The AutoCAD .NET API
is made up of different DLL files that contain a wide range of classes,
structures, methods, and events that provide access to objects in
a drawing file or the AutoCAD application. Each DLL file defines
different namespaces which are used to organize the components of the
libraries based on functionality.
The three main DLL files
of the AutoCAD .NET API that you will frequently use are:
- AcDbMgd.dll. Use
when working with objects in a drawing file.
- AcMgd.dll. Use
when working with the AutoCAD application.
- AcCui.dll. Use
when working with customization files.
Use an AutoCAD .NET
API DLL
Before classes, structures,
methods, and events found in one of the AutoCAD .NET API related
DLLs can be used, you must reference the DLL to a project. After
a DLL is referenced to a project, you can utilize the namespaces and
the components in the DLL file in your project.
Once a AutoCAD .NET
API DLL is referenced, you must set the Copy Local property of the
referenced DLL to False. The Copy Local property determines if Microsoft
Visual Studio creates a copy of the referenced DLL file and places it
in the same directory as the assembly file of the project when it
is built. Since the referenced files already ship with AutoCAD,
creating copies of referenced DLL files can cause unexpected results
when you load your assembly file in AutoCAD.
Location of AutoCAD .NET
API DLL files
The AutoCAD .NET API
DLL files can be located at <drive>:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2012 or
as part of the AutoCAD 2012 ObjectARX SDK which
can be downloaded from http://www.objectarx.com or
the Autodesk Developer Network Web site (http://www.autodesk.com/adn).
After the ObjectARX SDK
is installed, the DLL files can be found in the inc folder under
the main install folder.
NoteThe DLLs in the ObjectARX
SDK are simplified versions of the same files that ship with AutoCAD,
as they do not contain dependencies on the AutoCAD user interface.
It is recommended that you download and install the ObjectARX SDK,
and then reference the DLL files that come with the SDK instead of
those that are found in the install directory of AutoCAD 2012.
Procedures
To download and install the AutoCAD 2012 ObjectARX
SDK
- Launch your default Internet browser
application and browse to http://www.objectarx.com.
- On the Web page, click License
& Download.
- Fill in the required fields and select
ObjectARX for AutoCAD 2012. Click Submit.
- On the Download page, click Download
Now to use the Download Manager or click Standard
Download Method to use the default download method of
your Internet browser.
- Click Save or the
option used to save the file to your local drive.
- Specify a location to download the ObjectARX
SDK package file.
- Once the package file is downloaded,
browse to the location you saved it to and double-click it.
The install wizard is
displayed.
- In the ObjectARX <Release> dialog
box, specify a new install location or leave the default install
location. Click Install.
The install wizard closes
after it is finished if no problems were encountered.
To install the Managed .NET project wizard
- Launch your default Internet browser
application and browse to http://www.autodesk.com/developautocad.
- Download and unzip AutoCAD 2012 .NET
Wizards.zip.
- After browsing to the location of the
unzipped files, double-click AutoCAD 2012 dotNET Wizards.msi.
- In the AutoCAD .NET Wizards dialog
box, click Next.
- On the Select Installation Folder page,
click Browse to specify a new installation location for the wizard
or leave the default location. Click Next.
- Click Next again to
confirm installation of the wizard.
- Click Close to close
the installer.
To reference an AutoCAD .NET API DLL
- In Microsoft Visual Studio, click View
menu
Solution Explorer to
display the Solution Explorer if it is not already displayed.
- In the Solution Explorer, on the toolbar
along the top, click Show All Files.
- Right-click the References node and click
Add Reference.
- In the Add Reference dialog box, Browse
tab, select the DLL file that contains the library you want to use
and click OK.
- In the Solution Explorer, click the plus
sign to the left the References node to expand it.
- Select the referenced library from the
References node.
- Right-click over the selected reference
and click Properties.
- In the Properties window, click the Copy
Local field and select False from the drop-down list.
