Enhance the Attach command

[eyn]

I would like to create a custom Attach command that support batch
attachment. The way how it will work is that I can select all the
objects I would like to attach to a parent, and then once I initiate
this SKILL routine, it will give me a dashline visual feedback much
like the original attach command, and now I only need to select the
parent object once and boom, all of my selection will now be attached
to this object. The original attach command requires me to select
parent for each of my selection, which can be quite a hassle.

I was thinking of writing an enterfunction to simulate the behavior of
the original Attach command, but I am not sure how I can use it to
select the parent and also give the dashline visual feedback while the
user move across the layout to find the parent. I believe Virtuoso's
attach is using the "enterPoint" function to get the point and then
find the parent located at that point, but I don't know how it can
highlights each object selected while in enterFunction mode and also
provide the dashline visual effect.

Thank you in advance for any inputs and feedback on this. I have
always wondered how visual feedback can be created in Virtuoso using
SKILL. Hopefully someone here knows the answer.

 

[KB.How]

Hi eyn,

You can use function leAttachFig to attach a child_obj to parent_obj.
The syntax is leAttachFig(child_id parent_id)
I base on your request and wrote a simple skill script, hoping it
helps you a little.


procedure( HowAttach(@optional (cv geGetEditCellView()) (win
hiGetCurrentWindow()))
let((refPt parent children)

;-----------------------------------------------------
; Get selected object from cellview
;------------------------------------------------------
if( (children = geGetSelSet()) then

;----------------------------------------------------------
; Request user to click on parent object
; when there are object(s) selected
;-----------------------------------------------------------
refPt = enterPoint(?prompts list("Click on parent to
attach"))

when( refPt
;-------------------------------------------------------------
; Deselect all object and get parent object
;---------------------------------------------------------------
geDeselectAllFig()
geSingleSelectPoint(win nil refPt)
parent = car(geGetSelSet())

;--------------------------------------------------------
; Attach all child object to parent
;--------------------------------------------------------
foreach( child children
leAttachFig(child parent)
);foreach
);when
else
warn("No object selected")
);if
);let
);proc

;----------------------------------
; Set bindkey for attach
;-----------------------------------
hiSetBindKey("Layout" "Shift <Key> 1 " "HowAttach()")


How to use:
1. Load the script to CIW
2. Open a cellview in active mode
3. Select child's object from the cellview
4. Hit bindkey 'Shift 1' and then point to parent object
5. The script will then attach the select child object to the parent


Regards,
How

 

[eyn]

Thank you so much How, I tried out your code and it works just great!

Still, I am wondering if there's a way to produce that dashline visual
aid effect that is done by attach command when the command starts. And
instead of guessing which object is located at the refPt with
geGetSelSet(), it will be great if the enterfunction will highlight
the object that will be selected before the user click on it.

 

[KB.How]

Hi eyn,

The visual dashline is supported by interactive function leHiAttach
and only applicable in attaching object one by one at a time. You can
change the leAttachFig funcion to leHiAttach and try it, and believe
this will not fullfil your initial requirement.
How a try ...

How