Get AutoCAD Block Handle - Differing Results w/ Attout VB.NET - vb.net

Question

I have an attribute tab delimited text file that I want to apply to multiple drawings. In order for AutoCAD to NOT pop up and say "One or more blocks could not be found, do you want to select the data interactively?" , I have to use the HANDLE property of the block. On a given drawing, if I use ATTOUT to see the Handle of my block, I get a value such as '8B3F. Using ATTIN with that Handle works. Applying this to multiple drawings that have different handles, I have to get the handle for each block if each drawing. Here is my code - writing the handle to an excel doc.
xlbook = xlapp.Workbooks.Open(attInText,, False)
xlsheet = xlbook.Worksheets(dwgName)
Dim Handle As String = ""
'get the handle to the CHS11x17TB title block
For Each blk As AutoCAD.AcadBlock In cadDOC.Blocks
If blk.Name.ToUpper = "CHS11X17TB" Then
Handle = blk.Handle
xlsheet.Cells(2, "A").value = Handle
Exit For
End If
Next
Now, the problem is that the Handle is NOT the same as the one generated using ATTOUT - I'll get something like '75B0 using the code. Why do you think ATTOUT gives me a different handle than looping through the blocks of the drawing? I would note that my block is in paperspace, if that makes any difference. If that question cannot be answered, I'm interested in any alternative solutions for getting the handle to my block.

Answer 1

It looks like you're confusing block definition (Block) contained in the block table (Blocks) and block reference (BlockReference) inserted in the ModelSpace or PaperSpace.
Here's a not tested snippet which serac for a block reference in the model space (you can replace ModelSpace with PaperSpace to search the active paper space.
xlbook = xlapp.Workbooks.Open(attInText,, False)
xlsheet = xlbook.Worksheets(dwgName)
Dim Handle As String = ""
'get the handle to the CHS11x17TB title block
For Each obj As AutoCAD.AcadObject In cadDOC.ModelSpace
If obj.ObjectName = "AcDbBlockReference" Then
If obj.EffectiveName.ToUpper = "CHS11X17TB" Then
Handle = obj.Handle
xlsheet.Cells(2, "A").value = Handle
Exit For
End If
End If
Next

Answer 2

Here's what I did to make it work. The block reference I wanted was in the paperspace. Note that EntityType 7 is an AcadBlockReference.
Dim Handle As String = ""
Dim count As Integer
count = cadDOC.PaperSpace.Count
Dim newObjs(count) As AutoCAD.AcadEntity
Dim index As Integer
For index = 0 To count - 1
newObjs(index) = cadDOC.PaperSpace.Item(index)
Next
For i = 0 To count - 1
Try
If newObjs(i).EntityType = 7 Then
Dim blk As AutoCAD.AcadBlockReference = newObjs(i)
If blk.Name.ToUpper = "CHS11X17TB" Then
Handle = "'" & blk.Handle
End If
End If
Catch ex As Exception
End Try
Next