Topic: lisp newbie - comments please

[surveyor_randy]

I'm a VB programmer and never really paid much attention to lisp until I found this forum.  It seems like a lot can be accomplished without having to anything other then lisp.  Here is my first attempt at a program.  It is very basic and just converts decimal degrees into DMS format.  I'm trying to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible.  Is there a better way to have written this piece of code?  Thanks for any comments.

(defun c:dms (/ ddeg)
  (setq ddeg(getreal "\nEnter angle in DDegrees:")) 
  (princ "\n")
  (princ (fix ddeg))(princ "°")
  (princ (fix (* 60 (- ddeg (fix ddeg)))))(princ "'")
  (princ (* 60 (- (* 60 (- ddeg (fix ddeg))) (fix (* 60 (- ddeg (fix ddeg)))))))(princ "\"")(terpri) 
  (prin1)
)

[T.Willey]

This will do the same thing, I think.

(angtos (getangle "\n Enter angle in Degrees: ") 1 4)

[CAB]

Glad you have taken an interest in LISP.
You can accomplish so much with very little code.
Look at Angtos, Rtos, Distof, they all use the MODE to determine the format of the return value.

Keep an eye on Tim's post you'll learn a lot. 

[surveyor_randy]

Thanks for the comments fellas...  I had no idea that there was already a command built in for doing that particular conversion.

Should I be spending my time learning AutoLisp or VisualLisp?  opinions please...

[Keith™]

yes and yes ... both have their strong points .. simply put you cannot do anything in VLisp without using some lisp ... lisp is simpler to use in many instances and given enough knowledge, you can quickly develop a solution for a nagging problem .. expand a menu item effectiveness or just do a simple calculation.

[CAB]

Learn Plain Lisp first, it's easier IMO, and is a foundation for Visual Lisp.

[daron]

Then Vlisp is mostly VBA in reverse and without the need to declare variables before you use them.