System Variables

SIS has several system variables, which are global to all windows.

System variables are set and queried using the SIS_OT_SYSTEM constant and the GetFlt/GetInt/GetStr/GetProperty  and SetFlt/SetInt/SetStr/SetProperty methods. The nObject& argument is not required with SIS_OT_SYSTEM, and should be set to 0.

sis.GetStr(SIS_OT_SYSTEM,0,"_properties$") will list all of the system variables. Most variables are common to both GisLink and SIS OCX, however a few are applicable to only one or the other, as shown below:

Common to GisLink and SIS OCX

• _AllDtsExtensions$
• _AllDtsFilters$
• _ArgPos$
• _ArgPrompt$
• _ASyncCommands$
• _BakDir$
• _BdsRefreshInterval
• _BuildNumber
• _ColSelection
• _CoordClasses$
• _CurSwdName$
• _CurWndHandle&
• _CurWorkspaceName$
• _DefaultNol$
• _DitherPalette$
• _DrawingMethod&
• _ExecError
• _FormulaCache&
• _GreekHeight#
• _HiddenDtsList$
• _HiddenGeocoderList$
• _HotSnap
• _JpegQuality&
• _KeyholeShape&
• _KeyholeSize&
• _KeyholeTransparency&
• _MainWndTitle$
• _MapQuestApplicationKey$
• _NumArg&
• _OpenGLMaxTextureSize&
• _OSOpenSpaceProApplicationKey$
• _OutputDPI&
• _OverlayBrush$
• _OverlayFont$
• _OverlayPen$
• _OverlayShape$
• _PixelGap&
• _PlatformNumber&
• _PosBarCoordClass$
• _PosBarTracking&
• _PrintColour&
• _RoamerScale&
• _RoamerShape&
• _RoamerSize&
• _RubberBandAnchor$
• _RubberBandFixHeight#
• _RubberBandFixRadius#
• _RubberBandFixWidth#
• _RubberBandList$
• _RubberBandMode&
• _SelectRO&
• _SentinelRMSFeatureName$
• _SentinelRMSHoldTime&
• _SentinelRMSQueueWaitTime&
• _SentinelRMSServerList$
• _SentinelRMSServerPort&
• _SentinelRMSTimeoutInterval&
• _SentinelRMSTrialPeriodLeft&
• _SentinelRMSVendorInfo$
• _SentinelRMSVersion$
• _ShowMenu&
• _SnapCode&
• _SnapKey&
• _SnapPos$
• _SnapTolerance&
• _Splinter#
• _TotalDtsSize&
• _TypeArg&
• _VersionMajor&
• _VersionMinor&
• _WaitBar&

GisLink

• _PYTHONPATH$
• _PYTHONSTARTUP$

SIS OCX

• _OptionsDatabase$

System Variables

• _AllDtsExtensions$: ASysVarAllDtsExtensions
  A list of all valid file extensions supported by SIS products, separated by semicolons, in a format suitable for use directly in programming, e.g. with the Pattern property of the FileListBox control in Microsoft Visual Basic.
  
  
• _AllDtsFilters$: ASysVarAllDtsFilters
  A string representing all file formats supported by SIS products, in a format suitable for use directly in programming, e.g. with the Filter property of the Microsoft Common Dialog control.
  
  
• _ArgPos$: ASysVarArgPos
  The position argument entered by the user.
  This System Variable is used by the GisLink methods GetPos and GetPosEx.
  
  
• _ArgPrompt$: ASysVarArgPrompt
  The prompt to display (in the Status Bar) while waiting for a user argument.
  This System Variable is used by the GisLink methods GetPos and GetPosEx.
  
  
• _ASyncCommands$: ASysVarASyncCommands
  
  
• _BakDir$: ASysVarBakDir
  The directory where backup files are created. By default this string is empty, which means that backups of Cadcorp Base Dataset, Named Object Library, and SIS Workspace Definition (SWD) files are created adjacent to the originals. But to provide some protection in the event of a disk crash, or to stop a disk filling up, you can store backups on a different disk.
  
  
• _BdsRefreshInterval&: ASysVarBdsRefreshInterval
  The time between Cadcorp Base Dataset auto-refreshes, in seconds.
  
  
• _BuildNumber&: ASysVarBuildNumber
  The SIS build number.
  
  The complete SIS version number can be generated by concatenating together _VersionMajor&,_VersionMinor&, and _BuildNumber&.
  
  
• _ColSelection&: ASysVarColSelection
  The colour with which to draw selected items, expressed as a long integer comprising Red, Green and Blue (RGB) components.
  
  The valid range for an RGB colour is 0 to 16,777,215 (&HFFFFFF& in hexadecimal). The high byte of a number in this range equals 0. The lower 3 bytes, from least to most significant byte, determine the amount of red, green, and blue, respectively. The red, green, and blue components are each represented by a number between 0 and 255 (&HFF).
  
  
• _CoordClasses$: ASysVarCoordClasses
  A space-separated list of available coordinate classes. See Coordinate Grids for details.
  
  
• _CurWndHandle&: ASysVarCurWndHandle
  The window handle of the current MDI child window.
  
  
• _CurSwdName$: ASysVarCurSwdName
  The file name of the current document (SWD).
  
  
• _CurWorkspaceName$: ASysVarCurWorkspaceName
  Current Workspace Name.
  
  
• _DefaultNol$: ASysVarDefaultNol
  The name of the default Named Object Library.
  
  
• _DitherPalette$: ASysVarDitherPalette
  Allows explicit palette selection.
  
  
• _DrawingMethod&: ASysVarDrawingMethod
  Sets the drawing method:
      0 = Simple
      1= Advanced
      2 = Hardware accelerated
  
  
• _ExecError&: ASysVarExecError
  The error code returned from the last API method used. See the automatically generated programming file (GisLink.bas or SisConst.h) for a list. SIS Control applications can call GetErrorString to get a string equivalent of the error code.
  
  
• _FormulaCache&: ASysVarFormulaCache
  Expression results can be cached by datasets, to speed up redraws, for example.
  
  
• _GreekHeight#: ASysVarGreekHeight
  The 'Greeking' height, in pixels, below which text will not be drawn.
  
  
• _HiddenDtsList$: ASysVarHiddenDtsList
  Enables or disables datasets, exporters, etc. by SIS Control
  
  The following code will disable the ESRI Shape dataset add-in
  
  sis.SetStr (SIS_OT_SYSTEM, 0, "_HiddenDtsList$", "+* -CadcorpShpDataset.ShpDataset.7")
  
  
• _HiddenGeocoderList$: ASysVarHiddenGeocoderList
  
  
  
• _HotSnap&: ASysVarHotSnap
  Should mouse movements detect underlying graphics? This is known as ‘hot snapping’.
  
  The options are as follows:
  'Hot' snapping off 0
  'Hot' snapping on (not including cursor-based datasets) 1
   No 'Hot' snapping options 2
  'Hot' snapping on (including cursor-based datasets) 3
  
  
• _JpegQuality&: ASysVarJpegQuality
  The quality setting to use when saving to JPEG file format.
  
  
• _KeyholeShape&: ASysVarKeyholeShape
  The shape of the hole displayed by the keyhole command.
  
  
• _KeyholeSize&: ASysVarKeyholeSize
  The size of the hole displayed by the keyhole command.
  
  
• _KeyholeTransparency&: ASysVarKeyholeTransparency
  The transparency of the hole displayed by the keyhole command.
  
  
• _MainWndTitle$: ASysVarMainWndTitle
  The window title of the main window. This string can be used for setting focus from GisLink customisations.
  
  
• _MapQuestApplicationKey$: ASysVarMapQuestApplicationKey
  
  
  
• _NumArg&: ASysVarNumArg
  The total number of arguments entered by user.
  
  This System Variable is used by the GisLink methods GetPos and GetPosEx.
  
  
• _OpenGLMaxTextureSize&: ASysVarOpenGLMaxTextureSize
  The maximum texture size as reported by the OpenGL software/hardware combination on the user’s machine. SIS uses the value in the system variable, or if it has never been set, asks OpenGL for an estimate.
  
  
• _OptionsDatabase$: ASysVarOptionsDatabase
  This is the path to the options database if it is to be changed from the default location.
  
  
• _OSOpenSpaceProApplicationKey$: ASysVarOSOpenSpaceProApplicationKey
  The Ordnance Survey (GB) OpenSpace Pro application key.
  
  _OutputDPI&: ASysVarOutputDPI
  The dots per inch output to the selected output device.
  
  
• _OverlayBrush$: ASysVarOverlayBrush
  Default Overlay Brush.
  
  
• _OverlayFont$: ASysVarOverlayFont
  Default Overlay Font
  
  
• _OverlayPen$: ASysVarOverlayPen
  Default Overlay Pen.
  
  
• _OverlayShape$: ASysVarOverlayShape
  Default Overlay Shape for points.
  
  
• _PixelGap&: ASysVarPixelGap
  This controls vertex culling in map windows.
  
  
• _PlatformNumber&: ASysVarPlatformNumber&
  
  
  
• _PosBarCoordClass$: ASysVarPosBarCoordClass
  The coordinate class of the status bar.
  
  
• _PosBarTracking&: ASysVarPosBarTracking
  Is the status bar tracking mouse movements?
  
  Valid values are:
  

  True	The status bar tracks mouse movements.
  False	The status bar does not track mouse movements.

  
  
• _PrintColour&: ASysVarPrintColour
  The printer colour capabilities. This controls the colours that the SIS printing generates when composing printer output.
  
  By default, SIS asks the installed printer driver what the colour capabilities of the printer are. SIS will then generate graphics which use these colours.
  
  However, some printer drivers do not know, or mis-report, the colour capabilities of some printers. When this happens the output can be black and white on a colour printer, or colours can be invisible on a black and white printer.
  
  Valid values are:
  

  SIS_PRINTCAPS_QUERY	Query the printer driver to get the colour capabilities of the printer.
  SIS_PRINTCAPS_MONO	Force the output to monochrome (pens are black or white, brushes and bitmaps are gray).
  SIS_PRINTCAPS_COLOUR	Assume the printer can handle 24-bit colours.

  
  
• _PYTHONPATH$: ASysVarPYTHONPATH
  This is the valuefor PYTHONPATH* folders entered in the Python tab of the Options dialog.
  
  
• _PYTHONSTARTUP$: ASysVarPYTHONSTARTUP
  This is the valuefor PYTHONSTARTUP* filename entered in the Python tab of the Options dialog.
  
  
• _RoamerScale&: ASysVarRoamerScale
  Default Roamer Scale.
  
  
• _RoamerShape&: ASysVarRoamerShape
  Selects the shape of the magnifying glass displayed by the Roamer [Home-Zoom] command.
  
  Valid values are:
  

  0	Circular.
  1	Square.

  
  
• _RoamerSize&: ASysVarRoamerSize
  Roamer Size.
  
  
• _RubberBandAnchor$: ASysVarRubberBandAnchor
  The anchor position for a rubber-band operation.
  
  The anchor position depends on the rubber-band mode as follows:
  

  SIS_RUBBERBAND_NONE	The anchor position is ignored.
  SIS_RUBBERBAND_LINE	The anchor position is the start of the line.
  SIS_RUBBERBAND_CIRCLE	The anchor position is the centre of the circle.
  SIS_RUBBERBAND_RECT	The anchor position is one corner of the rectangle.
  SIS_RUBBERBAND_ITEMS	The anchor position is the origin for the item drag.

  
  This System Variable is used by the GisLink methods GetPos and GetPosEx.
  
  
• _RubberBandFixHeight#: ASysVarRubberBandFixHeight
  The height of a fixed size rubber-band rectangle to draw when rubber-banding with mode SIS_RUBBERBAND_FIX_RECT.
  
  
• _RubberBandFixRadius#: ASysVarRubberBandFixRadius
  The radius of a fixed size rubber-band circle to draw when rubber-banding with mode SIS_RUBBERBAND_FIX_CIRCLE.
  
  
• _RubberBandFixWidth#: ASysVarRubberBandFixWidth
  The width of a fixed size rubber-band rectangle to draw when rubber-banding with mode SIS_RUBBERBAND_FIX_RECT.
  
  
• _RubberBandList$: ASysVarRubberBandList
  The named list containing items to draw when rubber-banding with mode SIS_RUBBERBAND_ITEMS.
  
  This System Variable is used by the GisLink methods GetPos and GetPosEx.
  
  
• _RubberBandMode&: ASysVarRubberBandMode
  The current rubber-banding mode.
  
  Valid values are:
  

  SIS_RUBBERBAND_NONE	Do not rubber-band.
  SIS_RUBBERBAND_LINE	Rubber-band a straight line.
  SIS_RUBBERBAND_CIRCLE	Rubber-band a circle.
  SIS_RUBBERBAND_RECT	Rubber-band a rectangle.
  SIS_RUBBERBAND_ITEMS	Drag items from a named list.
  SIS_RUBBERBAND_FIX_CIRCLE	Rubber-band a fixed size circle.
  SIS_RUBBERBAND_FIX_RECT	Rubber-band a fixed size rectangle.

  
  This System Variable is used by the GisLink methods GetPos and GetPosEx.
  
  
• _SelectRO&: ASysVarSelectRO
  Is the default selection command read-only? This controls whether the Select (Scroll Lock) [Home-Selection] command allows items to be edited.
  
  By default the Edit/Select command shows grab handles on editable items. Some applications/customisations of SIS may wish to suppress these features.
  
  Valid values are:
  

  True	The Edit/Select command will be read-only.
  False	The Edit/Select command will allow editable items to be edited.

  
  

• _SentinelRMSFeatureName$
  The product name, i.e. "SIS|Desktop|Modeller".
  
  

• _SentinelRMSHoldTime&
  Hold time in minutes and seconds.
  
  

• _SentinelRMSQueueWaitTime&
  If all the licences are in use, then the request will be held in a queue until the next available licence. This value sets the length of time the request will be held in the queue before it is cancelled.
  
  

• _SentinelRMSServerList$
  A list of licence servers, separated by a ~.
  
  

• _SentinelRMSServerPort&
  Port number. Only to be added if default value is not used.
  
  

• _SentinelRMSTimeoutInterval&
  Time out interval in minutes and seconds. Only to be added if the default value of 30 seconds is not used.
  
  When a licensed application sends a request to a licence server and the licence server does not respond the application will resend the request a number of times.
  
  

• _SentinelRMSTrialPeriodLeft&
  Remaining time of trial period in days.
  
  

• _SentinelRMSVendorInfo$
  Information is returned as a JSON string in the following question and answer paired format:

  {"Information":"Vendor name", "Licence Counter":"12345", "Licence To":"Cadcorp"}
  
  

• _SentinelRMSVersion$
  Version number of the licence file, i.e. 8.0.
  
  

• _ShowMenu&: ASysVarShowMenu
  Should the main menu be shown?
  
  Valid values are:
  

  True	The main menu will be shown.
  False	The main menu will not be shown.

  
  
• _SnapCode&: ASysVarSnapCode
  The type of geometry snapped to by the last snap in the current Map Window.
  
  
• _SnapKey&: ASysVarSnapKey
  The keyboard key or mouse button used for the last position entered by the user in the current Map Window.
  
  The keyboard key values are uppercase ASCII values.
  
  The mouse button values are as follows:
  Left 1
  Middle 4
  Right 2
  
  
• _SnapPos$: ASysVarSnapPos
  The last position entered by the user in the current Map Window. This could be by a mouse snap, or a position entered by typing in the Status Bar.
  
  This System Variable is used by the GisLink methods GetPos and GetPosEx.
  
  
• _SnapTolerance&: ASysVarSnapTolerance
  The tolerance to use for future snapping, measured in screen pixels.
  
  
• _Splinter#: ASysVarSplinter
  The default topological splinter value. When creating topology, topological items with a higher splinter value will be merged.
  
  
• _TotalDtsSize&: ASysVarTotalDtsSize
  The total amount of memory, in bytes, that all the datasets use.
  
  
• _TypeArg&: ASysVarTypeArg
  The type of the last user argument.


Valid values are:

SIS_ARG_ESCAPE	The Escape key was pressed or another command was started.
SIS_ARG_ENTER	The Enter key was pressed.
SIS_ARG_BACKSPACE	The Backspace key was pressed.
SIS_ARG_POSITION	A position was entered.

This System Variable is used by the GisLink methods GetPos and GetPosEx.



• _VersionMajor&: ASysVarVersionMajor
  The SIS major version number. The complete SIS version number can be generated by concatenating
  _VersionMajor&, _VersionMinor& and _BuildNumber&.
  
  
• _VersionMinor&: ASysVarVersionMinor
  The SIS minor version number. The complete SIS version number can be generated by concatenating
  _VersionMajor&, _VersionMinor& and _BuildNumber&.
  
  
• _WaitBar&: ASysVarWaitBar
  Should the wait bar and cancel button be shown during long operations?
  
  Valid values are:
  
  

  True	The wait bar and cancel buttons will be shown.
  False	The wait bar and cancel buttons will not be shown.

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