MNMX LISP: Find Minimum & Maximum Number in a Boundary (Free AutoLISP Download)
MNMX scans all numeric TEXT entities located inside a selected polyline boundary, identifies the minimum and maximum numeric values among them, and marks those two specific text entities with a fitted circle, filling a gap AutoCAD's native FIND command leaves, since FIND can only locate a value you already know, not tell you which of many text values is smallest or largest.
MNMXT-bgol (Find Minimum & Maximum Number in a Boundary)
Command Type: AutoLISP routine (works in AutoCAD, BricsCAD, ZWCAD and most AutoLISP-compatible CAD platforms)
Developed by: BGol Community, bgol.in
Inspired by the general concept of boundary-scoped min/max text-value finder utilities used in survey/CAD drafting. This is an original, independently written routine, new file name, new command name, new source code, created so the CAD community has a free, editable, open-source alternative.
Overview
MNMX scans all numeric TEXT entities located inside a selected polyline boundary, identifies the minimum and maximum numeric values among them, and marks those two specific text entities with a fitted circle, filling a gap AutoCAD's native FIND command leaves, since FIND can only locate a value you already know, not tell you which of many text values is smallest or largest.
How to Use
- Load
MNMXT-bgol.lspinto your CAD session (drag-and-drop the file onto the drawing window, or use theAPPLOADcommand). - Type
MNMXat the command line and press Enter. - Select a closed polyline boundary (e.g. a parcel or grid outline).
- Every numeric TEXT entity whose insertion point falls inside that boundary is scanned. The minimum-value text is circled in blue and the maximum-value text is circled in red, both on layer
BGOL-MNMX. The count of text found, and the minimum/maximum values, are reported at the command line.
Why Use It
- Fills a Native Gap, AutoCAD's
FINDcommand can only locate a known value, not determine which of many is smallest or largest; this routine provides that missing capability. - Spatially Scoped, uses a polyline boundary to scope the search, useful for finding the min/max within a specific area (e.g. one parcel or one grid section) rather than the whole drawing.
- Time Savings, instantly identifies extreme values instead of manually scanning and comparing every text value by eye.
Where to Use It
- Identifying the highest and lowest elevation points within a specific survey boundary or grid area.
- Any QA or design-review task needing the extreme (min/max) values within a defined region of a drawing quickly identified and marked.
- Earthwork or terrain analysis where knowing the highest/lowest spot levels within a boundary is a key first step.
Notes
- The boundary must be a
LWPOLYLINEorPOLYLINE; other entity types are rejected with a message. - Point-in-boundary testing uses a standard crossing-number (point-in-polygon) algorithm against the boundary's vertex list.
- Non-numeric text inside the boundary is still scanned (parsed as
0), keep the boundary limited to genuinely numeric labels for reliable results. - Source code is fully open, feel free to study, modify, and redistribute it under the same open, free-for-all spirit.
Credits
Developed and shared for the CAD community by BGol Community. Website: https://bgol.in/ Free and open-source, use it, modify it, share it, for personal or commercial work alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
MNMX is a standard AutoLISP routine, so it runs in AutoCAD, BricsCAD, ZWCAD, and most other AutoLISP-compatible CAD platforms without modification.
The boundary must be a LWPOLYLINE or POLYLINE; other entity types are rejected with a message.
Fills a Native Gap, AutoCAD's FIND command can only locate a known value, not determine which of many is smallest or largest; this routine provides that missing capability.
Yes. MNMX is fully open-source and free to use, modify, and redistribute for both personal and commercial work, developed and shared by the BGol Community.
Drag and drop MNMXT-bgol.lsp onto your open drawing window, or load it through the APPLOAD command, then type MNMX at the command line to run it.
🤝 About BGol Community
BGol Community of Advanced Surveying builds and shares free, open-source tools for the survey and CAD drafting community.
🙌 Made with ❤️ by BGol Community of Advanced Surveying
Free, open-source, and built for the CAD community, for personal or commercial use, always.