Cad noob needs advice...

contact lost
contact lost
in Other

HiNeed to do this:Depending on data in our ERP-system create drawings, add blocks and edit attributes in blocks (this would be done at every project startup).What would be the best approach, not having VBA? The interfaces of the ERP include Web services, flat files and ODBC. I think I would prefer to make an application in VB that gets the data from the ERP, generates and execute a script (and maybe some lisp) in BricsCad which creates the drawings. Would that be possible and how? (I know that with Lisp I can read flat files, but I cannot connect to ODBC, can I)?I found this: http://members.iinet.com.au/~bigbyte/vb.htm#dde would it be possible to get to bricscad in a similar fashion, or is there a better / another way to do it?I see there is something called SDS, and perhaps that would be the logical choice, but I would prefer not to go there for various reasons.Carlbtw, is there a good editor for autolisp? Didn't find anything (that works) for emacs...

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  • contact lost
    contact lost

    You used a bunch of abbreviations which I don't understand, and suggests I am unqualified to answer your question. But, since no one else has answered, I thought I should give it a try.Perhaps the application you are talking about can write a DXF file. This is a file format for CAD data that is pretty much a universal standard. Then after the DXF file is created you would just need a very small routine to get the DXF file into BricsCAD (or any other CAD program).Joe Dunfee

  • contact lost
    contact lost

    Thanks for answering.Please forget about all of what I wrote. What I want is this: From an external application execute a script in BricsCad. The external application cannot be invoked from within BricsCad, it has to be the other way around.I've looked at SDS and it seems it must be used from within BricsCad. I also looked at the COM-interface, and correct me if I am wrong, but that can also only be used from within BricsCad itself. Or to put it in another way, can I from a button in MS Word open and execute a script in BricsCad?Carl

  • contact lost
    contact lost

    You may try the editor UltraEdit, which can be downloaded from www.ultraedit.com.It is an inexpencive editor where you can have synx highlighted for several languages.I use it as the one-and-only editor for LISP, and are very plaesed with it.Svend Nielsen

  • contact lost
    contact lost

    Here is a link which has a series of articles on linking AutoCAD to Excel.http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/autoindex?siteID=123112&id=2253435&linkID=2475176I think most AutoCAD VBA books will have this sort of info. But, of course, we are holding off on writing VBA code for BricsCAD because it will be changing significantly in the near future.Joe Dunfee

  • Alexander Van Heuverzwyn
    Alexander Van Heuverzwyn

    I think the simplest way is to make a VBA script in MSword, have it create an instance of Bricscad, and then call application.runscript on that instance.Another approach is the windows/dos commandline:The startup options for Bricscad are:- /L for the splash- /B for a script- /P for a userprofile- /S for searchpathif in the dos window or in a shortcut, you executeicad.exe drawingname.dwg /B scriptname.scr oricad.exe scriptname.scr or icad.exe /B scriptname.scr 'scriptname.scr' will be executed on startup. regards,Alexander Van Heuverzwyn,Bricscad

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