C:\ drive versus D:\ drive

This is sort of aimed at the folks who write and develop LISP programming.

But, I went to computer school a few years ago, and found there how to add in another whole hard drive to your computer at home. Gaining this bit of knowledge ever since I have installed Autocad onto the D:\ drive. This has worked good and quick for me over the past ten years now, only the actual hard drives failing.

However,....

I have been finding that once activated, the LISP programs (or programming) on occasion do not work as anticipated. They contain langauge or references to look for some feature on the C:\ drive instead of where Acad is presently located and being used. Many of these refuse to look for a D:\ drive or an E:\ drive to fulfill their intended uses.

So, if writing a LISP program, be sure that some sort of checking location biz ets noted therein, such that it will work on ANY drive on the computer, not just look at C:\ drive and if not found it won't work.

Wm.

Most programmers assume that a normal installation of AutoCAD will be to the C: drive and not D: (unfortunately for you).

If the LISP file or whatever, is simple enough I then will change a few things and thus make it look in to appropriate directory. If too complicated or whacko, then after first try it will get bleeped out, and never used again.

Wm.

I don't know why you just don't add the location of your Lisp files to the search support path. Much easier.

I usually unwrap the LISP files (or whatever) and then place their information in the ACAD directory.

You know of a different way? Explain then....

Wm.

Programs, including AutoCAD are installed on c:\ HDD.

I do store drawings on d:\ HDD.

A rule of thumb, as I see it, programs on c:\ drive and then, anything else you want, on the d:\ drive.

Add the lisp files directory in your AutoCAD options and forget 'bout it.

If your "support" files are located on D: drive then your lisp routines should be too.

I think you may be in a mild state of confusion. When you see something like the following in a lisp program...

defun C:myprog

...you may be thinking that "C:" refers to your C: drive. It doesn't. From Jeffery Sanders AutoLISP Beginner's Tutorials:

"The C: tells AutoCAD that you want this program to be executed at the Command Prompt like a built in function."

I hope you are not editing the lisp routines by substituting the letter D for the letter C thus ending up with...

defun D:myprog

...as the routine is sure to bomb.

I think the OP is complaining about sloppy programming. I have encountered routines that (for example) INSERT "C:\blocks\door.dwg" which is inexcusable. There is no guarantee that the target machine even has a blocks folder and should never be hard coded - unless it was written for one person and somehow escaped.

Thanks Dave. That point slipped my mind. I don't have any lisp routines that are hard coded that I am aware of.

I think you may be in a mild state of confusion. When you see something like the following in a lisp program...

 

defun C:myprog

 

...you may be thinking that "C:" refers to your C: drive. It doesn't. From Jeffery Sanders AutoLISP Beginner's Tutorials:

 

"The C: tells AutoCAD that you want this program to be executed at the Command Prompt like a built in function."

 

I hope you are not editing the lisp routines by substituting the letter D for the letter C thus ending up with...

 

defun D:myprog

 

...as the routine is sure to bomb.

I think that is about only way I can get the altering files to fire off then. Usually have to change the C: for a D: then it takes off. One may take some other things along the way on occasion too, but each works one time or another.

My whole (in general) Operating system is still on C: drive, but during the installation process for Acad it asks if to load here, at some new directory of C; drive (or where) and I then type in the D: drive. And it takes off and goes and goes for years. Usually Acad does not take but one installation, and it stays in place for years then in same location I found it at, someone plaed it at, or I installed at. If I unfurl some new LISP type file it automatically goes for C: drive and if the ACAD directory is not found will the create it's own or ask for a name. Their way of installing I guess. I then appropriately transferr it over to D: drive, and do a few things, it then takes off and works as mentioned or not to my liking and then gets bleeped. Many of the new files are just alterations to the standard menu. (I have a spare copy on the hard drive(s) to replace and get back where it was yesterday, as many of these new files are designed for some specialized type of work, and thus of little use to me).

My figure is then that the writer of the altering programming is hoping to expect a stand alone computer, never connected to outside world via a modem, or server. But EVERYTHING is on C: drive then too. Dreamer too.

Wm.

I hope you are not editing the lisp routines by substituting the letter D for the letter C thus ending up with...

 

defun D:myprog

 

...as the routine is sure to bomb.

I agree with the general point of your message of course. The "C" has nothing to do with drive letters, but D:myprog won't bomb any more than C:myprog will. The only difference is how you call the routine.

C:myprog can be called at the command line just by entering myprog, while D:myprog would have to be called like this (D:myprog) - but it would still work fine.

Most programmers assume that a normal installation of AutoCAD will be to the C: drive and not D: (unfortunately for you).

"C:myprog can be called at the command line just by entering myprog, while D:myprog would have to be called like this (D:myprog) - but it would still work fine."

I was not aware of that. Thank you.

I agree with the general point of your message of course. The "C" has nothing to do with drive letters, but D:myprog won't bomb any more than C:myprog will. The only difference is how you call the routine.

Odd, in that was told long time ago via another web-site that reason the LISP and other prog's do not fire off was they were in wrong drive. Once they got switched to D:\ drive and altered as noted they the all worked OK. Not many in use any more, for often I only need the program for quickly handling one or two chores.

You are saying then that I should have left the program notes someplace on the C:\drive?

Wm.

Odd, in that was told long time ago via another web-site that reason the LISP and other prog's do not fire off was they were in wrong drive. Once they got switched to D:\ drive and altered as noted they the all worked OK. Not many in use any more, for often I only need the program for quickly handling one or two chores.

 

You are saying then that I should have left the program notes someplace on the C:\drive?

 

Wm.

I seems as though the "C:" part of the function definition in a lisp file is being confused with the drive letter designation on a computer. There is no such thing as a "wrong drive". Lisp routines can be loaded from any drive letter (or no drive letter at all) as long as AutoCAD has read access to the location.