VBA or VB

[AlexDring]

Should I use VBA or VB to write custom programs for AutoCAD? If I use VB what do I use to send the command to AutoCAD, the sendcommand? I noticed in VBA it has a lot of AutoCAD objects, but cant seem to find the same in my VB 6.0 Pro, anyone mess with this recently?

Should I just blow away VB and VBA and use lisp/visual lisp with the diesel (sp) for the interface?

 

[acaddesigner]

Hi alex,
I see in your question that you are not familiar with programming in VB(a) and AutoCAD.

First also visit the TEK-tips forum.
A lot of questions you have will be discussed therein the cad department.

The problem you have with VB and Autocad-commands is because you have to LINK to the Autocad library.
choose in your VB-editor : menu >project > references.
You'll see a list of libraries, check the ones from autodesk.
There are more and more examples on the net these day's to
find nice working code.
Check for instance the

http://www.codecafe.com

or

http://www.afralisp.com,

http://www.VBcad.com

and so on.

I don't want to step in discussion about what type of programming language is the best, it depends also what you want to do, I use VB6 and I love it!

Hope this helps you as a start-up

Have fun!
Paul

 

[AlexDring]

Paul-

So have youu used VB 6.0 to write programs for Autocad? I took visual in college but that was a number years ago and with version 3. Thanks for the tips on the library references though, I will look at that tonight when I go home.

For your reference I am a division manager in steel detailing and have a bunch of detailers working on projects. I was thinking of writing programs to assist them to have all the drawings look more standardized, without forking out the 20-30k for custom steel detailing software out there.

 

[IFRs]

VB6 is a dying language - ask MS or visit

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?SQID=782289&SPID=222&page=1

That said, I like VB6 also, although I use Lisp and Diesel for little stuff, VBA for integrated stuff too complex for Lisp and VB6 for stand-alone apps that interface with Acad.

 

[AlexDring]

IFRs

If VB6 is dying what is up and coming in its place that intergrates with AutoCAD like Visual?

 

[Estassoc]

AlexDring,

I'm currently looking for sample drawings of
structural details used in the industry. I'm
working on a lisp program to do structural
detailing using plain Autolisp. Would it be
possible to share the structural details that
you do in exchange for a complimentary copy of
routine once completed.
Email: dparc7491@yahoo.com

 

[AlexDring]

Sure can, what kind of detials you looking for, I have that one book Structural Steel Detailing in Cad Format, that comes with a disk, I can copy that and send it to you.

If you need actual jobs and details, let me know too.

My email is
alexd@caddadvantage.com