Where to start/What to install

[ethangale25724893]

All,

Please bear with me; I am an ultra-new to programming and even AutoCAD in general (recent college grad). I have done research, and have concluded that VB .NET or C++ is the language I need to learn to program in AutoCAD because of the functionality over AutoLisp or VisualLisp. That being said, my company is running AutoCAD Civil 3D 2011 and isn't looking to upgrade soon. What do I need to install in order to start my journey into the programming world? Here is what I have come up with through research:

AutoCAD ObjectARX SDK 2011 (this year/release should always be consistent with the year of AutoCAD I am using correct)
Visual Studio Express 2008 (this enables compatibility with the objectARX SDK above, or could I install the most recent Visual Studio because it is backwards compatible?)
AutoCAD DotNET Wizards 2010-2012 (this will simplify my use of the ObjectARX SDK through Visual Studio)

Let me know if I am way off or if I am on the right track,

Thanks in advance

[Opie]

This sounds about right, but I don't program too often in .NET.

[dgorsman]

Looks right here, too, although I'd recommend learning C# over VB.NET, and either of those over C++ (you *really* need to be on the ball for that).

Since you are new to programming I'd skip the AutoCAD and especially the Civil3D customization for now. Learn the basics in C# or VB.NET without regard to AutoCAD so when you start looking at the API you understand what a method is, why certain properties are public and others not, and so on.

[Keith.A.Brown]

If you are going to go with the .NET route and not C++ then skip Visual Studio Express 2008 and instead download Visual Studio 2015 Community Edition. It is basically the professional version. You can set your framework version to match up with what is needed for AutoCAD 2011 and it will still work correctly as long as you use the correct Autocad SDK. If you are going to program with C++ then you will need the correct version of Visual Studio which you have already figured out.