Adding text blocks

Programatically adding text blocks looks simple but actually is a slightly convoluted process. You only need one function but you need five arguments for it.

(axlDBCreateText
    YourTextData                ;The text you want to write
    XY_Location                  ;Where you want to write the text
    OrientationStructure      ;Formatting for the text block
    LayerToWriteON           ;The layer where the block is written
   nil)                                  ;Attach the text to an object

The slightly convoluted part is the OrientationStructure. You have to know about the super secret (make_axlTextOrientation...) function for the required structure.

(setq OrientationStructure
    (make_axlTextOrientation
       ?textBlock "3"               ;see your text block definitions
       ?rotation 0                    ;degrees of rotation
       ?mirrored nil                 ;mirror left-right (i.e. for bottom layer)
       ?justify "LEFT"))           ;text justification

You can get real fancy with this sort of thing. For example, I've got code for working with symbols, namely making them presentable (PDF) for client approval. It writes the part name, the IPC footprint  name, the number of padstacks used, the number of pins on the device, copyright statement and occasionally dirty jokes into the part drawings (*.dra).

The symbol validition programs will (eventually) be added to the DesignTools project as soon as I find the time.


Kind Regards,
JCR

Have you ever reread one of your own answers, only to realize you answered the WRONG question?

I'm such an idiot. My appologies for the previous post.

textBlocks are C-structs (a.k.a "user defined objects"), are read only by default and in general, there is no public SKILL interface for creating them.

There is a way around the problems and you can create textBlock objects programatically in SKILL but the way to do it is highly convoluted.

Dave said, "I am running an interactive command so calling a script is not an option."

Actually, it is an option. The way this is done is you write a script file, execute the script file in the background in another instance of allegro, and then reload the database in your current instance.

The script file does the work you want (adding a textblock), saves the database and exits. A second instance of Allegro is launched in -nographic mode along with the script through the (axlRunBatchDBProgram...) function in your first instance, so you never see the second instance. When the second instance is finished, the first instance of Allegro reloads the database and continues execution of your SKILL program.

The only problem with this approach is that for that short time while the second instance of Allegro runs in the background, you have two licenses checked out.

The attached code adds a single textBlock to your database. Also, this same method is useful for deleting all those unwanted layers from parts (*.dra) when they've been dumped from a board.

kind regards,
jcr

Irrelevant ranting deleted.  I just looked at the attachment. :)