Accessing Points in a File

The AeccPoints object also has methods for reading and writing point locations in a file. The AeccPoints.ImportPoints method creates points from locations stored in a text file. The AeccPoints.ExportPoints method writes point locations to a text file.

The second parameter of the ImportPoints and ExportPoints methods is a string that describes how the point values are stored in the file. The following table lists some commonly available file formats. You can create other formats by using the Point File Format dialog box.

Point File Formats

The third parameter of the ImportPoints method is an object of type AeccPointImportOptions, which can be set to perform actions as the data is being loaded. For example, you can add offsets to the point positions or elevations, determine which points to read from the file, or specify the point group where the points are placed. The third parameter of the ExportPoints method is of the similar AeccPointExportOptions type.

This example demonstrates the ImportPoints and ExportPoints methods:

Dim oPoints As AeccPoints
Dim oImportOptions As New AeccPointImportOptions
Dim sFilename As String
Dim sFileFormat As String
Dim iCount As Integer
 
Set oPoints = oDocument.Points
sFilename = "C:\My Documents\SamplePointFile.txt"
sFileFormat = "PENZ (space delimited)"
oImportOptions.PointDuplicateResolution = aeccPointDuplicateOverwrite
iCount = oPoints.ImportPoints(sFilename, sFileFormat, oImportOptions)
 
' Export the files to a separate file.
Dim oExportOptions As New AeccPointExportOptions
sFilename = "C:\My Documents\SamplePointFile2.txt"
oExportOptions.ExpandCoordinateData = True
oPoints.ExportPoints sFilename, sFileFormat, oExportOptions