Jump to content

Automating tasks for swiftness and presentation purposes using Blocks and Tables


LesCarpenter

Recommended Posts

I was wondering if anyone can help with problem I have. I am using Autocad 2011 although I only use it to tidy my drawings prior to sending to my client, my proficiency is quite basic. I have been tasked with surveying a number of feeder pillars or cabinets with 5 points of data, pt 1 is the centre of the doors, the other 4 points are the corners of the cabinet always in the same order. These can be imported into Autocad as a series of points and then I have to join the dots, and draw the cabinet. I know a little about blocks and that I can create a block of my drawing and place it over the five points, and then I'm stuck as if I change the block once it changes it in all the other positions.

 

After i have placed the block, I need to list the coordinates of the 5 points, this i do individually using the id command and copy and paste into a table. Is there anyway to speed this up?

 

I have attached a sketch of what I'm after doing, there could be as many 20+ cabinets in a drawing. So any help is appreciated.

 

Many thanks in advance.

fp1 trial.dwg

feeder pillar template.pdf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of ways to do it you can create a dynamic block, create a box with constraints that you edit or I would just draw them using a lisp maybe with the data exported out of a excel spreadsheet as plain text as a script so does all in one go

 

A box example in theory read in five points x,y pt1 pt2 pt3 pt4 pt5 you take all the values above and work out a new lower left upper right pts then just use "rectang" this is actually pt4 & pt3 but with a offset for multiple cabinets the doors are drawn to some sort of rule 1/2 pt2-pt5 - 20x2

 

Using contsraints is probably the easiest just change two vaules and its drawn.

 

; a lisp example a bit rough
(command "line" pt1 pt5 pt4 pt3 pt2 pt5 "")
(setq newpt5 (list (+ 20.0 (car pt5))(cadr pt5)))
(setq newpt2 (list (-  (car pt2) 20.0 )(cadr pt2)))
(command "line" newpt2 (polar newpt2 4.712388 (- (cadr pt3)(cadr pt2))) "") ;repeat for another side angle is radians

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd go with the dynamic block idea, Pt1 as the insertion point and 5 attributes that report the X and Y coordinates of the points, I believe full autocad has a command to extract attribute data directly to a table (you can certainly export the details to excel).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...