What's New

What's New and What's More in BricsCAD Lisp

(compared to BricsCAD V12 LISP and AutoCAD AutoLISP)

Since BricsCAD V12.2 version, a number of major improvements and extensions have been added to the LISP engine, providing

more LISP core functions and functionality
better overall performance of LISP execution
improved compatibility with AutoCAD AutoLISP

During V12 lifetime, all these new and additional features have been stabilised, and have reached a safe and reliable stage with V13 now, and is fully covered by both regression and performance tests.

Updated OpenLisp Core version (since V12.2)

With OpenLisp v9.1, most AutoLISP syntax and semantic has been implemented as native OpenLisp core functionality, the former AutoLISP -> OpenLisp PreProcessor has been removed, which results in :

loading AutoLISP files is 30%...40% faster than before
no Lisp code growth any longer, which reduces Lisp and System memory load
performance of AutoLISP code execution is improved by approx. 5% ... 10%; less GarbageCollections

Support for ObjectDbx.AxDbDocument COM interface (since V12.1)

Requested by LISP developers, the ObjectDbx.AxDbDocument interface has been added to LISP engine :

allows Lisp applications to open, read and write dwg database files in without an associated "editor document"
compatible with existing AutoCAD-based AutoLISP code, using "ObjectDbx.AxDbDocument" COM interface

"Fast-COM" layer for Windows and Linux (since V12.2)

Originally intended to enable COM-based LISP code, (those (vla-), (vlax-) and (vlr-) functions) under Linux, the implemented Fast-COM emulation layer is now also available under Windows, and is active by default.

Currently, there are > 200 Properties and > 50 Methods implemented, subject for further completion.

bypasses Windows' COM execution layer (performance)
bypasses most data marshalling as required by Windows COM (memory load)
fully enables identical COM-based (vla-) client LISP code under Windows, Linux, ...
significant performance improvement for (vla-) function calls (up to factor 30 and more), at same level as ARX/BRX

VLE LISP Function Library (since V12.2)

To extended the standard AutoLISP language set, which lacks a large number of basic core functions, we have implemented our VLE LISP Function Library giving more comfort to LISP developers and more performance to LISP applications.

currently provides > 35 new and efficient LISP core functions, subject for further extensions (feedback is welcome)
same amount is on ToDo list and about to be implemented next
all functions are also provided for other CAD systems (and older BricsCAD !) by emulation "vle-extension.lsp"
by its built-in nature, VLE functions provide both performance improvements (20% ... > factor 20), and reduced memory load

LISP Optimiser (since V12.2)

The new built-in LISP Optimiser recognises inefficient, slow LISP code patterns at load-time and replaces those patterns with more efficient code. This allows to bypass several bottlenecks, caused by missing language features of AutoLISP.

works completely transparent without any specific requirements or interaction
increases LISP performance (for affected code) by 20% ... 2000% (and even more)
reduces LISP memory load and amount of GarbageCollections
number of recognised code patterns is subject for further extension

ExpressTools API Support (since V14)

Autodesk AutoCAD integrates the "ExpressTools" utility since version 14 (as "BonusTools" even before), so this is part of AutoCAD since 2 decades. The "ExpressTools" also provide many functionality via an API, the function family named as "(acet-xxx-yyy)".
Many AutoLISP based utilities and applications use this "ExpressTools" API functions now ... to improve BricsCAD's compatibility with such Lisp tools and applications, we have now started to directly integrate this "ExpressTools" API function set in compatible way into our Lisp engine.

The "ExpressTools for BricsCAD" utility is a similar add-on, provided by www.cadwiesel.de - this also provides the majority of ExpressTools API and end-user-functionality for BricsCAD, and is highly compatible and complete.

We are in close cooperation with the author of "ExpressTools for BricsCAD" utility, to ensure best compatibility, comfort and performance for BricsCAD users, so will will likely more more of the "ExporessTools" API (core) functionality directly into BricsCAD's Lisp engine.

SheetMetal LISP API (since V16.2)

For more details and an introduction, please see BricsCAD SheetMetal LISP API.

BIM LISP API (since V17.2.07)

Since the BricsCAD BIM functionality becomes more and more mature with each version and update, the amount of requests by third-party developers to provide API level support for BIM has increased rapidly.
Starting with BricsCAD V17.2.07, there are both BRX C++ and a LISP API available now, providing a first stage of covering BIM functionality. Somewhat naturally, these BIM APIs will grow over time, more functionality and flexibility will be added, in backward-compatible manner.
For more details and an introduction, please see BricsCAD BIM LISP API.

BIM LISP API supports "Room" functionality (since V18.2)

Since the BricsCAD BIM functionality becomes more and more matured with each version and update, the amount of requests by third-party developers to provide API level support for BIM has increased rapidly.
Starting with BricsCAD V18.2, the LISP API for BIM has been extended to support the "Room" functionality : for more details see the Creator Functions, Property Functions and Query Functions sections.

VLX NameSpace support by DEScoder v2.7 (since V18.2)

To improve compatibility with AutoLISP based applications, the BricsCAD LISP engine now also provides support for "VLX NameSpace" code + data isolation;
For more details and an introduction, please see VLX NameSpace Support and DEScoder chapters (requires updated DEScoder v2.7, installed with BricsCAD V18.2).

LISP Editor & Debugger (since V18.2)

Demanded by many AutoLISP based developers, the BricsCAD LISP engine now provides BLADE - the new, full-blown integrated BricsCAD Lisp Advanced Development Ide working on all platforms (Windows, Linux, OSX) with a large set of basic & advanced functionality for editing, LISP project handling, and LISP debugging.

LISP Editor & Debugger (since V19)

Besides bug fixing, it provides many new features, like Hotkey Editor, color markers for edited + saved code lines, improved tooltips, "syntax tip" while typing, extended data break points, optionally creating backup files using Date+Time, improved "edit-while-debug", improved + extended Inspector dialog, new "Syntax + Variables Check" dialog, and much more.

LISP Profiler (since V19.2)

BLADE IDE now has an integrated Profiler, using an own tab in the left-side panel; the Profiler is activated on the "Debug" toolbar by a single option, performance measurement and code flow logging is automatically done;
after Lisp processing is finished (entirely, or from "breakpoint to breakpoint", the measured results are automatically shown on the Profiler tab.

Improved Performance, Extended Functionality (since V20)

The overall Lisp processing performance has been improved, even significantly for particular context like deeply nested + recursive functions, and VLR database + object reactors;
many new functions have been added (partially BricsCAD-specific, partially via VLE library including its emulation for other CAD systems);
last but not least many fixes for bugs and defects, for the Lisp engine core, and also for BLADE;
several improvements to performance and usability for BLADE as well;
see chapter V.1.3

New DEScoder v2.9 fixes some issues with "Code Compression" and provides support for debugging DES files in BLADE (since V21)

Generic Property Functions (since V21)

New Lisp functions (dumpAllProperties), (isPropertyValid), (isPropertyReadonly), (getPropertyValue) and (setPropertyValue) have been added to improve compatibility with AutoCAD, and to provide easy + comfortable access to BIM, MCAD, SheetMetal, Civil, IFC2x3/4 and Application properties.

SheetSetManager COM/LISP Interface available (since V21)

New SheetSetManager COM interface has been added, compatible with AutoCAD, but fully accessible by any programming language incl. LISP.

Civil TinSurface Functions (since V21)

New Civil TinSurface Functions were added to create, query, and modify TinSurface entities;
updated and extended with V21.2. and V22.1

BIM Functions update (since V21.2)

New LISP BIM functions for PropertyNameSpaces and PropertySets were added.