Entity Data Access Symbols Overview | Symbol List
This section covers the Entity (Object) Data Access Symbols (EDAs) for Drafting and Dimensioning.
There are several terms associated with each EDA which define the way the symbol can be used.
ACCESS TYPE defines the READ/WRITE status of the EDA. EDAs contain data which is either object or number valued and which can be extracted (READ) for use in your program. Some symbols allow you to alter the data directly (WRITE) by assigning the properly valued data to the EDA.
DATA TYPE defines whether a particular EDA is object, number, or string valued. The data associated with an EDA, if object valued, must be treated like an object as it is assigned or extracted. If you READ an object valued EDA and assign the data to a variable, it must be declared as an ENTITY. Number valued EDAs, when assigned to a variable, do not need to be declared. String valued EDAs, when assigned to a variable, must be declared as a STRING. Refer to DATA TYPE for further information, also see Declarations.
RANGE defines the value which can be assigned to, or extracted from, an EDA. The RANGE of string valued EDAs is defined in the number of characters allowed in the string which is extracted or assigned. For example, &DMTEXT has a range of 132 characters per line; therefore, the string extracted from &DMTEXT can be a maximum of 132 characters per line long.
Some EDAs have a Number Data Type which is an array. The specified range value would then apply to each member of the array. For example, &ORIGIN returns the location in X, Y, and Z of the origin of a drafting object. Since three values are expected, the receiving variable must be a three position array (e.g., NUM(3)). The range specified is plus or minus infinity since either X, Y, or Z could be any positive or negative number.