a couple of questions

[juliancad]

i work in the av industry and im trying to figure out an easier way to export cable labels to excel.

 

our labels consist of C0101 & a rectangle around the label connected to the input and output of devices.

 

our blocks are not attributed in any way and they are exploded.

 

i dont know how to make atributes on blocks, is there a link to a how to?

 

also i wanted to know how to make a database for equipment in the drawings. this will consist of part numbers, manufactures numbers etc.

 

thanks

[ReMark]

Somewhere around here is a three part series on Working with Attributes. It might help get you started.

 

You want to make a database? I think it might be easier working with a spreadsheet.

 

Your equipment would have to be blocks with attributes so the data can be extracted to a table within AutoCAD itself or to Excel itself.

 

I don't understand why you create then explode your blocks. Could you elaborate on this a little more? Thanks.

[ReMark]

Working with Attributes. Start with this link. See post #12 for part 1. See posts #18 and #23 of the same thread for parts 2 and 3.

 

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?24585-What-is-Attributes/page2&highlight=Working+with+attributes

[juliancad]

Somewhere around here is a three part series on Working with Attributes. It might help get you started.

 

You want to make a database? I think it might be easier working with a spreadsheet.

 

Your equipment would have to be blocks with attributes so the data can be extracted to a table within AutoCAD itself or to Excel itself.

 

I don't understand why you create then explode your blocks. Could you elaborate on this a little more? Thanks.

 

we explode them because we need to stretch the block out and move text around within the block, can attributes take care of this so i wont have to explode my block?

 

ok once my blocks have attributes how would you export all text to excel? and is there a way to only select some items to export? or does it have to be the whole drawing?

[ReMark]

You might want to look at forum member Lee Mac's lisp program Global Attribute Extractor and Editor. Download it and take it for a test drive.

http://lee-mac.com/macatt.html

[irneb]

we explode them because we need to stretch the block out and move text around within the block, can attributes take care of this so i wont have to explode my block?

 

ok once my blocks have attributes how would you export all text to excel? and is there a way to only select some items to export? or does it have to be the whole drawing?

Firstly in a "normal" block attributes can be moved around without needing to modify the block. If the AttDef objects inside the block's definition are not set to be Locked Position, each attribute would then have a grip so you can "stretch" them to a different position. And while in the "Enhanced Attribute Editor" you can pick an attribute then open the Text Options tab and set that attribute's rotation. Also if you hold-down the Ctrl key in the model space / paper space - you can select individual attributes between blocks, then use the properties palette to modify the selected attributes' properties in one go.

 

The rest of the block won't be "editable" between copies thereof. For that you'll need to look into Dynamic Blocks ... only available in ACad 2006 and later though. Basically while inside the BEdit command you can place "Parameters" (most are similar to dimensions) then link them to actions (like stretch). That would allow you to modify lengths of items through either setting the parameter value in properties palette or using the grip-edits.