> Hello Newell,
> You are right, and I did eventually write a DXF converter that worked fine.
> This was for a punching machine I designed for punching Via holes in ceramic
> substrates.  All they did was draw holes.  The draftsmen wanted to draw donuts
> to show the holes so that on paper it was more human readable.  I was to
> interpret the circles, find the center and then punch a hole.  What I wound up
> doing for those that wanted HPGL support (eliminates a couple of steps if they
> can go directly from HPGL to the punch) was, I had them not only draw the
> circles but put a point in the center of the circle.  My HPGL program had a
> switch to ignore lines and to punch holes where the points were.  Worked quite
> well.
> The point I was trying to drive home, however, was not concerning HPGL, but
> the fact that the Autocad folks could'nt help me because they didn't know how
> to modify their own software.
>
> Dave Duley

Did you use layers ?

One layer for the punching machine,

another for human needs then plot the appropriate layer...



You can write routines in AutoLisp or C to do whatever

you need to draw or modify your drawings.



You also have access to the data bank to modify it.

You can manipulate files, including DXF files, to edit them.



In short you have a programming language with an unbelievable drawing

library.



AutoCad folks are probably structured in layers to.

You did not access the proper layer...



Jean