This routine allows you to draw a variety of formed shapes including angles, channels, and U or J shapes. Tip author Jay Thomas claims this will draw most anything that can be made with four bends or fewer. This is a massive routine with a lot of code, a dialog box, and a slide library, but using it could not be much easier.

Because of the dialog box (DCL file) and slide library (SLD file), you should either unzip all the files into a location that is included in your support file search path or unzip these files to a new directory and add that location to your support file search path. After the files are in place, load the LISP file and type in the command FS. A dialog should appear as shown here:

Choose a shape from the pull-down list, then set the various sizes and settings. Sizes are verified when you press OK, so if something will not physically work, a warning will be issued. After the shape is created, you will be prompted to move it into place and specify a rotation angle, similar to inserting a block. The resulting shape is a closed 2D polyline on the current layer that assumes all other current properties. Very nice routine, Jay — thanks!