How do I count all the circles in an AutoCAD drawing?

What cadssistant does

1. Selects every CIRCLE in the drawing with a filter and counts the selection, in one AutoLISP pass.
2. Reads the value back into the chat and answers with the count. A read-only question runs no editing command.
3. Say "among the selected objects" and it takes your grip selection (no prompt, you already selected them) and counts the circles in it instead of the whole drawing.

The same task in AutoLISP

(if (setq ss (ssget "_X" '((0 . "CIRCLE"))))
  (sslength ss)
  0)

The same count at the command line. ssget returns nil, not an empty set, when nothing matches, hence the guard.

Good to know

• Add a layer to the sentence ("on layer HOLES") and the filter gains (8 . "HOLES").
• ssget "_X" sees the whole database: circles on frozen and off layers count, and so do circles in paper space layouts. Add (410 . "Model") to keep to model space.
• Circles inside block definitions don't count: the filter sees the INSERT, not what's in it.

More in count and measure

• How do I count blocks by name in AutoCAD?
• How do I get the total length of all lines and polylines on a layer in AutoCAD?
• How do I get the area of every closed polyline in an AutoCAD drawing?
• How do I list all layers in an AutoCAD drawing with the number of objects on each?