AutoLisp, Revit, DGN

[john.uhden]

Does anyone know if AutoLisp can run in Revit or with Bentley DGN files?

I may have an improved job opportunity if it can.

Or do I need to learn something like C#, and how daunting would that be?

[Jonathan3891]

Lisp will not work with Microstation or Revit.

Microstation uses VBA and Revit uses DYNAMO.

I'm unsure about C#.

[CodeDing · Accepted solution]

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Or do I need to learn something like C#, and how daunting would that be?

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This depends on your current level with other languages. Within this community it seems reasonable to assume that many people have dabbled with VBA at some point. Personally, I have experimented with only a handful of languages and here is how I rate their difficulty on an overall scale of Learning / Implementing

Easiest

    AutoLisp / HTML / CSS

    VBA / VisualLisp / Javascript

    C#

Hardest

If you have used VBA or would consider yourself proficient and it is the most "advanced" language you have used then you should be able to understand the same object-oriented concepts when stepping into C#. But there will definitely be a learning curve. I have invested a fair amount of time into taking on C# but I still feel as if I have BARELY scratched the surface. C# is a VERY capable language and thus has MANY methods of approach even for simple tasks. Kean's blog has provided me with many insights on how to accomplish tasks that I would not know how I could have accomplished them otherwise! If you're going to make the jump to C# I just recommend that you fully commit and invest time and effort because it will not be quick to adjust. Just work toward a goal and even when you mess up you'll still be learning, so don't quit.

Best,

~DD

[dbroad · Accepted solution]

If you're thinking about Revit, remember that it's available on subscription only so you would need to keep subscribing to it each year.  It also takes a lot of time to learn.  Dynamo is a visual programming environment that uses Python code. See https://dynamobim.org/  The video tutorials are good but work best if you have Revit to run/test the code with.

[john.uhden]

Thank you kindly, Doug, but that video lost me about 20 sec. in.

I have a feelin' that I had better stick to what I know.  If all the world were polylines, I'd be fine, but...

[john.uhden]

I have a strong feeling that I would drown in a matter of seconds.

Guess I'd better stick to the shallow waters.

Many thanks for your thoughtful reply.

[SeeMSixty7]

@john.uhden based on what I've seen, you should be able to pick up the c# and since they say Dynamo uses Python, that too. Give it a shot!

Good luck

[john.uhden]

Know what?  I have been hoping to win a lottery big time so that I can rent an entire cruise ship and take all my family and friends out on the seas for some fun.  You are near the top of my list. I'm sorry but my kids come first.  The passengers in steerage have more fun anyway, well at least until the ship sinks.  😞

[Sea-Haven]

Going down the VBA path would be a bit easier if used to using VL its a bit closer.

Not sure what happened to MDL in microstation.

Revit a whole can of worms a bit like CIV3d. Only takes 12 months.