Knowing Previous Command Item C# in ArcObjects?

Question

I am creating a tool for ArcGIS Desktop that will execute a command when I click a place on the map.

The Code looks like this:

public class TileLasLoader_Tool : ESRI.ArcGIS.Desktop.AddIns.Tool
{
 private static EsriTools.Forms.TileLasLoader_Form _form;
 ICommandItem _previousCommand = null;
 public TileLasLoader_Tool()
 {
 _form = EsriTools.Forms.TileLasLoader_Form.instance;
 }
 protected override void OnUpdate()
 {
 }
 protected override void OnMouseDown(MouseEventArgs arg)
 {
 base.OnMouseDown(arg);
 if (arg.Button == MouseButtons.Left)
 { 
 _form.LoadLasFile(arg.X, arg.Y);
 ArcMap.Application.CurrentTool = _previousCommand;
 }
 }

My Only problem is getting the tool to revert back to the previous "Command Item" that it was before I used the tool. If it was not using a tool I would just make it null so it reverts back to the windows mouse cursor.

Answer 1

The Interface IApplication has a property called CurrentTool which will return the currently active tool.

I'm not aware of any Application level event listener for commands.

I'm not sure what I'm about to suggest is a smart way of doing this but why not put the IApplication.CurrentTool into your custom button onUpdate() function and constantly update some global variable _previousCommand? I do not know if this would have an impact on performance?

• Chris Stayte: I did that once! I first tried placing it in the constructor for the tool and it worked until I used to tool again! It reverted back to the "first" previous tool! I then placed it in the "onupdate" function to where it trigger my tool as the previous tool!