Working with documents

Working with documents

Whenever a CorelDRAW file is opened, a new Document object is created in the Application object for that document. The Application object contains a Documents collection, which provides access to all of the open documents. The order of the documents in the collection is set to the order in which the documents were created and opened.

You can browse the object model for the complete list of Document objects, but here is a list of the most useful ones (some of which are explained in greater detail in this chapter):

Document Member

Description

Activate Activates the given document, bringing it to the front of the pile in CorelDRAW . ActiveDocument is set to reference it.

ActiveLayer Represents the layer that is set as active in the Object Manager ActivePage

Represents the active page in the document — that is, the one that is being edited in CorelDRAW

AddPages

Adds pages to the end of a document

AddPagesEx BeginCommandGroup

Creates a “command group” — that is, a series of actions that appear as a single item EndCommandGroup

on the Undo list

ClearSelection Clears the document’s selection so as to deselect all shapes in the document Close

Closes the document

Export

Performs a simple export from the document

ExportEx

Performs a highly configurable export from the document

ExportBitmap

Performs an export to a bitmap with full control

FileName

Gets the filename

FilePath

Gets the path to the file

FullFileName

Gets the full path and filename of the document

GetUserArea Lets you add interactivity to a macro by allowing the user to drag an area GetUserClick

Lets you add interactivity to a macro by allowing the user to click InsertPages

Inserts pages into the document at a specified location

InsertPagesEx Pages

Provides access to the Pages collection

PrintOut

Prints the document using the document’s print settings

PrintSettings PublishToPDF

Publishes the document to Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF) format PDFSettings

ReferencePoint Gets/sets the reference point used by many Shape functions (such as the ones for transforming a shape or getting a shape’s position)

Save

Saves the document using the current filename

SaveAs Saves the document to a new filename or with new settings Selection

Gets the selection as a Shape

Document Member

Description

SelectionRange

Gets the selection as a ShapeRange

Unit Sets the document units used by functions that take a measurement value, such as WorldScale

functions related to size and position. This is independent of the units that the rulers are set to use. Also gets/sets the drawing scale. This changes the value in the document; however, it must be explicitly calculated into functions that take a measurement value, which use 1:1 by default.

The Application object also contains all Window objects. Document and Window objects have many member properties and methods for performing actions such as the

following: • Creating documents • Opening documents • Importing files into documents • Switching between documents • Viewing documents • Changing content in documents • Setting the Undo string for documents • Exporting files from documents • Printing documents • Publishing documents to PDF • Closing documents