Importing excel data to define dynamic blocks properties

Hey guys,

I work for a company that makes sheet metal cabinets and I came up with an idea that I'm having a little trouble realizing. 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. What I'm hoping to find is a 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.

I'm not sure if this can be achieved through data links but I haven't had much luck with it. I've heard that LISP might be able to do it but I have little to no experience in programming so I'd like to avoid it. If there aren't any other options though I'd love to be pointed in the right direction for some tutorials or anything that could help.

I've included download links to a simple dynamic block and a copy of the spreadsheet I created in hopes it will help you guys see what I mean.

Thanks in advance.

Spreadsheet - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?dtd1h4ohg6zd83j

Dynamic Block - http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?mca2efhclj0y97d

Parametric and constrains should be able to do it with out Excel.

Yes unfortunately the only way I can see is to do it with lisp. The program will extract the data from the excel spreadsheet and manipulate the dynamic block to the sizes you want. No not easy but definately doable.

Parametric and constrains should be able to do it with out Excel.

Can you expand on this? How would the sizes be defined?

Yes unfortunately the only way I can see is to do it with lisp. The program will extract the data from the excel spreadsheet and manipulate the dynamic block to the sizes you want. No not easy but definately doable.

Do you know of a good resource for learning LISP? Is it something that could be picked up on with little programming experience? I know a bit about M and G code and a bit about programming in Matlab so I'm assuming that will help.

Can you expand on this? How would the sizes be defined?

This

If your cabinet dimensions are standard you can define a dynamic block with linear parameters and associate a table (via parameter manager) with your standard cabinet sizes. Using constraints should, so to say (pre)define the changes of one of your parameters.

This table can be shown in your block properties or can be associated with a look up action.

If the size is not standard, you can look up all linear parameters and change it.

The excel data (dimensions) you can just copy to the block properties table.

For linking the two files maybe there can be a way of doing so with the data links under tools. I am unfortunately not as familiar with linking the two.

Just data extraction from Cad to excel.

Here is a quick one of your block using parametrics.

The dimensions are just for show. You can use predefined sizes with the lookup action or override it with a custom dimension typing the required distance in the block properties.

Dynamic Block Test.dwg