Load Description, ODCLASS_LOAD command – load the object definition file.
Select the txt file with the desired objects’ definition. In the object type menu window, classes and object types from the loaded definition file are displayed. Object types classes are displayed with a "+" sign – a drop-down list.
AutoCAD command line window (Ctrl + 9) displays the process of the definition file loading with errors and warning messages.
When "warning," object types are displayed in the ODCLASS_GUI window, and are available for use in ODCLASS. Numbers indicate the line numbers in the definition files.
All dwg graphics are available AutoCAD, and all objects of loaded object types are available to ODCLASS.
If "error," correct the definition file and download again.
In the demo-version, a message appears in the command window: "This is a trial version of ODCLASS. The number of object types is limited to 100".
This message indicates the maximum number of object types to be loaded to display in the ODCLASS_GUI window. The number of graphic elements in dwg, the number of objects of the same type is not limited.
After the description file is loaded, in the active dwg will be automatically set to the desired values of variables AutoCAD: units, drawing and display settings, etc. And all required resources are automatically loaded: layers, blocks, linetypes, text styles, hatch styles, etc.
Reload Description, ODCLASS_RELOAD command - update the loaded before object definition file.
After the description file is loaded, in the active dwg will be automatically set to the desired values of variables AutoCAD: units, drawing and display settings, etc. And all required resources are automatically loaded: layers, blocks, linetypes, text styles, hatch styles, etc.
Generate Description Template, ODCLASS_TEMPLATE command – build a template for object definition file based on the graphical elements of the active dwg file. Select the path and enter the name for the created object definition txt file. In the command line, define the format of object type names: "Format < % t_% i_% L>:". "t" is the type of AutoCAD primitive, "i" is the sequence number of the element, "L" is the name of the layer. Enter means use default format.
Object definition file is created – the file the active dwg graphical primitives with the same graphical properties (color, layer, lineweight, linetype, text style, block name, etc.). In the definition file, object classes are created according to the types of graphical primitives available in the active dwg: 3DPolyline, Polyline, Line, BlockReference, Text, etc. In each of these classes, object definitions are created with the appropriate types of graphical primitives. For each object type, Xrecord or Object Data is described with the name of "OD_NAME" and a single od_key data field with the name of "OD_KEY", intended for the names of object types.
The command processes both the preliminary and subsequent selection of graphical elements. Enter while subsequent selection means select all. Graphical elements are processed from non-disabled and non-frozen layers only.
After the template object definition file is build, this file can be loaded and used for work. In the usual case, a revision is needed – replacing the names of object types with custom ones, description of Xrecord or Object data required, adding characteristic fields in Xrecord or Object data.
ODCLASS_TYPE command – definition of primitive class names (Class Name, Original Class Name) of the graphical elements specified in accordance with the notation used in ODCLASS.
The names of the primitive classes are displayed in the AutoCAD message window.
The names of most of basic AutoCAD primitives have their aliases in ODCLASS (instead of AcDb3dPolyline - 3DPolyline, etc.), and these aliases are displayed. For the list of such primitives, see ODCLASS_definition_file_structure_v-4, htm or pdf. The names of any other primitive classes are their Class Name, Original Class Name – for Proxy Objects.
ODCLASS_TYPE command is valid, but it is not in the menu.
See more fully in:
ODCLASS_description_en.htm,
ODCLASS_creating_object_definition_files.htm