Community
You might want to explain what "...plotting order of layers..." mean. My guess is that you mean to set entities' "Draw Order" by layers before plotting. If so, yes, you can do it programmatically.
If you want to do this with a standalone application (EXE, desktop app or console app), then you can only use COM API to automate AutoCAD. That is, you need to run 2 applications in the same time (the EXE and AutoCAD), which can hardly be a good, user-friendly business solution in most cases. There is no need for ObjectARX SDK. Because AutoCAD has to run anyway, why not do it inside AutoCAD (so that user only needs to run AutoCAD, a single application for the job)? You can do it with either VBA, or AutoCAD .NET API plugin.
You might want to explain what "...plotting order of layers..." mean. My guess is that you mean to set entities' "Draw Order" by layers before plotting. If so, yes, you can do it programmatically.
If you want to do this with a standalone application (EXE, desktop app or console app), then you can only use COM API to automate AutoCAD. That is, you need to run 2 applications in the same time (the EXE and AutoCAD), which can hardly be a good, user-friendly business solution in most cases. There is no need for ObjectARX SDK. Because AutoCAD has to run anyway, why not do it inside AutoCAD (so that user only needs to run AutoCAD, a single application for the job)? You can do it with either VBA, or AutoCAD .NET API plugin.
Since you are to use C# (or VB.NET, does not matter here), you would develop AutoCAD .NET API plugin (AutoCAD has LISP API/COM API/.NET API (or Managed API)/ObjectARX C++ API). With AutoCAD .NET API, all you need is AutoCAD installed and A version of Visual Studio (free Community version of 2019 is good for all later version of AutoCAD since 2013). While ObjectARX SDK is not required for AutoCAD .NET API development, it would be good idea to still downloaded to just for the API documentation browsing and .NET code sample to get started. Of course, you can search the web for more learning resources. If you just want to get started, I'd highly recommend you begin with watch some tutorials on YouTube, by searching "AutoCAD .NET Programming" (you would get quite some for sure). If you do have experience of programming in AutoCAD from Lisp/VBA, you would find the learning curve is a bit of steeper.
I am not how long does it take for your learning to progress so that you can do what you want in your original post, it depends on both your AutoCAD knowledge and your programming knowledge. But for a novice, from quite a few months might be minimum to reach the point when one can write reasonable good code for production.
Since you are to use C# (or VB.NET, does not matter here), you would develop AutoCAD .NET API plugin (AutoCAD has LISP API/COM API/.NET API (or Managed API)/ObjectARX C++ API). With AutoCAD .NET API, all you need is AutoCAD installed and A version of Visual Studio (free Community version of 2019 is good for all later version of AutoCAD since 2013). While ObjectARX SDK is not required for AutoCAD .NET API development, it would be good idea to still downloaded to just for the API documentation browsing and .NET code sample to get started. Of course, you can search the web for more learning resources. If you just want to get started, I'd highly recommend you begin with watch some tutorials on YouTube, by searching "AutoCAD .NET Programming" (you would get quite some for sure). If you do have experience of programming in AutoCAD from Lisp/VBA, you would find the learning curve is a bit of steeper.
I am not how long does it take for your learning to progress so that you can do what you want in your original post, it depends on both your AutoCAD knowledge and your programming knowledge. But for a novice, from quite a few months might be minimum to reach the point when one can write reasonable good code for production.
Forums Links
Can't find what you're looking for? Ask the community or share your knowledge.
Post to forums
