AutoCad :: Data Links And Blocks
Jan 16, 2014
My company produces drawing sets that show the same information in multiple places. I.e. an attribute in drawing A is also shown in a different block in drawing B and a different block in drawing C and in a table. This creates problems in that as soon as one piece of information changes, you have to change it in 14 places... and it creates typos. A LOT of typos. So I'm trying to come up with a good solution as to how to link these pieces of information.
I know how to use data links in a table... but is there a way to link block attributes? Also, am I just barking up the wrong tree? Because in my head, you'd have to manually link all of these things for every new drawing, and they can be easily broken.
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Jan 31, 2013
How to manipulate data links? I want excel tables to come over and use their native excel formatting. I have a heck of a time getting them to look right (text size, font, justification, cell size, etc) and then when I update the link after making changes to the XLS, they get all cattywompus again.
I've never been real strong on text management in CAD; I'm always scaling text and doing poor drafting things like that. So I looked into Tablestyles and things a bit and thought I had it, but not so much.
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Mar 5, 2012
How does the datalinks handle the links to the excel spreadsheet. I am drawing parcels from legal descriptions and would like to link each parcel to a spreadsheet with all the parcels data via a ID number. Then be able to click on that parcel and see the owner (the link). But my question is: do I have to give each link a new name to correspond with the parcel in order to see each parcel ownership?
And how many datalinks can a drawing handle.
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Sep 27, 2013
Testing in C3D2012, using tutorial drawing "Sections-Grade-Label", selecting 2 sections depicting the existing ground and datum. Note that the datum in the drawing stops correctly where it intersects the ground:
However, when I gather the start/end points for the section links I get points that fall outside the limits of the datum section:
The second item appears to be the daylight point, but the first item is at the edge of the section view with an elevation that makes no sense. At the other side, item 17 is the daylight point and items 18-21 do not appear to be related to anything else in the sectionview, other than #21 which is again at the edge of the sectionview. What could these extra points/links be for? Intersetingly, the same section in C3D2014 returns 1 less point and all points through item 17 are identical, but those following all differ.
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Jun 26, 2013
I am using Rel 2013 C3D
How do I remove excel data links from my Reference Manager (see attached image). What I have been doing is AutoCad erasing the graphics from my drawing but the link still remains in the xref manager window.
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Apr 15, 2014
I'm reconstructing an old document originally developed with PageMaker. I've recreated a half dozen pages hopefully with more uniform techniques. The original line art for the pages was created in AutoCad and some were scans. To bring them into InDesign some of the art is now in psd format and some of the newer art is in Illustrator AI format.
I've noticed that the pages with photoshop art print pretty quickly (about 30 seconds). The ones with Illustrator art take much longer (about 1:30 seconds). They go through a flattening process.
I print these 50 page books on demand and that additional time would add about an hour.
I guess the question is whether this is normal and to be expected or not. If it is I'll likely turn everything into raster before going into InDesign. That, however, seems like quite a bit of extra work. Going from AutoCad to Illustrator (to add stroke) then to PhotoShop to change to raster and then into InDesign seems like a pretty convoluted work flow.
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Mar 27, 2013
I was given a C3D file with a road alignment including sections. But the all the road data is a block. Is there a way to retrieve all the data in order for me to do some quanities for my estimates on material volumes. When I go to the prospector tab, there are no points, surfaces, or alignments listed.
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Dec 13, 2011
Here is the problem with the process put simply:
Start with a new drawing Drawn a rectangle. Place a block which has an attribute with a number at each corner. ie. 1-4. Convert all objects into one single block. (the attributes become nested). If you use data extraction and retrieve the attribute number, position X and position Y, and output to a table the information displayed is correct. HOWEVER, if you rotate the block and update the link the coordinates become incorrect? This seems to be an issue with nested blocks?
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Jun 5, 2012
I am new to this company, we manufacture and build panelised buildings. We are 3 users in the drawing office, we all have Pallettes set up in ACAD and our pallettes all reference the same block files on the server.
We do Data extraction when we move into the production phase of any project and we extract all block information into Excel.
The problem is that when these blocks were made very little thought went into the naming of them. So now when ACAD produces a list of the blocks on the drawing I have electrical, plumbing, fittings etc all mixed together, making it time consuming to sort through them and put them together in their separate spreadsheets.
What I am hoping to do is go through our library of blocks and rename them all, simply giving them a single letter prefix at the start of the file name IE E - Single plug, P - Tap, D - 826 Door etc. The problem is obviously if I rename them then all 3 users have to reassign each individual block again to their palettes.
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Feb 7, 2012
I have questions about exporting data for drawings.We make use of spaces to create a list with room numbers, room use and the area.
we also create plans with office furniture.we have blocks with attributes to extract data like workstation numbers, department, roomnumbers etc.for the info from the spaces we use export property data to create an database file.for the export of the attributes we use dataextraction to crete an .xls file
Is there a way to combine the work so that we can export the attribute data with the export property data?Is there a way to link the blocks (who are within a closed pline) to the pline (space)? Can it be done with lisp or VBA?
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Nov 19, 2013
I need to create a small table to ID the User, Computer name, Door Key, etc for a floor plan drawing of our office. I'd like to get this done in Excel and link it all so the bldg manager can make changes to the drawing without me. I have created the excel file and created a "name set" in excel for each room. In Autocad 2013 I have inserted a table from a data link and pointed that link to the named range of the room (the named range in excel is an 8 cel block with al the info I need repeated and uniquely named for each room.
This works great...so my next step is to create a block out of the table and make the DATA LINK a variable attribute...that's where I'm stuck. i cannot figure out how to do this. I would love to be able to INSERT BLOCK and have one attribute question...ROOM NUMBER?. That should look to the excel NAMED SET the corresponds and populate the table.
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Feb 14, 2013
I wanted to get a few opinions regarding exporting data.
We are working with AutoCAD 2013 Vanilla.
We have dynamic blocks with attributes that contain the block Name, Size, Color, material etc...
What is the best way to export the information?
Schedule and linked to a spreadsheet?
(I have experience with schedules but not so much with linking to spreadsheets)
DbConnect? (I know very little on this)
Another way to ask the question;
What is the best way to export the data that I can successfully train 20 designers on how to do it correctly.
So part one is determining the best method,
part two is training a group of designers to use it correctly.
I worked on getting a schedule out and linking to a spreadsheet but even after talking to my reseller support I feel that is too cumbersome. I would like a more streamlined process, you know the one, click here and presto!
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Jun 4, 2011
I design all of the architectural metal used on most project homes being built in Sydney at the moment.
I draw up balustrade and screening etc.
Basically what I have is a huge collection of complex dynamic blocks that I insert into my drawings, I then change all the variables to suit.
These drawings are then dimensioned, and a parts list manually written out based on the lengths etc of each type of material.
All of these drawings are exact reproductions of what is produced on the factory floor, so it is quite easy to identify the parts, but rather painfull to manually write out a cutting list.
I'd like to add attributes and/or fields for material type and length to each of these dynamic blocks, which update as the blocks are manipulated to the required sizes.
where I get stuck is that there are multiple drawing methods used to create these blocks, and I cannot seem to figure out exactly what I should be naming, and assigning length fields too, or even how to extract or what to extract!
When I extract the data, I get a mess of conflicting and confusing information that is impossible to sort correctly, as I can use the dynamic parameter field for some, but not others, and on others it is a simple line, but on others again they are polylines and the length is useless to me.
I have tried to creat a block with an attribute for each and every individual part, but when I combine these into a complex part and try to assign dynamic parameters as a single dynamic block, the previously blocked and named parts wont behave correctly.
Im not sure if im making much sense here, but in my mind it all seems simple enough, I just cant get it to actually work with my exsiting blocks...
All im really after is a simple BOM, for example, I have a dynamic block with the Style code A0-1, when this is inserted I change 3 different lengths depending on the job. This style code is made up of several components such as a 40 mm square post (coded 40SQ), an 80 sq baseplate (coded PF2) and a 50 x 25 mm handrail (coded HR5025).
I need to extract a length for the 40 sq post, a length for the 50 X 25 handrail and an item count for the baseplate.
There may be 25 of these in a drawing, all at different sizes.
The dynamic block works perfectly for drafting, but not so well for data extraction.
There are over 1100 of these dynamic blocks, created over the last 2 years, and the only missing piece in the drafting puzzle is the extracted cut-list to save a large amount of time, and I just cant get it working.
Is there a methodology I need to learn here? will I need to re-create these blocks to allow for extraction?
I have explained to my boss the theory behind all of this and he is keen for some working examples that the monkeys on the shop floor can read and understand, and Im stuck creating an extraction template that can work, even if just for proof of concept that I can refine over the next few months.
I know ACAD can do this, I know my brain has all the data, I'm just not getting the ACAD>BRAIN interface working here.
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Mar 29, 2011
I work at a machine shop and have a Dynamic Block setup with quite a number of Blocks in it where I can choose whichever tooling I am working with to place into a drawing.
I am also Data-Linking parts of the drawing to Excel that has information fields to be updated in the drawing for these same toolings.
I would like to setup my drawing so that when I update the data links from the Excel spreadsheet the Dynamic Block I mentioned will also be automatically updated and display the appropriate block drawing for the tooling retrieved from Excel.
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Dec 4, 2012
I work for a company that makes sheet metal cabinets. Each cabinet we construct has 17 parts that all different different blank sizes and notching. I have a template for each part right now that I have to shrink or stretch to the appropriate size every time we get a custom size order.
What I've created so far is an excel spreadsheet that determines the sizes of all the parts based on the overall height width and depth of the custom cabinet that was ordered. Any way to define a parts properties with a dynamic block and get the width depth or height imported in from the excel spreadsheet to automatically adjust the size.
[URL]
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Mar 26, 2011
Seems like Multi-View Blocks are like that hot red-head in high school that you really want to get to know until you get to know them.
I made a bunch of blocks for my electrical plans. Annotative symbols for plan view, 3D blocks for model view, and elevation blocks for elevations. I then started creating the MVBs.
Upon insertion the annotative blocks appear super small and the model view blocks scale way up. The model view blocks are not annotative and are not supposed to scale at all. It seems MVBs see any block inside that is annotative as an indication that the entire MVB shall be annotative. Fustrated, I finally found a work-around that is a bit half-arsed:
I made another block as a sort of holder for the annotative symbols that was set to not be annotative and inserted that into the MVB. VOILA! the MVB itself doesn't scale, but the annotative symbol inside the non-annotative block does. This works fine except for one caveat: I can't edit attributes that are in blocks inside of blocks. If I made another block to use in the MVB for the attributes, it would work, so long as I don't make it annotative, which isn't what I want.
So, A) is there a better work-around than the block-in-a-block-in-a-multi-view-block method, or B) Is there a way to access and edit attribute data of sub-blocks inside a MVB?
Maybe my next thread will be about red-headed Multi-View Blocks with carpets that match the drapes.
Edit: Running ACA 2009
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Jul 25, 2013
i am searching for a lisp for data extractiion from selected blocks. Here Iam attaching sample blocks drawing for reference. These blocks containing visability features. I need output excel in the below snap shot format.
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Apr 15, 2011
I found a lisp to get block attribute data to a other block. See attachment. I can only apply it to one block. I like to apply it to selected blocks or blocks in a group. Is this possible?
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Apr 24, 2012
I have a master shape file that contains parcel ID, owner, tax info., etc. I have another file ( access 2003 -open to better file format suggestions-) which contains parcel ID and a "yes" or " no" entry for whether or not the parcel needs a new water meter. All I want to do is add the water meter information into the other shape file. This would create one shape file with one table with all the information that I need.
Ultimately I will use the information to do a map query and find out spatially where i need new water meters.
Right now i have the master shape file connected though the “Connect to Data” feature. I also have the new data added to the drawing though the Data sources------>attach under the “Map Explorer” Task pane. I attached access file (ver. 2003 .mdb) which has two columns “Parcel ID” and “Meter”.
I right click on the shape file under the display manager and select”Create a Join;” however my water meter table is not listed as an option. Will this not work?
Plan B - I tried to Create and connect to the access file as an ODBC connection. Followed this guy’s directions to a T [URL]. But when i populate my table under the fdo connection the column headings exist ( “parcel ID” and “Meter”) but the actual data is missing. Am I missing something important?
Note: I am running c3d 2012 on a Win 7 64 Bit machine. I also removed office 32 bit apps and installed 64 bit apps to see if that would solve the problem. No go.
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Apr 10, 2013
say you make some parcels in your project with custom data fields like: id_no, permit_no, acres_served etc. you attach an agency provided shape file via an fdo connection that has many fields of information like above.
when you right click on your parcel and do parcel properties you get a tab that lets you input the custom parcel data.
lets say you print an fdo map label showing, say, the id_no, provided in the shape file. Then in your custom parcel properties for id_no you type that in.
is there a way to make an expression to put in the other custom parcel properties that will read, say, the permit_no(id_no) from the fdo like and put that information in the custom parcel property field?
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Jun 7, 2012
I'm having problems getting super elevation data to transfer to different drawings by means of an alignment data shortcut. I know alignments hold the super elevation data so I've gone into my alignments data shortcut, input my super elevation data, saved and closed. Now when I open my finished grade drawing, reference in my alignment and profiles, then create a corridor from that information, my super elevation didn't transfer with the reference.
I pulled cross sections and it appears is has no clue there is any super elevation data. Also, I tried bringing it directly into the drawing I'm doing my corridors in and it erred saying I must be in the parent alignment drawing. Data shortcuts are pretty much useless to me if super elevation data doesn't transfer.
64 bit Windows 7
Intel Xeon (R) @2.8GHz
6.00GB Ram
Civil 3D 2012
Civil 3D 2012
Intel(R) Xeon W3530 @ 2.80GHz
6.00GB Ram
Windows 7 Professional
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Apr 19, 2012
I am trying to link my extracted data from blocks with attributes to an extenal source so that the table I create and place into the drawing already has the formulas I need to due the required calculations. But every time I create and place the table the formulas are not in the table. I include the columes that contain the data but it doesn't seem to be working.
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Sep 9, 2011
i have created a data band in profile view that should show a created profiles elevation, but some of the the data fields are missing irregulary. Also in the data band that shoud show the diferenece betven the tow profiles - EG and the new profile the data is missing. The EG profiles data and the surface are ok all is shown.
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May 3, 2013
I've just installed Civil3D, 64-bit on windows 7(running on bootcamp) and am trying to insert a georeferenced raster image but have encountered some issues.
1. "Home tab>>Data panel>>>insert An Image" - The data panel is missing and it's also not found in "customize palettes"
2. Trying the data connect route does not work either: Display manager>>>Data>>>Connect To Data - There is no 'Data' option and I cannot connect to Data.
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Oct 24, 2013
Is it possible to embedd data in a table so that a user can select from a group of data within one cell?
I use this technique quite often in Excel. One cell in a table can have various values: A, B, C, or D. While another cell can have a different set of values to choose from: BLUE, RED, ORANGE, or PURPLE. The user can pull down an arrow (similar to a dynamic block) and choose from a set list of values.
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Jun 8, 2012
I am trying to convert several drawings that are linked to an SQL database to SQL spatial. The drawings are from a Autodesk map 2004 system. I have Map D 2013 64Bit installed on a laptop along with SQL server 2012 RC0 (Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 11.0.1750.32 Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 6.1.7601.17514 Microsoft MSXML 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 Microsoft Internet Explorer 9.0.8112.16421 Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0.30319.269 Operating System 6.1.7601).
To keep my rouge laptop off the company network I exported our existing SQL data to a access database that I placed on the laptop and converted back to SQL and linked it to the 2004 drawings. That part worked fine. I would like to convert all of them to SQL spatial. I have converted a small drawing but it took a couple of hours. I am in the process of a larger drawing that has 60,000 entities and it has been working for 8 hours and only has 4550 of them completed. I am using the output to fdo connection.
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May 17, 2012
MEP 2013
Is there a command to break ALL ole links in a dwg? I have a total of 68 OLE Links(one per page)..They are reaping havoc on my dwg!!!
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Apr 16, 2012
Is it possible to put links into AutoCAD drawings?
For instance could I set up an icon / text that if clicked on opens another drawing, pdf, word document, excel document or other.
example: if I have a note in the drawing saying "see drawing A123_456_789 for details of power cable" could I put a link next to it that took you straight to the drawing?
If it can be done is it possible to save the drawing in a format that somebody without AutoCAD could view drawing and use the links.
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Oct 12, 2011
I know that the xmls are very important in the design data folder and we shouldn't mess with them.What about the rest of the folders. I have around 11 folders. GOST, AEC Exchange, AIT, Cable & Harness, Bend Tables, DWG-DXF etc...
I need to know if any of these folders can be deleted? We don't use AEC Exchange, Cable Harness, BIm Exchange, Design Accelerator, Tube & Pipe.
What about the Optimisation, DXF-DWG. I am not sure if I am using them unknowingly.Does this could be deleted? Is there a procedure to get rid of them.
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Feb 28, 2011
(defun CELBLKS ( / e blk ss blkl)
(setq blkl "" ss (ssadd))
(while (setq e (entsel "
[Code]....
i have this lsp, it works great but how can modify it if i want select with a window.? exemple: if i have 3 differentes blocks, i want to select them with windows and the lisp select all blocks that are identical of those 3.?
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Aug 22, 2013
We have a new title block which now contains various fields to automatically populate the drawing number, number of sheets, issue etc. The problem we have is when we go to zoom all or extents on a layout tab it moves the layout to the right each time. If we only have one layout or we use a plain title block i.e. with no fields, the zoom works fine (layout stays put in the center). This is also true if we directly insert a field onto the layout - again no problems.
The cause of the problem only happens when a block containing a field is inserted onto the paper space of a layout and,there are multiple layouts containing blocks with fields.
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