.NET

[#1]

First of all, thanks in advance for any assistance anyone can lend.  I have just started looking at the SDK and have yet to discern what I'm looking for.  Additionally, I know next to nothing about AutoCAD so piecing together how the SDK works with drawings is a challenge to say the least.  Here's my situation....

Our company has created product nameplates in AutoCAD and they currently have an old in house application that is printing these nameplates.  We are currently redesigning several key pieces of software for them and one package needs to be able to open these drawings and print them to our Zebra printers. I'm not looking for full code anything, just some general information.

First of all, our current program opens AutoCAD and runs scripts to pull the information from the nameplates, plot them, then closes AutoCAD. Can I plot/print the drawings through a .NET applicaiton without having to open AutoCAD?

Secondly, regardless of the first question, is there a fairly simple method from the SDK for printing or will this be something that I have to build from the ground up?

Again, thanks in advance.

[#2]

To plot the Autocad files you will either need Autocad (or a Acad based product) installed on the computer OR you can embedd RealDWG (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=770257) in your product.

Kean Walmsley as done a number of printing/publishing blogs posting on this subject where you will find source code:

http://through-the-interface.typepad.com/through_the_interface/

[#3]

And yes, you will have to open Autocad.  I'm not sure if RealDWG would get around that or not, since you are trying to plot.