The following table compares AutoLISP/Visual LISP functions in AutoCAD with the similar ActiveX, VBA, and Visual Basic 6 functions and operators. The ActiveX Automation equivalents are indicated by “AutoCAD.Application.” and the Visual Basic 6 equivalents are listed as a function or operator. This chart can be useful when you jump between working in different languages as well as if you know one of them and want to learn the other.
| AutoLISP function | ActiveX, VBA, or Visual Basic 6 equivalent |
| + (addition) | + (addition operator) |
| - (subtraction) | - (subtraction operator) |
| * (multiplication) | * (multiplication operator) |
| / (division) | / (division operator) |
| = (equal to) | = (equal to comparison operator) |
| /= (not equal to) | <> (not equal to comparison operator) |
| < (less than) | < (less than comparison operator) |
| <= (less than or equal to) | <= (less than or equal to comparison operator) |
| > (greater than) | > (greater than comparison operator) |
| >= (greater than or equal to) | >= (greater than or equal to comparison operator) |
| ~ (bitwise not) | Not operator |
| 1+ (increment) | Use + (addition operator) |
| 1- (decrement) | Use - (subtraction operator) |
| abs | Abs function |
| acad_colordlg | Not provided |
| acad_helpdlg | Search for HELP in the online Help index |
| acad_strlsort | Search for SORT in the online Help index |
| action_tile | Use the Dialog Editor |
| add_list | Use the Dialog Editor |
| ads | AutoCAD.Application.ListADS method |
| alert | MsgBox function |
| and | And operator |
| angle | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. AngleFromXAxis method |
| angtof | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. AngleToReal method |
| angtos | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. AngleToString method |
| append | Use array manipulation functions |
| apply | Not provided |
| arx | AutoCAD.Application.ListARX method |
| arxload | AutoCAD.Application.LoadARX method |
| arxunload | AutoCAD.Application.UnloadARX method |
| ascii | Asc function |
| assoc | Not provided |
| atan | Atn function |
| atof | CDbl Function |
| atoi | CInt Function |
| atom | Search for IS in the online Help index |
| atoms-family | Not provided |
| autoarxload | Not provided |
| autoload | Not provided |
| Boole | Use logical operators |
| boundp | Search for IS in the online Help index |
| car/cdr | Use array manipulation functions |
| chr | Chr function |
| client_data_tile | Use the Dialog Editor |
| close | AutoCAD.Application.Documents.Close method |
| command | AutoCAD.ActiveDocument.SendCommand method |
| cond | Select Case statement |
| cons | Use array manipulation functions or AutoCAD.Application.collection.Add<entityname> method |
| cos | Cos function |
| cvunit | Use the conversion functions |
| defun | The keywords Function and End Function |
| dictadd | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Dictionaries. Add method |
| dictnext | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Dictionaries. Item method |
| dictremove | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Dictionaries. Dictionary.Delete method |
| dictrename | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Dictionaries. Dictionary.Rename method |
| dictsearch | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Dictionaries. Dictionary.GetName and GetObject methods |
| dimx_tile and dimy_tile | Use the Dialog Editor |
| distance | AutoCAD.Application.Utility. GetDistance for interactive method. |
| distof | Not provided |
| done_dialog | Use the Dialog Editor |
| end_image | Use the Dialog Editor |
| end_list | Use the Dialog Editor |
| entdel | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument. collection_object.Delete method |
| entget | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument. collection_object.property properties |
| entlast | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Modelspace. Item(count-1) |
| entmake | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Modelspace. Add<entityname> method |
| entmakex | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Modelspace. Add<entityname> method |
| entmod | Use any of the read-write properties for the object |
| entnext | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.collection. Item method |
| entsel | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.SelectionSets object/methods/properties |
| entupd | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Modelspace. object.Update method |
| eq | Not provided |
| equal | Eqv operator |
| *error* | Error object/method/properties |
| eval | Not provided |
| exit | AutoCAD.Application.Quit method |
| exp | Exp function |
| expand | Not provided |
| expt | ^ (exponentiation operator) |
| fill_image | Use the Dialog Editor |
| findfile | Dir function |
| fix | Fix, Int, Cint functions |
| float | CDbl Function |
| foreach | For Each...Next statement |
| gc | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.PurgeAll |
| gcd | Not provided |
| get_attr | Use the Dialog Editor |
| get_tile | Use the Dialog Editor |
| getangle | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. GetAngle method |
| getcfg | AutoCAD.Application.Preferences.property property |
| getcname | Not provided |
| getcorner | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. GetCorner method |
| getdist | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. GetDistance method |
| getenv | AutoCAD.Application.Preferences.property property |
| getfiled | Use the file dialog |
| getint | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. GetInteger method |
| getkword | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. GetKeyword method |
| getorient | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. GetOrientation method |
| getpoint | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. GetPoint method |
| getreal | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. GetReal method |
| getstring | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. GetString method |
| getvar | AutoCAD.Application.GetVariable method |
| graphscr | AppActivate AutoCAD.Application.Caption |
| grclear | Obsolete function |
| grdraw | Not provided |
| grread | Not provided |
| grtext | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility.Prompt |
| grvecs | Not provided |
| handent | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.ModelSpace. object.Handle property |
| help | Search for HELP in the online Help index |
| if | If… Then… Else statement |
| initget | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. InitializeUserInput |
| inters | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Modelspace. object.IntersectWith |
| itoa | Str function |
| lambda | Not provided |
| last | arrayname(UBound(arrayname)) |
| length | UBound function |
| list | ReDim statement |
| listp | IsArray function |
| load_dialog | Use the Dialog Editor |
| load | AutoLISP is not supported through Automation |
| log | Log function |
| logand | And function |
| logior | Or function |
| lsh | Imp function |
| mapcar | Not provided |
| max | Max function |
| mem | Not provided |
| member | Use collection |
| menucmd | AutoCAD.Application.MenuBar object |
| menugroup | AutoCAD.Application.MenuGroup object |
| min | Min function |
| minusp | Use < 0 syntax |
| mode_tile | Use the Dialog Editor |
| namedobjdict | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Dictionaries collection |
| nentsel | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.SelectionSets. SelectionSet.SelectAtPoint method |
| nentselp | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.SelectionSets. SelectionSet.SelectAtPoint method |
| new_dialog | Use the Dialog Editor |
| not | Use the logical operators |
| nth | Use object(n) syntax |
| null | IsNull function |
| numberp | TypeName function |
| open | Open function |
| or | Use the logical operators |
| osnap | Not provided (You can use the SetVariable method to control the OSMODE system variable.) |
| polar | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. PolarPoint method |
| prin1 | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility.Prompt |
| princ | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility.Prompt |
| AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility.Prompt | |
| progn | Not provided |
| prompt | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility.Prompt |
| quit | AutoCAD.Application.Quit method |
| quote | Not provided |
| read | Not provided |
| read-char | Input function |
| read-line | Line Input function |
| redraw | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Modelspace. object.Update method |
| regapp | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument. RegisteredApplications.Add method |
| rem | Mod function |
| repeat | For… Each, While, |
| reverse | Not provided |
| rtos | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. RealToString method |
| set | Set function |
| set_tile | Use the Dialog Editor |
| setcfg | AutoCAD.Application.Preferences.property property |
| setfunhelp | Not provided |
| setq | Set function |
| setvar | AutoCAD.Application.SetVariable method |
| sin | Sin function |
| setview | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Viewports. Viewport.SetView method |
| slide_image | Use the Dialog Editor |
| snvalid | Not provided |
| sqrt | Sqr function |
| ssadd | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.SelectionSets. Add method |
| ssdel | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.SelectionSets. SelectionSet.Delete method |
| ssget | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.SelectionSets. SelectionSet.SelectOnScreen method |
| ssgetfirst | Not provided |
| sslength | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.SelectionSets. SelectionSet.Count method |
| ssmemb | Compare ID of object with the SelectionSet members |
| ssname | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.SelectionSets. SelectionSet.Name property |
| ssnamex | Not provided |
| sssetfirst | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument. PickfirstSelectionSet |
| startapp | Shell function |
| start_dialog | Use the Dialog Editor |
| start_image | Use the Dialog Editor |
| start_list | Use the Dialog Editor |
| strcase | StrConv function |
| strcat | & operator |
| strlen | Len function |
| subst | Not provided |
| substr | Mid function |
| tablet | Not provided |
| tblnext | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument. collection_object.Item method |
| tblobjname | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument. collection_object.Name method |
| tblsearch | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument. collection_object.Name method |
| term_dialog | Use the Dialog Editor |
| terpri | Not provided |
| textbox | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.space.object. GetBoundingBox method |
| textpage | Not provided |
| textscr | Not provided |
| trace | Not provided |
| trans | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument.Utility. TranslateCoordinates method |
| type | TypeName function |
| unload_dialog | Use the Dialog Editor |
| untrace | Not provided |
| vector_image | Use the Dialog Editor |
| ver | AutoCAD.Application.Version property |
| vports | AutoCAD.Application.ActiveDocument. Viewports collection |
| wcmatch | Like operator |
| while | While… Wend |
| write-char | Print function |
| write-line | Print function |
| xdroom | Not provided |
| xdsize | Not provided |
| zerop | Use = 0 syntax |
Source: AutoCAD 2013 Active X Developer’s Guide on AutoCAD Developer Center. To utilize the documentation with the VBA IDE or Visual LISP IDE, download and extract the contents of the ZIP file to the following location: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Autodesk Shared
Two things that catch my attention are the fact that (apply), (lambda) and (mapcar) have no equivalents in VBA whatsoever, and they are indeed extremely powerful functions. The other is (defun), which you can loosely relate to Function/End Function, but they are VERY different. For starters (and most important) (defun) is dynamically allocated, meaning that it can be redefined at-will, where Function cannot. To mimick (defun) you end up making a crap-load of (if/elseif/else/endif) lines, but even then, you have to be able to predict all the possible permutations you'd want to happen, where (defun) can adapt to nearly unlimited permutations without having to know them in advance. Ok. I apologize for venting, but I'm still sore over how badly Autodesk has left LISP out in the cold.
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