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Code Sleuth — Finding SDK Samples & API References

When writing plugin code, check SDK samples and enumerate live API objects before generating from scratch.

The Super Tool: rg (ripgrep)

Before running any rg command, verify it is available:

rg --version

If missing, prompt the user to install via winget:

winget install BurntSushi.ripgrep.MSVC

After install, restart the terminal session so rg is on PATH.

rg is the fastest way to find usage patterns across SDK samples and existing codebases.

# Find all usages of a class in SDK samples
rg "DataLinksManager" /path/to/sdk/samples

# Find method signatures
rg "dlm\.GetRelatedRowIds" --type cs

# Find namespace declarations (locate which DLL a type lives in)
rg "namespace Autodesk\.ProcessPower" --type cs -l

# Case-insensitive, with context
rg -i "cogopoint" --type cs -C 3

# Search only in .csproj for package references
rg "PackageReference" --glob "*.csproj"

# Find all CommandMethod usages
rg "\[CommandMethod" --type cs

Use rg over IDE search when working outside Visual Studio or when searching large SDK trees.

Online API References

Resource URL
AutoCAD .NET Developer's Guide (2027) https://help.autodesk.com/view/OARX/2027/ENU/
Civil 3D .NET API Reference (2027) https://help.autodesk.com/view/CIV3D/2027/ENU/
Plant 3D SDK download https://aps.autodesk.com/developer/overview/autocad-plant-3d-objectarx-sdk-downloads
AutoCAD NuGet (AutoCAD.NET) https://www.nuget.org/packages/AutoCAD.NET
Civil 3D NuGet (Civil3D.NET) https://www.nuget.org/packages/Civil3D.NET

NuGet Package XML Docs

Intellisense XML docs ship with every NuGet package. Grep them directly:

rg "DataLinksManager" ~/.nuget/packages/autocad.net/ --type xml -l

Runtime Discovery Patterns

When docs are sparse, enumerate live objects inside a running AutoCAD command.

Discover Plant3D table columns

foreach (PnPTable t in pnpDb.Tables)
{
    ed.WriteMessage($"\nTable: {t.Name}");
    foreach (var col in t.Columns)
        ed.WriteMessage($"  col: {col.Name}");
}

Discover Plant3D relationships

foreach (PnPRelationshipType rt in pnpDb.RelationshipTypes)
{
    ed.WriteMessage($"\nRel: {rt.Name}");
    foreach (PnPRoleType role in rt.RoleTypes)
        ed.WriteMessage($"  role: {role.Name}");
}

Identify unknown entity type at an ObjectId

var ent = tr.GetObject(id, OpenMode.ForRead);
ed.WriteMessage($"\nType: {ent.GetType().FullName}  Assembly: {ent.GetType().Assembly.GetName().Name}");

Dump all properties on a Plant3D row

string cls  = dlm.GetObjectClassname(rowId);
PnPTable tbl = pnpDb.Tables[cls];
PnPRow   row = tbl.Select($"PnPID={rowId}")[0];
foreach (var col in tbl.Columns)
    ed.WriteMessage($"\n  {col.Name} = {row[col.Name]}");