Most "Total Area" Lisp routines (such as the popular TAREA or variants found on forums like CADTutor or Lee Mac Programming) operate on a simple workflow:
The most widely circulated free LISP for this task is often called TOTAREA.LSP or ADDTOTALAREA.LSP. While many versions exist, the core functionality is consistent.
Change precision by modifying the prec variable (line ~15):
(setq prec 3) ; 3 decimal places
Uncomment unit conversion lines (~lines 50-55) for specific units.
For calculating the total area of multiple objects in AutoCAD, a high-quality AutoLISP routine is the most efficient method compared to the native, tedious manual selection process Autodesk Community, Autodesk Forums, Autodesk Forum Recommended LISP: AreaM (by Jimmy Bergmark)
This is a widely used and reliable routine for summing the areas of various closed objects. Autodesk Community, Autodesk Forums, Autodesk Forum Capabilities : Calculates the total area of selected How to Use AreaM.lsp code into a text file and save it with a extension. Drag and drop the file into your AutoCAD window or use the
in the command line, select your objects, and press Enter to see the total area. WordPress.com Advanced Option: Lee Mac's Total Area
For users needing precision and support for modern AutoCAD features, Total Length & Area program is a standard in the industry. Lee Mac Programming
: Displays total area at the command line with precision based on your system variable. Flexibility total area autocad lisp
: It filters out non-area entities like open polylines to ensure accuracy. Lee Mac Programming Detailed Pieces & Automation
If you need more than just a total sum, consider these specific tools: Area Tables
: To generate a table listing each individual area alongside the total, use the Area Table Lisp ) which labels each polygon. Automatic Text Labels
routine from ESurveying creates text at the centroid of each selected object, showing its specific area plus the grand total. Triangle Details
: For land surveying or verifying calculations manually, the command splits polygons into triangles and provides a detailed table of calculation for each piece. Autodesk Community, Autodesk Forums, Autodesk Forum Native Alternatives (No LISP Required) Lisp to calculate area of all closed polylines selected
Efficiency at Your Fingertips: The Power of Total Area AutoLISP in AutoCAD
In the world of professional drafting, speed and accuracy are the ultimate goals. While AutoCAD comes with built-in measurement tools, they often fall short when you need to calculate the cumulative area
of dozens of separate rooms or complex shapes. This is where Most "Total Area" Lisp routines (such as the
—AutoCAD’s specialized programming language—becomes a game-changer. Why Use an AutoLISP for Total Area? Standard AutoCAD commands like MEASUREGEOM
are excellent for single objects. However, if you need to find the total square footage of a building with 50 unique rooms, clicking each vertex manually is both tedious and prone to error. A "Total Area" LISP routine automates this by: Selecting Multiple Objects : Grabbing all polylines, hatches, or regions at once. Instant Summation
: Automatically adding the area of every selected object and displaying the total. Data Export
: Many routines can even paste the result directly into your clipboard or as text on your drawing. Top Tools for Calculating Total Area
If you aren't ready to write your own code, there are powerful pre-made tools available: TotalLength + / TotalArea : This popular plugin from the Autodesk App Store
allows you to select object types and get a comprehensive total of both length and area in seconds.
: A streamlined utility that measures the total area of hatches and polylines and copies the value directly to your clipboard for use in Excel or Word. : A free architectural toolkit that includes the
command, specifically designed to display areas in square meters ( ) instantly. How to Create Your Own Routine Uncomment unit conversion lines (~lines 50-55) for specific
You don't need to be a software engineer to use AutoLISP. You can create your own custom scripts using the Visual LISP Editor Open AutoCAD and type in the command line.
Write your script in the console window. A simple routine typically iterates through a selection set of "AcDbPolyline" or "AcDbHatch" objects and sums their Save the file as a and use the command to load it into any drawing. Practical Applications Cost Estimation
: Quickly calculate total flooring or roofing material needed. Zoning Compliance
: Ensure your total built-up area meets local regulatory limits. HVAC Sizing
: Determine the total volume or surface area for climate control calculations.
In the daily grind of drafting and quantity surveying, calculating areas from polylines can be one of the most repetitive and error-prone tasks. Standard AutoCAD commands (like AREA with the Object option or LIST) are functional but limited—they only give you one area at a time, and they don't sum multiple selections.
This is where Total Area Lisp routines shine. They are not "official" AutoCAD tools, but rather community-created scripts that fill a massive gap in the software’s functionality. Here is a review of why they are essential, how they work, and their pros and cons.
| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| TA | Main command - calculates total area with options |
| TAQ | Quick total area (command line only) |
| TAP | Total area of polylines only |