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The core product of Technisch Tekenburo van Teijlingen (Triple-T) is a drawing, showing an elaboration of an idea of the client. "Drawing" is a broad concept,
it may be a technical drawing, as well as an impression of an object. This can be printed on paper or exist in digital form. Naturally, drawings can also be
printed on other material than paper.
In addition, Triple-T supplies intangible things, also known as services; Customizing your AutoCAD application with your own menus and routines. This all is with
the aim to improve your productivity and efficiency.
Triple-T focuses mainly on the business customer market, but we also perform jobs for individuals.
Technical drawings are mostly two dimensional (2D) also called a plane. A 2D drawing supplies often enough information on the object to be built. In some cases a three dimensional (3D) drawing is required:
A 3D model can be used as a basis for 2D drawings. The 3D model supplies the necessary information which can be processed on a 2D drawing.
The CAD program Triple-T works with is AutoCAD. The AutoCAD file format is much sought bij large clients like municipalities and the government.
AutoCAD has an open structure, which means that it can be used for many disciplines. Specific routines especially made for a specific discipline are not present. For this the
manufacturer of AutoCAD - Autodesk - has developed special applications. Most end users know of these applications but don't purchase one for reasons of hight costs, not being
specific enough, or too specific.
Most AutoCAD users require specific routines and libraries. A library can be self made, though it's time consuming and there are a lot of libraries for sale. To have a library is
one thing, to find an object - also called a block - and placing it in the drawing swift and without any trouble is another. For this AutoCAD has created the opportunity to adapt
(or rather extend) the program with self made menus and routines. This process is also known as customizing.
Ways to customize AutoCAD:
A menu is used to operate AutoCAD. Different commands can be given through the menu.
In the current versions of AutoCAD commands are given by using the "ribbon", before that there were "toolbars" and before that there was a "pull down menu". All these methods
are still available in the newest versions, but the technology is still subject to development and the previous ways are more and more limited.
The current AutoCAD menu - with extension .cui or .cuix - is based on an XML file and is hard to understand for a layman. AutoCAD gives the possibility to adapt the menu with
a special CUI editor, but this is for a layman still no piece of cake. It requires deeper knowledge of the AutoCAD program and a desastrous error can be made easily. Fortunately
the original AutoCAD menu structure is still available (files with extension .mnu / .mns / .mnr / .mnc) and will be translated (compiled) to .cui(x) files by AutoCAD. The menu
for the Light version of AutoCAD works in the same way.
LISP is short for LISt Processing and is a programming language which is recognized by brackets ( and ). The full version of AutoCAD is fit for use of LISP. Competitors of AutCAD also give the opportunity to use LISP. AutoCAD Light is not suitable to use LISP. 1
Why use LISP? With LISP it is possible to automate repetitive - mostly dull and error likely - jobs. It is aslo possible to process complex tasks with a LISP routine.
How to make a LISP routine? To make a LISP routine a simple editor like 'Notebook' can be used. But AutoCAD has a built in editor as well, which can be invoked by typing 'vlide' on the AutoCAD's command line. Vlide is short for Visual LISP Integrated Development Environment also called the Lisp editor. The big advantage of this editor is the use of colors for built in LISP commands, text, figures and other codes. The editor also provides a test environment.
How to apply a LISP routine? To conduct a LISP routine it needs first to be loaded. If the required routine is within the search path, give the following
command: (load "routine")
without extension or folder. A LISP routine can also be dragged from the explorer to the AutoCAD widow and dropped in the drawing area.
In the routine itself functions are defined which can be called at the command prompt. For this it is necessary to know the functions by name.
These steps can also be combined in a command under a button of the AutoCAD menu or your own menu.
On our LISP page a selection of available LISP routines is shown. A lot of these routines we apply ourselves in daily practice. Others have been developed especially for customers.
1 AutoCAD Light can be made suitable for LISP, but we do not support this.
ARX is a AutoCAD runtime extension. This is a form of the C++ programming language. All files with this extension are programs that add functions to AutoCAD.
They often contain the code for specific commands or groups of commands and ARX is considered a sophisticated programming language.
With ARX complex or extensive programs can be written which can be conducted with AutoCAD.
Triple-T is not concerned with ARX.