Using AcCui.dll (CUI API) outside AutoCAD

By Adam Nagy

I'm trying to use the CUI API from an external application, but when I'm using functions like Workspaces.Clone() I get an exception. What is wrong?

Solution

At the moment you need to create a class that implements the IHostServices interface and set that to CustomizationSection.HostServices in order to use AcCui.dll outside AutoCAD.
Note: the process is planned to be simplified in a future release, so that you do not even have to implement this interface anymore.

Because of the dependency on AcCui.dll you need to run your exe from the AutoCAD install folder.

The below sample copies a workspace from a custom cuix file into AutoCAD's cuix file.

When testing the sample make sure that the Copy Local property of the reference to AcCui.dll is set to False and you back up acad.cuix before running the sample

using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Customization;
 
namespace CuiTestExe
{
  public class MyHostServices : IHostServices
  {
    void IHostServices.DisplayMessage(string message, string title)
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
        "IHostServices.DisplayMessage [" + message + 
        ", " + title + "]");
    }
 
    CustomizationSection IHostServices.EnterpriseCUIFile()
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
        "IHostServices.EnterpriseCUIFile");
      return null;
    }
 
    string IHostServices.FindFile(string fileName)
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
        "IHostServices.FindFile [" + fileName + "]");
      // Only needs to be implemented if you want 
      // to handle relative paths
      return null;
    }
 
    void IHostServices.GeneratePropertyCollection(
      ObjectType ot)
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
        "IHostServices.GeneratePropertyCollection [" + 
        ot.ToString() + "]");
    }
 
    System.Drawing.Bitmap IHostServices.GetCachedImage(
      string imageId, bool return_null)
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
        "IHostServices.GetCachedImage [" + imageId + 
        ", " + return_null.ToString() + "]");
      return null;
    }
 
    string IHostServices.GetDieselEvalString(
      string dieselExpression)
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
        "IHostServices.GetDieselEvalString [" + 
        dieselExpression + "]");
      return dieselExpression;
    }
 
    ArrayList IHostServices.GetLoadedMenuGroupNames()
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
        "IHostServices.GetLoadedMenuGroupNames");
      return new System.Collections.ArrayList();
    }
 
    void IHostServices.InsertMenuOnMenuBar(
      string menuGroupName, string alias)
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
        "IHostServices.InsertMenuOnMenuBar [" + menuGroupName + 
        ", " + alias + "]");
    }
 
    bool IHostServices.IsOEM()
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("IHostServices.IsOEM");
      return false;
    }
 
    int IHostServices.QueryMode()
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("IHostServices.QueryMode");
      return 0;
    }
 
    string IHostServices.RegistryProductRootKey()
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
        "IHostServices.RegistryProductRootKey");
      return null;
    }
 
    void IHostServices.WriteMessage(string message)
    {
      System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
        "IHostServices.WriteMessage [" + message + "]");
    }
  }
 
  public class Commands
  {
    public static void merge()
    {
      try
      {
        // Since we run this code outside AutoCAD
        CustomizationSection.HostServices = new MyHostServices();
 
        CustomizationSection acad_cuix = new CustomizationSection(
          @"C:Documents and SettingsAdministrator" + 
          @"Application DataAutodeskAutoCAD 2011R18.1" + 
          @"enuSupportacad.cuix");
        CustomizationSection my_cuix = new CustomizationSection(
          @"C:Documents and SettingsAdministratorDesktop" +
          @"mytestnew.cuix");
 
        // Place the first (and only) workspace in my cuix 
        // after the first workspace in the acad cuix
        Workspace my_workspace = my_cuix.Workspaces[0];
        Workspace acad_workspace = acad_cuix.Workspaces[0];
 
        ContainerCloneAction containerClnAction = 
          new ContainerCloneAction();
        // The following line throws error when this code is run in 
        // an external application and HostServices is not set
        Workspace acad_new_workspace = acad_cuix.Workspaces.Clone(
          my_workspace, acad_workspace, ref containerClnAction);
 
        if (acad_cuix.IsModified)
        {
          acad_cuix.Save();
        }
      }
      catch (System.Exception ex)
      {
        MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "CUI API Test");
 
        return;
      }
    }
 
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
      merge();
    }
  }
}