Creating a node-based interface for AutoLISP

[MavericksDrafting]

Hello,

Is it possible to create a node-based interface for AutoLISP? I love the blueprint system that Unreal Engine 5 uses, and I think it would be really helpful if AutoLISP had something similar. Can Visual Studio Code be used to achieve this? I just discovered VSC today, so I don't know the limitations it has. I appreciate any help or guidance you can give me!

[Sea-Haven]

" I love the blueprint system that Unreal Engine 5 uses" sorry did not polish my crystal ball so can not see what your talking about.

[Kent1Cooper]

I don't understand what you mean by "a node-based interface" either, but if you mean you want to be able to plant things like Line endpoints and Text insertion points and so on only at specific regularly-spaced positions [is that what you mean by "nodes"?], turn on SNAP [not Object Snap, but "positional" or "grid" Snap], and read about it in Help.  Otherwise, explain more about how what you imagine would work.  What would a User do [especially, what would they do differently from how they do things in AutoCAD now]?  What kind of results would they get?  Etc.

[john.kaulB9QW2]

No. Lisp is a really cool language in that you can change the language itself to build differently ("Bottom-up programming"), and a node graph would--does--result in horrible (childlike) code. Take a few weeks and read a real book on lisp.

-i.e. If you read the first few chapters of Structure and Interpretation of Computer programs, you'd be a AutoLisp wizard in a few weeks. https://mitp-content-server.mit.edu/books/content/sectbyfn/books_pres_0/6515/sicp.zip/full-text/book...

NOTE: Looking at the SICP book contents quickly, Scheme concepts like those in chapter 3 (assignment, local state, mutable data, etc.) will not port to AutoLisp very well.

For those of you confused: the OP is talking about this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Node_graph_architecture

[Kent1Cooper]

---

@john.kaulB9QW2 wrote:

.... For those of you confused: the OP is talking about this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Node_graph_architecture

---

Thanks for that link.  In that context it's obvious that "node" has a meaning completely un-related to what the word means in AutoCAD, which is no doubt the source of the confusion [mine, at least].

[john.kaulB9QW2]

Yes, different concept entirely. The OP is wanting a Dynamo for AutoCAD type of thing (the tip-off was the Game engine comment).

The concept (node graphic programming stuff) is interesting, but I liked it better when it was used to teach children how to program; the first one I saw was Scratch from MIT (look it up, wonderful tool and I plan to get my kids on it when they get old enough). It's like programming with Legos. Very cool.