These same rules apply to macro development. Many programmers get sloppy because they assume the computer will clean up for them. In most cases it does, but not always as soon as we would like. It is always good practice to clean up after yourself when exiting a routine or macro. This means closing any files you opened, unloading forms, etc.

Review the following function. You will see that the function level objects eEnum and eScan are set to Nothing prior to exiting.

Public Function ScanText() As Boolean
Dim eEnum As ElementEnumerator
Dim eScan As ElementScanCriteria

Set eEnum = Nothing
Set eScan = Nothing
ScanText = True
End Function

For global (or Public) objects that are used by multiple routines you will need to construct an exit routine to be used as a common exit point for your macro. In the example below the ExitMacro routine unloads any forms and sets all public objects to Nothing.

Public gMyCollection As Collection
Public Sub MyMacro()
Set gMyCollection = New Collection

Public Sub ExitMacro()
Unload frmMacro
Set gMyCollection = Nothing
End Sub



The MicroStation VBA help window will open with the help information displayed for the selected object. Many items will have additional code examples to get a better understanding of how the object is used. If additional examples are available the Example link will be highlighted. Click on the link to view the example(s).



If multiple examples for the object are available you will be prompted to select the one that most closely matches your need.



The example code is displayed in the right pane of the help window. The object you selected will be used in the code sample and it will be highlighted.



Additional code examples are available by expanding the Examples folder under the Contents tab on the left side of the help window.



The operations copy, move, rotate, scale, mirror and stretch would all work similarly.
The following screen shots show you the end result of the Fence Clip Delete command. The three blue elements are going to be deleted by the fence using the clip mode.




If “Use Optimized Fence Clipping” is toggled off the fence clipping operation will drop the closed shapes to individual elements as shown below.



If “Use Optimized Fence Clipping” is toggled on the fence clipping operation will automatically close the shapes for you as shown below.



By default “Use Optimized Fence Clipping” option is toggled ON.

I find myself using this option when I am working with contours that are closed shapes and I need to clip out a section of contours. I will turn Optimized Fence Clipping off so when the contours are clipped I am not left with a vertical wall of contours.

To password protect your VBA macro:

1. Select Tools > Default Properties from the VBA Editor top menu bar.
2. In the Project Properties dialog click the Protection tab.
3. Enter your password into the password fields at the bottom
4. Click the OK button in the dialog to save the password

Note: This password protection offers only minimal protection for your VBA. There are many VBA password cracking tools available that will allow more sophisticated users to bypass this protection measure.

1. From the InRoads pull down menu 
File > View Geometry > Annotate Graphics. The Annotate Graphics dialog will appear.
2. Select a Feature Style name.
3. <D> the Apply button the dialog will minimize allowing you to identify a graphic.
4. <D> to Accept the graphic then <R> to complete the command.

Sample MicroStation commands captured using the VBA Macro Recorder


Sub Macro1()
Dim startPoint As Point3d
Dim point As Point3d, point2 As Point3d
Dim lngTemp As Long

CommandState.StartDefaultCommand
End Sub



Copy and pasting a command into a Batch Process script file


Copying a command key-in to create a custom toolbox button.

'Common degree values in Radians
Public Const RAD_90 As Double = 1.5707963267949
Public Const RAD_180 As Double = 3.1415926535898
Public Const RAD_270 As Double = 4.7123889803847
Public Const RAD_360 As Double = 6.2831853071796

'Geometric related constants
Public Const PI As Double = 3.14159265358979
Public Const PId2 As Double = 1.5707963267949
Public Const PIx2 As Double = 6.28318530717959
Public Const ONE_THIRD As Double = 0.33333333
Public Const FOUR_THIRDS As Double = 1.33333333

When the constants are defined in a code module they can be used anywhere in your
project like in the following routines.

Public Function GetBearingAngle(ByVal deltaX As Double, ByVal deltaY As Double, _
ByRef strNS As String, ByRef strEW As String) as Double

Public Function VolumeSphere(ByVal dRadius As Double) As Double
VolumeSphere = FOUR_THIRDS * PI * (dRadius ^ 3)
End Function

1. Set your VBA project to autoload when MicroStation starts. This can be done by either adding the name of your VBA project to the MS_VBAAUTOLOADPROJECTS workspace variable, or by simply checking the Auto-Load column in the VBA Project Manager dialog.
2. In your code module you must create a sub named OnProjectLoad. This sub will be executed when your macro is loaded by MicroStation.
3. The VBA is loaded prior to the MicroStation Manager dialog being displayed, or any file being opened. This means you must add in an event handler to monitor for file open and close events so that the VBA will know when MicroStation has opened a file.
4. After the VBA knows a file is open you can call other Sub and/or Function routines to operate on the file.

The example code modules below show the required subs to automatically run a VBA macro.

Module Code

Dim myOpen As clsFileOpenClose

'
' Call your automatic processing sub/function code from here
'
End Sub


The example function below shows how you can use the GetInput method for placing a
fence block. There is also a good example of using GetInput in the MicroStation VBA
Help examples.

Public Function PlaceFenceBlock() As Boolean
Dim ciMessage As CadInputMessage
Dim IsFirstPoint As Boolean

PlaceFenceBlock = True
End Function

Note: Use caution if using the GetInput method in combination with UserForms as
incorrect implementation can cause MicroStation lock up.