Refer to entities from code

TIG

The deprecated warning IS a mistake in the API.
You CAN safely make a group unique, indeed sometimes you MUST.

However, you can side step it, by making an empty new-group in the intended entities context and adding an instance of the copy-group into it and explode that inside it, the new-group is then equivalent to the original BUT not connected...
new_group = some_entities.add_group() new_copy = new_group.entities.add_instance(original_group.entities.parent, original_group.transformation) new_copy.explode
The 'new_copy' replicates 'original_group' with no 'connections'...

dacastror

I'm reading carefully the lines of code and I'm learning TIG proposes several things, another question arises me, suppose that I assign a different name to each dictionary of each entity and I want to find the entity using the name of the dictionary. How can I modify the condition
" if i.get_attribute("dacastor 666", "id", nil)==idd "?
(google translator)

TIG

If you have say three different dictionaries you can use something like:
` nlist=["dacastor123", "dacastor666", "dacastor999"]###***
###... etc
d.instances.each{|i|
###... etc
nlist.each{|dict|
if i.get_attribute(dict, "id", nil)==idd
###.... etc ### do stuff here
end
}

} ###... etc`

***### 'nlist' is an array of possible dictionary names... set up before you start iterating collections of things...
'dict' refers to each "string" name, inside the 'nlist' [array]...

Note that the attribute dictionary 'names' AND the 'keys' should not contain 'spaces' or other puncuation - it should start with a-z, then more or 0-9, but you can include an '_'

dacastror

TIG thank you very much, I will try that

I was trying something, but is a bit more complicated:


idd = "dic1"
hit = nil
mod.definitions.each{|d|
   next if d.image?  
   d.instances.each{|i|
      next if i.attribute_dictionaries.to_a.size<1
      dictio = i.attribute_dictionaries.to_a
      if dictio[0].name==idd
         hit=i           
         break
      end
   break if hit
   }
}

jolran

Hah , yes thats exactly just what I did.

I ran into trouble deleting the newly created definition, with something like :
gp=Sketchup.active_model.active_entities.add_instance(@su_gp.definition, ORIGIN)

Also since @su_gp (in my case) could be either a group or component I had to put in some ifs and nots as well. With entities.parent for groups just like you described.
Not a big deal to explode, performance-vise. Feels safer.

Thanks for reasuring about the group unique thing. Not gonna use it this time though .

BTW hope this issue was related to the topic.

Dan Rathbun

@dacastror said:

... suppose that I assign a different name to each dictionary of each entity and I want to find the entity using the name of the dictionary. How can I modify the condition
" if i.get_attribute("dacastor 666", "id", nil)==idd "?
(google translator)

if i.attribute_dictionary(idd)

or

unless i.attribute_dictionary(idd).nil?

Dan Rathbun

@dacastror said:

I was trying something, but is a bit more complicated:

you can simply do:

def find_inst_by_dict_name(dname)
  found = nil
  for d in definitions
     next if d.image? 
     found = d.instances.find{|i|
       i.attribute_dictionary(dname)
     }
     break if found
  end # for
  return found
end # def

TIG

You/we are starting to conflate the searching for an object that has a named attribute-dictionary attached to it [and which is uniquely named for one object, and is irrespective of any key/value pairs], and then the original code snippets which were about assigning, and then checking for, the 'value' of a specific 'key' in a named attribute-dictionary [where the key and dictionary are commonly named across several objects, and only vary by the key's 'value'].

I suggest you step back and decide what it is you are trying to do and how you do it best...

dacastror

Thanks Dan, I find it very nice your suggestion, I will give a chance to this

Thanks for replying TIG, I really needed to know the two things, I was lost without your help

(google translator)

dacastror

I did this and I get "error", I couldn't see what is wrong

mod = Sketchup.active_model
definitions = mod.definitions.to_a

def find_entity(dname)
  found = nil
  for d in definitions
     next if d.image? 
     found = d.instances.find{|i|
       i.attribute_dictionary(dname)
     }
     break if found
  end # for
  return found
end # def

entity = find_entity("dic1")

sdmitch

you need to move the

mod = Sketchup.active_model
definitions = mod.definitions.to_a

statements inside the def since they are not module variables starting with "@".

Dan Rathbun

@dacastror said:

I did this and I get "error", I couldn't see what is wrong

I CAN It is a stupid mistake on my part.

def self.find_entity(dname)
  found = nil
  for d in Sketchup.active_model.definitions
     next if d.image? 
     found = d.instances.find{|i|
       i.attribute_dictionary(dname)
     }
     break if found
  end # for
  return found
end # def


entity = find_entity("dic1")

Dan Rathbun

Assume you have a "DiegoCastro" folder:

And in it a "Lib.rb" file for your library methods:

module DiegoCastro

  module Lib

    def find_entity(model,dname)
      found = nil
      for d in model.definitions
        next if d.image? 
        found = d.instances.find{|i|
          i.attribute_dictionary(dname)
        }
        break if found
      end # for
      return found
    end # def

  end # Lib sub-module
  
end # Author toplevel namespace module

Then in SomePlugin you do this... (name it whatever.. "diegotest.rb" etc.)


module DiegoCastro

  module SomePlugin # <--<< change plugin sub-module name as needed

    class << self # proxy class

      require('DiegoCastro/Lib')
      include(DiegoCastro;;Lib)
    
      def find_inst_by_dict_name()
        if @last_dict.nil?
          @last_dict = "dynamic_attributes" # initial value
        end
        dname = UI.inputbox(['Dictionary Name........; '], [@last_dict], "Find by Dicto Name")
        if dname # user did not cancel the inputbox
          unless dname.empty? || dname[0].length==0
            @last_dict = dname[0]
            entity = find_entity(Sketchup.active_model,dname[0])
            if entity
              UI.messagebox("Found #{entity.inspect}     \nwith dictionary name '#{@last_dict}'     ")
              #
              return entity
              #
            else # nothing was found because find returned nil 
              UI.messagebox("No entity found with     \n dictionary name '#{@last_dict}'     ")
            end
          end
        end
        return nil
      end
    
    end # proxy class
    
    unless file_loaded?(File.basename(__FILE__))

      # create menus here;
      @@submenu = UI.menu('Plugins').add_submenu('Diego')
      @@submenu.add_item('Find entity by Dicto Name') {
        find_inst_by_dict_name()
      }

      file_loaded(File.basename(__FILE__))

    end

  end # plugin sub-module

end # Auhtor module

dacastror

wow thanks Dan, I will take some time to study this code, worth but me several questions arise, I will try to solve the most I can on my own, thank you very much
(google translator)