VB .Net & Acad 20005 Basic Questions

I have a collection of LISP routines that I and my partner collaborated on. We would like to assemble these routines into a distributable add-on application for AutoCAD. My partner did all the LISP coding. I am completely clueless when it comes to programming.

I have been unable to get answers to the following questions:

Is it possible to code routines in Visual Basic .Net that will perform the same functions as the lisp routines? If so, where does one learn how to do that?

Can Visual Basic .Net be used to design the user interfaces and dialogs for the above mentioned lisp routines.

If one were to design an application to work inside AutoCAD with Visual Basic .Net and still had to use the Lisp routines, how would you tell Visual Basic to go get the Lisp routine and execute it?

I know these questions may seem rudimentary to some of you, but I have not been able to get any straight answers on these fundamental questions.

Thank you

 

Is it possible to code routines in Visual Basic .Net that will perform the

Yes. Samples in this group and I've seen some in C++ group. Go to
Autodesk usergroup page and do a search. The way one learns is
a combination of applied logic, help from this group, and a tenacious
game of hit or miss...)

See help meun for example...

I would start by getting a handle on vba..Lots of examples
in AutoCAD help. .Net from there will seem easier...

gl...

 

A definitive answer to this cannot be made given what little
the poster has revealed about the LISP applications. There
are many things that cannot be done using anything but LISP
or ObjectARX (C++ that is, not the managed ARX wrappers).

 

What I was trying to do here, was get a few simple answers, with having to read through the entire help file in AutoCAD - something AutoCAD seems unable & unwilling to understand.

Thank you,

 

Ok then why don't we start with a brief description of what 'cannot be done using anything but Lisp'.

Thank you,

 

Hi Karlar,

There are no simple answers. I rather suspect it is you who is "unable &
unwilling to understand".

You have to look at what each of your programs does, and then look at
whether the capability is available in other languages.

You may be able to establish some principles of capability, such as file
operations, user interfaces, AutoCAD drafting are likely to be available
because they are common features to most programming requirements in the
Autodesk world.

--


Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

read through the entire help file in AutoCAD - something AutoCAD seems
unable & unwilling to understand.

 

Laurie,

Somehow, I am not surprised by your defensive & elusive reply.

Should I post a complete syllabus of each LISP routine for you to analyze so that you can better answer my questions? Better yet, maybe I will post the actual LISP codes here if that might help?

The fact is that I did qualify my original post – I have no clue about programming, LISP or otherwise. I was hoping someone might step up to the plate and get me pointed in the right direction… silly me.

Isn’t it amazing that drafters drafted beautiful drawings for 500 years, and all they had were pencils and paper? I wonder how on earth the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, and Brooklyn Bridge ever got built, much less the Pyramids or the rest of the world’s great architectural projects?

Instead of the usual gibberish such as, ‘read the online help in VB/AutoCAD’ etc. etc. or ‘buy another Autodesk publication that assumes I already know programming’, why not read deeper into my original post and assume I have no knowledge of programming whatsoever, just like it said, and try to help get me pointed in the right direction?

Next time a residential client asks me a technical question, which I know they have no clue about, I think I will just tell them they need 5.1250x19.5 GLB or LVL on 6x W/ a Simpson CC5/1250/6… then look at them like they are stupid for not knowing what I am talking about.

Thank you Laurie,

 

Hi,

Absolutely no way do I want to see your code. The point I made is that to
answer your question requires a huge work load and that no one but you can
undertake that work load.

If you have inadequate understanding of programming and AutoCAD you really
need professional help.

You may care to note all the items you mentioned were built with huge
amounts of boring, repetative work by people who h to start from ignorance.
--

Regards,


Laurie Comerford
www.cadapps.com.au

 

I happen to agree with Laurie. Your questions are too open ended to
warrant a valuable reply. You need to evaluate your own skills and
assess the routines with that knowledge. If you are planning to
"distribute" them as an "add-on for AutoCAD", I assume that means sell
them. If that's the case, I would hire a real programmer to evaluate
them and write them in the appropriate language given the task.

Next time a client asks you to design a house, don't ask them any
questions like "how big", "how many stories", or "where's the site".
Those would clearly be too specific for your needs.

-Hope that helps,
Danny Polkinhorn
WATG
Honolulu

 

Dano,

Exactly...

I was hoping a 'Real Programmer' might reply to my original post.

And usually, when a client calls on an Architect, they have some idea of 'how big' a home they want, and the really smart ones, usually have a location in mind.

Aloha

 

Laurie,

You sound upset.

I think I will take Dano's advise and see if I can find a 'real programmer'.

Would you know of any discussion groups where I might find a real programmer?

 

Would you know of any discussion groups where I might find a real programmer?
Between Laurie and Tony I'd say you can't find a better group.

If you want serious answers to your vague questions, either have your
partner come up here and chat with us, or send me your program descriptions
and I'll send you back a recommendation - do it all the time for clients
such as yourself. Not for free, though.

-- Mike
___________________________
Mike Tuersley
CADalyst's CAD Clinic
Rand IMAGINiT Technologies
___________________________
the trick is to realize that there is no spoon...

 

There is no way to describe that with a 'brief
description'.

If you're serious about what you seek to do, the
right way to proceed would be to retain the services
of a qualified professional.

 

You can find plenty of them right here.

Finding them is not your problem.

Getting them to provide you with a free
consultation seems to be your problem.

 

This is a peer to peer support area where advice and aid is
freely given by those who have busy professional lives and who
make their living - as professional as it gets. They take time
from their work to help out others and, hopefully, receive help
when they need it. No one here can teach another how to program
but will point out resources and training areas.

Please respect those who attempt to help you. If their answer is
not what you need, perhaps your question is not well stated or
the help you need is from a paid for source.

 

Anne,

Not surprising coming from an Autodesk employee. As with all things Autodesk, excluding the core drafting program, which is great, you've missed the point, gone overboard, and then demand that everyone buy-in to all your many hours of designing cool little applets that very few people actually use (see ADT - 90% of that program remains unused by 90% of the market, because 'programmers' designed it) but I know you don't want that little secret to get out.

I think for my next 4,000 square foot residential client, I will just draw up a 12,000 square foot project, and tell them 'just build the 4,000 square feet you wanted, but of course, pay me for the 12.000 square feet I worked on'.

Have a great day.

I will look elsewhere for a 'real programmer'.

 

I examined this thread in my newsreader, and counted replies from 5 'Real
Programmers' that were informative or helpful. You are not going to gain
many friends or find much help on any newsgroup with statements like that
above.

If five different people have given you answers that you do not want to
hear, then maybe the questions need to be asked differently. The link below
has some useful information on asking questions.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

BTW, I thought that Paul answered your questions pretty directly. One thing
that I noticed was that you said you have a bunch of LISP routines, and then
all your questions were about Visual Basic .NET or VBA. One question that
seemed to be missing was: "Can we build an add-on using LISP or do we have
to rewrite everything in Visual Basic?" Perhaps another should be "How
should we design, develop and deploy this software so that it is robust
enough to be sold and supported commercially?"

The answers you got were fair. Program architecture has no easy answers.
The best place you can start is:

1. What do my LISP routines do?
2. How should these routines be organized logically?
3. Who needs them?
4. What do I need to learn to be able to develop and sell this add-on
commercially?

 

Rick,

Best answers yet, by far!

We were hoping to get pointed in the 'right direction' to learn the answers to the exact questions you suggested.

Thank you.

 

karlar,

Note that in my original post I did not advise you to find a real
programmer, but "hire a real programmer".

Thanks,
Danny

 

I wasn't gonna touch the original post,
saw where it was going...Couldn't
help it though, it just sat there waiting
for picking... Anybody want to
spend the weekend plowing through
the help menu to see what lisp methods
dont sync with comparable VB methods.
;o) sorry couldn't help it...

Matt were ya at... Gox Sox...8 in a row
tonight...Yahoo...