AutoLISP
What can AutoLISP do?
AutoLISP can be used simply to automate repetitive tasks or to build complex programs that extend AutoCAD and make it more productive. For example, you could write a program that calculates the total length of polylines on a particular layer - imagine how much time that would save over doing it manually!
What's so good about AutoLISP?
The great thing about AutoLISP is that it's pretty easy to use - even if you haven't done any programming before. A complete beginner can easily create a simple routine that could save hours or days of work, making AutoCAD much more efficient and the drawing process much less tedious. People may tell you that AutoLISP is too limited and not powerful enough and that the higher-end languages are the way to go with AutoCAD customization. That may be true if you're a serious developer of 3rd party applications but if you're just a regular AutoCAD user who wants to make their life easier, AutoLISP is just the thing.
A little AutoLISP history
AutoLISP is based on the LISP programming language but was written by Autodesk specifically for AutoCAD. It was introduced with AutoCAD version 2.18 (a minor version update of AutoCAD 2.1) in January 1986. Autodesk continued to enhance and extend AutoLISP up to and including AutoCAD Release 13 in November 1994. From Release 14 onwards, Autodesk have not developed AutoLISP, choosing to focus efforts on the then new Visual LISP version of the language. Despite the fact that AutoLISP has not changed in almost two decades, it remains incredibly popular with AutoCAD users. This is mainly due to its ease of use and the massive productivity gains that can be earned through its implementation. See the AutoLISP Wikipedia article for more information.
AutoLISP Beginners' Tutorials
The Basics in a Nutshell - Part 1
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The Basics in a Nutshell - Part 2
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The Basics in a Nutshell - Part 3
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The Basics in a Nutshell - Part 4
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AutoLISP Intermediate Tutorials
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Working with Layers and Styles
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AutoLISP Advanced Tutorials
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AutoLISP Application Tutorials
Saving and Restoring System Variables
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Loading VBA Projects with AutoLISP
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