved in a similar way as other dxf, just pass the dxf file name, the DxfVersion, and optionally if the dxf needs to be saved in binary format
// Only AutoCad2000 and newer versions are supported.
// The block entities and attribute definitions will be added to the Model layout.
// The drawing header units will be the ones defined in the block record.
baseBlk.Save(baseBlk.Name + ".dxf", DxfVersion.AutoCad2000);
DxfDocument dxf = new DxfDocument();
// Blocks are loaded as any other dxf, just pass the dxf file name,
// optionally you can also give it a name, by default the file name without extension will be used.
// Only AutoCad2000 and newer versions are supported,
// Only the entities contained in the Model layout will be used.
// The block units will be the ones defined in the dxf header.
Block block = Block.Load(baseBlk.Name + ".dxf", "MyBlock");
// in case the loading process has failed check for null
// In DEBUG mode the loading process will raise exceptions while in RELEASE it will just return null, the same as loading a DxfDocument
if (block == null)
{
Console.WriteLine("Error loading the block dxf file.");
Console.WriteLine("Press a key to continue...");
Console.ReadKey();
return;
}
// once the block is loaded we can use it in insert entities
Insert insert = new Insert(block, new Vector2(10));
// the block might also contain attribute definitions
int attdefCount = block.AttributeDefinitions.Count;
// this is the list of attribute definition tags
// remember netDxf does not allow the use of duplicate tag names, although AutoCad allows it, it is not recommended
ICollection<string> tags = block.AttributeDefinitions.Tags;
// we can assign values to the insert attributes
foreach (Attribute att in insert.Attributes)
{
att.Value = string.Format("{0} value", att.Tag);
}
// optionally we can manually add the block definition to the document
dxf.Blocks.Add(block);
// we add the insert entity to the document, if the block associated with the block has not been added this method will do it automatically
dxf.AddEntity(insert);
// also it is possible to manually add attribute definitions to a document
AttributeDefinition def = new AttributeDefinition("AttDefOutsideBlock")
{
Prompt = "Enter value:",
Value = 0,
Color = AciColor.Blue,
Position = new Vector3(0, 30, 0)
};
// we will add the attribute definition to the document just like anyother entity
dxf.AddEntity(def);
// now we can save our new document
dxf.Save("CreateBlockFromDxf.dxf");
DxfDocument load = DxfDocument.Load("CreateBlockFromDxf.dxf");
}
