Topic: How much time to learn.

[jonesy]

I am just taking the baby steps in trying to learn Autolisp. I am using a book recommended to me by someone - the book is by Rod Hawls (I think). There is no backup so no-one to push me, and no-one round this part of my country teaches it!

Bearing in mind I will only be able to spend between 4 and 8 hours per week and being appalling at maths, how long would you expect it to take to start to be striking out by myself.  I do like to go over and over subjects until they are clear.

Then when I am comfortable using AutoLisp, I will start on the Vlisp, is that the correct way of doing it?

Thanks for your advice to a complete newbee
Tracey

[Mark]

 Then when I am comfortable using AutoLisp, I will start on the Vlisp, is that the correct way of doing it?

I think the correct statement would be "Then when I am comfortable using AutoLisp, I will start on the ActiveX commands.


To answer your question, it all depends on you! The more you dabble with the code the better you'll get at writing it. Next thing you know you're writing tiny little programs that help you out on a daily basis, which means you're writing more code, which means you're learning more and so on. That book help me a lot, make sure you so the exercises in each chapter.

[jonesy]

I think the correct statement would be "Then when I am comfortable using AutoLisp, I will start on the ActiveX commands.

Are they the vlx type things I see in peoples codes

Another dumb question then... Where does Vlisp fit into the equation?

To answer your question, it all depends on you! The more you dabble with the code the better you'll get at writing it. Next thing you know you're writing tiny little programs that help you out on a daily basis, which means you're writing more code, which means you're learning more and so on. That book help me a lot, make sure you so the exercises in each chapter.

I am doing the exercises at the end of each chapter. As my maths is so bad, I dont know whether I am doing it right! Not good for the confidence!

Thanks for your time
Tracey

[Mark]

Are they the vlx type things I see in peoples codes

Yes

Another dumb question then... Where does Vlisp fit into the equation?

I'll let someone else answer that one.

I am doing the exercises at the end of each chapter. As my maths is so bad, I dont know whether I am doing it right! Not good for the confidence!

Well I still have the book as well as others here do, so just ask us to check your answers, we will.

[jonesy]

Well I still have the book as well as others here do, so just ask us to check your answers, we will.

Can I PM the answers to you, but please dont be too harsh on me!

Again, thanks for your time
Tracey

[Mark]

Can I PM the answers to you, but please dont be too harsh on me!

Sure can but you're likely to get more feedback if you post them here. There is nothing to be ashamed of, we were all in your shoes at one time.

[jonesy]

Tis my maths (or lack of) that I am ashamed of

[Mark]

I know how you feel. I struggle with some of it also.

[CAB]

jonsey,
Some struggle with math. Some struggle with the language [english]
But we all struggled with the lisp when we first start.
I recommend searching for short routines you find posted here,
ones that may be useful to you and use VLIDE in ACAD to step through
each line of code. Try to understand what it is doing and comment each
line as to what you think is going on. Post it here & there are many folks
that will help you understand. There are a lot of threads just like that
here. Some from me, Stig & others have taught me a lot & I'm still learning.
Your first order of business in my opinion is learning how to use the VLIDE
program to trace the flow and see the variables change in value. There is
much to learn and the danger is the frustration that comes when you hit a
wall. But the many folks here will quickly get you past that.

[SMadsen]

Another dumb question then... Where does Vlisp fit into the equation?

You shouldn't worry about distinguishing between AutoLISP and Visual LISP and all that. See it as a normal progress of any old software. AutoLISP started out almost 20 years ago as a small subset of a programming language and it has just expanded in a natural way to keep up with the development of AutoCAD.

When people refer to "plain AutoLISP" it merely means the stage of the software between release 2.6 up until release 14 or 2000. Because that stage still represents the basic core of the language, it's probably the first thing you'll learn (it's like learning C++ by learning how to add two numbers and print the result before getting to know how to dereference a pointer).

What has since been added to the product that is now called Visual LISP can be compared to adding an expansion library to any programming language. It's still the same language - and you'll still use the core functions over and over - but it just got some additional features that either expands the range of operability or adds some alternative ways to tackle a problem. Don't worry about it .. it'll come slowly but surely once you pick up the basics.

[CADaver]

Some struggle with the language [english]

 Hey now, I have a disadvantage, I'm from Texas.

Ms. Jonesy, don't worry at all about anything you post here, these are some of the best folks anywhere (with only a couple of exceptions) and the most knowledgeable I've found.  If they'll put up with me at all, they'll break their necks helpin' out somebody with manners.

[CAB]

Hey now, I have a disadvantage, I'm from Texas.

Now that is a handicap

[CADaver]

Hey now, I have a disadvantage, I'm from Texas.

Now that is a handicap

Only fer English... bub.