Filter for Extended Data (.NET)

External applications can attach data such as text strings, numeric values, 3D points, distances, and layer names to AutoCAD objects. This data is referred to as extended data, or xdata. You can filter entities containing extended data for a specified application.

Select circles that contain xdata

The following example filters for circles containing xdata added by the “MY_APP” application:

VB.NET

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput
 
<CommandMethod("FilterXdata")> _
Public Sub FilterXdata()
    '' Get the current document editor
    Dim acDocEd As Editor = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor

    '' Create a TypedValue array to define the filter criteria
    Dim acTypValAr(1) As TypedValue
    acTypValAr.SetValue(New TypedValue(DxfCode.Start, "Circle"), 0)
    acTypValAr.SetValue(New TypedValue(DxfCode.ExtendedDataRegAppName, _
                                       "MY_APP"), 1)

    '' Assign the filter criteria to a SelectionFilter object
    Dim acSelFtr As SelectionFilter = New SelectionFilter(acTypValAr)

    '' Request for objects to be selected in the drawing area
    Dim acSSPrompt As PromptSelectionResult
    acSSPrompt = acDocEd.GetSelection(acSelFtr)

    '' If the prompt status is OK, objects were selected
    If acSSPrompt.Status = PromptStatus.OK Then
        Dim acSSet As SelectionSet = acSSPrompt.Value

        Application.ShowAlertDialog("Number of objects selected: " & _
                                    acSSet.Count.ToString())
    Else
        Application.ShowAlertDialog("Number of objects selected: 0")
    End If
End Sub

C#

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
 
[CommandMethod("FilterXdata")]
public static void FilterXdata()
{
    // Get the current document editor
    Editor acDocEd = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument.Editor;

    // Create a TypedValue array to define the filter criteria
    TypedValue[] acTypValAr = new TypedValue[2];
    acTypValAr.SetValue(new TypedValue((int)DxfCode.Start, "Circle"), 0);
    acTypValAr.SetValue(new TypedValue((int)DxfCode.ExtendedDataRegAppName, 
                                        "MY_APP"), 1);

    // Assign the filter criteria to a SelectionFilter object
    SelectionFilter acSelFtr = new SelectionFilter(acTypValAr);

    // Request for objects to be selected in the drawing area
    PromptSelectionResult acSSPrompt;
    acSSPrompt = acDocEd.GetSelection(acSelFtr);

    // If the prompt status is OK, objects were selected
    if (acSSPrompt.Status == PromptStatus.OK)
    {
        SelectionSet acSSet = acSSPrompt.Value;

        Application.ShowAlertDialog("Number of objects selected: " +
                                    acSSet.Count.ToString());
    }
    else
    {
        Application.ShowAlertDialog("Number of objects selected: 0");
    }
}

VBA/ActiveX Code Reference

Sub FilterXdata()
    Dim sset As AcadSelectionSet
    Dim FilterType(1) As Integer
    Dim FilterData(1) As Variant
    Set sset = ThisDrawing.SelectionSets.Add("SS1")
 
    FilterType(0) = 0: FilterData(0) = "Circle"
    FilterType(1) = 1001: FilterData(1) = "MY_APP"
 
    sset.SelectOnScreen FilterType, FilterData
 
    MsgBox "Number of objects selected: " & sset.Count
 
    ' Remove the selection set at the end
    sset.Delete
End Sub