Exploring the Visual LISP User Interface

Starting Visual LISP

Getting Started

Introducing the Visual LISP Text Editor

 

AutoLISP Developer's Guide > Using the Visual LISP Environment > Getting Started > 

Exploring the Visual LISP User Interface

When you first start Visual LISP, the following components are displayed:

Menu

You can issue VLISP commands by choosing from the various menu items. If you highlight an item on a menu, VLISP displays a brief description of the command's function in the status bar at the bottom of the screen.

Toolbars

Click toolbar buttons to issue VLISP commands quickly. There are five toolbars—Debug, Edit, Find, Inspect, and Run—each representing a distinct functional group of VLISP commands. You can execute many, but not all, menu commands from the toolbars. If you move your mouse pointer over a toolbar button and leave it there for a couple of seconds, VLISP displays a tooltip indicating the function of the button. A more descriptive explanation appears in the status bar at the bottom of the VLISP screen.

Console Window

This is a separate, scrollable window within the main VLISP window. In the Console window, you can type AutoLISP commands, similar to the way you do in the AutoCAD Command window. You can also issue many Visual LISP commands from this window, instead of using the menu or toolbars. See Understanding the Console Window for more information on the Console window.

Status Bar

The information displayed in the status bar located at the bottom of the screen varies according to what you are doing in VLISP.

You may also see a minimized Trace window. During startup, this window contains informational messages about the current release of VLISP, and may contain additional information if VLISP encounters errors during startup.