AutoLISP Developer's Guide > Using the Visual LISP Environment > Getting Started > Exploring the Visual LISP User Interface > 
Introducing the Visual LISP Text Editor
 
 
 

You will spend much of your time in VLISP creating or modifying AutoLISP programs. VLISP comes with an integrated text editor for you to use with AutoLISP code.

To see how the text editor window displays code, open a sample AutoLISP program. Begin with the drawline.lsp file provided with VLISP.

NoteThe sample files are only included in your installation if you chose a Full installation, or if you chose a Custom installation and selected the Visual LISP Samples item. If you previously installed AutoCAD and did not install the samples, rerun the install, choose Custom, and select the Visual LISP Samples item.

To view a LISP program in the VLISP text editor

  1. From the VLISP menu, choose File Open File.
  2. In the Open File dialog box, select the Sample\VisualLISP folder, which is in your AutoCAD installation directory.
  3. Double-click the drawline.lsp file.

    VLISP opens the file in a new window—the text editor window—and displays the name of the file in the status bar. If you make a change to the text in the editor window, or add new text, VLISP places an asterisk (*) next to the file name in the status bar. The asterisk remains next to that file name until you either save your changes or close the file.

    You can work on more than one file at a time. Each time you open a file, VLISP displays the file in a new text editor window.