AutoCAD customization can be divided into two parts: Non-programming customization & Programming customization:
Non-programming customization consists of:
- User interface customization by adding specific required toolbars, menu bars & palettes
- Customized hatch creation
- Block library development
- Creation of customized linetypes & shapes.
Programming customization consists of:
Addition of your own commands to AutoCAD, which will perform the activities desired by you. Some of the examples of AutoCAD programming is as follows:
- Design & drafting automation
- Automatic drawing generation based on design calculations
- Automatic production drawing generation
- Automatic bill of material generation
- Automatic quotation preperation
- Automatic CNC machine code generation
- The main reason for customization is time saving. Time wasted on repeated type of work can be saved & used for more productive work.
- Accurate output generation.
- Quick response to customer queries.
Almost all activities that you do manually can be performed automatically through AutoCAD Customization.
Autodesk has given a free hand to developers to choose the tool they like most for AutoCAD customization.
You can customize AutoCAD and produce good quality professional results using AutoLISP & VisualLISP, off course along with DCL (Dialog Control Language). DCL will help you in creating the dialog boxes, like Visual Basic, in AutoLISP. You can straight away start learing AutoLISP by following these AutoLISP Video Tutorials.
If you are the fan of Visual Basic, the simplest development tool to learn, then you can use AutoCAD VBA to develop software, which runs within AutoCAD, or you can also develop software, which will access AutoCAD, from outside AutoCAD. You can create your first AutoCAD VBA program by watching this AutoCAD VBA Video Tutorial.
For those who believe in the power of C & C++ programming languages, can use ObjectARX environment for AutoCAD customization.
You can also customize AutoCAD using .Net languages such as VB.Net, C#.Net & VC++.Net. AutoCAD.Net API Basics Tutorials are useful to learn the Basics of AutoCAD.Net API programming.
If you are new to programming, then you can try your programming skills using AutoLISP & VisualLISP by making some simple programs. If you are through & gets interested in AutoCAD customization then you can upgrade your skills to other programming languages & environments.