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Believe it or not, Barlist Version 4 supports
add-in components developed by third parties. Why does such a simple little program
support such a powerful feature? The need to support add-in components stems from the fact
that our users want to generate barlist contract drawings directly from the Barlist
program. If we all used the same CAD system, with the same customizations and we promised
never to change, generating barlist drawings would be relatively straightforward. In
reality we all use different CAD software and those that use the same software have it
configured differently. The WSDOT Bridge and Structures Office uses MicroGDS, many of our
consultants use MicroStation or AutoCADD. Other CAD systems could conceivably be created
at some future time. How can the Barlist program generate barlist contract drawings for a
CAD system that doesn’t even exist yet and for an unpredictable set of
customizations? The answer is, it can’t. However, through the use of add-in
technology, you can develop your own add-in that supports a specific CAD system.
Creating barlist contract drawings isn’t
the only use of add-in components. The add-in features of the Barlist program are wide
open. You can make an add-in do what ever you like. For example, a standard add-in is the
BXF File Generator. This add-in creates barlist files in the BXF format found in Version 3
of the Barlist program. Let your imagination guide you.
Building Add-ins with Visual Basic
Building Add-ins with Visual C++
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