What is ʼLISPʼ support in BricsCAD?

ByCADbrief Staff

Short Answer

Yes — BricsCAD includes strong LISP support for automating drafting, loading custom routines, and running legacy AutoLISP code through the APPLOAD command. The most common professional method is to load LISP files manually or through startup suites. Limitation: some routines can fail if they depend on AutoCAD-only add-ons or unsupported ActiveX behavior.

What You Need to Know Before

Warning: LISP routines can load successfully but still fail during execution if they call missing support files, custom dialogs, or hard-coded network paths. A very common real-world issue is older office LISP using AutoCAD-specific VLAX/COM behavior that does not work identically in every BricsCAD setup.

How to Load and Use LISP in BricsCAD

  • Command: APPLOAD

  • Shortcut: APPLOAD

  • Quick Steps:

    1. Run APPLOAD from the command line, or open it from the Ribbon if your workspace shows application tools.
    2. In the Load/Unload Applications dialog, browse to the .lsp, .fas, or .vlx file and click Load.
    3. To make it automatic, add the file to the startup list or enable the relevant startup loading option, then run the LISP command it defines.

Variables & Settings

  • System Variable: SRCHPATH (Default: installation-dependent)

  • Expert Setting: SRCHPATH controls where BricsCAD looks for support files, including LISP dependencies such as DCL, script, or utility files. If a routine loads but cannot find companion files, adding the correct folder to SRCHPATH is often the fastest fix.

Why it Fails

  • Cause 1 (Geometry): The LISP routine may expect specific object types, such as closed polylines, blocks with attributes, or 2D entities only, and it fails when given unsupported geometry.

  • Cause 2 (layers/Locks): The routine may try to modify objects on locked layers, in read-only Xrefs, or inside protected block definitions, causing errors or incomplete results.

  • Cause 3 (Command/Logic): The LISP may rely on missing support files, undefined custom commands, or AutoCAD-specific functions not fully compatible with the current BricsCAD environment.

Quick Fix & Best Practice

  • Quick Fix: Use APPLOAD to reload the routine, then verify the support folder is included in SRCHPATH and test the LISP on simple unlocked geometry first.
  • Manager’s Verdict: LISP support in BricsCAD is a major strength for firms migrating from AutoCAD, but production routines should be tested on a pilot project before office-wide deployment.

FAQ

Can BricsCAD run AutoLISP files from AutoCAD?
Yes, many standard AutoLISP routines run directly in BricsCAD.

Does BricsCAD support startup LISP loading?
Yes, you can load LISP files automatically through application loading options.

Why does a LISP load but not run correctly?
It usually depends on missing support files, locked objects, or routine logic written for a different CAD environment.

.

Related Posts: