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AutoCAD Python Library

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Overview

The AutoCAD Python Library is a comprehensive interface for interacting with AutoCAD through Python. It leverages COM (Component Object Model) to automate tasks within AutoCAD, allowing for efficient manipulation of drawings, objects, and metadata.

Whether you're new to AutoCAD automation or an experienced VBA developer, this library provides a Pythonic way to work with AutoCAD without the need for VBA or any complex setup.

Key Features

  • Object Creation - Create circles, lines, rectangles, ellipses, text, dimensions, polylines, and more
  • Layer Management - Create, delete, lock/unlock, and manage layers
  • Block Operations - Insert, export, and modify blocks and their attributes
  • Group Management - Create and manage groups of objects
  • Drawing Properties - Access and modify document metadata (title, author, custom properties)
  • View Control - Zoom, pan, and navigate your drawings
  • User Interaction - Request input from users directly
  • Robust Error Handling - Custom exception handling for AutoCAD-specific errors

Quick Start

pip install AutoCAD

from AutoCAD import AutoCAD, APoint

# Initialize AutoCAD
cad = AutoCAD()

# Create a circle
center = APoint(10, 10, 0)
circle = cad.add_circle(center, radius=5)

# Add custom property
cad.properties.add_custom_property("ProjectID", "PROJ-001")

# Save the drawing
cad.save()

Documentation Structure

  • Getting Started - Installation, setup, and basic concepts
  • Features - Detailed feature guides
  • API Reference - Complete API documentation
  • Examples - Code examples and use cases

VBA to Python

Coming from VBA? We've got you covered! Check out our Drawing Properties guide for Python equivalents of VBA SummaryInfo methods.

VBA Python
ThisDrawing.SummaryInfo.NumCustomInfo cad.properties.get_num_custom_info()
ThisDrawing.SummaryInfo.SetCustomByKey() cad.properties.add_custom_property()
ThisDrawing.ModelSpace.AddCircle() cad.add_circle()

Why Use This Library?

  • Pythonic API - Familiar Python conventions instead of VBA
  • Easy to Use - Simple, intuitive interface
  • Well Documented - Comprehensive guides and examples
  • Type Hints - Full type hints for better IDE support
  • Error Handling - Clear, actionable error messages
  • Active Development - Regular updates and improvements

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Whether it's: - Bug reports - Feature requests - Documentation improvements - Code contributions

Check out our Contributing Guide to get started.

Requirements

  • Python 3.8+
  • AutoCAD 2010 or later
  • Windows OS (for COM support)
  • pywin32 - For COM interface

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Author

Jones Peter

Credits

This project builds upon the work from:

Note: This project is not affiliated with Autodesk AutoCAD in any way.

Support