Importing an application type library and using the resulting ActiveX wrapper functions are convenient.
Note: ActiveX support in AutoLISP is limited to Windows only and AutoCAD LT does not support the use of third-party type libraries.
Applications such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel contain hundreds of methods and properties, and creating wrappers for each of these adds up to significant memory usage.
Tip: On AutoCAD for Windows only, you can use the Apropos feature in the Visual LISP IDE to list imported ActiveX wrapper functions.
Also, you may need to use an ActiveX property or method for which there is no generated wrapper function. In this instance, and to avoid the overhead involved in importing a type library, you can use the following AutoLISP functions:
- vlax-invoke-method
- vlax-get-property
- vlax-put-property