DXFDMP-bgol (List Raw DXF Details of a Selected Entity)

Command Type: AutoLISP developer utility (works in AutoCAD, BricsCAD, ZWCAD and most AutoLISP-compatible CAD platforms)
Developed by: BGol Community, bgol.in

Inspired by the general concept of raw-DXF-dump developer utilities used in AutoLISP development workflows. 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

This is a developer-focused utility rather than an end-user drafting tool: when writing AutoLISP programs, it's frequently necessary to inspect the raw DXF group codes of an entity. AutoCAD's native LIST command shows entity details in a human-readable format, but that format isn't directly usable in code. DXD instead prints the entity's data exactly as AutoLISP's entget function would return it, a raw, programmable association list, one group code pair per line, making it immediately useful for LISP development and debugging.

How to Use

1. Load DXFDMP-bgol.lsp into your CAD session (drag-and-drop the file onto the drawing window, or use the APPLOAD command).
2. Type DXD at the command line and press Enter.
3. At the Select entity: prompt, click the entity you want to inspect.
4. The routine prints the entity's full DXF association list (exactly as entget would return it) to the command line / text window, one group code pair per line, followed by a total pair count.

Why Use It

• Development Aid, immediately shows the exact structure a LISP program would see when calling (entget entityname), removing guesswork when writing code that needs to read or modify specific DXF group codes.
• Faster Debugging, quickly reveals which DXF group codes are present (and their values) on a given entity, useful when troubleshooting why a custom routine isn't reading expected data.
• Complements LIST, LIST is for humans reading entity properties in plain language; DXD is for developers who need the same data in raw, parseable form.

Where to Use It

• While developing or debugging custom AutoLISP routines that need to read or modify entity DXF data.
• Understanding the exact DXF structure of an unfamiliar entity type before writing code to process it programmatically.
• Learning AutoLISP/DXF group codes by directly inspecting real entity data from the current drawing.

Notes

• Read-only: this command never modifies the drawing or creates new entities, so it's completely safe to run on any entity at any time.
• Output goes to the command line / text window (F2) exactly like any other princ-based command output, scroll up in the text window if the entity has many group codes.
• 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.