Attribute Extraction in inches AutoCAD lt 2004

[makisupa]

I have figured out how to use the attribute extraction in AutoCAD Lt 2004. However, I need the X and Y coordinates of the blocks to be in inches.

Is there anyway I can do this? Is there a wizard in LT2004?

[David Bethel]

I take it you are using an attribute extract template file.

The BL:X value is a numeric value. ACAD stores all numerica values as REAL numbers. It doesn't care whether you are using imperial, decimal or even light years, It just a number.

Why not post the template and we will have a look see. -David

[makisupa]

Here is the template I have been using

BL:NAME C020000
BL:X N004002
BL:Y N004002
LOCATION C005000

I am trying to build a file so I can calculate distance between 2 points and import into a warehouse management program

[David Bethel]

BL:NAME C020000
BL:X N004002
BL:Y N004002
LOCATION C005000

You must be using very small inserts. The max values for X & Y are 9.99 using the format N004002

I would suggest some thing like this

BL:NAME C040000
BL:X N020002
BL:Y N020002
LOCATION C080000

Your output in CDF should look something like this

'TEMP1', 18.00, 12.00,'A'
'TEMP2', 18.00, 72.00,'B'
'TEMP3', 78.00, 12.00,'C'
'TEMP4', 78.00, 72.00,'D'

To extract the insert point of TEMP1 , you would list the (nth 1) and (nth 2) atoms from the list. (18.00 12.00)

What does the attribute LOCATION contain? -David

[makisupa]

Here is what my data looks like:

'STD30in RackBay',-202,-757,'L1015'
'STD30in RackBay',-274,-757,'L1029'
'STD30in RackBay',-295,-757,'L1033'
'STD30in RackBay',-305,-757,'L1035'
'STD30in RackBay',-285,-757,'L1031'

Location is an actual bay. What I need is the -202, 757 to be the actual measurements of 330, 19. Which is in feet on the drawing. I need it in inches buy can always do that conversion later. According to your previous post though, it does not look I will be able to pull out that 330,19.

Thanks for you help.

[David Bethel]

I must admit, I am really getting confused here.

Location is an actual bay. What I need is the -202, 757 to be the actual measurements of 330, 19. Which is in feet on the drawing. I need it in inches buy can always do that conversion later. According to your previous post though, it does not look I will be able to pull out that 330,19.

I don't know how -202,-757 could corelate to 330,19. -David

[makisupa]

Well, that is my problem. I have created the block with a midpoint on a line and when I goto to click on the point I get 330',19' - what we want to enter into the PC. But when it extracts the attributes it gives me the strange numbers. I have reset the origin in my drawing to one corner of the building and reran with the same results.

Should it be giving me the 330', 19' in attribute extraction file? Do I have the fields setup incorrectly for BL:X. The location is just a bay location and it is correct.

I cannot find any attribute extraction wizard in LT 2004 either, not sure if this makes a difference.

[David Bethel]

Wow! That could be a lot of things

BL:X Y & Z report the insertion point of the block in the UCS of the block ( BL:XEXTRUDE BL:YEXTRUDE BL:ZEXTRUDE )

Rotating and moving origins of a UCS makes life very difficult. Having a BLOCK insert base point ( INSBASE ) other than 0,0,0 can lead to head aches as well

Translating from a current UCS to an entities UCS is a daunting task if you don't have access to the autolist function ( trans )

So in short - Was the block made in WCS with INSBASE 0,0,0? Are you extracting the data while in WCS? -David

[makisupa]

That INSBASE command I am not familar with. I did run this command and it was not 0,0,0. So I went ahead and changed it.

I have been extracting the data in UCS mode. Not sure what you mean by that autolist function.

The block was made in UCS. If you have suggestions about what mode or steps I should be in for the block creation let me know.

I am definitely not an AutoCAD expert, I am reaching my knowledge limits with this, just started to use blocks again. Eventually I will have to recreate the whole thing with blocks to get at the XYs.

I really do appreciate you help on this, if I can figure out what is going on. It will save weeks of time. I may have to go home this weekend and dig out my CAD book and look up these commands.

[David Bethel]

That INSBASE command I am not familar with. I did run this command and it was not 0,0,0. So I went ahead and changed it.

That is probably the big problem. If the block was made when INSBASE was not 0,0,0,. you need to redefine it with INSBASE 0,0,0. Once defined, the block table is difficult to change in LT.

That should make a lot of your problems go away. -David