(princ (strcat "\n>>> TOTAL AREA: " (rtos total 2 2) " SQ. FT. <<<")) Conversion: 1 Acre = 43,560 square feet
: These are excellent but often cost $200–$1,000 per year.
: The Lisp routine above costs $0. It runs instantly, doesn't require an internet connection, and works on any version of AutoCAD from R14 to 2026. total area autocad lisp
;; Step 3: Loop through each object in the selection set (repeat (sslength ss) (setq ent (ssname ss i)) ; Get entity name (setq obj_name (cdr (assoc 0 (entget ent)))) ; Get object type ;; Step 4: Calculate area based on object type (cond ;; For Polylines, Circles, Ellipses, Splines ((member obj_name '("LWPOLYLINE" "CIRCLE" "ELLIPSE" "SPLINE")) (command "_.AREA" "_Object" ent) (setq area (getvar "AREA")) ) ;; For Regions ((equal obj_name "REGION") (setq area (vla-get-area (vlax-ename->vla-object ent))) ) ;; For Hatches ((equal obj_name "HATCH") (setq area (vla-get-area (vlax-ename->vla-object ent))) ) ) ;; Step 5: Add area to total (if area (setq total (+ total area)) (princ (strcat "\nWarning: Could not compute area for object " (itoa i))) ) (setq i (1+ i)) ; Increment counter (setq area nil) ; Reset area variable ) ; end repeat ;; Step 6: Display the result (princ "\n=========================================") (princ (strcat "\n>>> TOTAL AREA: " (rtos total 2 2) " square units <<<")) (princ "\n=========================================") ) ; end progn ) ; end if (princ) ; Clean exit ) For AutoCAD 2020 and newer (including LT? Note: LT does not support Lisp ) If you are using full AutoCAD (not LT), follow these steps:
;; Add this to end of the main function (setq ins_pt (getpoint "\nPick point for text insertion: ")) (command "_.MTEXT" ins_pt "h" 10 "w" 0 (strcat "Total Area: " (rtos total 2 2) " SF") "") For calculating net floor area (Gross area minus cores and shafts). It sums "Addition" objects (green layer) and subtracts "Subtraction" objects (red layer). 3. The "Dynamic Update" Lisp This routine links the total area to a FIELD or RTEXT so that if you stretch a polyline, the total updates automatically (requires advanced Visual LISP using reactors). Part 6: Troubleshooting Common Errors Even the best Lisp routines can fail. Here are the top 5 errors and how to fix them. (princ (strcat "\n>>> TOTAL AREA: " (rtos total
: Shows area for one object, not total.
| Error Message | Cause | Solution | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | You selected lines, arcs, or blocks. | Convert lines/arcs into a single Polyline ( PEDIT command). Explode blocks first. | | "; error: no function definition: VLAX-GET-AREA" | The Visual LISP extension is not loaded. | Type (vl-load-com) in the command line and press Enter, then retry TOTAREA . | | Area = 0.00 | The polyline is self-intersecting or not closed. | Check the polyline property Closed = Yes . Use OVERKILL to clean up geometry. | | Command: TOTAREA Unknown | The Lisp is not loaded correctly. | Re-run APPLOAD and ensure the file path is correct. Type (C:TOTAREA) manually. | | Area is astronomically large | Your drawing units are in millimeters (1 unit = 1mm). | Divide total by 1,000,000 to get Sq. Meters. Or modify the Lisp to (/ total 1000000) . | Part 7: Why Choose Lisp Over Native Tools or Plugins? You might ask, "Doesn't AutoCAD 2025 have a built-in Total Area tool?" : The Lisp routine above costs $0
Do you have a specific requirement for your total area Lisp (e.g., export to CSV, subtract voids, or add prefixes)? Write a comment below or modify the code as shown in Part 4 – the power of open-source Lisp is that it is infinitely customizable.