Attaching arbitrary data to a model

[B2Pi]

Is there a way to attach what was once called a blob to a model? Perhaps I'm blind, but I'm just not seeing it. If not, is there some other magic method to accomplish something similar?

Cheers

[TIG]

model.set_attribute('MyLovelyBlob', 'some_key', value)
To read that key use:
val = model.get_attribute('MyLovelyBlob', 'some_key', nil)
Returns nil if not set.

The value can be integer/float/length/string/boolean/array [array of any of the other types]

Attributes can be set/got for most kinds of things in SketchUp - from the model itself down through collections and entities...

[slbaumgartner]

I interpret "blob" to mean "binary large object", that is, a sizeable chunk of otherwise opaque binary data. You might need to pack your blob into a Ruby type that set/get_attribute handles correctly. Test with specific examples to see whether what you have survives the round trip or needs to be packed.

[TIG]

If the 'blob' is actually binary data you can convert it with ruby into a string for the set_..., then convert it back to binary after the string is returned by the get...

There is a length limit for a single string attribute [~20000]...
Before the API introduced the ability to download a SKP [binary-file] from a URL, in the oldie system I invented a temporary fix using the then API, to allow you to do it by downloading/inserting a remote almost empty [binary] SKP and then extracting its special string attribute[s] and reworking them back into binary data - concatenating multiple strings into one if the max length was exceeded.
You then had an RBZ to install...

RBZ2SKP [note: some references etc need setting initially !]

		defn = model.definitions.add(File.basename(path)) ### make defn [if needed]
		defn.entities.add_cpoint([0,0,1]) ### so NOT empty
		data = File.open(path, "rb"){|io| io.read}.unpack('H*')[0]
		  ### tidy up in case observers have added stuff ?
		  defn.attribute_dictionaries.each{|attd|
			attd.keys.each{|k| attd.delete_key(k) }
			defn.attribute_dictionaries.delete(attd)
		  } if defn.attribute_dictionaries
		  ### divide up
		  key = 'x0001'
		  chunk = 20000 ### size limit
		  start = 0
		  parts = data.length / chunk
		  (parts + 1).times{
			part = data[start..(start+chunk)]
			defn.set_attribute("RBZdata", key, part)
			start = start + chunk + 1
			key.next!
		}
		### save as SKP
		nname = File.basename(path).gsub(/^[^A-Za-z0-9._-]/, '').gsub(/[^A-Za-z0-9._-]/, '_') + '.skp'
		### strip out leading # and all non A0Z etc as '_'
		skp = File.join(File.dirname(path), nname)
		defn.save_as(skp)
		defn.entities.clear!

SKP2RBZ [note again: you'll need to define some references and decide on the exact code !]

		### after the SKP is added...
		defn = model.definitions[-1]
		return false unless defn
		### reassemble
		attd = defn.attribute_dictionaries['RBZdata']
		return unless attd
		data = ''
		attd.keys.sort.each{|key|
			data << defn.get_attribute('RBZdata', key, '')
		}
		datax = [data].pack('H*')
		###
		fi = File.open(path,'wb')
		  fi.write(datax)
		fi.close
		@model.start_operation('SKP2RBZ')
		  defn.entities.clear!
		  Sketchup.send_action("editUndo;")
		@model.commit_operation

You might be able to extract a 'blob' set/get from this...

[B2Pi]

Please forgive me. I was convinced that I'd already replied. This is exactly what I needed (and I'm further at a loss wrt how I didn't see that in the the API reference). Thanks very much