Introduction

In this wiki, we'll delve into the world of MicroStation Python development, specifically focusing on crafting a user interface (UI) using the TKINTER library. This powerful combination allows you to create custom dialogs and tools within the MicroStation environment, enhancing productivity and user experience.

Before we dive into the code, it's essential to understand that TKINTER is a standard Python library for creating graphical user interfaces. It's relatively easy to learn and use, making it a popular choice for rapid UI development.

Refer to the Python Manager wiki to create and load a python project. Name your project as "DialogDemo.py" and save it to your preferred directory. Open the project in the editor for writing your Python script.

Understanding the Code

Let's break down the Python code step-by-step:

Import Modules

The script begins by importing several modules for interacting with MicroStation and creating the TKINTER UI:

MSPyBentley and related modules: Provide access to MicroStation's core functionalities.
ctypes: Used for interfacing with Windows API functions.
TKINTER: The core TKINTER library for creating GUI elements.

colorchooser: A TKINTER module for selecting colors.

from MSPyBentley import *
from MSPyBentleyGeom import *
from MSPyECObjects import *
from MSPyDgnPlatform import *
from MSPyDgnView import *
from MSPyMstnPlatform import *

import ctypes
from tkinter import *
from tkinter import colorchooser

Defining Functions

MsgBox: Displays a message box using the Windows API.
rgb_to_string: Converts an RGB tuple to a string format suitable for MicroStation.
hex_to_rgb: Converts a hex color code to an RGB tuple.
GetColor: Opens a color chooser dialog and updates the selected color.
GetLevelList: Returns a list of available levels in the active model.
PlaceLine: Creates a line in MicroStation based on selected color and level.
main: The main function that creates and manages the UI elements.

Creating the UI

The main function constructs the TKINTER UI:

Creates a root window.
Creates labels, buttons, option for Color and Level selection.
Uses grid layout to arrange the UI elements.
Defines the behaviour of buttons (e.g., Place Line to create a line, Pick A Color for color selection).

Key Points

The code utilizes TKINTER widgets like Label, Button and OptionMenu to create interactive elements.
The colorchooser module is used for color selection.
Functions interact with MicroStation to retrieve level information.
The PlaceLine function demonstrates how to send key-in commands Active Color, Active Level, Active Weight, PLACE LSTRING to MicroStation.

Here is the complete script

from MSPyBentley import *
from MSPyBentleyGeom import *
from MSPyECObjects import *
from MSPyDgnPlatform import *
from MSPyDgnView import *
from MSPyMstnPlatform import *

import ctypes
from tkinter import *
from tkinter import colorchooser


root = Tk()


# Message box function
def MsgBox (title, text, style):
    return ctypes.windll.user32.MessageBoxW (0, text, title, style)


# RGB to String function
def rgb_to_string(rgb_tuple):
    return ', '.join(map(str, rgb_tuple))


# Hex to RGB function
def hex_to_rgb(hex_color):
    # Remove the hash symbol if present
    hex_color = hex_color.lstrip('#')
    
    # Convert hex to RGB
    rgb = tuple(int(hex_color[i:i+2], 16) for i in (0, 2, 4))
    return rgb


# Get Level Name List
def GetLevelList ():
    level_List = []

    ACTIVEMODEL = ISessionMgr.ActiveDgnModelRef
    levelCache = ACTIVEMODEL.GetDgnFile().GetLevelCache()

    it = iter(levelCache)
    for level in it:
        levelName = level.GetName()
        level_List.append(levelName)

    return level_List


# Place Line Button
def PlaceLine():
    global my_color
    global selected_level

    if my_color is None:
        my_color = "#646464"

    rgb_color = hex_to_rgb(my_color)
    rgb_str = rgb_to_string (rgb_color)

    level_name = str(selected_level.get())

    keyin_str = "ACTIVE COLOR " + rgb_str + "; ACTIVE LEVEL " + level_name
    keyin_str = keyin_str + "; ACTIVE WEIGHT 2; PLACE LSTRING"
    #print(keyin_str)
    
    PyCadInputQueue.SendKeyin(keyin_str)
    
    root.destroy()


# Get color function
def GetColor():
    global my_color
    global color_label1

    my_color = colorchooser.askcolor()[1]
    my_color = my_color.upper()
    color_label1.config(text=my_color)
    color_label1.config(bg=my_color)


# Main function
def main():
    global my_color
    global color_label1
    global selected_level

    #root = Tk()
    root.title("Dialog Demo...")

    # Color
    my_color = "#646464"

    # Create the widgets
    color_label = Label(root, text="Color: ")
    color_label1 = Label(root, text=my_color, bg=my_color)
    color_button = Button(root, text="Pick A Color", command=GetColor)

    # Use grid to place the widgets
    color_label.grid(row=0, column=0, padx=10, pady=10, sticky="ew")
    color_label1.grid(row=0, column=1, padx=10, pady=10, sticky="ew")
    color_button.grid(row=0, column=2, padx=10, pady=10, sticky="ew")

    # Level
    levelList = GetLevelList ()

    level_label = Label(root, text="Level: ")
    selected_level = StringVar()
    selected_level.set(levelList[0])
    level_option = OptionMenu(root, selected_level, *levelList)

    # Use grid to place the widgets
    level_label.grid(row=1, column=0, padx=10, pady=10, sticky="ew")
    level_option.grid(row=1, column=1, padx=10, pady=10, sticky="ew")

    place_button = Button(root, text="Place Line", command=PlaceLine)

    # Use grid to place the widgets
    place_button.grid(row=2, column=1, padx=10, pady=10, sticky="ew")

    # Configure column weights to spread out evenly
    root.grid_columnconfigure(0, weight=1)
    root.grid_columnconfigure(1, weight=1)
    root.grid_columnconfigure(2, weight=1)    

    root.mainloop()


if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

Run/Execute project

Select project "DialogDemo.py" from the Python Manager dialog and Run/Execute the python script.

The following UI loads allowing User to create a Line String element with the selected Color, Level properties.

A screenshot of a computer programDescription automatically generated

Explore additional TKINTER widgets and layout options to create more complex and visually appealing UIs with MicroStation integration.

Happy coding!

MicroStation Python: Create a User Interface

Introduction

Import Modules

Defining Functions

Run/Execute project