Attaching Data to AutoCAD Entity Objects1 Nov, 2000 By: Bill
Kramer Do you know what differentiates AutoCAD from a drawing
program of lesser value? The quick answer is AutoCAD has
programming interfaces. With programming you can automate tasks
involved in the drawing and editing process. This, however, is a
surface response with a much more complex answer that I will now
explain. AutoCAD is a vehicle to a different type of computer
drawing that involves creating smart drawings. Smart drawings
are more than just lines, arcs and circles. Smart drawings are
lines, arcs and circles that take on other properties based on
the context of their use; that is, if a circle represents a
drill hole, it can contain other attributes such as the type of
drill hole, ID number of the hole and maybe even what is
expected to go through the hole in the form of fasteners and
other assembly items. The key is to attach data of our own
design to drawing objects so they can be retrieved at a later
time by our applications. AutoCAD 200