lsp without autoCAD?

[jpglisson]

I would like to learn to create lsp. I do not have AutoCAD at home and lsp creation is not part of my job. I can't spend company time learning lsp.
Is there a way to write and debug a lsp routine without AutoCAD?
ACAD 2011
Thanks

[BlackBox]

I would like to learn to create lsp. I do not have AutoCAD at home and lsp creation is not part of my job. I can't spend company time learning lsp.
Is there a way to write and debug a lsp routine without AutoCAD?
ACAD 2011

You can write LISP in non-VLIDE editors, such as Notepad++, etc. but you're not going to be able to properly test without AutoCAD.

Check with your employer, as most current AutoCAD licensing comes with the use of a 'home license', or the ability to 'check out' a license, if you work on a laptop... Either of which, depending on employer policy, can be use by you (the employee) after hours, from home, etc. This is how I was able to dedicate so much time to learning to code LISP, .NET, etc. myself over the past several years. If your employer doesn't have a policy for such a practice, perhaps you'd do well to request that they implement one, and then discuss the many benefits of your being able to refine your production skills off the clock - something I should think they'd be more than interested in.

Just a word of caution... Be mindful of how much you stress the coding aspect. Many (not all) employers, managers, etc. do not understand it, do not care about it, and have the mistaken impression that it has no affect on one's production, when the antithesis could not be more true. More often than not, one capable of customizing AutoCAD (i.e., CUI, .SCR, .LSP, .DLL, etc.), is far more knowledgeable of the product, and is capable of superior productivity. Simply stick to the larger goal, AutoCAD is a complex tool, with many features, and you'd like to become more efficient, and proficient during your personal time.

Cheers

[BlackBox]

Also worthy of note, and sometimes employers pay for memberships as well... You might consider becoming an AUGI Professional Member, as it comes with a FREE Autodesk Developer Network (ADN) Standard Membership (saving you $1400).

The ADN membership gives you many things, as does the AUGI membership, but be the ability to download and install any Autodesk product you want for development & testing (not for production use), is the one feature that I feel would help you the most, with the above request.

Cheers

[PaulLi_apa]

If you are taking classes in a school or an instructor, you can also download the free AutoCAD version to do your Lisp learning:
http://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software/all

[rkmcswain]

.... lsp creation is not part of my job. I can't spend company time learning lsp.

And if you care about it, you should probably also discuss with your employer the ownership of the code you create.
Who is going to own the code and/or compiled versions of it if you separate?
You?
Your former employer?

If this is a concern, hammer it out now, not later.

[BlackBox]

And if you care about it, you should probably also discuss with your employer the ownership of the code you create.
Who is going to own the code and/or compiled versions of it if you separate?
You?
Your former employer?

If this is a concern, hammer it out now, not later.

AFAIK, anything developed using employer resources (including AutoCAD license supplied VLIDE on a home computer), is owned by the employer.

That said, who at the employer is responsible for, and actually performs the monitoring of such activities in the event of the user having a backup copy of same (were user to store said code on the employer network in the first place) prior to termination, voluntary or otherwise, is an entirely different matter, which is also under the employer's ownership.



"Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." - C.S. Lewis

[greg.battin]

Here is a LISP IDE that works outside of AutoCAD and can work with AutoCAD if ACAD is installed:
http://www.caelink.com/lisplink_features.htm

[jpglisson]

Thanks to all. Those are great ideas and advice.
I have only been working with this co. for two weeks. I will have to wait a little bit and get a feeling for the office.
Thanks again for everything.