design

The design object gives access to several methods and can be used only in Design script during the 3D modeling.

This object gives you access to the objects in selection, some current properties, the whole metal model. It gives you the opportunity to create your own commands and to show information on the left panel.

1. Properties

Name	Return	Description
selectedList	array of objects	Get the objects currently in selection (see § 2)
getType()	string	Get the type of an object in parameter (see § 3)
isType()	bool	Return True if param1 (object) is from type param2 (string) (see § 4)
createCommand()	CustomCommand	Return an empty command with a name (param1) (see § 5)
executeCommand()	-	Execute a CustomCommand passed in parameter (see § 6)
getVerticalVector()	array of 3 double	Return the current vertical vector (Y or Z)
getMetal()	metal	Access to current MetaL object of the study
getMetalWithSelection()	metal	Access to the owner MetaL of the selected element or node
addText()	-	Add a text on left panel
addSeparator()	-	Add a line separator on left panel
result	-	Set a message as output (empty = no message)
getCurrentLayer()	Layer	Return the current layer
getCurrentJointType()	JointType	Return the current joint type
getCurrentSpecValues()	CurrentPipingValues	Return the current piping/structure values (section, material, diameter, radius…)
getScriptDirectory()	string	Return the current script directory
createVariableWindow()	createVariableWindow	Return an empty window

2. selectedList

Retrieve the current selection list. This list can contain nodes, elements, restraints…

# Python script
n = len(design.selectedList)
if n==2:
    # we have 2 selected objects
    # you can access the object i : design.selectedList[i]

3. getType()

Retrieve the Assembly.Class type of an object.

# Python script
# ...
value = design.getType(design.selectedList[0])
result = value

This will show a message box with the complete class type of the first selected object

Example : “Cwantic.MetaPiping.Core.Node” for a node. Cwantic.MetaPiping.Core is the Assembly and Node is the class type.

4. isType()

Check if the object (param1) is from class type (param2)

# Python script
if design.isType(design.selectedList[0], "Node"):
    # ...

Unlike getType(), isType() does not refer to the assembly of the class type.

5. createCommand()

Return an empty CustomCommand with a given name (param1).

createCommand() must be used in conjunction with design.executeCommand()

# Python script
cmd = design.createCommand("MyCommand1")
# ...
# Fill cmd with sub commands
# ...
design.executeCommand(cmd)

See an example of custom command.

6. executeCommand()

Execute the CustomCommand passed in parameter.

design.executeCommand() must be used in conjunction with createCommand()

# Python script
cmd = design.createCommand("MyCommand1")
# ...
# Fill cmd with sub commands
# ...
design.executeCommand(cmd)

See an example of custom command.

7. getVerticalVector()

Return (0, 0, 1) if Z vertical or (0, 1, 0) if Y vertical

# Python script
verticalvec = design.getVerticalVector()

8. getMetal()

Imagine user wants to check if the 3D model exists (result as a text in Outputs[0]).

# Python script
metal = design.getMetal()
if metal != None:
    study.Outputs[0] = "The model exists"
else:
    study.Outputs[0] = "The model doesn't exist"

See metal for more information.

9. addText()

In review mode, it can be useful to shows some information about the model or about the selected objects.

These informations can be shown in a standard way using the same controls as MetaPiping.

You can show texts on the left panel using the addText method :

Param	Type	Description
Text	String	The text
IsTitle	Bool	True or False - if True, enlarged text
R	Byte	Red component of the text color
G	Byte	Green component of the text color
B	Byte	Blue component of the text color

# Python script
distance = 1.0

design.addText("Distances", True, 255, 255, 255)
design.addSeparator()
design.addText(" ")
design.addText("Distance = " + str(round(distance, 3)) + " m", False, 255, 255, 255)

10. addSeparator()

In the same way as the addText method, addSeparator just add a white horizontal line

# Python script
distance = 1.0

design.addText("Distances", True, 255, 255, 255)
design.addSeparator()
design.addText(" ")
design.addText("Distance = " + str(round(distance, 3)) + " m", False, 255, 255, 255)

11. result

If result is not an empty string, a message will appears at the end of execution of the script.

# Python script
res = "Error !"
if valid:
    res = ""
design.result = res

12. getScriptDirectory()

Returns the current script directory.

# Python script
scriptdirectory = design.getScriptDirectory()

13. createVariableWindow()

createVariableWindow() returns an empty window that will show user’s variables.

# Python script
window = design.createVariableWindow()

13.1 Window components

Method	Params	Description
AddComment	string	Add a comment (text)
AddValue	string, string, double	Add a numeric variable (variable name, text, default value)
AddImage	string	Add an image (local filename)
AddList	string, string, [string], int	Add a variable list of texts (variable name, text, array of texts, default index)
AddCheck	string, string, bool	Add a variable checkbox (variable name, text, default value)
ShowModal	bool	Show the window and return true if click on OK button
GetValue	string	Return a numerical value (variable name)

# Python script
directory = design.getScriptDirectory()

window = design.createVariableWindow()
window.AddComment("Fill the variables")
window.AddValue("L", "L =", 10)
window.AddList("CHOICE", "Choice =", ["Choice A", "Choice B", "Choice C"], 1)
window.AddCheck("ACTIVE", "Active ?", True)
window.AddImage(os.path.join(directory, "image.jpg"))
if window.ShowModal():
    val1 = window.GetValue("L")
    CHOICE_ID = window.GetValue("CHOICE")
    # CHOICE_ID = 0, 1 or 2
    val2 = 0
    if CHOICEID == 1:
        val2 = 0.5
    else:
        if CHOICE == 2:
            val2 = 3
    ACTIVE_ID = window.GetValue("ACTIVE")
    # ACTIVE_ID = 0 (False) or 1 (True)
    val3 = ACTIVE_ID == 1

In this example, we have 3 variables (L, CHOICE, ACTIVE), 1 comment and 1 image. We suppose image.jpg existing in the script directory next to main.py.

L will show the default value of 10

CHOICE will show the default value of “Choice B” (index 1)

ACTIVE will be checked by default

After window show :

val1 will receive the user value for L

val2 will receive the user value for CHOICE transformed to a real value (0, 0.5 or 3)

val3 will receive the user value for ACTIVE transformed to bool