General instructions for using the MWTech ARX routines and functions.

First, and most important, place all downloaded files into a directory that can be found in the Acad search path. To check your search path to ensure this, type 'preferences' at the command line within AcadR14 and check the "Support File Search Path" for your chosen directory. Or alternativley, you could place the file(s) into your AcadR14/Support directory which should already be listed within your search path.

Stand Alone Routines - 2 Methods of loading

1) Single time usage (load on demand only)

A) Type "Appload" at the command prompt.
B) Change the file type at the bottom of the dialog box to read "*.arx"
C) Choose the "Browse" button and graphically select the appropriate ARX application.
D) Type the appropriate routine name at the command line (ex. Cleanup)

2) Autoload the ARX application everytime Acad is started

A) This is probably the easiest method for always having access to your new routine. Do a search within your AcadR14 directory structure for a file called "acad.rx". (If you don't find one, see "NOTE" below.)
B) Open the acad.rx file within a text editor (such as NotePad)
C) Simply add the file name on a line by itself (ex. cleanup.arx)
D) That's it. Save the file and whenever you want another arx file to be autoloaded, just add it's name to the list.

NOTE: If you don't find a acad.rx file, that's OK. You can easily create your own. Open a new file within a text editor (such as NotePad - not a word processing program) and follow step C above. When finished, save the file as acad.rx to any directory listed in your Acad support file search path.

Programmers Functions

All functions must be loaded before they can be used. We don't necessarily want them to be loaded whenever Acad is started but rather whenever our program that uses the function is started. So the loading of these functions is done manually with some easy AutoLisp code before calling the function. Below are two methods of having your code check to see if the function is loaded or not. This is important, because if the arx file is already loaded and you try to reload it, an error is returned.

Place the code at the beggining of your routine. (Or at least before the function call)

Method #1 This checks the list returned by the function (arx) to see if the function is loaded.

Syntax:

(if (not (member "application.arx" (arx))) (arxload "application") )

Example to check to see if the arx program "sort" is loaded. Note the use of lower case for the arx application name as the (arx) function always returns lower case. The function your checking must be in the Acad search path, otherwise the (arx) function may return the path of the application as well and consequently, you'll never get a match.

(if (not (member "sort.arx" (arx))) ;check to see if sort is already loaded (arxload "sort") ;if not, then load )

Method #2 This second method uses the arxload command itself to check if the function is loaded. This method always tries to load or reload the named arx function every time and returns the applications name or failure string. Most programmers prefer to only attempt to load something if its required, but this method is perfectably acceptable.

Syntax: (arxload "application" [failure string])

Example to load the "sort" application. This returns "sort" if successful and the number 1 if not.

(arxload "sort" 1)