Linnet

Version 2.1
16-Bit for DOS and 32-Bit for Windows 95/98/NT
© 1998, 1999 by Octocad
Freeware

Introduction

Linnet is a wee program that takes a DWG and extracts the preview and turns it into a slide file, providing a way to show a preview in AutoLISP dialogue boxes. If the DWG does not contain a preview, the Linnet will create an emtpy slide.

Usage

LINNET <dwg-filename> [<slide-filename>]

The first parameter is the name of your drawing file. The Linnet makes no assumptions on file extensions, so include the ".DWG". Note that you can specify BAK files as well as autosave copies.

The second parameter is the name of the slide file to be created. It will be overwritten if it already exists. If you leave that parameter blank, the Linnet will take the drawing file name, change the extension to SLD and create a slide with the resulting name.

Misc

The Linnet also uses the file time of the slide file to communicate the version of AutoCAD that created the file. Look for the minutes. The value is 15 for R2000 drawings.

Example

The zipfile (see below) comes with a sample FileOpen dialogue in AutoLISP. It consists of the files:

DEMO.LSP

DEMO.DCL

The file-open dialogue looks like that:

Nothing special, but you have got your preview, and it is not slow.

NB: this sample uses the DOSLIB.ARX.

History

NEW IN LINNET 2.1 (APRIL 1999)

• The Linnet does support R2000 drawings.

NEW IN LINNET 2.0 (FEBRUARY 1999)

• The Linnet comes in two flavours now, a DOS version for AutoCAD for DOS and a 32 bit version for use with long filenames.
• Linnet 2.0 will no longer support WMF previews in R13 darwings. This is because all the compilers graphic handling routines have been replaced by self-written ones and only the bitmap format has been done so far.
• For the same reason the Linnet is much slimmer, 30kB for the windows version and only 10kB for the DOS version (Linnet 1.0 was 170kB).
• The slide file is smaller as well. This is because more attention has been paid to the convertion BMP->SLD.
• The RGB values of the bitmaps are now properly matched to the corresponding AutoCAD colours.
• Linnet doesn't accept the revision parameter anymore (13 or 14) which in Linnet 1.0 specified your preferred size of the image tile. Now the slide will ideally fit into a tile with a width:height ratio of 4:3.
• The Linnet sets the minutes in the file time of the slide to indicate the AutoCAD version that created the drawing. Linnet 1.0 used the file attributes, that was very dull.

License Agreement

Permission to use, copy, and distribute this software for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the copyright notice appears in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all supporting documentation.

Octocad makes no warranty, including but not limited to any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, regarding the software and accompanying materials. The software and accompanying materials are provided solely on an as-is basis.

In no event shall Octocad be liable to any special, collateral, incidental, or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the use of the software or accompanying materials.

Download

Please download here
linnet21.zip (38kB)
The sample file-open dialogue needs the fabulous DOSLIB. For your convinience you can download it right here: doslib4.exe

If you need WMF preview as well you might want to download the old linnet1.zip (128kB).