Customisation Suggestions

I'm looking for my next coding project and would appreciate any suggestions based on tasks people use when working with CAD.

Cheers

I don't know if this has been done before but what i would like is a dialog box with project information and drawing information taken from excel files that when you click ok will replace the text in the title on the sheet. I was trying to do it in VB but it was beyond me.

I don't know if this has been done before but what i would like is a dialog box with project information and drawing information taken from excel files that when you click ok will replace the text in the title on the sheet. I was trying to do it in VB but it was beyond me.

My last project was GUI-based application that allowed reading and amending of the attributes in the title blocks of many drawings. Even applying a sequential format for sheet numbering etc.

I'll post up a picture of the GUI and then maybe you can elaborate on your comments and annotate the image I upload?

It all seems doable and I've had prior experience interacting with excel.

Now, I'll just get an image.

I was trying to do some along these lines. See that attached images. When you wanted to update a single sheet title box you would activate the lisp, or vba as i tried before. You would be presented with a dialog box something similar to the one i mocked up in vb. You could select project name and drawing name from drop down lists that would link back to excel files. One excel file would contain a list of project names that could be updated when a new one starts but it would also contain a project code related to the project that would form part of the drawing number.

The drawing name excel sheet would have a set of standard drawing titles thereby eliminating the need for people to think up a new one. Depening on the one chosen this would also contribute a two digit code to the middle of the drawin number. Tis would be set and not editible.

You could fill out the sheet number boxes but also have a toggle switch whether to turn this on or off.

Designed, drawn, checked, approved and scale would be from excel files that contain a list of those in the office.

Finally you would have the date, status and drawing number. Date would be a non auto-updating date. Status from an excel sheet. Drawing number as discussed. The two digit number at the end of the drawing number would be selected from a drop down list.

The idea would be that this information would then be exported to an excel file to create a drawing register automatically. So when you select the two digit number for the drawing name it would check the excel file and see if the drawing number exists or not. If so then an alert would popup informing you of such and ask you to use a new number.

There seems to be a bit in this. I tried with VB and nearly went mad. I hope this gives you food for thought.

It would be great to incorporate a rev box update in that dialog box so that the rev number gets saved into the register and a complete record is kept.

Just some random thoughts i had..........I have this setup partially at the moment using dynamic blocks which is a bit of a pain in the .......

That's a very intriguing prospect for my new project and when I get home tonight I'll write up my personal interpretation of your requests. Then I'll send them to you for approval and we can trade comments until we both understand the design you want.

I think we may be able to add additional features and I will probably get carried away and do so.

Will your company be updating to AutoCAD 2010 anytime soon? This could extend the options availabe in terms of the graphics we can use. I'm not sure if you're familiar with WPF but I am looking to use it on a real project and this could be it if you're using 2010.

So, I'll send you a PM later on so we can agree on the specifics.

Nick

Nick,

we are upgrading to 2010 in the coming months so definetly run with that. Look forward to getting your thoughts on it.