Object Methods

AutoCAD AutoLISP & Visual LISP

 
Object Methods
 
 
 

ActiveX objects also contain methods, which are simply the actions available for a particular kind of object. Some methods can be applied to most AutoCAD drawing objects. For example, the Mirror method (creating a mirror image copy of an object around a mirror axis), and the Move method (moving a drawing object along a specified vector) can be applied to most drawing objects. By contrast, the Offset method, which creates a new object at a specified distance from an existing object, applies only to a few classes of AutoCAD objects such as Arc, Circle, Ellipse, and Line.

In VLISP, ActiveX methods are implemented as AutoLISP functions. You'll see many references to ActiveX functions in VLISP documentation, but keep in mind that in ActiveX terminology, they are always known as methods.

To determine which methods and properties apply to a specific type of AutoCAD object, refer to the ActiveX and VBA Reference. This reference is available from the VLISP and AutoCAD Help menus, or by opening the acadauto.chm file in the AutoCAD Help directory.

You will probably want to leave the ActiveX and VBA Reference open when you are developing VLISP programs that use ActiveX. If you open the acadauto.chm file from the AutoCAD Help directory, you can keep the reference open when you use VLISP online Help.

NoteYou can access the Help topic for a vlax- or vla- function by highlighting the text of the function in the VLISP editor and clicking the Help button on the Tools toolbar.