TC Database first created 27/09/05 - last modified xx/xx/xx Page Author: Ty Harness
Unfinished work

Each graphic element of TC has properties such as "PenColor" and "Layer" and you can define new properties (or fields) using the TC DataBase tools. TC has a report generator which is good so you may never need to programmatically tackle the Database at all with VBA. but it is possible to use and manipulate the data using VBA. The Database and VBA features are only available in the Professional versions. You could use the fields for costing or project management data.

It's possible to define your fields manually:

Practice on a test drawing
  • Draw a few graphics
  • Tools
  • Database and define a field called "cost" as a currency type and visible


    • All graphics and all new graphics with have a cost field.
  • Select a graphic
  • Tools - Database
  • edit object data
    • and give each graphic a cost value.

    If you're programmatically creating graphics you can add the field and value. 

    
Sub defineNewField()

Dim g As Graphic
Dim p As Property

 Set g = ActiveDrawing.Graphics.AddLineSingle(0, 0, 0, 100, 0, 0) 'example graphic
  Set p = g.Properties.Add("Cost", CCur(0), False)
  Set p = Nothing

 Set g = Nothing

End Sub


    The following functions shows how to iterate through all graphics and sum up the field value called cost. Also how to sum up the cost within the selection set. 
    
Sub SumTotalCost()
MsgBox FindTotalCost
End Sub



    
Sub SumSelectionCost()

On Error Resume Next
Dim s As Selection
Dim Totcost As Currency

Totcost = 0

Set s = ActiveDrawing.Selection

For i = 0 To s.Count - 1
 Totcost = Totcost + CCur(s.Item(i).Properties("Cost").Value)
Next i

Set s = Nothing

MsgBox Totcost
End Sub

    
Sub makeCSVfile()
Dim s As String
On Error Resume Next

Open Application.Path & "\testCSV.txt" For Output As #1

Dim g As Graphic

For Each g In ActiveDrawing.Graphics
 s = "Test," & g.Properties("DatabaseID").Value & "," & CStr(g.Properties("Cost").Value)
 Print #1, s
Set g = Nothing

Next g

 Print #1, "Total Cost," & CStr(FindTotalCost)


Close #1


MsgBox "Exported:" & Application.Path & "\testCSV.txt"

End Sub


    
Private Function FindTotalCost() As Currency
On Error Resume Next

Dim Totcost As Currency
Totcost = 0
Dim g As Graphic

For Each g In ActiveDrawing.Graphics
 Totcost = Totcost + CCur(g.Properties("Cost").Value)

Set g = Nothing
Next g

FindTotalCost = Totcost
End Function


    and finally you may need to export data to file (say) and comma separated variable (CSV) file for import into a spread sheet or an SQL Database. All the functions are contained in this .bas file (which is just a text file) Start you VBA editor and Import File.

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