Autolisp vs Visual Lisp

[neje]

Are these are the same thing, only Vlisp has a better interface?
Does the code look the same? Can you tell which one they are?
I assume that if you are going to learn Alisp that you might as well use the Visual Lisp editor as it gives you some help.
Does Vlisp have extra functions not found in Alisp? ActiveX?
Is OpenDCL a good way to go to create dialogue boxes If I'm not gong to go to VBA.

[hofcad]

Are these are the same thing, only Vlisp has a better interface?
Does the code look the same? Can you tell which one they are?
I assume that if you are going to learn Alisp that you might as well use the Visual Lisp editor as it gives you some help.
Does Vlisp have extra functions not found in Alisp? ActiveX?
Is OpenDCL a good way to go to create dialogue boxes If I'm not gong to go to VBA.

See:
http://www.dailyautocad.com/autolisp/difference-between-autolisp-and-visuallisp/
http://www.dailyautocad.com/autolisp/difference-between-autolisp-and-visuallisp-2/
http://www.dailyautocad.com/autocad/114/
http://www.mattworland.com/Tools/Customization/Lisp/lisp.htm

Regards, HofCAD CSI.

[rkmcswain]

Are these are the same thing, only Vlisp has a better interface? For the most part, yes. Visual Lisp used to be "Vital Lisp", until it was purchased by Autodesk about 10 years ago. There are additional functions in VLISP, but generally speaking today, when you say "autolisp" - it includes old style regular autolisp and the visual lisp functions.

Does the code look the same? Can you tell which one they are? Yes, the code "looks" the same.

I assume that if you are going to learn Alisp that you might as well use the Visual Lisp editor as it gives you some help. Definitely -use it even if you are coding with plain autolisp.

Does Vlisp have extra functions not found in Alisp? ActiveX? Yes.

Is OpenDCL a good way to go to create dialogue boxes If I'm not gong to go to VBA.
You can create dialog boxes with the plain DCL functionality built into Autolisp. ObjectDCL gives you more capability, but keep in mind if you do not have the source code and the project goes away some day, you could be stuck with some non-functioning code. If dialog boxes are a large part of your planned projects, then .NET may be a better option for you.

[neje]

Thanks guys, I'll work thru the links.

[barry.40197]

Is OpenDCL a good way to go to create dialogue boxes If I'm not gong to go to VBA.

You can create dialog boxes with the plain DCL functionality built into Autolisp. ObjectDCL gives you more capability, but keep in mind if you do not have the source code and the project goes away some day, you could be stuck with some non-functioning code.

Sorry I know this post is almost 3 months old, but I just wanted to make one small clarification. I believe the original poster was asking about OpenDCL, not ObjectDCL.

ObjectDCL is not a project, it's a product. You can pay $500 a year for this product and get 1-2 bug fixes a year. And you're right, someday when the developer of ObjectDCL get tired of not making a profit, they'll close there doors & you're be stuck with a dead product & have to re-write your UI.

OpenDCL on the other hand is an open source project. It's free to download & has almost weekly builds with bug fixes & new features. However, if for some reason the current developer (C++/ObjectARX programmer) doesn't wont to continue working on the project, it's not really as big as an issue, as anther programmer could come along and pick up where he's left off.

Just my 2 cents. :)

[irneb]

However, if for some reason the current developer (C++/ObjectARX programmer) doesn't wont to continue working on the project, it's not really as big as an issue, as anther programmer could come along and pick up where he's left off.That's one of the many good things about Open Source. The life of a product is based on its users' needs, not the developer's ambitions. So if there's a large amount of demand for the product, it'll carry on even if the developer dies.

Not so with a commercial product, unless another person / company can buy the source license from the owner / his / her estate ... the product will die with the developer / owner. Larger, company based products (such as AutoCAD) has a much smaller possibility of this happening ... but a co can still go bankrupt:roll:

Just my 2c also :lol:

[andrea.andreetti]

Allow me to provide reassurances regarding ObjectDCL, as the president of DuctiSoft, the company behind ObjectDCL.

I understand that the original author, whom we bought the technology, had to stop supporting the product for health reason. It was not for a lack of profitability. ObjectDCL no longer rest on one man's shoulder.

As you may have noticed from the company web site, DuctiSoft is expanding its line of products. Each product depends on ObjectDCL. This provides a strong incentive for us to keep the technology alive and up-to-date for AutoCAD. We are also experiencing our technology first-hand every day, which made us realize the shortcomings the long standing customer base experienced. This is how we came to state that two products from independent software vendors won't clash and can co-reside on the same AutoCAD installation: the procedure is time-tested and well documented. We collaborated with a number of our long-time major customers on those issues. Our interests are intimately aligned with that of our customers.

Since we took over the development, DuctiSoft invested to make ObjectDCL ARX a enterprise-class technology that is stable, reliable and easy to distribute. These very qualities explain the low number of bug fixes. Granted, the editor itself needs more work and improvements. The essential--the ARX--has been taken care of.

The annual subscription comes with priority product support. The response is fast and personalized. The Open Source movement can hardly be as responsive as someone whose living depends on the outcome as opposed to a passion or a hobby. Moreover, our customers benefit from our discretion as to not reveal mission critical information to the public, such as code snippets, project files or any other kind of sensitive information when they seek help.

I admit that the imperatives of a business diverge from that of an Open Source project. You can tell by the differences. We are driven by what produces maximum value by unit of investment within a short time span. For instance, we favoured productivity features on the editor over translation. The two projects end up catering for different crowds. If you know your needs and sensitivities, then you can decide which product is for you. If you don't know or are uncertain, we will gladly and kindly help you.

ObjectDCL has considerable value for the market segment it targets and remains largely unexploited for its potential. We will be there for the years to come!

Best regards,

[rkmcswain]

But there is still risk involved. How much should be determined by the consumer of the technology.

"...but keep in mind if you do not have the source code and the project goes away some day, you could be stuck with some non-functioning code."