Dot Variables

Use dot variables to represent object properties. For example, use the .LENGTH variable in a property alteration to have AutoCAD Map 3D toolset add text to all lines specifying their length. In an output report, use the .TYPE variable to list the type of objects in your report.

Expression Description
.ANGLE For most objects, returns the angle in the XY plane.

For ellipse objects, returns the angle of the major axis; for point objects, returns the ECS rotation; for trace objects, returns the angle between the middle points of the start and end edges; for circle objects, returns the angle of the circle normal projected plus PI/2 onto the WCSmdash;if no ECS, returns 0; for objects with 1 or 0 grip points, returns 0; for attdef, text, mtext, insert, shape, and raster images objects, returns rotation.

.AREA Area of a closed polyline or circle.

Topology queries only: Value of AREA object data field for each polygon.

.BLOCKNAME Name of a block.
.BULGE Bulge factor for a polyline segment.
.CENTER Center point of an object's extents.

If the object is a polygon (a closed polyline), this coordinate is always inside the closed area regardless of the area's dimension.

.CENTROID Center point of an object's extents; that is, the intersection of the diagonals of its bounding rectangle.
.CLASSNAME Object class name.
.COLOR ACI color of an AutoCAD Map 3D toolset object.Color BYLAYER evaluates as 256.Color BYBLOCK evaluates as 0.
.DWGNAME Name of the object's source drawing.

Topology queries only: Name of the geometry object's source drawing.

.EANGLE Ending angle of an arc object, using radians, interpreted from the coordinate space where the object exists.
.EHANDLE Handle of the queried object.
.ELEVATION Value for the Z coordinate.
.EWIDTH Ending width of a polyline. Does not adjust to the ending width of individual polyline segments.
.HEIGHT Height of a text object.
.LABELPT Location for text associated with an object.
.LAYER Layer of an object.
.LENGTH Length of a line, arc, polyline, or circle. Circle length is given as the circle circumference.
.LINETYPE Linetype of an object.
.LINEWEIGHT Lineweight of an object.
.LOCKSTAT User responsible for the lock.
.PERIMETER Topology queries only: Value of PERIMETER object data field for each polygon.
.PLOTSTYLE Plotstyle of an object.
.RADIUS Radius of a circle.
.ROTATION Rotation angle of a block or text, using radians.
.SANGLE Starting angle of an arc, using radians, interpreted from the coordinate space where the object exists.
.SHAPENAME Name of an AutoCAD Map 3D toolset shape.
.SIZE Size of an AutoCAD Map 3D toolset shape.
.STRING Value of a string (can be the value of an attribute or text).
.STYLE Style of a text string or attribute.
.SWIDTH Starting width of a polyline.
.TAG All AutoCAD Map 3D toolset attribute tags for an object. Usually used with .STRING to return an attribute tag and its string value (that is, .TAG, .STRING).
.THICKNESS AutoCAD Map 3D toolset thickness of an object.
.TOPONAME Topology name (Topology queries only).
.TOPOTYPE Topology type: NODE, NETWORK, or POLYGON (Topology queries only).
.TRUECOLOR True color or color book value of an AutoCAD Map 3D toolset object.
.TYPE AutoCAD Map 3D toolset object type.
.URL URL information linked to an object.

An object with no URL link returns nil.

Note:

An object can take only one URL. URL data can be entered in the following formats:

http://servername/pathname/filename.dwg

ftp://servername/pathname/filename.dwg

file://drive/pathname/filename.dwg

.X1, .Y1, .Z1 Components of a line's starting point--X, Y, or Z.
.X2, .Y2, .Z2 Components of a line's ending point--X, Y, or Z.
.X3, .Y3, .Z3 Third definition point of a shape or three-dimensional face. If used on any other object, returns nil.
.X4, .Y4, .Z4 Fourth definition point of a shape or three-dimensional face. If used on any other object, returns nil.
.XSCALE Scale factor along the X axis, interpreted using the coordinate space where the object exists.
.YSCALE Scale factor along the Y axis, interpreted using the coordinate space where the object exists.
.ZSCALE Scale factor along the Z axis, interpreted using the coordinate space where the object exists.

All numeric return values are in decimals.