Linking autocad and excel data

Hi there,

Having got many useful tips from this forum I thought I should post my own query.

For years we have been importing data manually from excel spreadsheets supplied by a client. The data is basically personnel, name, location, phone extension, desk number, job title etc. They supply the .xls and we copy across and update the attributes on the drawing and try and keep about 400 positions updated.

Reading some of the posts here it seems we have got into a rut and are way behind the times and that data extraction is the way to go. ?

Firstly Is it possible to link the xl spreadsheet so if we make changes to the drawing it updates the spreadsheet and vice versa.

Secondly, if it is, can I keep all the information on the drawing rather than working with two programmes, possibly with hyperlinks??

We use AutoCAD 2008 and probably only about 10% of it ability

If anyone can point me towards a tutorial that covers this sort of exercise I would be very grateful.

We are currently linking AutoCAD and Excel via DataLink and having good results. The information can be changed in the drawing or in the spreadsheet and the other application updated as required.

Hmm, I have managed to export the data to an xl file using eattext and if I command line datalink I can see a thumbnail of the updated info but I cant for the life of me work out how to link them together

This is how it's done. I've confirmed it using the exact same steps.

http://www.thecadgeek.com/blog/2007/04/13/linking-excel-and-autocad-with-data-links/

Thanks so much for the link, I shall follow the steps to the letter.........but I might be back

We are currently linking AutoCAD and Excel via DataLink and having good results. The information can be changed in the drawing or in the spreadsheet and the other application updated as required.

Not to hijack the thread, but how large are the excel files you were able to link?

I have never been able to link my tree data tables without crashing - but they are usually 3+mb each.

All ours are quite small (around 15-25KB) in comparison to your files. If I can find a larger Excel file (3MB+) I'll try linking it to a test drawing to see what happens.

All ours are quite small (around 15-25KB) in comparison to your files. If I can find a larger Excel file (3MB+) I'll try linking it to a test drawing to see what happens.

Thanks

We are currently linking AutoCAD and Excel via DataLink and having good results. The information can be changed in the drawing or in the spreadsheet and the other application updated as required.

Couldn't you also use object linking and embedding?

Not to hijack the thread, but how large are the excel files you were able to link?

I have never been able to link my tree data tables without crashing - but they are usually 3+mb each.

I have no idea, first I have to rebuild the drawing making all the attribute blocks, then export it, then see if I can modify the exported file and try to update the drawing from the xl file.

All this for the first time.

Think I'll go and lay down for a bit first...

I understand the linking excel to autocad tables, but how to link to attributes? or is it possible to create a field that links to a table cell?