In this article, we will explore what a "Total Area Lisp" is, how to install and use the most popular routine ( TOTAREA ), how to modify it to display totals in different units, and how to troubleshoot common errors. AutoLISP is a dialect of the Lisp programming language built specifically for automating tasks in AutoCAD. A Total Area Lisp is a script that automates the summation of area properties.
;;; TOTAREA.LSP - Calculate total area of selected objects ;;; Command: TOTAREA ;;; Supports: LWPOLYLINE, CIRCLE, ELLIPSE, SPLINE, REGION, HATCH (defun C:TOTAREA ( / ss total area obj_name obj_list i ent) (princ "\nSelect objects to calculate total area: ") total area autocad lisp
| 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?" In this article, we will explore what a
: This works, but it requires a 12-step wizard, creates an Excel table, and is overkill for a quick sum. ;;; TOTAREA
(setq acres (/ total 43560.0)) (princ (strcat "\n>>> TOTAL AREA: " (rtos acres 2 2) " ACRES <<<")) This version shows your total in Square Meters and Square Feet simultaneously: