For years, AutoLISP ® has set the standard for customizing and extending the AutoCAD ® program on Windows and Mac OS. Microsoft ActiveX ® Automation interfaces can also be used with AutoLISP to extend the programming languages functionality.
Note: The use of Microsoft ActiveX Automation interfaces is limited with AutoCAD LT on Windows and not available on Mac OS. You need to use AutoCAD or an AutoCAD-based program on Windows to fully leverage ActiveX with AutoLISP.
Custom AutoLISP programs can be written using a wide range of tools:
- Basic ASCII text editors, such as Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on Mac OS
- Microsoft Visual Studio Code with the AutoLISP Extension installed on Windows or Mac OS
- Visual LISP integrated development environment (IDE) in AutoCAD for Windows only (Not available in AutoCAD LT)
- Third-party editors