Error: 'Bad Argument Type: VLA-Object Collection, VLA Object' (Placing a Detail, Setting the Scale, etc.)

Issue

You received the following error message when attempting to place a detail.

Error: 'bad argument type: vla-object collection, vla-object'

Seeing a different bad argument type error? See our Error: Bad argument type landing page.

Cause

An error message containing the text 'Bad argument type: vla-object collection' is always the result of the software attempting (and failing) to figure out which sheet you are working on. You might receive this error when:

• Setting the drawing scale
• Working with details or detail callouts
• Doing anything else that requires the software to know which sheet you are working on

Solution

To check for this issue, run the following test:

Copy and paste the following text to your AutoCAD Command line:

(vla-get-layouts (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object)))

When copying the text shown above, make sure you are copying all the parentheses.

With the pasted text in the Command line, press Enter.

You should now see the following text, or something similar, in the Command line:

#{ VLA-OBJECT IAcadLayouts 000000002ca63498 }

If you DO NOT see the words "AcadLayouts" in this text, you'll need follow our steps to reinstall AutoCAD or F/X CAD.