TBC Macros and Extensions

Hello,

how would I add axis/direction indicators to a view. Main purpose would be 3d view.

I want to enhance my macro that rotates IFC objects around user defined axes. To make it easier I'd like to visualize them while the macro is running.

x and y aren't necessarily square to each other, but z will always be perpendicular to the x,y plane, so I'd need to be able to define/draw each axis independently.

Based on the "FindSurfaceArea" sample macro I was able to get something working, there's probably a better way which I'd still be interested in.

The ViewCone I'm using for the arrow tip i.e. has an issue when it is pointing up/downwards, see the "missing" red tip at the beginning of the clip.

you need a few imports

from System import Guid, Byte, Array

clr.AddReference("Trimble.Vce.GraphicsEngine2D")
from Trimble.Vce.GraphicsEngine import OverlayBag

clr.AddReference("Trimble.Vce.UI.UIManager")
from Trimble.Vce.UI.UIManager import TrimbleOffice

clr.AddReference ("Trimble.Vce.UI.Controls")
from Trimble.Vce.UI.Controls import DisplayWindow

in __init__ you need

        self.ViewOverlay = Guid.NewGuid()
        self.overlayBag = OverlayBag(self.ViewOverlay)

The overlay gets a unique ID everytime you run the macro, so you must make sure you dispose properly of it when you are done. Otherwise it will be persistent on the screen and you'd need to restart TBC.

add the following wherever you'd reach the end of the macro, i.e. the end of of OkClicked and CancelClicked

        TrimbleOffice.TheOffice.MainWindow.AppViewManager.RemoveOverlayGeometry(self.ViewOverlay)

And for the case that the user just closes the project while the macro hasn't been closed the following routine that seems to be called automatically by TBC.

    def Dispose(self, thisCmd, disposing):
        TrimbleOffice.TheOffice.MainWindow.AppViewManager.RemoveOverlayGeometry(self.ViewOverlay)

And the code for my three arrows

    def drawoverlay(self, ps1, ps2, ps3):

        # ps1 - origin, ps2 - point on x-axis, ps3 - point on y-axis
        
        TrimbleOffice.TheOffice.MainWindow.AppViewManager.RemoveOverlayGeometry(self.ViewOverlay)

        self.overlayBag = OverlayBag(self.ViewOverlay)
        
        xaxis = Vector3D(ps1, ps2)
        yaxis = Vector3D(ps1, ps3)
        zaxis = Vector3D.CrossProduct(xaxis, yaxis)[0]
        # make the overlay arrows a uniform length - the longest axis that has been defined by the user
        if xaxis.Length > yaxis.Length:
            yaxis.Length = xaxis.Length
            zaxis.Length = xaxis.Length
        else:
            xaxis.Length = yaxis.Length
            zaxis.Length = yaxis.Length

        #self.overlayBag.AddViewCone(ps1, ps2, double length, double radius, int color, byte opacity)
        conelength = xaxis.Length / 5   # make the cone a decent size

        self.overlayBag.AddLine(ps1 + xaxis, ps1, 255, 5)
        self.overlayBag.AddViewCone(ps1 + xaxis, ps1, conelength, conelength / 5, 255, Byte.Parse("255"))

        self.overlayBag.AddLine(ps1 + yaxis, ps1, 65280, 5)
        self.overlayBag.AddViewCone(ps1 + yaxis, ps1, conelength, conelength / 5, 65280, Byte.Parse("255"))

        self.overlayBag.AddLine(ps1 + zaxis, ps1, 16711680, 5)
        self.overlayBag.AddViewCone(ps1 + zaxis, ps1, conelength, conelength / 5, 16711680, Byte.Parse("255"))

        # if it only needs to be visible in all Planview then remove the Hoops3DViewGUID
        array = Array[Guid]([DisplayWindow.Hoops3DViewGUID, DisplayWindow.HoopsPlanViewGUID])
        TrimbleOffice.TheOffice.MainWindow.AppViewManager.AddOverlayGeometry(array, self.overlayBag)

        return