Hello Daily AutoCAD readers,If you enter Google and search “AutoLISP”, you will see that 80% of the pages you find are Turkish websites. This is not because, Turkish people know AutoLISP better, it is why we are using it more often. In this article, I will try to find an answer starting from the context “Place of AutoLISP in programming in AutoCAD”.Yes, we are using AutoLISP more, because it is easier to learn, it doesn’t need additional programs and there are a lot of Turkish resources as you see. But, is it the correct programming tool for developing add-on programs for AutoCAD?Most of you know that we are earning our professional income by Taliasoft company that we own by developing AutoCAD applications. Recently, I visited a big factory for preliminary negotiation in order to develop a software for them. We are always trying to explain them that we are creating our applications by using Visual C# and Visual C++ which requires more effort for creating these applications in programming stage but enables great advantages and easiness in usage. However, IT manager told us that he writes some small programs by using AutoLISP all the time, and they are very important. He also told that without using these AutoLISP programs, it is impossible for the factory to work without using these programs. As he looks at our previous projects, he said that those programs are not their concern and they cannot be given as a reference. Can you imagine, those small AutoLISP macros are very important, on the other hand professional ObjectARX™ applications written in Visual C++, which makes some companies earn 300,000€ per year, are not important.

My dear friends, of course developing our own applications and increasing our efficiency makes us very proud. However, a lisp macro, which creates a description balloon into the drawing cannot be compared to a project that enables a kitchen project that has been bided and quoted then send to manufacturing to be transferred to SAP software without any missing data. This indicates that our own egos are giving harm to the company we are working at. Business ethics can not only be achieved by paying attention to working hours but we should also make use to out company. Now, let’s return back to the topic.

AutoLISP is an easy-to-use customization tool which requires no additional software development program and has an AutoCAD integrated editor and debugger and it is very useful. On the other hand, you cannot write more than macros that is useful for automation of jobs that tires your hand by doing the same thing over and over again. Even if you can develop more complicated programs by using DCL and new functions that start with vl_, this will be time consuming from professional point of view and they are not just simple ideas that come into your mind while drawing and put into code quickly.After making such a harsh introduction in the article, next, answer must be given for the question of “What can be done with MS Visual™ C# or ObjectARX™ and cannot be done with AutoLISP?”.

Connection to professional databases, electronic communication (email, MAPI etc.), web browser integration, licensing and on-line updating are among the first subjects that come into my mind.You cannot access registry files by using AutoLISP. Or, you cannot make anything but mixing the code as a security measure. You cannot use tools like database spreadsheets, tree-views, browser etc. Yes, you can get something working with 3-5 lines of code and by spending a few minutes. Very ingenious and really useful macros can also be written. However, as far as real automation is concerned, professional tools are required.If I summarize my article in one final paragraph, even if AutoLISP is far away from providing automation needs of a professional organization; it has the capabilities for increasing project production speed and efficiency. Besides, AutoLISP users get the knowledge of AutoCAD’s internal working mechanism very well. For this reason, AutoLISP, which is a programming language suitable for amateur purposes, can be called “First step of AutoCAD programming”. It is a fact that it will be very hard to advance to other methods without passing over this step.

Have ease everyone.

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AutoLISP, Programming