topic Re: GDL Parameter List in Libraries & objects

GDL Parameter List

Vitruvius — Wed, 24 May 2023 10:13:49 GMT

Does anyone know of a quick method for printing out the GDL parameters for a symbol? The parameter window in the symbol doesn't seem to support printing and it would be a real asset when scripting GDL to have a print-out handy.

Cheers, Cameron

Re: GDL Parameter List

Rob — Tue, 29 Jun 2004 09:13:37 GMT

Cameron,

It is a problem actually. What you can do though is copy the screen to clipboard and print that as image. When the parameter list is longer then the actual screen resolution I usually move and capture that and reassemble in Photoshop to one piece. It is a bit silly but this is the only way (to my knowledge) how to do that.

Re: GDL Parameter List

Vitruvius — Tue, 29 Jun 2004 09:55:45 GMT

Thanks Rob - I suppose this is one we'll have to add to the wish list and hope they pick it up in the next release. I'd imagine it's fairly easy to implement.

Cheers, Cameron

Re: GDL Parameter List

Laszlo Nagy — Wed, 30 Jun 2004 12:04:52 GMT

I just got into SQL a little bit.
It is a simple but powerful database query language.
Within a couple of hours, you can start turning out nice results.
If you go to Calculate\SQL\Query (make sure SQL is enabled from the lowermost drop-down list in Options\Preferences\Imaging and Calculation, so it appears in the Calculate menu) and type the following:

SELECT O.PARAMETERS.NAME, O.PARAMETERS.TYPE, O.PARAMETERS.VALUE
FROM FLAT(OBJECTS, PARAMETERS) AS O
WHERE OBJECTS.LIBRARY_PART_NAME='Armchair 01'

then click Execute,
you will get a table you want in a newly-created XML file.
In place of 'Armchair 01' you may enter the name of the Library Object

HTH
Laszlo

..........
Important addition based on James Murray's reply: make sure at least one instance of the Library Object is placed in the ArchiCAD Project.

Re: GDL Parameter List

James Murray — Wed, 30 Jun 2004 13:54:00 GMT

Lazslo,

Very excited about this tip... except it didn't work. A result opened in the browser but it was empty.

Any ideas?

Re: GDL Parameter List

__archiben — Wed, 30 Jun 2004 15:43:45 GMT

maybe you don't have an armchair in your library?

~/archiben

Re: GDL Parameter List

Laszlo Nagy — Wed, 30 Jun 2004 17:30:38 GMT

Hi James,
Make sure at least one instance of the Library Object is placed on the Floor Plan. Since SQL gets data from the ArchiCAD drawing database, only what has already been placed once can be queried, I guess.
First I tried it without placing one 'Armchair 01' object and got the same blank result you did. Then I placed one instance of it and it was correct.
I think having the Object loaded in the Libraries is not enough, it must be placed.
Laszlo

Re: GDL Parameter List

James Murray — Wed, 30 Jun 2004 17:41:48 GMT

laszlonagy wrote:
at least one instance of the Library Object is placed on the Floor Plan.

Duh...It is a database query, not a library query... Thanks.

Re: GDL Parameter List

James Murray — Thu, 01 Jul 2004 01:08:41 GMT

One more question...

Where can we find a reference for the AC-specific terms (O.PARAMETERS.NAME, etc)? Thanks,

Re: GDL Parameter List

Jochen Suehlo — Sun, 04 Jul 2004 15:21:08 GMT

There is another way to put out a parameter listing (since ArchiCAD 8.0),
there is a fuction called REQUEST ("ASSOCLP_PARVALUE",....
with which you can do this.
Combined with TEXT OUT you get a Text-File with a complete parameter listing. The routine was first written by Frank Beister and improved for text output by me. The object you can find in attachement as zip.file.
If you want to use the routine, you only have to copy the master script to your library part and add a boolean parameter named "outdate_p".

This could become an object for Franks opengdlboard on http://www.opengdl.org

Re: GDL Parameter List

david nicholson-cole — Sun, 04 Jul 2004 18:08:04 GMT

laszlonagy wrote:
SELECT O.PARAMETERS.NAME, O.PARAMETERS.TYPE, O.PARAMETERS.VALUE
FROM FLAT(OBJECTS, PARAMETERS) AS O
WHERE OBJECTS.LIBRARY_PART_NAME='Armchair 01'

I followed your instruction minutely, but it reports that "a column" of that name couldnt be found. I wasnt looking for a column.
I thought perhaps you meant 0 (zero) not O (capital 'oh') but it is O.
Where can one find out more about this language??

>>>david

Re: GDL Parameter List

david nicholson-cole — Sun, 04 Jul 2004 18:25:18 GMT

laszlonagy wrote:
If you go to Calculate\SQL\Query (make sure SQL is enabled from the lowermost drop-down list in Options\Preferences\Imaging and Calculation, so it appears in the Calculate menu) and type the following:

SELECT O.PARAMETERS.NAME, O.PARAMETERS.TYPE, O.PARAMETERS.VALUE
FROM FLAT(OBJECTS, PARAMETERS) AS O
WHERE OBJECTS.LIBRARY_PART_NAME='Armchair 01'

I discovered the problem!!! If you use single quotes, it works. If you use double quotes, it thinks you are looking for a column!!
Also, it is Case sensitive!!!
If you have three objects in the file, it lists all three. So if you want a typical set of parameters, make sure that only ONE is placed in the file.
Generates a lovely table in Word.
Thankyou very much Lazlo!

Re: GDL Parameter List

Vitruvius — Tue, 06 Jul 2004 05:50:46 GMT

Thanks for the valuable inputs - however - in respect of my original query: Yes the methodology described works but it's far from intuitive and it is time consuming vis-a-vis the simple act of hitting the 'print' key.

How about it Graphisoft?

Re: GDL Parameter List

david nicholson-cole — Tue, 06 Jul 2004 08:34:52 GMT

Vitruvius wrote:
Thanks for the valuable inputs - however - in respect of my original query: Yes the methodology described works but it's far from intuitive and it is time consuming vis-a-vis the simple act of hitting the 'print' key.

How about it Graphisoft?

Well how about....? in the same way that Save As... is intelligent enough to know if you are saving a Plan, an Archive, an Image or many other things, why cant Save As (when you have the GDL Dialog in the foreground) include a choice of "parameter list". ?? - dumps out a tabbed table like the one from SQL.
Talking of which I noticed that the SQL query works well in Word, but if you paste it into a simpler word processor, the fields are NOT tab separated, so it would be difficult to paste into a spreadsheet.
(Or am I wrong in this? I tried pasting into OS9's simpletext, which should preserve the Tabs).
>>>dnc

Re: GDL Parameter List

Vitruvius — Tue, 06 Jul 2004 09:19:25 GMT

Dear Laszlo,

I've tried your SQL routine but cannot get the object parameter variables to print out - basically, what I am looking for is an object Parameter table with these columns:

OBJECT PARAMETERS
Variable Name Type Value

I want to be able to print this out to assist with writing GDL - it's currently too clumsy to have to review/remember long series of parameters & variables on screen.

An interim workaround is fine, but ultimately I'd like to just hit the 'print' button when the Parameters window is active and have the above print out as a table.

Regards, Cameron

Re: GDL Parameter List

david nicholson-cole — Tue, 06 Jul 2004 09:52:41 GMT

Vitruvius wrote:
I want to be able to print this out to assist with writing GDL - it's currently too clumsy to have to review/remember long series of parameters & variables on screen.

Perhaps there is another Criterion name in the SQL query that would reveal the names of the variables.... Laszlo??

Re: GDL Parameter List

Laszlo Nagy — Tue, 06 Jul 2004 14:52:35 GMT

I checked the Graphisoft SQL help file: the PARAMETERS table contains only the variable name (which is actually its description) and the variable type, which is an integer number.
With the variable type you can check the number and see what type it is in your Object. E.g. if the parameter is of length type, then the returned value in the Parameter type column is 2.
I learned quite a bit about SQL at the following web site:
http://www.sql.org/

The Graphisoft SQL documentation can be downloaded from Graphisoft at http://www.graphisoft.com/support/developer/documentation/
It is part of the ArchiCAD ODBC driver documentation (ODBC Help).

In it there will be reference to required syntax as well, like single qoutes.
Laszlo

Re: GDL Parameter List

James Murray — Tue, 06 Jul 2004 16:17:28 GMT

laszlonagy wrote:
The Graphisoft SQL documentation can be downloaded from Graphisoft at http://www.graphisoft.com/support/developer/documentation/
It is part of the ArchiCAD ODBC driver documentation (ODBC Help).

Thank you, Laszlo.

GS, may we please have a non-Mac-hostile version of this documentation?

I understand that the ODBC driver is windows-only, but the SQL is not. It's a feature of AC itself, and the documentation should be much easier (and for Mac users, possible) to access.

Re: GDL Parameter List

Vitruvius — Wed, 07 Jul 2004 09:46:29 GMT

Wow is this ever complicated.

As stated, all I want to do is print out the parameters page (variables, name, type, values) for reference when scripting GDL. And I'd probably want to print it out repeatedly as the GDL script progresses.

I don't want to learn or use SQL.
I don't want to have to script things or tinker with the Calculate menu.
I don't want to use screen shots or some cumbersome workaround.

I can print out the 3D, 2D, Master, Interface & other miscellaneous scripts. All that's needed is the ability to print out all the info in the parameters window for reference. I'm actually kind of suprised that this function isn't already available.

Cheers, Cameron

Re: GDL Parameter List

Laszlo Nagy — Wed, 07 Jul 2004 10:13:38 GMT

Yes, I understand what you are saying, these are just work-arounds, but not real solutions.
I wrote that SQL so you have something till this will be possible in AC.
You could write a WISH for this.
Laszlo