Showing part of the model space in a .NET Form/Dialog

By Adam Nagy

I would like to show a certain part of the model space in my .NET Form. Is it possible?

Solution

Yes it is.

In the following sample I created a Form called ViewForm and placed a Panel on it called ViewPanel, then used the following code to show a certain part of the model space on it:

Imports acApp = Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices.Application Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.GraphicsSystem Imports GI = Autodesk.AutoCAD.GraphicsInterface Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry   Public Class ViewForm   Dim device As Device   Dim view As View   Dim model As Model     Private Sub Form_OnLoad( _   ByVal sender As System.Object, _   ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _   Handles MyBase.Load       Dim doc As Document = acApp.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument     Dim db As Database = doc.Database     Dim gsm As Manager = doc.GraphicsManager     ' Create a device that will draw into our panel     device = gsm.CreateAutoCADDevice(ViewPanel.Handle)     ' Create a view and add it to the device     view = New View     device.Add(view)     device.Update()       Using tr As Transaction = _       db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()         model = gsm.CreateAutoCADModel()       Dim bt As BlockTable = _         tr.GetObject(db.BlockTableId, OpenMode.ForRead)       Dim ms As BlockTableRecord = _         tr.GetObject( _           bt(BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace), OpenMode.ForRead)       ' Add the model space to the view       view.Add(ms, model)       ' Make sure that the area that you want to show        ' lies between these two points       view.ZoomExtents( _         New Point3d(-10, -10, 0), New Point3d(200, 200, 0))       ' In case you want to show some solids in shaded mode       view.Mode = _         Autodesk.AutoCAD.GraphicsSystem.RenderMode.GouraudShaded       view.VisualStyle = _         New GI.VisualStyle(GI.VisualStyleType.GouraudWithEdges)       ' Just to make sure that not perspective but parallel        ' mode is used       view.SetView(view.Position, view.Target, _         view.UpVector, view.FieldWidth, _         view.FieldHeight, Projection.Parallel)     End Using     End Sub     Private Sub Panel_OnPaint( _   ByVal sender As System.Object, _   ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs) _   Handles ViewPanel.Paint       ' Redraw the view     view.Invalidate()     view.Update()     End Sub     Private Sub Form_OnClosing( _   ByVal sender As System.Object, _   ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.FormClosingEventArgs) _   Handles MyBase.FormClosing       ' Call dispose to free the underlying ObjectARX objects     device.Dispose()     view.Dispose()     model.Dispose()     End Sub End Class

If you’d like to see a more comprehensive solution then please have a look at the BlockView.NET sample project