Getting help with VLA- functions from the Activex Reference guide

[hencoop]

Hello all,

I have finally discovered where the help for the VLA- functions is found!  Others have stated it before and I never understood just what they were saying.  This is for those who, like me, may have missed it and still wonder where the VLA- function help is.

I began learning AutoLISP in 1990 before there was Visual LISP.  In fact, I bought a license to Basis Software's Vital Lisp in the 1990's to make use of its user interface (now called VLIDE) and its ARX building ability.  When Autodesk bought Basis Software and repackaged their product as Visual LISP (and removed its .ARX creation ability) I did not give it any specific attention (except for being upset that they removed ARX creation).

I've been muddling along over the years learning whatever Visual LISP I needed whenever I needed it.  This approach to learning Visual LISP has not been very enlightening.  As a result, I never quite understood why there is no direct documentation regarding the VLA- functions.

Here's what turned on the light for me:  VLA- functions are Visual LISP implementations of ActiveX METHODS!

The help is in the ActiveX: Reference Guide: Methods section which may or may not contain an example using Visual LISP (the Example section may just say "not available" under Visual LISP).   To find any Visual LISP Method function just remove the VLA- from the function name and search the ActiveX Methods Section for the remainder.  If there is no Visual LISP example for the function you will need to look at the VBA example for the arguments required and translate it from there into Visual LISP Code.  The similarities should make the recoding pretty simple.  If not, this forum can be a great help.

If you are interested in learning to program in AutoLISP, Visual LISP, or .NET for AutoCAD, I highly recommend studying the Developers Guide.  A haphazard approach like mine will take you much longer and may well discourage you to the point of giving up (my OCD won't let me give up).

I hope this helps someone... It would have helped me well over a decade ago.

[Sea-Haven]

There are some good books out there that are written around VL I bought 4 by Reinaldo N. Togores they are available at Kindle so are very cheap. Can copy and paste code.

The attached is very handy given the number of variables.