VB Script, Using PutText to enter an expression

I want to write a script that can modify the THEO and TARG values of a feature to be an expression, such as "1+0" or "2*VX+4". So far I can change the values to other values but if I give it an expression it always seems to evaluate it first and insert the result rather than the expression itself.

Not sure if what I want to do is possible but after scouring the forum for any examples I am sure that if it is possible someone on here will know how to do it.

Kp61dude! over 7 years ago

Hi Spikalus!

Show me your code... I had a similar situation but managed to get around it.
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vpt.se over 7 years ago

A snippet from one of my scripts:

Set PCDCommand = PCDCommands.Add (GENERIC_CONSTRUCTION, True)
  PCDCommand.Marked = True
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+0", THEO_X, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+" & DLG.CheckBox_1, THEO_Y, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+0", THEO_Z, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+0", THEO_I, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+0", THEO_J, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+1", THEO_K, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.PutText (Diameter, THEO_DIAM, 0)

  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+0", MEAS_X, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+" & DLG.CheckBox_1, MEAS_Y, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+0", MEAS_Z, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+0", MEAS_I, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+0", MEAS_J, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetExpression ("0+1", MEAS_K, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.PutText (Diameter, MEAS_DIAM, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.PutText ("CDATA", ID, 0)
  retval = PCDCommand.SetToggleString (4, GEN_FEAT_TYPE, 0)

SetExpression is what you want to be using, not PutText.

Spikalus over 7 years ago

That's perfect! Thank you, for solving that for me. I am sure that you guys have run across the fact that if you try to loop a program using while loops PC-Dmis will decide that you obviously want your THEO and TARG values to update as you increment your alignments. A programmer once taught me that if you add "+0" or "*1" to the end of your values that PC-Dmis will see them as an expression and leave them alone. I am playing around with a script that will add "+0" to the end of all of the THEO and TARG values in my program since it is so tedious to do so myself, with the end goal of having a button in the wizards toolbar that I can access easily. I am simultaneously using this to try my hand out at automating PC-Dmis via Python since I am most comfortable with that language and want to build the next generation UI we use in it.

Here is the base code I have for it now that it's working:

from win32com.client import Dispatch
from win32com.client import gencache
from win32com.client import constants
gencache.EnsureModule('{2A09476D-B502-4089-AA46-452D6754CB33}', 0, 9, 1)  

DmisApp = Dispatch("pcdlrn.Application")
DmisApp.Visible = 1  
DmisAppEvents =
DmisApp.ApplicationEvents  
DmisApp.WaitUntilReady(40)
DmisPart = DmisApp.ActivePartProgram  
DmisCmds = DmisPart.Commands  

FeatureTypes = [
     "Basic Hit",
    "CIRCLE (CONTACT)",
    "CONE (CONTACT)",
    "CYLINDER (CONTACT)",
    "Generic Feature",
    "LINE (CONTACT)",
    "Measured Circle",
    "Measured Cone",
    "Measured Cylinder",
    "Measured Line",
    "Measured Plane",
    "Measured Point",
    "Measured Round Slot",
    "Measured Sphere",
    "Measured Square Slot",
    "Measured Torus",
    "PLANE (CONTACT)",
    "SPHERE (CONTACT)",
    "VECTOR POINT (CONTACT)",
 ]

DataTypes = [
     constants.THEO_X,
    constants.THEO_Y,
    constants.THEO_Z,
    constants.THEO_SX,
    constants.THEO_SY,
    constants.THEO_SZ,
    constants.THEO_EX,
    constants.THEO_EY,
    constants.THEO_EZ,
    constants.THEO_R,
    constants.THEO_A,
    constants.THEO_H,
    constants.THEO_SR,
    constants.THEO_SA,
    constants.THEO_SH,
    constants.THEO_ER,
    constants.THEO_EA,
    constants.THEO_EH,
    constants.THEO_I,
    constants.THEO_J,
    constants.THEO_K,
    constants.TARG_X,
    constants.TARG_Y,
    constants.TARG_Z,
    constants.TARG_SX,
    constants.TARG_SY,
    constants.TARG_SZ,
    constants.TARG_EX,
    constants.TARG_EY,
    constants.TARG_EZ,
    constants.TARG_R,
    constants.TARG_A,
    constants.TARG_H,
    constants.TARG_SR,
    constants.TARG_SA,
    constants.TARG_SH,
    constants.TARG_ER,
    constants.TARG_EA,
    constants.TARG_EH,
    constants.TARG_I,
    constants.TARG_J,
    constants.TARG_K,
    constants.MEAS_X,
    constants.MEAS_Y,
    constants.MEAS_Z,
    constants.MEAS_SX,
    constants.MEAS_SY,
    constants.MEAS_SZ,
    constants.MEAS_EX,
    constants.MEAS_EY,
    constants.MEAS_EZ,
    constants.MEAS_R,
    constants.MEAS_A,
    constants.MEAS_H,
    constants.MEAS_SR,
    constants.MEAS_SA,
    constants.MEAS_SH,
    constants.MEAS_ER,
    constants.MEAS_EA,
    constants.MEAS_EH,
    constants.MEAS_I,
    constants.MEAS_J,
    constants.MEAS_K,
]

for cmd in DmisCmds:
    if cmd.TypeDescription in FeatureTypes:
        for dtype in DataTypes:
            old = cmd.GetText(dtype, 0)
            cmd.SetExpression(old + "+0", dtype, 0)

I made another script that will remove all the "+0"s just to be prepared for the inevitability of it being useful now that I can so easily add the "+0"s

 from win32com.client import Dispatch
from win32com.client import gencache
from win32com.client import constants
gencache.EnsureModule('{2A09476D-B502-4089-AA46-452D6754CB33}', 0, 9, 1)  

DmisApp = Dispatch("pcdlrn.Application")
DmisApp.Visible = 1  
DmisAppEvents =
DmisApp.ApplicationEvents  
DmisApp.WaitUntilReady(40)
DmisPart = DmisApp.ActivePartProgram  
DmisCmds = DmisPart.Commands  

FeatureTypes = [
     "Basic Hit",
    "CIRCLE (CONTACT)",
    "CONE (CONTACT)",
    "CYLINDER (CONTACT)",
    "Generic Feature",
    "LINE (CONTACT)",
    "Measured Circle",
    "Measured Cone",
    "Measured Cylinder",
    "Measured Line",
    "Measured Plane",
    "Measured Point",
    "Measured Round Slot",
    "Measured Sphere",
    "Measured Square Slot",
    "Measured Torus",
    "PLANE (CONTACT)",
    "SPHERE (CONTACT)",
    "VECTOR POINT (CONTACT)",
 ]

DataTypes = [
     constants.THEO_X,
    constants.THEO_Y,
    constants.THEO_Z,
    constants.THEO_SX,
    constants.THEO_SY,
    constants.THEO_SZ,
    constants.THEO_EX,
    constants.THEO_EY,
    constants.THEO_EZ,
    constants.THEO_R,
    constants.THEO_A,
    constants.THEO_H,
    constants.THEO_SR,
    constants.THEO_SA,
    constants.THEO_SH,
    constants.THEO_ER,
    constants.THEO_EA,
    constants.THEO_EH,
    constants.THEO_I,
    constants.THEO_J,
    constants.THEO_K,
    constants.TARG_X,
    constants.TARG_Y,
    constants.TARG_Z,
    constants.TARG_SX,
    constants.TARG_SY,
    constants.TARG_SZ,
    constants.TARG_EX,
    constants.TARG_EY,
    constants.TARG_EZ,
    constants.TARG_R,
    constants.TARG_A,
    constants.TARG_H,
    constants.TARG_SR,
    constants.TARG_SA,
    constants.TARG_SH,
    constants.TARG_ER,
    constants.TARG_EA,
    constants.TARG_EH,
    constants.TARG_I,
    constants.TARG_J,
    constants.TARG_K,
    constants.MEAS_X,
    constants.MEAS_Y,
    constants.MEAS_Z,
    constants.MEAS_SX,
    constants.MEAS_SY,
    constants.MEAS_SZ,
    constants.MEAS_EX,
    constants.MEAS_EY,
    constants.MEAS_EZ,
    constants.MEAS_R,
    constants.MEAS_A,
    constants.MEAS_H,
    constants.MEAS_SR,
    constants.MEAS_SA,
    constants.MEAS_SH,
    constants.MEAS_ER,
    constants.MEAS_EA,
    constants.MEAS_EH,
    constants.MEAS_I,
    constants.MEAS_J,
    constants.MEAS_K,
]

for cmd in DmisCmds:
    if cmd.TypeDescription in FeatureTypes:
        for dtype in DataTypes:
            old = cmd.GetText(dtype, 0)
            new = old[[emoticon:33306C418930400BAC28808410F8AC8B]ld.find("+0")]
            cmd.SetExpression(new, dtype, 0)

The code could still be optimized a little bit but it works for now.

Thanks again for the help!

vpt.se over 7 years ago

No problem! Thanks for posting your Pythonflavored source!
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Kp61dude! over 7 years ago in reply to Spikalus

Python cool!!!
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Kp61dude! over 7 years ago

I don't have a wild clue how all this Python stuff works but it has my attention. I have been going thru Mr. Al Sweigart's material "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python" so far I've learned to pull myself up to stand up but quickly fall back on VB.NET lol I hope to soon take baby steps to play on my own 2 feet with this new (to me) Python.
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dph51 over 7 years ago

I can extract the THEO values, but they don’t seem to be in the correct coordinate (alignment) system. What advice can you give an old programmer. (Using the basic supplied with PCDMIS).

Thanks
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Kp61dude! over 7 years ago

I can extract the THEO values, but they don’t seem to be in the correct coordinate

How'd you that? I could probably help but by the time I type up my solution someone will have posted a better one hahaha! But I'll go ahead and try to help out someone who is constantly sharing their knowledge with others, Mr. dph51.

Post your code if you don't mind. I'll guide you/correct it if needed.
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Kp61dude! over 7 years ago

Spikalus how did you get "Dispatch" to work? I've pip'ed my win32com but I am having errors.
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dph51 over 7 years ago

How'd you that? I could probably help but by the time I type up my solution someone will have posted a better one hahaha! But I'll go ahead and try to help out someone who is constantly sharing their knowledge with others, Mr. dph51.

Post your code if you don't mind. I'll guide you/correct it if needed.

code
extracts theos and shows on screen

Sub Main()
Dim PCDApp, PCDPartPrograms, PCDPartProgram, PCDCommands, PCDCommand

Set PCDApp = CreateObject("PCDLRN.Application")
Set PCDPARTPROGRAMS = PCDApp.PartPrograms
Set PCDPartProgram = PCDApp.ActivePartProgram
Set PCDCommands = PCDPartProgram.Commands

Dim cmd As Object
Dim fcntr As Integer
Dim FeatureList$(99999)
Dim TX, TY, TZ, NewTX, NewTY, NewTZ As Variant

fcntr = 0

For Each cmd in PCDCommands
If cmd.IsDCCFeature or cmd.IsMeasuredFeature Then
FeatureList(fcntr) = cmd.id

MSG = "feature ID = " & FeatureList(fcntr)

TX = cmd.GetText(THEO_X, 0)
TY = cmd.GetText(THEO_Y, 0)
TZ = cmd.GetText(THEO_Z, 0)
NewTX = TX & "+0"
NewTY = TY & "+0"
NewTZ = TZ & "+0"

MSG = MSG & chr(10) & chr(10) & "XTheo = " &TX
MSG = MSG & chr(10) & chr(10) & "YTheo = " &TY
MSG = MSG & chr(10) & chr(10) & "ZTheo = " &TZ
MSG = MSG & chr(10) & chr(10) & "NewXTheo = " &NewTX
MSG = MSG & chr(10) & chr(10) & "NewYTheo = " &NewTY
MSG = MSG & chr(10) & chr(10) & "NewZTheo = " &NewTZ

MsgBox MSG

End If

Next cmd

Set PCDApp = nothing
Set PCDPartPrograms = nothing
Set PCDPartProgram = nothing