Curve Class GetCurveInfo and PutCurveInfo API does not agree with implementation

I am having issues with two Curve methods that does not agree with API documentation and I don't know how to work aroundas as they show stoppers for me ..

Using CorelDRAW X6 (yeah, I know it is old, but still works)

namespace Corel.Interop.CorelDRAW
{
[Guid("398C000F-8583-4382-B9A1-4BDF347594AC")]
[TypeLibType(4176)]
public interface IDrawCurve

[DispId(1610743823)]
CurveElement[] GetCurveInfo();
[DispId(1610743824)]
int PutCurveInfo(ref CurveElement[] Source, int NumElements = -1);

Now using CorelDRAW Standard 2021 ...

namespace VGCore
{
[Guid("B0580019-9AA4-44FD-9547-4F91EB757AC4")]
[TypeLibType(4160)]
public interface IVGCurve
{

[DispId(1610743823)]
Array GetCurveInfo();
[DispId(1610743824)]
int PutCurveInfo(ref Array Source, int NumElements = -1);

As you can see, it has changes using CurveElement[] type to System.Array which does not match the C# API documentation?

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2023

Here is code sample showing the issue, using C#

using System;

using VGCore;

namespace CorelDRAWTest
{
class Program
{
static void CreateTextInCorelDRAW(string text, string fontName,
float fontSize)
{
Type pia_type = Type.GetTypeFromProgID("CorelDRAWStandard.Application.23");
Application app = Activator.CreateInstance(pia_type) as Application;
app.Visible = true;
Document doc = app.ActiveDocument;
if (doc == null)
doc = app.CreateDocument();
Shape shape = doc.ActiveLayer.CreateArtisticText(
0.0, 0.0, text, cdrTextLanguage.cdrLanguageMixed,
cdrTextCharSet.cdrCharSetMixed, fontName, fontSize,
cdrTriState.cdrUndefined, cdrTriState.cdrUndefined,
cdrFontLine.cdrMixedFontLine, cdrAlignment.cdrLeftAlignment);

CurveElement[] ce = new CurveElement[4];

ce[0].ElementType = cdrCurveElementType.cdrElementStart;
ce[0].PositionX = 0;
ce[0].PositionY = 0;
ce[1].ElementType = cdrCurveElementType.cdrElementLine;
ce[1].PositionX = 2;
ce[1].PositionY = 0;
ce[2].ElementType = cdrCurveElementType.cdrElementLine;
ce[2].PositionX = 1;
ce[2].PositionY = 2;
ce[3].ElementType = cdrCurveElementType.cdrElementLine;
ce[3].PositionX = 0;
ce[3].PositionY = 0;

app.ActiveShape.Curve.PutCurveInfo(ref ce, ce.Length);

}
static void Main(string[] args)
{
try
{
CreateTextInCorelDRAW("Hello, world", "Arial", 24.0f);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("Error occurred: {0}", ex.Message);
}
}
}
}

0 Shelby Moore over 1 year ago

The issue with your code is that your shape is text and not a curve. PutCurveInfo only works on a Curve.

I took your example code and put it into a docker I created with CorelDraw Addons Templates addon for Visual Studio 2022. Changed the few lines I needed and then added a line to convert your shape (text) to curves.

Its not of course that useful because the text just gets transformed into a triangle. Which will also not have an outline color because text does not have an outline color. You basically get an invisable triangle. :-)

Anyway, the point is the code works as long as you are using a curve. Here is the full code if your are interested.

using System;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using Corel.Interop.VGCore;
using corel = Corel.Interop.VGCore;

namespace SampleDockerCSharp
{
    public partial class DockerUI : UserControl
    {
        private corel.Application corelApp;
        private Styles.StylesController stylesController;
        public DockerUI(object app)
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            try
            {
                this.corelApp = app as corel.Application;
                stylesController = new Styles.StylesController(this.Resources, this.corelApp);
            }
            catch
            {
                global::System.Windows.MessageBox.Show("VGCore Erro");
            }

        }

        private void UserControl_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
            stylesController.LoadThemeFromPreference();
        }

        private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
            try
            {
                CreateTextInCorelDRAW("Hello, world", "Arial", 24.0f);
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Error occurred: {0}", ex.Message);
            }
        }

        private void CreateTextInCorelDRAW(string text, string fontName, float fontSize)
        {
            Document doc = corelApp.ActiveDocument;
            if (doc == null)
                doc = corelApp.CreateDocument();
            Shape shape = doc.ActiveLayer.CreateArtisticText(
            0.0, 0.0, text, cdrTextLanguage.cdrLanguageMixed,
            cdrTextCharSet.cdrCharSetMixed, fontName, fontSize,
            cdrTriState.cdrUndefined, cdrTriState.cdrUndefined,
            cdrFontLine.cdrMixedFontLine, cdrAlignment.cdrLeftAlignment);

            shape.ConvertToCurves();

            CurveElement[] ce = new CurveElement[4];

            ce[0].ElementType = cdrCurveElementType.cdrElementStart;
            ce[0].PositionX = 0;
            ce[0].PositionY = 0;
            ce[1].ElementType = cdrCurveElementType.cdrElementLine;
            ce[1].PositionX = 2;
            ce[1].PositionY = 0;
            ce[2].ElementType = cdrCurveElementType.cdrElementLine;
            ce[2].PositionX = 1;
            ce[2].PositionY = 2;
            ce[3].ElementType = cdrCurveElementType.cdrElementLine;
            ce[3].PositionX = 0;
            ce[3].PositionY = 0;

            corelApp.ActiveShape.Curve.PutCurveInfo(ref ce, ce.Length);
        }
    }
}