topic Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info in Libraries & objects

Can I use "request" to obtain a composite information?...

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:42:33 GMT

Hi Folks,

Can I use "request" to obtain a list of wall, slab or roof composites names and respective core thicknesses?...

If so... Could you please tell me which is the exact request statement?...

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:23:05 GMT

Required parameters:
X_COMPS_NAME
X_SKINS_NUMBER
x_SKINS_PARAMS
"X" substitute for the WALL, SLAB or ROOF
Click here for details:
http://www.archicadwiki.com/Global%20GDL%20Parameters?highlight=(CategoryGdl)#WALL_SKINS_PARAMS

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:36:49 GMT

Hi Valery,

Thank you for your feedback... But I'm afraid I didn't express myself clearly...

I didn't mean the wall, roof or slab individual composites... but a list of all composites and its parameters, used by ArchiCAD... Similar to what we do with text fonts...

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:26:02 GMT

... I guess its a no...

I give up...

I think GS should put a list of all available "request" information in the AC GDL manual...

p.s.: Or those one in pages 241-251 of the AC GDL Ref Manual are the only ones?...

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:19:17 GMT

Braza wrote:
... I guess its a no...

I give up...

I think GS should put a list of all available "request" information in the AC GDL manual...

p.s.: Or those one in pages 241-251 of the AC GDL Ref Manual are the only ones?...

Yes, I think there is no REQUEST function for this one.

In the index of the GDL Reference Manual you will find a list of all REQUEST functions starting on page 294 in the AC12 manual.

I was going to say that you should look into SQl because using that you may be able to extract this info out of the Project File, but in case you want to use that in GDL then it is problematic.
On the other hand, if you get this data with an SQL query, save if into a TXT or XML file then you could read that info back in GDL.
Just guessing, I do not know what you need this for.

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:26:45 GMT

Hi Laslo,

Your guess was right on target...
I want to use the composite information in a gdl object...
It would be great to use this stored information instead of inputting it manually for each object...

Anyway... Your SQL workaround at first seems great!...
I'll give it a try. Thank you!

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:34:03 GMT

Cool.
You may want to check out the "SQL in ArchiCAD" section found in the AC12 Calculation Guide PDF file. It contains some basic stuff about how to use SQL in ArchiCAD.

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:14:16 GMT

Great!... I manage to extract all the information I need...
Now I have a question...
If I save an SQL query as a xml file... The query is static or dynamic?...
I mean... If I change the composite information, when the gdl object access the xml file the information will be updated?...

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:27:31 GMT

Braza wrote:
Great!... I manage to extract all the information I need...
Now I have a question...
If I save an SQL query as a xml file... The query is static or dynamic?...
I mean... If I change the composite information, when the gdl object access the xml file the information will be updated?...

You will have to resave the SQL result overwriting the XML file.
Then the GDL script will be able to work with that updated info the next time it is executed.
For exampe, if the code that reads these values is in the Master Script or the 2D Script, then there is that CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-R command (Rebuild and Regenerate command, I think). That should re-execute the GDL script with the new values.
I am giving this from memory, I believe this is how it should work.

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:11:34 GMT

laszlonagy wrote:
You will have to resave the SQL result overwriting the XML file.

Well... In this case this is not a workaround.
It would make the object too complex for the average AC user...

But... I was reading this in the AC12 GDL Reg Manual (page 260):

"REQUEST (extension_name, parameter_string, variable1, variable2, ...)
If the question isn’t one of those listed above, the REQUEST() function will attempt to use it as an extension-specific name. If this extension is
in the Add-Ons folder, it will be used to get as many values for as many variable names as are specified. The parameter string is interpreted by
the extension."

If I got it right... We can use an extension name as a request and extract information stored inside it...
So... I found in the folder addons/standard an extension named "attribute manager"...
Maybe some of our api gurus here in the forum could point to a good solution for this...

For me its definitely the "Dark Side of the GDL"...

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:28:51 GMT

Sorry, I am not familiar with that REQUEST function either.

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Karl Ottenstein — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:31:20 GMT

Braza wrote:
If I got it right... We can use an extension name as a request and extract information stored inside it...

That REQUEST is for GDL add-ons, not API add-ons, and so cannot interact with things such as Attribute Manager. It simply gives you an alternate syntax for calling GDL add-ons, such as the Text I/O add-on. Unless GS has changed something in recent years.

Cheers,
Karl

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Karl Ottenstein — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:34:04 GMT

Since you are on Windows, you can download the ODBC driver from the GS web site which lets you execute SQL queries from a database such as Microsoft Access. This can provide dynamic access to the project data including composite skin info, and if you know any Visual Basic, you can automate the production of a PDF report for placement on layouts - or of a text or xml file for your object to read.

Just another option depending on how essential this is for your workflow...

Karl

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:02:02 GMT

Hi Karl,

Karl wrote:
That REQUEST is for GDL add-ons, not API add-ons

And how can I distinguish a GDL add-on from an API one?

Karl wrote:
It simply gives you an alternate syntax for calling GDL add-ons, such as the Text I/O add-on.

So... its like a "remote control" for add-ons inside GDL script?...

About ODBC... as SQL... it doesn't give a dynamic link with AC composites... and in my project this is essential.

Can you tell me whats the level of difficulty of scripting a GDL add-on which can provide this attribute information from a GDL object using this special REQUEST form?

Thanks for your thoughts Karl.

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Karl Ottenstein — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:20:45 GMT

Braza wrote:
And how can I distinguish a GDL add-on from an API one?

See attached screenshot that lists the ones delivered with ArchiCAD 12.

About ODBC... as SQL... it doesn't give a dynamic link with AC composites... and in my project this is essential.

Well, yes and no on being dynamic. The link to the project file is 'live'. But, the query has to be refreshed in Access to see any changes.

Can you tell me whats the level of difficulty of scripting a GDL add-on which can provide this attribute information from a GDL object using this special REQUEST form?

You need to be a reasonably advanced C/C++ programmer. I have not looked at the GDL developer kit in a few years, so don't know for sure if the composite information is even available to a GDL add-on. My memory is that it probably is not, as I seem to recall that GDL add-ons have access only to the GDL environment, not the project environment. So, you might have to write an API add-on that creates the desired GDL object (or populates its data) dynamically.

Personally, I would look for simple ways to get the information you need. You haven't really said why you want a GDL object to list the entire list of composite attributes ... if you told us that, perhaps someone could give you a simple solution to achieve your goals.

Cheers,
Karl

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:03:57 GMT

Karl wrote:
You haven't really said why you want a GDL object to list the entire list of composite attributes ...

You are right...

The thing is... I've built an object that can apply up to 8 skins to a mesh surface... Similar to composites...
and instead of manually input all the skins thickness and fill definitions, I'd prefer to have a dropdown field with a list of all AC available composites...
It would always keep all the objects updated if I'd change a composite structure.

Re: Can I use "request" to obtain a composite info

Karl Ottenstein — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:32:03 GMT

Ah. The only way I know how to do that is with an API add-on. Might be some other way that someone else can think of...

Cheers,
Karl