iBlockMgr.h

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 /**********************************************************************
 
    FILE: IBlockMgr.h

    DESCRIPTION:  Public interface for working with blocks (the same 
                                concept as Autocad Blocks)

    CREATED BY: Attila Szabo, Discreet

    HISTORY: - created Aug 08, 2002

 *> Copyright (c) 1998-2002, All Rights Reserved.
 **********************************************************************/

#pragma once

#include "iFnPub.h"
#include "maxtypes.h"
#include "GetCOREInterface.h"

// --- Forward declaration
class IBlockRefComponent;
class INode;
class INodeTab;

// --- Interface IDs
#define BLOCK_MGR_INTERFACE Interface_ID(0x327d3c71, 0x542b7dac)

// class IBlockMgr
//
// This interface allows different parts of the system (max) and plugins
// to work with blocks
//
// Right now, it provides very limitted functionality, the plan being to
// extend it in the future as we identify functionality that can be factored 
// out from FileLink into this object.
class IBlockMgr : public FPStaticInterface
{
    public:
    // Checks whether a node is a block instance. If yes, the method it returns 
    // a pointer to the block interface.
    // INode& n - is this node a block instance?
        virtual IBlockRefComponent* IsInstance(INode& n) const = 0;

        // Retrieves instances of a block. 
        // INode& source - The block whose instances are to be retrieved. 
        // INodeTab& instances - An array of nodes representing the instances the
        // given block. This array is cleared before collection of instances 
        // starts. The original object is also included in this array since every  
        // object can be thought of as having at least one instance. 
        // Return value - The number of instances found. There's always at least 1 instance found
        virtual unsigned long GetInstances(INode& source, INodeTab& instances) const = 0;

        // Extends a node with a IBlockRefComponent interface. 
        // If the node is a block component already, it does nothing
        virtual IBlockRefComponent* MakeBlockRefComponent(INode& n) const = 0;

        // Removes the IBlockRefComponent interface from the node
        virtual bool RemoveBlockRefComponent(INode& n) const = 0;

        // Returns the top block of the component passed in as param.
        virtual INode* GetTopBlock(INode& n) const = 0;

        // For each block in the node array that has components, 
        // adds these components to the array of nodes to be selected
        virtual void ExpandSelection(INodeTab& nodes) const = 0;
        
        // --- File I/O 
        virtual IOResult Save(ISave* isave) const = 0;
        virtual IOResult Load(ILoad* iload) = 0;

        static IBlockMgr* GetBlockMgr()
        {
            return static_cast<IBlockMgr*>(GetCOREInterface(BLOCK_MGR_INTERFACE));
        }
};