Outside The Box
Random thoughts about AutoCAD, ObjectARX, and the meaning of life.
All Original Content Copyright 2006 - 2008 Owen Wengerd, All Rights Reserved
2007-08-01
OpenDCL 4.0 Debuts
OpenDCL 4.0 has finally been released. If you're not familiar with OpenDCL, check it out at www.opendcl.com, or on SourceForge at sourceforge.net/projects/opendcl.
OpenDCL, based on the original commercial ObjectDCL software by Chad Wanless, is a modern replacement for the old DCL dialog control language in AutoCAD. The current OpenDCL Runtime supports AutoCAD 2002 through 2008 (except AutoCAD 2008 x64). It is designed to give AutoCAD end users and AutoLISP application developers a simple yet powerful way to design and use rich user interfaces in their applications.
The goal for version 4.0 was to get it stable and fix all the bugs, with minimal new feature development. OpenDCL 4.1 will add support for AutoCAD 2008 x64. After that we will start working on localized language versions, and adding new features.
OpenDCL is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL) open source license, completely free to use, and source code is available on SourceForge.
OpenDCL, based on the original commercial ObjectDCL software by Chad Wanless, is a modern replacement for the old DCL dialog control language in AutoCAD. The current OpenDCL Runtime supports AutoCAD 2002 through 2008 (except AutoCAD 2008 x64). It is designed to give AutoCAD end users and AutoLISP application developers a simple yet powerful way to design and use rich user interfaces in their applications.
The goal for version 4.0 was to get it stable and fix all the bugs, with minimal new feature development. OpenDCL 4.1 will add support for AutoCAD 2008 x64. After that we will start working on localized language versions, and adding new features.
OpenDCL is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL) open source license, completely free to use, and source code is available on SourceForge.
Labels: AutoCAD, ObjectARX, ObjectDCL, OpenDCL, programming
2007-01-31
Introducing OpenDCL for AutoCAD
AutoLISP programmers may remember a product named ObjectDCL, by 3rd Day Software. ObjectDCL was released as open source in the summer of 2006 by developer Chad Wanless due to his inability to continue supporting the software because of "health reasons". At the time, many users of ObjectDCL hoped that someone would update the code to work in AutoCAD 2007. Programmer David Robison did some work to get AutoCAD 2007 supported, but the project has beeen languishing, almost to the point of extinction.
After being asked by several ObjectDCL users whether I could help, I decided a few weeks ago to contribute to the community by getting the original C++ code updated to support AutoCAD 2007. As I am wont to do, I've ended up re-architecting much of the code in the process.
The results of my work are available now at the new OpenDCL project on SourceForge. The new 4.0 release is still in the alpha testing phase. If you program in AutoLISP and want to create rich user interfaces for your applications, check it out!
After being asked by several ObjectDCL users whether I could help, I decided a few weeks ago to contribute to the community by getting the original C++ code updated to support AutoCAD 2007. As I am wont to do, I've ended up re-architecting much of the code in the process.
The results of my work are available now at the new OpenDCL project on SourceForge. The new 4.0 release is still in the alpha testing phase. If you program in AutoLISP and want to create rich user interfaces for your applications, check it out!
Labels: AutoCAD, ObjectARX, ObjectDCL, OpenDCL, programming, Visual Studio
About Me
- Name: Owen Wengerd
- Location: Apple Creek, Ohio, United States
I'm a starving artist specializing in the programming genre. I work in my home office, where I am the owner and sole proprietor of ManuSoft as well as the President and chief software artist of CADLock, Inc.
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Recent Comments
:I can't get the download to work:
File Not found
File: index.html not found.
To go back to the project page for opendcl click here
Click here for documentation about the download process on sf.net.
@ February 1, 2007 7:44:00 AM EST
Owen Wengerd:SourceForge is a bit confusing. After you click on <Download OpenDCL for AutoCAD>, make sure you click on <Browse> to show the download categories. Select the "OpenDCL Full Install" category, then it should finally display a list of files to download. Right now there is only one (ObjectDCL.msi) in this category.
@ February 1, 2007 10:38:00 AM EST
:I have installed the aplication using OpenDCL.4.0.0.12.msi and it works with AutoCAD 2006. However when I tried to run the tree control included in _MasterDemo.LSP I have got this message:
Comando: tree
; error: error en solicitud ADS
Do you have any idea about the problem.
@ February 15, 2007 5:12:00 AM EST
:Be sure you are not loading previous versions of ObjectDCL. The ObjectDCL2004.arx supplied by 3rd Day Software seems to be different from that included on OpenDCL.
I have found some problems with the OpenDCL Dialog Workshop:
1. The Picture folder looses its contents when you save a project to update it. Only the picture named 100 remains.
2. The original release from 3rd Day Software allows you to include each time more than a hundred pictures at the Image list of a Tree control. The OpenDCL is unable to add more than 25 pictures each time.
3. It seems that Dockable Form with AllowResizing property set True doesn’t work properly and resizing is not possible.
Congratulations Owen! You have made a very good work and I am very grateful for it.
Thank you.
@ February 15, 2007 6:31:00 PM EST
:Excellent website. Good work. Very useful. I will bookmark!
@ September 9, 2007 4:13:00 PM EDT